Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Videos
  • Sweeps and Contests

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 40 Favorite Comfort Food Recipes

      Macaroni and cheese, Amish apple dumplings and chicken pot pie are among our Midwest comfort food favorites. Read More Next
    • 50 Romantic Midwest Getaways

      Romance, of course, can be wherever the two of you are. But wonderful surroundings help. We found some of the most romantic places anywhere in the Midwest—in the city and country. All you have to do is get away together! Read More Next
    • 50 Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

      Chocolate lovers, these are for you: 50 of our best rich-and-gooey chocolate dessert recipes, including pie, pudding, cake, cookies, fondue and brownies. Read More Next
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel

    50 Midwest Resorts We Love

    Our favorite Midwest resort destinations range from cozy lakeside lodges to indoor water park behemoths. Dive in to check out our top picks for a fabulous Midwest getaway.
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Around the Region
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Midwest Living November/December 2020 Recipes

    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home

    50 Quick and Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas

    Give your home holiday style in a flash with these simple yet creative decorating projects.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden

    14 Cheerful Winter Container Gardens

    Create bountiful outdoor winter arrangements with a little help from Mother Nature.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    40 Easy Christmas Crafts

    Decorate your home, make a gift or create an ornament with our 40 ideas for fun and easy Christmas crafts.
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
  • Sweeps and Contests

    Sweeps and Contests

    See All Sweeps and Contests

    Warm-Weather Getaways Sweepstakes

    • Winter Getaways Sweepstakes
    • Warm-Weather Getaways Sweepstakes

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Travel
  3. Missouri
  4. St. Louis, Missouri
  5. What to Do in Saint Louis

What to Do in Saint Louis

June 01, 2012
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Parks, museums and other attractions (many free!) draw visitors to Saint Louis. Explore Forest Park, including the Saint Louis Zoo and Missouri History Museum; the Gateway Arch; Citygarden; the Missouri Botanical Garden and more.
Start Slideshow

1 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

A wealth of attractions

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

Free. Such a wonderful word, and not one usually associated with big-name destinations. But in St. Louis a wealth of no-ticket (and small-ticket) attractions leaves travelers with a little dough to spend on restaurants or other activities.Forest Park, which hosted the 1904 World's Fair, has some of the best free attractions in St. Louis, including art, science and history museums, plus the zoo. Citygarden (pictured) mixes art with play-also for free.Click ahead for 16 of our favorite experiences in St. Louis. Want to share your own? Add a comment below!St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission

1 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Forest Park

Larger than New York's Central Park and chock-full of activities, this sprawling 1,293 acres attracts locals and visitors. Crowds arrive for seasonal events such as the Great Forest Park Balloon Race. But the park's plenty busy other times, too. Kids can climb on gigantic turtles in the turtle playground or take a hayride through the park.A shuttle bus connects many of the park's museums, all of which are free. Tour the park by foot, bicycle, paddleboat or even Segway. For general information on Forest Park, visit the Forest Park website. For specifics on the park's attractions, click ahead.

2 of 18

3 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Saint Louis Zoo

Lush landscaping makes the top-notch Saint Louis Zoo as pleasant as it is popular (and general admission is free!). Six sections encompass a wide range of environments from the sub-Antarctic to tropical rainforests. Even if you don't come with the kids, definitely spring for the sea lion show tickets ($3); the show is worth it. Also popular: The Penguin & Puffin Coast exhibit (pictured) and the 10-acre River's Edge, which winds through wildlife from four continents. (314) 781-0900; stlzoo.org

3 of 18

Advertisement

4 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Missouri History Museum

Engaging exhibits at the Missouri History Museum explore the city's colorful history, including Lucky Lindy's record-breaking flights and the 1904 World's Fair. Visitors walk through St. Louis's history from the Great Fire of 1894 to the state's internal struggles during the Civil War. The museum also highlights St. Louis-born playwrights, artists, and musicians such Tina Turner and Miles Davis. (314( 746-4599; mohistory.org

4 of 18

5 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

60-Second Video: St. Louis

Great shopping and world-class attractions await in the Gateway City of St. Louis. Start your day at the Arch, then continue on to experience Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Art Museum and Forest Park.

5 of 18

6 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Saint Louis Art Museum

During the 1904 World's Fair, this Beaux Arts-style building held the Palace of Fine Arts. Today visitors come for collections that include works by Picasso, Monet and van Gogh. Another highlight of the Saint Louis Art Museum is the ancient civilizations collection, with intriguing pieces such as a doorknocker from a palace in Cairo, parts of a Mayan ballgame and the mummy Amen-Nestawy-Nakht. (314) 721-0072; slam.org

6 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Jewel Box

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

An Art Deco greenhouse holds seasonal floral displays in Forest Park. Built in 1936, the Jewel Box reopened in 2002 after a $3.5 million renovation. The 17-acre site in Forest Park has tropical trees, flowers, foliage plants and water features year-round. Special shows include ones for Easter, Mother's Day and Christmas. (314) 531-0080; stlouis.mo.gov

7 of 18

8 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Saint Louis Science Center

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

Dynamic exhibits, including an Omnimax theater and life-size T. rex, engage more than 1.2 million visitors a year at the Saint Louis Science Center. Visitors help power the energizer ball machine that shoots balls through a three-story obstacle course. Other exhibits allow visitors to dig for fossils, play a laser harp or create a robot. In the life science lab, kids can view their cheek cells under a microscope and learn how investigators use fingerprints to solve crimes. Don't forget to visit the Planetarium, where more than 9,000 stars are projected onto an 80-foot dome. (800) 456-7572; slsc.org

8 of 18

9 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Gateway Arch

The 630-foot Gateway Arch soars above downtown, reflecting sunlight and glowing different colors depending on the time of day. Visitors can take a four-minute tram ride through the hollow arch legs to get a panoramic view from the top. A facelift of the grounds continues in 2017; check the website for the latest details on access. (877) 982-1410; gatewayarch.com

9 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Municipal Theatre

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

"The Muny," as locals call it, stages family-friendly outdoor musical productions. The site dates back to 1916, when a Shakespeare troupe flattened an area between two large oaks for their performance of As You Like It. Muny is now the largest outdoor musical theater in the United States and hosts about a half-dozen musicals each year. (314) 361-1900; muny.org

10 of 18

11 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Citygarden

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

In 2009 Citygarden made its debut in downtown St. Louis. It mixes park and sculpture to create a life-size playground. Visitors can climb, splash or just sit and enjoy any of the two dozen sculptures and fountains. This massive urban playground has 235 trees and more than 4,000 perennials. It feels fresh, fun--and worth a couple of hours in a city that has plenty of cool places to play (citygardenstl.org).

11 of 18

12 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

A taste of Italy

For a taste of Italy, head to The Hill neighborhood (10 minutes South of Forest Park). Charlie Gitto's claims to be the birthplace of toasted ravioli, bite-sized nuggets of fried golden goodness served with red sauce for dipping (pictured; charliegittos.com). Missouri Baking Company offers slices of another signature St. Louis delectable: gooey butter cake (314) 773-4122. Hometown fave Cunetto House of Pasta serves a big selection of cooked-to-order fettucine, cannelloni and more (cunetto.com).

12 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Anheuser-Busch brewery tours

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

Free tours include product sampling in the Hospitality Room if you're over 21. But everyone gets to see the historic Brew House (pictured) and the Clydesdale Stables, where you'll meet some of the company's 250 horses. (314) 577-2626; budweisertours.com

13 of 18

14 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

City Museum

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

City Museum's eclectic exhibits blend fun for kids with constant surprises for adults. Housed in the 600,000-square-foot former International Shoe Company, the museum offers an impressive variety of attractions, including an old bank vault, working vintage shoelace machines, an Enchanted Caves area built into the factory's spiral conveyor tunnel system, an aquarium, a skateless park play area, giant slides, and an interactive sculpture called MonstroCity where kids can crawl, jump and climb through a maze of materials. (314) 231-2489; citymuseum.org

14 of 18

15 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Missouri Botanical Garden

More than 75 acres of formal gardens, greenhouses and woodlands flourish in the heart of the St. Louis, surrounded by the Tower Grove neighborhood. Do visit the Japanese strolling garden, one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Come early in the morning and you'll have the Missouri Botanical Garden nearly to yourself, save for a few photographers. (314) 577-5100; mobot.org

15 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Soulard

Credit: Photo Courtesy of St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission

Ten minutes south of downtown in Soulard is about as close as you can get to feeling like you're in New Orleans without being in Louisiana. The district is also known as Frenchtown, and takes pride in its annual festivals, including Bastille Day and a huge Mardi Gras parade. The Soulard Farmers Market is St. Louis' largest farmers market. (314) 621-6221; soulard.org

16 of 18

17 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Busch Stadium

Whether you bleed red and blue, or just like baseball, you'll enjoy a tour of Busch Stadium, which opened in 2006-the same year the Cardinals won the World Series. The tour includes the Party Room, the Redbird Club, the Press Box, the Cardinals Club, and the Cardinals Dugout (stlcardinals.com). If you want to see the Cardinals in action, check the team's website for game schedules and ticket information.

17 of 18

18 of 18

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Delmar Loop

The lively, bohemian Delmar Loop neighborhood (visittheloop.com) is home to Blueberry Hill (the club where Chuck Berry plays; blueberryhill.com) and the cool Moonrise Hotel (moonrisehotel.com). Along South Grand Boulevard (southgrand.org), locals come for the Tower Grove Park Farmers Market and Bazaar,(tgmarket.org) plus great ethnic restaurants (Afghan, Ethiopian, Vietnamese and Mediterranean, to name a few).

18 of 18

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 18 A wealth of attractions
2 of 18 Forest Park
3 of 18 Saint Louis Zoo
4 of 18 Missouri History Museum
5 of 18 60-Second Video: St. Louis
6 of 18 Saint Louis Art Museum
7 of 18 Jewel Box
8 of 18 Saint Louis Science Center
9 of 18 Gateway Arch
10 of 18 Municipal Theatre
11 of 18 Citygarden
12 of 18 A taste of Italy
13 of 18 Anheuser-Busch brewery tours
14 of 18 City Museum
15 of 18 Missouri Botanical Garden
16 of 18 Soulard
17 of 18 Busch Stadium
18 of 18 Delmar Loop

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Midwest Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Contact Us
  • Help
  • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
  • Renew this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Affiliate Program
  • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
  • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
  • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
  • Video
  • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Midwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

View image

What to Do in Saint Louis
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.