Since we only had half a day in St. Louis on our road trip west, we missed out on a lot that this wonderful city has to offer. Let’s take a look around and see what else there is to do if you indulge in a more slow travel style. And best of all, much of what St. Louis has to offer is FREE. Yahoo!
A Short History of St. Louis
When the United States bought the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803, St. Louis became the doorway to the
100 years later, St. Louis hosted both the 1904 World’s Fair and 1904 Summer Olympics. Some structures built during this time still stand today, particularly around fabulous Forest Park, where the fairgrounds were located.
Side note: much of the city is built on old Indian burial grounds and we all know how that turns out…
Gateway Arch National Park
The Gateway Arch was first opened in 1967 on the spot of the founding of the city of St. Louis. It’s gone through a huge refurbishment since I visited in 2015 and now boasts a new light-filled museum and a beautiful riverside park.
This monument is a little surprising to me. Driving by on the highway, I was super underwhelmed. It looks so small! But then when you get downtown and up close to it, you can see how high its 630 feet really is! Definitely don’t judge on first impressions here.
Attractions
There are several ways to enjoy the Gateway Arch
Museum & Grounds
The new museum and grounds are FREE to tour from 8
Movie
A 30-minute documentary movie, “Monument to the Dream” shows in a theater at the base of the Arch hourly (on the hour) throughout the day. Cost is $7 for adults or you can purchase it in combination with other attractions.
Tram Ride
The big-ticket item here is, of course, the Tram Ride to the Top. Board small capsules to travel up either leg of the Arch to see the beautiful view from the top. You can read my full description of this delightful ride in my last post. Tickets are $16 and under (and occasionally FREE on park holidays.) You can buy a combination ticket for $20 and under that includes the movie.
Old Courthouse
The historic St. Louis Old Courthouse can be toured for FREE and many ranger-led talks begin from here. Besides the beautiful architecture, the courthouse has strong ties to slavery in the U.S. It was here that slave Dred Scott and his wife Harriet sued for, and were granted their freedom. When the supreme court overturned that decision, stating that the Scotts were property with no right to sue, the public outrage helped to tip the rest of the country into Civil War.
Riverboat and Helicopter Tours
A one-hour riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River can be bundled with your tram or movie ticket, or purchase separately for $22. Several specialty cruises are also available at various price points, like cruises featuring blues music, Sunday brunch outings, and Halloween and Christmas cruises.
If you want to see the Arch from a whole different angle, between March and November you can take a helicopter tour around (but not through–that’s illegal) the Arch. It’s $43 per person and you get about 3 minutes of in-the-air time.
Forest Park
Moving on to my favorite area of town, Forest Park is 1293 acres of wide-open green spaces and FREE attractions. Having looked through all there is to do here, I’m convinced you could spend a week just visiting this park!
St. Louis Zoo
Top of the list is the St. Louis Zoo, a modern and accredited zoological park but with charming historical elements, like the original Flight Cage from the 1904 World’s Fair. There’s also a terribly cute narrow-gauge railroad around the park, a whole section of big cats (always a favorite) and a great walk-through tunnel with sea lions.
The zoo itself is FREE but there are several paid attractions within it. The train costs $7.95 per person, the rest are $5 and under and are mostly geared towards children–a 4D theater, a sea lion show, a stingray touch tank, a carousel, and a children’s zoo. You can pay $10.95 per person for an Adventure Pass to all paid attractions, including the train
The Zoo is generally open 9-5, with extended hours during the summer–opening at 8 am daily from May-August and staying open until 7 pm Friday-Sundays. Make sure to check the calendar for your dates to be sure. Also, the nearest parking lots cost $15 per car, but there is limited street parking if you prefer to walk instead of pay.
St. Louis Art Museum
Housed in an original World’s Fair building, the FREE St. Louis Art Museum showcases everything from ancient Egyptian mummies to contemporary sculpture. The general collection is FREE and a guided tour is FREE at 10:30 am on weekdays, 1:30 pm on weekends. The main exhibition (currently on graphic arts) costs $14 or less but is FREE on Fridays when the museum is open until 9 pm. Otherwise, hours are 10 am to 5 pm and closed on Mondays.
There is a full-service restaurant in the museum, plus a cafe. Parking is FREE across the street in two lots and there is a paid lot underground next to the museum. Between the two free lots are popular Art Hill and the Emerson Grand Basin, a lovely World’s Fair-era pool and fountain.
Missouri History Museum
Opened to the public in 1913 on the site of the original World’s Fair entrance, the Missouri History Museum has been collecting for over 150 years. Discover the city’s baseball history, see the Spirit of St. Louis plane, take in the scope of the 1904 World’s Fair and the weight of the civil rights movement. There is also a large “History Clubhouse” hands-on children’s area, a cafe, and a museum shop,
Parking is free in two nearby lots, street parking, and at the nearby visitor center. The entire museum is FREE, and hours are 10 am to 5 pm most days, until 8 pm on Tuesdays.
St. Louis Science Center
While the history museum is located at the north edge of the park, the St. Louis Science Center hangs off the south corner, a little out of bounds. But the adjoining planetarium is in the park and there is a
General admission to the museum is free, but there are several ticketed attractions inside. The OMNIMAX (an IMAX domed theater) is $10 and under. The planetarium is $6 and under. Two different types of flight simulators are $5 for an 8-passenger ride and $7 for a 2-person version that you control. A virtual reality experience is $10, and a kid’s discovery room is $5 and a kiddie tractor ride is $2.
Hours vary, but are generally 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, 5:30 during the summer. Parking is free at the Planetarium in the park but is $10 at the Science Center.
MUNY
The last major attraction of Forest Park is the MUNY, the Municipal Theater of St. Louis. This is the largest outdoor musical theater venue in the country, running seven different musicals from June to August each summer. In 2019, the lineup is Guys and Dolls, Kinky Boots, 1776, Cinderella, Footloose, Paint Your Wagon, and Matilda. Best of all, the last nine rows are always FREE on a first-come basis when the gates open at 7 pm. Otherwise, you can pay between $15-105 for seats closer to the stage.
There are several FREE large parking lots surrounding the MUNY stage and there is even pre-show entertainment at four locations around the stage.
In other theater news, there is also a FREE Shakespeare Festival St. Louis on a smaller stage in Shakespeare Glen.
Sculpture and Architecture
There are several large sculptures to be found around the park such as an alien near the Planetarium and a Korean War Memorial. Thomas Jefferson, several turtles (that you can play on!) and St. Francis of Assisi, plus several local figures pop up around the park.
And you can find historic and beautiful architecture everywhere. Especially pretty is the Jewel Box, a beautiful modern greenhouse. You can also find a pagoda and bandstand, historic houses, and a restored Victoria footbridge.
Fields, Lakes, and Habitats
There are several cultivated habitats around the park, remade from the once tightly-manicured lawns. In these 1300 square
Several lakes are scattered around, from the structured Emerson Grand Basin, to the “riffles” of Deer Lake, to the perfectly circular Round Lake. You can take paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddleboards out on Post-Dispatch Lake, or fish in large Jefferson Lake. You can also find a few man-made waterfalls here and there.
There are several guided Walking Tours around the park and there is a dual-use pathway that circles the entire park at a length of almost 6 miles.
Sports Fields and Courts
Finally, there are many sports venues around the park, including two golf courses, several tennis courts, soccer fields, baseball diamonds, playgrounds, and even an archery range.
City Museum
You can’t really talk about St. Louis and not mention the City Museum. I’m sure there are learning opportunities in here, but in reality, this is just one big playground, for adults and kids alike! There are spiral slides that twist down 10 stories that you access through a cave system. An outdoor playground incorporates TWO real airplanes! A treehouse connects the first floor to the third, toddlers get their own town, there are circus shows daily, and there’s a rooftop bar, weather-permitting.
It is highly recommended to wear long pants and closed shoes when visiting. Sandals are strongly discouraged but shoes must be worn at all times. They even make a point to mention that they sell knee pads in the museum shop! Hours are 9-5 Wednesday and Thursday, 9 am to midnight Friday & Saturdays, and 11-5 on Sundays. Cost is $14 for anyone age 3 and older, under 2’s are free. Prices dip to $12 after 5 pm Friday-Saturday and a wristband lets you come and go throughout the day.
There are some food options inside, like a sandwich bar and circus snacks and even a BBQ pit. The rooftop bar serves tacos and nachos under a Ferris wheel.
And The Rest.. .
Of course, if you’re into baseball, you could check out that big stadium the Cardinals play in and eat at the Cardinals Nation restaurant and buy all the merch. And you should definitely check out the heart of St. Louis blues music at the National Blues Museum or at Blueberry Hill or any of the many amazing blues clubs around town.
I am particularly drawn to the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis for their beauty and cultural value. The Basilica is free to visit, but the gardens will set you back $12.
There is so much to do in St. Louis! I wish we had more time on our cross-country trip, and I hope that I can go back someday and really explore it more. I might even just drive up overnight to see a musical at the MUNY! How fun would that be?
What is your favorite aspect of St. Louis? The gardens,
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