Should you’re trying to discover a number of the greatest 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 fascinating 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 fascinating reveals and artwork to see. Aside from that, St. Louis has some scrumptious native meals and a few fascinating spins on issues that it’s important to attempt.
Right here’s a have a look at simply a number of the greatest issues to do in St. Louis!
1. Take a look at The Gateway Arch Nationwide Park
The Gateway Arch Nationwide Park is residence to and named for the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch. This nationwide park displays St. Louis’ position within the Westward Enlargement of the USA through the nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson’s position in opening the West, the pioneers who helped form its historical past, and Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom within the Outdated Courthouse.
The Gateway Arch, being the primary attraction of the park, encompasses a brief 4-minute journey to the highest that prices $13-$19 per particular person, a model new free museum about St. Louis’ position in westward growth, and a 30-minute documentary film about how the Arch was constructed.
The Gateway Arch Nationwide Park is totally the #1 factor to do in St. Louis for apparent causes, but in addition as a result of you will get the very best views of the town of St. Louis in addition to the Illinois facet of the Mississippi River. You haven’t been to St. Louis if you happen to didn’t try the Gateway Arch!
2. Go to a Cardinals Sport at Busch Stadium
The Cardinals are the skilled baseball crew of St. Louis, Missouri, taking part in all of their residence video games at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have received the Main League Baseball World Collection 11 occasions. Second solely to the New York Yankees. We could also be biased, however the Cardinals can placed on a reasonably good sport.
If you’re 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 the complete household at a mean price of $40 a ticket, however you possibly can simply discover tickets for as little as $11 per particular person if you happen to don’t thoughts some nosebleed seats. Seize your tickets right here.
It would be best to get to the park early to get the total Busch Stadium expertise and in addition get the very best probability of a superb parking spot. Begin the expertise by taking a stroll across the stadium when 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 wish to take pleasure in a number of the ballpark fare when you’re at it!
3. Exit for Drinks at Ballpark Village
Ballpark Village is a 150,000-square-foot retail and leisure district positioned 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’ neighborhood 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 geared toward adults. You are able to do mainly something you possibly can consider at Ballpark Village like: eat, drink, keep, store, discover, and a lot extra. Going for a drink is among the greatest 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 biggest city public parks that includes 1,300 acres of gorgeous landscapes like forests, completely different ecosystems, nature reserves, lakes, streams, 5 main cultural establishments, and limitless 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 dimensions 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, positioned on the southwest facet of Forest Park, is named one of many high 10 zoos in the USA and it is among the solely free zoos as effectively. 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 which you could take from St. Louis equivalent to floating down a few of Missouri’s pristine rivers on a Missouri float journey, 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 facet of the Missouri River. A lot of the historical past of St. Charles will be discovered within the buildings that line the Historic Fundamental Road.
You possibly can eat, drink, and store at quite a lot of companies which have discovered a house on Fundamental Road in addition to take a stroll within the parks that encompass the world. Additionally, you will discover that St. Charles’ Fundamental Road 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 record of issues to do in St. Louis!
6. Go to the Saint Louis Artwork Museum
One other establishment positioned on the west facet of Forest Park is the Saint Louis Artwork Museum. The St. Louis Artwork Museum, in any other case often known as SLAM, is among the principal United States artwork museums that includes stunning and fascinating work, sculptures, cultural objects, and historical masterpieces from all around the world.
The Artwork Museum is open to the general public each Tuesday by means of Sunday from 10:00 AM to five:00 PM. Admission to the museum is free daily all yr spherical, and admission to the primary rotating exhibitions is free each Friday.
The Saint Louis Artwork Museum is continually altering with new exhibitions, installations, and acquisitions and it affords 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 by means of the Missouri Botanical Backyard
The Missouri Botanical Backyard, informally often known as Shaw’s Backyard, is a middle for botanical analysis and science training in St. Louis. The Backyard affords 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 daily 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. Should you get bored with strolling, the Botanical Backyard additionally affords narrated tram excursions that can assist you discover the backyard.
Whereas the Missouri Botanical Backyard is among the few ticketed establishments in St. Louis, it’s only $14 for adults to benefit from the gardens. The backyard additionally hosts quite a lot of rotating occasions all through the season that concentrate on issues like artwork installations. The Botanical Backyard is by far probably the most stunning issues to do in St. Louis, MO.
8. Find out about Historical past on the St. Louis Historical past Museum
One other free staple positioned on the north entrance of Forest Park, the Missouri Historical past Museum explores the histories of those that name the St. Louis area residence. 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 possibly can 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 by means of Sundays from 10:00 AM to five:00 PM year-round. Basic admission in addition to most particular rotating reveals and occasions are all the time free for everybody.
If you wish to go on a deeper St. Louis historical past dive, the Missouri Historic Society affords 24+ completely different excursions that blend participating storytelling and deep historic data 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
Aside from 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 kinds to supply locals and guests alike. Among the St. Louis favorites embrace 4 Palms Brewing Co., The Schlafly Faucet Room, Rockwell Beer Co., City Chestnut Brewing Co., and dozens extra.
You might be additionally prone to be conversant in Budweiser, and St. Louis is definitely residence to the headquarters of Anheuser-Busch. You possibly can 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 affords quite a lot of experiences which might be custom-made to suit your pursuits and timeframes. Relying on the expertise, it may well price $15-$40 per particular person.
10. Head to The Hill for Scrumptious Italian Meals
The Hill is a singular Italian neighborhood positioned 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 at this time. The Hill is stuffed with proud longtime residents in addition to some new faces that maintain historical past alive at this time.
You will get the total genuine Italian neighborhood expertise in The Hill by visiting any of the 25 wonderful eating places, purchasing 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 faculty bus hanging off of the sting of it and surprise what on earth is going on. That’s simply the norm on the Metropolis 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 reveals 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 particular person and get you entry to the 30+ slides, man-made caves, treehouse + tunnels, the world’s largest pencil, and a lot extra!
Should you go to from March by means of October, you can even add rooftop entry for less than $8 so you possibly can try the large praying mantis and the Massive 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 skin of this cathedral, it’s a particular cease on our record.
There are free guided and self-guided excursions accessible most days between 10:00 AM to three:00 PM so that you received’t miss out on any of the main points.
The decrease stage of the Cathedral Basilica is residence 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 positioned within the museum within the Cathedral Crypt if you wish to get just a little spooky. The museum is open daily till 4:00 PM with a contribution of $2 per particular person 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 peculiar root beer although. Fitz’s Root Beer is acknowledged as among the finest root beers in the USA! The foundation 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 possibly can 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 places.
14. Head to the Museum of Transportation
Based in 1944, the Museum of Transportation will take you on a journey again in time by means of 190 main reveals. The gathering is acknowledged as the most important assortment of transportation automobiles on the earth. You’ll get to see traditionally well-known prepare 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 superb place to go to for lunch. They’ve a lot of choices so you possibly can both seize a meal, a fast snack, or a to-go deal with. The Boxcar Boutique, positioned inside the primary museum constructing, has enjoyable commemorative items and transportation-themed presents.
The Museum of Transportation is open each Monday by means of Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You possibly can take a guided or self-guided tour, and admission begins at simply $5 per particular person.
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 among the hottest summertime treats for St. Louisans and vacationers alike. Ted Drewe’s has all types of scrumptious dessert treats however is greatest recognized 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 a protracted 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 one of many largest and busiest passenger rail terminals on the earth, however at this time it serves a brand new goal for the town of St. Louis.
The Union Station now homes quite a lot of actions just like the St. Louis Aquarium, a big Ferris wheel, a rope course, mini golf, a carousel, a mirror maze, and lightweight reveals. Aside from 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 if you happen to occur to get too drained by the tip of the day, you possibly can keep on the Union Station Resort.
Mainly, 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 convey the household and spend a whole day! Union Station can also 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 among the solely free nonprofit science museums within the nation, and it serves greater than 1 million individuals annually.
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 convey 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 possibly can see reveals starting from Broadway reveals, Vegas performers, concert events, traditional films, and extra.
Fabulous is part of the identify for a purpose too. Aside from the leisure, the Fabulous Fox Theater is thought for the beautiful inside of the historic constructing. You possibly can 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 positioned 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 inns 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 among the nice issues to do in St. Louis, MO, on a sizzling summer season’s day. It’s the good place to convey 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 yet one more fantastic free factor to do in St. Louis that’s positioned 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 USA 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 things you can presumably consider like recent produce, meat, seafood, cheese, snacks, baked items, spices, flowers, and rather more!
The Soulard Farmers Market is open Wednesday by means of Saturday year-round regardless of being an open-air market. Entry is free, however it is suggested to have money on you if you happen to 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 Youngsters’s Museum stuffed with hands-on reveals and academic packages. The Magic Home affords quite a lot of interactive studying experiences and enjoyable St. Louis issues to do for teenagers.
This award-winning instructional vacation spot is positioned in Kirkwood, Missouri, which is true exterior 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 by means of Sundays from 10:30 AM to five:00 PM. The admission is simply $6.00 for anybody ages 1 and older, however you possibly can catch a Free Household Evening each third Friday of the month.
22. Artwork Hill
Positioned proper in entrance of the St. Louis Artwork Museum, Artwork Hill is an expansive area overlooking the Grand Basin in Forest Park. The Grand Basin was really 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 sequence exhibiting common films and concert events all through the week.
Artwork Hill can also be common within the wintertime when it snows because it’s an awesome hill to go sledding down!
23. World Chess Corridor of Fame
The World Chess Corridor of Fame is a non-profit establishment positioned within the Central West Finish neighborhood that celebrates the sport of chess with reveals and completely different packages all year long.
The reveals will educate you in regards to the historical past of chess in addition to the impacts it has had through the years on our tradition. The World Chess Corridor is definitely additionally residence 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 become involved in taking part in the sport of chess in St. Louis. Due to these two organizations, St. Louis is definitely often known as the Chess Capital of the USA. So if you happen to’re a lover of chess, remember 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 positioned 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 equivalent to 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 great thing about the park and the distinctive artwork.
25. Up to date Artwork Museum
The Up to date Artwork Museum in St. Louis is a superb place to spend a day if you happen to 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 reveals.
The CAM is positioned within the Grand Heart Arts District the place you’ll discover a dozen of different museums, reveals and galleries, and live performance halls.
Apart from simply reveals, 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 really spoke on the museum opening!
The museum hosts instructional rotating reveals and unbelievable performances of their state-of-the-art theater. Admission is $15 for adults and it’s positioned proper downtown so you possibly can simply stroll from different spots you propose 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 want 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 possibly can spend a pleasant day exterior at a baseball sport or maintain cool and comfy inside one of many many museums. There’s additionally each type of meals you can consider plus some favourite St. Louis editions like toasted ravioli to attempt.
You won’t have the ability to get to do all 21 of the very best issues to do in St. Louis, however we hope that we’ve got helped you slender down your favourite must-dos and deliberate the proper St. Louis tour!
Creator 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 can assist 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 affords. You possibly can join with Ron & Jess on their Instagram or Fb web page the place they provide extra inspiration and ideas for touring.
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