In case you’re trying to discover a few of the finest issues to do in St. Louis, you’ve come to the fitting place. Being a Midwest metropolis, you wouldn’t assume St. Louis has all that a lot to do. However we’re right here to inform you there are a great deal of issues to do in St. Louis.
You would possibly’ve heard about St. Louis Arch or Busch Stadium the place the Cardinals play however moreover that, there are a ton of hidden gems and attention-grabbing issues to find within the metropolis.
Superior Issues to Do in St. Louis, MO
Based in 1764, St. Louis has many historic buildings which were superbly renovated for modern-day use. There are additionally nationally acknowledged museums that host attention-grabbing displays and artwork to see. Other than that, St. Louis has some scrumptious native meals and a few attention-grabbing spins on issues that it’s a must to strive.
Right here’s a take a look at simply a few of the finest issues to do in St. Louis!
1. Take a look at The Gateway Arch Nationwide Park
The Gateway Arch Nationwide Park is dwelling to and named for the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch. This nationwide park displays St. Louis’ function within the Westward Enlargement of the US throughout the nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson’s function in opening the West, the pioneers who helped form its historical past, and Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom within the Previous Courthouse.
The Gateway Arch, being the primary attraction of the park, encompasses a brief 4-minute trip to the highest that prices $13-$19 per individual, a model new free museum about St. Louis’ function in westward enlargement, and a 30-minute documentary film about how the Arch was constructed.
The Gateway Arch Nationwide Park is completely the #1 factor to do in St. Louis for apparent causes, but in addition as a result of you may get one of the best views of the town of St. Louis in addition to the Illinois aspect of the Mississippi River. You haven’t been to St. Louis for those who didn’t try the Gateway Arch!
2. Go to a Cardinals Recreation at Busch Stadium
The Cardinals are the skilled baseball crew of St. Louis, Missouri, enjoying all of their dwelling video games at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have gained the Main League Baseball World Sequence 11 occasions. Second solely to the New York Yankees. We could also be biased, however the Cardinals can placed on a reasonably good sport.
In case you are in St. Louis from April to September, it’s the good alternative to catch a baseball sport at Busch Stadium. It’s a tremendous inexpensive expertise for your entire household at a mean price of $40 a ticket, however you’ll be able to simply discover tickets for as little as $11 per individual for those who don’t thoughts some nosebleed seats. Seize your tickets right here.
You’ll want to get to the park early to get the complete Busch Stadium expertise and likewise get one of the best probability of an excellent parking spot. Begin the expertise by taking a stroll across the stadium whilst you take pleasure in the entire wonderful views of downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch that Busch Stadium has to supply. You may also need to bask in a few of the ballpark fare whilst you’re at it!
3. Exit for Drinks at Ballpark Village
Ballpark Village is a 150,000-square-foot retail and leisure district situated proper throughout from Busch Stadium. The district options Budweiser Brewhouse, Cardinals Nation, Bally Sports activities Stay!, in addition to a number of different leisure and restaurant venues.
Ballpark Village additionally produces over 120 free annual occasions and has welcomed over 10 million guests to date. It’s a new and thrilling a part of St. Louis’ group and nightlife that’s inside strolling distance of lots of the downtown actions.
Ballpark Village is open year-round and is energetic each day and evening. There are occasions for all ages, however lots of the venues are aimed toward adults. You are able to do mainly something you’ll be able to consider at Ballpark Village like: eat, drink, keep, store, discover, and a lot extra. Going for a drink is likely one of the finest issues to do in Saint Louis earlier than or after a Cardinals baseball sport.
4. Get out in Nature at Forest Park
Forest Park is taken into account to be one of many nation’s best city public parks that includes 1,300 acres of lovely landscapes like forests, completely different ecosystems, nature reserves, lakes, streams, 5 main cultural establishments, and countless alternatives for recreation. Better of all, the park and lots of the establishments are free for the general public to take pleasure in!
To place the scale of Forest Park in perspective, it’s bigger than Central Park in New York! That might clarify how the Saint Louis Artwork Museum, Missouri Historical past Museum, The Muny, Saint Louis Science Heart, and Saint Louis Zoo can all be located inside Forest Park.
The Saint Louis Zoo, situated on the southwest aspect of Forest Park, is named one of many high 10 zoos in the US and it is likely one of the solely free zoos as properly. The zoo is devoted to analysis and conservation and works regionally and globally to guard animals and their habitats.
5. Day Journey to St. Charles
There are many wonderful day journeys that you may take from St. Louis resembling floating down a few of Missouri’s pristine rivers on a Missouri float trip, however one other noteworthy day journey to take a look at is St. Charles, Missouri.
Based in 1769, St. Charles is a restored historic metropolis located proper on the West aspect of the Missouri River. A lot of the historical past of St. Charles could be discovered within the buildings that line the Historic Foremost Avenue.
You may eat, drink, and store at a wide range of companies which have discovered a house on Foremost Avenue in addition to take a stroll within the parks that encompass the realm. Additionally, you will discover that St. Charles’ Foremost Avenue hosts many occasions year-round, and lots of these occasions are free.
St. Charles is roughly a 35-minute drive from St. Louis, Missouri, making it the proper day journey so as to add to your listing of issues to do in St. Louis!
6. Go to the Saint Louis Artwork Museum
One other establishment situated on the west aspect of Forest Park is the Saint Louis Art Museum. The St. Louis Artwork Museum, in any other case often called SLAM, is likely one of the principal United States artwork museums that includes lovely and attention-grabbing work, sculptures, cultural objects, and historic masterpieces from all around the world.
The Artwork Museum is open to the general public each Tuesday via Sunday from 10:00 AM to five:00 PM. Admission to the museum is free every single day all yr spherical, and admission to the primary rotating exhibitions is free each Friday.
The Saint Louis Artwork Museum is consistently altering with new exhibitions, installations, and acquisitions and it provides a bunch of thrilling on-site actions for all ages. There are over 34,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of historical past and cultures to see right here.
7. Meander via the Missouri Botanical Backyard
The Missouri Botanical Backyard, informally often called Shaw’s Backyard, is a middle for botanical analysis and science training in St. Louis. The Backyard provides 79 acres of fantastic horticultural show, together with a 14-acre Japanese backyard, historic structure, and one of many world’s largest collections of uncommon and endangered flora.
The Missouri Botanical Backyard is open every single day from 9:00 AM to five:00 PM year-round. The highest sights of the backyard are the Climatron, the Japanese Backyard, and the Sachs Museum. In case you get uninterested in strolling, the Botanical Backyard additionally provides narrated tram excursions that will help you discover the backyard.
Whereas the Missouri Botanical Backyard is likely one of the few ticketed establishments in St. Louis, it is just $14 for adults to benefit from the gardens. The backyard additionally hosts a wide range of rotating occasions all through the season that target issues like artwork installations. The Botanical Backyard is by far probably the most lovely issues to do in St. Louis, MO.
8. Study Historical past on the St. Louis Historical past Museum
One other free staple situated on the north entrance of Forest Park, the Missouri History Museum explores the histories of those that name the St. Louis area dwelling. The museum, run by the Missouri Historic Society, focuses on the historical past of St. Louis from its founding in 1764 as much as the current day. You may uncover the town’s historical past of sports activities, life on the Mississippi, the 1904 World’s Truthful, and a lot extra!
The Missouri Historical past Museum is often open Tuesdays via Sundays from 10:00 AM to five:00 PM year-round. Basic admission in addition to most particular rotating displays and occasions are at all times free for everybody.
If you wish to go on a deeper St. Louis historical past dive, the Missouri Historic Society provides 24+ completely different excursions that blend partaking storytelling and deep historic information with enthusiasm for the town of St. Louis. The excursions vary from $20-$35 and might last as long as 2 hours lengthy.
9. Go on a Brewery Crawl
Other than the long-lasting Gateway Arch, St. Louis is thought for its expansive craft beer scene. St. Louis has over 20 breweries and 1000’s of beer types to supply locals and guests alike. A number of the St. Louis favorites embrace 4 Fingers Brewing Co., The Schlafly Faucet Room, Rockwell Beer Co., City Chestnut Brewing Co., and dozens extra.
You might be additionally prone to be aware of Budweiser, and St. Louis is definitely dwelling to the headquarters of Anheuser-Busch. You may benefit from the Budweiser Brewery Expertise there which lets you discover the campus, go to the Clydesdales, and style the beer straight from the ending cellars.
Budweiser provides a wide range of experiences which can be custom-made to suit your pursuits and timeframes. Relying on the expertise, it could actually price $15-$40 per individual.
10. Head to The Hill for Scrumptious Italian Meals
The Hill is a singular Italian neighborhood situated in St. Louis Metropolis. The world was based by Italian immigrants within the 1800s which is what nonetheless closely influences the “little Italy” really feel of the neighborhood in the present day. The Hill is stuffed with proud longtime residents in addition to some new faces that preserve historical past alive in the present day.
You will get the complete genuine Italian neighborhood expertise in The Hill by visiting any of the 25 wonderful eating places, searching for distinctive presents and items, or staying in a single mattress and breakfast within the historic houses.
We can also’t discuss The Hill with out mentioning the St. Louis favourite, toasted ravioli or t-ravs. The toasted ravioli is a breaded deep-fried ravioli, normally served as an appetizer with a dipping sauce like marinara sauce. This St. Louis meals oddity was first created and popularized within the Nineteen Fifties on the eating places in The Hill!
11. Go on an Journey at The Metropolis Museum
Whereas exploring downtown St. Louis, you’ll most likely stumble throughout a constructing that has a college bus hanging off of the sting of it and marvel what on earth is going on. That’s simply the norm on the City Museum although!
The Metropolis Museum is a weirdly fantastic museum of play with a rooftop and 4 flooring stuffed with installations, sights, collections, and extra. Most of the museum’s displays include repurposed architectural and industrial objects, most of that are interactive. Excellent for the adults to take pleasure in whereas the children play.
Tickets to the Metropolis Museum begin at $20 per individual and get you entry to the 30+ slides, man-made caves, treehouse + tunnels, the world’s largest pencil, and a lot extra!
In case you go to from March via October, you can even add rooftop entry for under $8 so you’ll be able to try the enormous praying mantis and the Huge Eli Ferris Wheel.
12. See the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, or the Saint Louis Cathedral, dates again to 1764 and is a one-of-a-kind murals. With a lot magnificence to see on the within and the wonderful structure on the surface of this cathedral, it’s a particular cease on our listing.
There are free guided and self-guided excursions accessible most days between 10:00 AM to three:00 PM so that you gained’t miss out on any of the main points.
The decrease degree of the Cathedral Basilica is dwelling to the Mosaic Museum. The museum accommodates a number of shows depicting the design and set up of mosaics together with different historic spiritual objects.
Additionally situated within the museum within the Cathedral Crypt if you wish to get a bit of spooky. The museum is open every single day till 4:00 PM with a contribution of $2 per individual requested as admission.
13. Drink a Root Beer Float at Fitz’s
Fitz’s is a neighborhood St. Louis craft soda microbrewery and restaurant providing scrumptious American meals, well-known floats and shakes, and views of the bottling line. Fitz’s bottles all 19 of their distinctive flavors on their classic bottling line proper within the restaurant, however their root beer is their most well-known taste.
This isn’t simply an abnormal root beer although. Fitz’s Root Beer is acknowledged as the most effective root beers in the US! The basis beer is made in accordance with an unique recipe developed in St. Louis in 1947, and it’s most famously served as a Root Beer Float at Fitz’s.
You may order one of many famously massive Root Beer Floats throughout any day of the week from 11:00 AM to eight:00 PM at both their historic Delmar Loop or South County areas.
14. Head to the Museum of Transportation
Based in 1944, the Museum of Transportation will take you on a trip again in time via 190 main displays. The gathering is acknowledged as the most important assortment of transportation automobiles on the planet. You’ll get to see traditionally well-known practice automobiles, automobiles, boats, and planes a few of that are connected to some fairly neat St. Louis historical past.
Not solely does this museum have all issues transportation, it even has gardens, a restaurant, and a boutique. There are gardens on all 3 ranges of the museum that incorporate native and sustainable crops to assist the native birds, butterflies, and different pollinators.
Barrett’s Touchdown Café is a good place to go to for lunch. They’ve a number of choices so you’ll be able to both seize a meal, a fast snack, or a to-go deal with. The Boxcar Boutique, situated inside the primary museum constructing, has enjoyable commemorative items and transportation-themed presents.
The Museum of Transportation is open each Monday via Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You may take a guided or self-guided tour, and admission begins at simply $5 per individual.
15. Get an Ice Cream at Ted Drewe’s
Ted Drewe’s has been promoting frozen custard in St. Louis for over 80 years and is likely one of the hottest summertime treats for St. Louisans and vacationers alike. Ted Drewe’s has every kind of scrumptious dessert treats however is finest identified for the “concrete” which was created in 1959. A “concrete” is a malt or shake so thick that it may be served the other way up!
This makes Ted Drewe’s the proper ritual cease to make after an extended sizzling day visiting one of many many Saint Louis issues to do just like the Arch, the Fox and Muny Theaters, the St. Louis Zoo, or a Cardinal’s baseball sport.
16. Go to Union Station
St. Louis’s Union Station was once one of many largest and busiest passenger rail terminals on the planet, however in the present day it serves a brand new goal for the town of St. Louis.
The Union Station now homes a wide range of actions just like the St. Louis Aquarium, a big Ferris wheel, a rope course, mini golf, a carousel, a mirror maze, and light-weight reveals. Other than the leisure, there are ample choices for meals, so you can even seize a chunk to eat at one of many 9 completely different eating places. Additionally for those who occur to get too drained by the top of the day, you’ll be able to keep on the Union Station Resort.
Principally, the St. Louis Union Station has all of it. It actually captures the essence of historical past, enjoyable, and leisure. It’s undoubtedly a spot to deliver the household and spend a whole day! Union Station can be the jumping-off level for this wonderful tour of St. Louis Landmarks.
17. Spend a day at St. Louis Science Heart
The Saint Louis Science Heart is one other one of many nice free issues to do in Saint Louis. It is likely one of the solely free nonprofit science museums within the nation, and it serves greater than 1 million folks every year.
The Science Heart campus options greater than 700 interactive experiences throughout 10 completely different galleries. There’s additionally an agricultural out of doors pavilion, the well-known McDonnell Planetarium, and the 4-story OMNIMAX Theater. You might be positive to be wowed by the dinosaurs if nothing else!
The Saint Louis Science Heart combines experimentation, creativity, and play which makes it just about the proper place to deliver the entire household for a brilliant informative but enjoyable expertise.
18. See a Present at The Fabulous Fox Theater
The Fabulous Fox Theater, a former film palace, is a performing arts middle that presents the ‘Better of Broadway’ in St. Louis. You may see reveals starting from Broadway reveals, Vegas performers, live shows, basic motion pictures, and extra.
Fabulous is part of the title for a purpose too. Other than the leisure, the Fabulous Fox Theater is thought for the beautiful inside of the historic constructing. You may try the wonderful inside and expertise the magic of the Fox Theater for as little as $32 a ticket!
You can also make it dinner and present too since The Fabulous Fox Theater is situated within the arts district of the Grand Heart space in Midtown St. Louis. This surrounds the theater with some scrumptious eating choices in addition to some good motels to spend the evening at.
19. Take a look at the Metropolis Backyard Sculpture Park
Positioned within the coronary heart of downtown St. Louis, Metropolis Backyard Sculpture Park is an city sculpture park stuffed with free interactive artwork, fountains, and gardens. The Metropolis Backyard spans roughly 2 blocks in downtown St. Louis, consisting of paved paths that lead guests round 24 sculptures, 6 rain gardens, a youngsters’s spray plaza, and a 180-foot-long pool with a waterfall.
The Metropolis Backyard Sculpture Park is likely one of the nice issues to do in St. Louis, MO, on a sizzling summer time’s day. It’s the good place to deliver the children particularly as a result of the entire sculptures are made to be performed on.
The park is open and accessible year-round. It’s one more fantastic free factor to do in St. Louis that’s situated inside strolling distance of the Gateway Arch!
20. Seize some Veggies on the Soulard Farmers Market
The Soulard Farmers Market is the oldest working public market in St. Louis, Missouri, and the oldest public market in the US west of the Mississippi River. Positioned within the Soulard neighborhood’s “Grand Corridor”, the market is within the coronary heart of St. Louis.
The market hosts 147 stalls with distributors that promote all the pieces you can probably consider like contemporary produce, meat, seafood, cheese, snacks, baked items, spices, flowers, and far more!
The Soulard Farmers Market is open Wednesday via Saturday year-round regardless of being an open-air market. Entry is free, however it is suggested to have money on you for those who plan to make a purchase order as some distributors don’t take debit or bank cards.
21. Use your Creativeness on the St. Louis Magic Home
The St. Louis Magic Home is a not-for-profit Kids’s Museum stuffed with hands-on displays and academic packages. The Magic Home provides a wide range of interactive studying experiences and enjoyable St. Louis issues to do for youths.
This award-winning academic vacation spot is situated in Kirkwood, Missouri, which is correct outdoors St. Louis. The museum was initially a 5,500-square-foot Victorian Mansion, however it’s now a spot that has sparked the creativeness of over 15 million guests!
The St. Louis Magic Home is often open Tuesdays via Sundays from 10:30 AM to five:00 PM. The admission is simply $6.00 for anybody ages 1 and older, however you’ll be able to catch a Free Household Night time each third Friday of the month.
22. Artwork Hill
Positioned proper in entrance of the St. Louis Artwork Museum, Artwork Hill is an expansive subject overlooking the Grand Basin in Forest Park. The Grand Basin was truly the middle of the World’s Truthful that passed off in St. Louis in 1904.
These days, Artwork Hill is an ideal place to go in St. Louis to take pleasure in a pleasant picnic and sunny climate. In the summertime months, Artwork Hill hosts a movie collection exhibiting standard motion pictures and live shows all through the week.
Artwork Hill can be standard within the wintertime when it snows because it’s an excellent hill to go sledding down!
23. World Chess Corridor of Fame
The World Chess Corridor of Fame is a non-profit establishment situated within the Central West Finish neighborhood that celebrates the sport of chess with displays and completely different packages all year long.
The displays will train you in regards to the historical past of chess in addition to the impacts it has had over time on our tradition. The World Chess Corridor is definitely additionally dwelling to the Guinness World Information’ Largest Chess Piece.
Together with its sister group, the Saint Louis Chess Membership, there are lots of enjoyable methods to get entangled in enjoying the sport of chess in St. Louis. Due to these two organizations, St. Louis is definitely often called the Chess Capital of the US. So for those who’re a lover of chess, you’ll want to make a cease on the World Chess Corridor of Fame when visiting St. Louis.
24. Laumeier Sculpture Park
The Laumeier Sculpture Park is one other enjoyable park situated within the Sundown Hills, a neighborhood about 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis. The park is a good way to interact with artwork and nature with its 105 acres of rolling gardens and 60 out of doors sculptures.
The park is maintained in partnership with the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Division and has month-to-month occasions for all ages and pursuits. They host completely different sorts of workshops resembling wind chime making, pottery, and yoga courses.
The park additionally hosts festivals all year long the place 1000’s of individuals collect to understand the fantastic thing about the park and the distinctive artwork.
25. Modern Artwork Museum
The Modern Artwork Museum in St. Louis is a good place to spend a day for those who love modern artwork. The museum is one other institute in St. Louis that’s free, so it’s simple to spend just a few hours trying out the displays.
The CAM is situated within the Grand Heart Arts District the place you’ll discover a dozen of different museums, displays and galleries, and live performance halls.
Moreover simply displays, the CAM hosts artist talks, movie screenings, and workshops and performances. One other enjoyable factor the museum has is First Fridays the place on the primary Friday of each month, they’ve guided excursions of the museum and music performed by the in-house museum DJ.
26. Nationwide Blues Museum
The Nationwide Blues Museum is devoted to celebrating and educating everybody in regards to the origins of blues music and its impacts on our tradition. The museum opened its doorways in 2016 and the daughter of B.B. King truly spoke on the museum opening!
The museum hosts academic rotating displays and unbelievable performances of their state-of-the-art theater. Admission is $15 for adults and it’s situated proper downtown so you’ll be able to simply stroll from different spots you intend to go to such because the Arch or Metropolis Backyard Sculpture Park.
Wrap-Up: The Finest Issues to Do in St. Louis, Missouri
Whether or not you need to spend a day or every week right here, there are such a lot of enjoyable and thrilling issues to do in St. Louis, Missouri for everybody. You may spend a pleasant day outdoors at a baseball sport or preserve cool and cozy inside one of many many museums. There’s additionally each form of meals you can consider plus some favourite St. Louis editions like toasted ravioli to strive.
You may not have the ability to get to do all 21 of one of the best issues to do in St. Louis, however we hope that now we have helped you slender down your favourite must-dos and deliberate the proper St. Louis tour!
Writer Bio
Ron and Jess are the house owners of Unearth The Voyage, a journey weblog devoted to out of doors adventures, US Nationwide Park guides, and itineraries that will help you plan your subsequent journey. After touring full-time for 4 years, they’ve put roots down in St. Louis however nonetheless journey part-time of their RV and internationally. They love coming again to St. Louis after spending time away and being concerned in all of the unbelievable issues the town provides. You may join with Ron & Jess on their Instagram or Facebook page the place they provide extra inspiration and suggestions for touring.