You’ve come to the right place if you want to learn about some of the best things to do in and around St. Louis. There are so many things to do in St. Louis, from watching a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium to riding to the top of the nation’s tallest monument, the Gateway Arch. In this article, you can learn about the things to do In St Louis.
Gateway City is a great place to have fun because it has great restaurants, great bars and breweries, a lively arts scene, lots of things to do with your family, and many parks. These are the top 25 things you have to do when you visit St. Louis, but the list goes on. We have a lot more to offer, from places to eat and things to do at night to places to stay and events that are sure to make you smile.
62 Things to Do in St. Louis
1. Get a bird’s eye view from the Gateway Arch
Take a 630-foot ride to the top of this world-famous stainless steel monument to see the best views in Gateway City. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the on-site museum. It tells the story of our region’s past over the past 200 years in six different exhibits. Visitors to the Gateway Arch National Park can also take a narrated cruise down the Mississippi River on a replica of a 19th-century paddle-wheel boat or fly over the city on a helicopter tour.
2. Explore the famous Forest Park
Forest Park is right in the middle of St. Louis, and people love it for all the open green space it has. It’s one of the largest urban parks in the whole country, and it gives the city a beautiful backdrop. Every year, more than 12 million people come here for a walk and to see the historic buildings, monuments, and landscapes.
Some of the city’s most important cultural institutions are here, like the Science Center and the Missouri History Museum. For people who want to be active, there is also the Steinberg Skating Rink and the Turtle Playground.
Art Hill is the best place in the park to have a picnic or listen to a concert in the summer. At the Jewel Box greenhouse, you can look at its Art Deco style and beautiful flower displays.
3. Saint Louis Art Museum
One of the best art museums in the country is in St. Louis. If you love art, the Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the best things to do in St. Louis.
The pieces on display and the different exhibits show how important the arts are to St. Louis. The Saint Louis Art Museum opened in 1879. It’s part of the Fine Arts Building in the huge Forest Park and is a great place to visit if you want to keep your mind sharp. It has become one of the best places to visit in Missouri because of the quality of the pieces and the large number of them.
The Saint Louis Art Museum is one of the most interesting places in Missouri because the pieces come from all over the world and span a lot of time. There are tens of thousands of pieces from all over the world in this museum. Some of the pieces are thousands of years old. Everyone should go to this museum. If you are looking for things to do in St. Louis, you should go to the art museum.
4. Eat Saint Louis Food Tours, St. Louis, Missouri
As you walk through the Saint Luis Hill neighborhood, you will smell the garlic, cooked tomatoes, and fresh bread. You will also hear happy Italian voices and feel like you are in a happy village. At the moment, Taste of the Hill is the only tour that EAT Saint Louis Food Tours offers. However, they do such a great job that even people who live in the area are joining them to go on the fun tour.
During the three-hour tour, tour guides will take you to small, family-run pizzerias, pasta shops, salami makers, and butchers. You can try their food and talk to them about the city, its history, and how the Italian immigrants who have lived in this area for generations have lived their lives. You won’t get to try everything on this tour, so make sure to come back. People on the Hill are always friendly.
5. Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
In Gateway City, you can see more great art at the Kemper Art Museum on the campus of Washington University. This free museum in St. Louis is one of the oldest teaching museums in the country. It has a lot of great works by American and European artists from the 19th to the 21st centuries.
6. Get a Famous Ted Drewes Frozen Custard
Just writing the name of this thing to do in St. Louis makes my mouth water! Is there anything better than the perfect frozen treat? Well, if you eat just one bite of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, you will be at a crossroads. Ted Drewes is a business in St. Louis that is run by a family. Their specialty is…you guessed frozen custard. Their first store is on Route 66 and serves a variety of creamy, delicious treats. No matter what you order, don’t forget to try the Lemon Crumb. I was just going to take a small bite, but I ate the whole cup in three minutes.
7. Get your head in the game
Sports fans rejoice! At Busch Stadium, you can watch the St. Louis Cardinals, who have won the World Series 11 times, play during the spring and summer. Check out the Gateway Grizzlies at GCS Ballpark for a more personal baseball game and some of the most unique snacks and activities at a game.
St. Louis CITY SC, the city’s new Major League Soccer team, will start playing in 2023. If you’re in town in the fall or winter, you can watch the St. Louis Blues play at the Enterprise Center. Check out the St. Louis Surge, who have won the GWBA National Championship twice. In this real sports town, visitors can get a taste of real team spirit any time of year.
8. Meet leopards and lemurs at the St. Louis Zoo
The St. Louis Zoo is a Beautiful place for kids to go because it has over 12,000 animals. Spend the day walking around the grounds and making new friends. Elephants, armadillos, polar bears, and pumas are all waiting to welcome you into their world. The king of the jungle is, of course, the star of the show, so don’t forget to swing by his cage!
Want to meet someone face-to-face? Then, take one of the behind-the-scenes tours to see what it’s like to be a zookeeper for a day. You’ll get to meet penguins, feed giant tortoises, and take selfies with sea lions. Even better, going to the zoo is free, so you can go as many times as you want during your stay!
9. Old Courthouse
Some people have an “out with the old” mentality, but just because something is a little older doesn’t mean it’s lost any of its value. St. The Old Courthouse in St. Louis is proof of this. It is one of the best things to do in St. Louis if you want to learn about the city’s history and see a famous building. This courthouse was built in the 19th century. It played a key role in the Dred Scott case, which went all the way to the Supreme Court.
This case was important because it decided whether slaves had any rights or not. At Old Courthouse, Virginia Louisa Minor also fought for the right of women to vote. Today, you can walk around the Old Courthouse and think about all the people who fought for what they thought was right. One of the best things to do in St. Louis is to take a tour of the Old Courthouse. The building’s design, with a dome, is amazing on its own.
The Old Courthouse is home to the Museum of Westward Expansion, which has some very interesting displays. This is one of the best places in St. Louis for history buffs to visit.
10. The Magic House Children’s Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
The Magic House Children’s Museum is all about teaching kids, and it gives them the kind of learning experience they really enjoy. Most of the roughly 100 activities are hands-on and involve interaction. The space for kids to play is 55,000 square feet. The museum is in a stately Victorian mansion with three floors. Since 1979, when the museum first opened, the building has grown in many ways.
Some of the most popular things to do are the Van de Graaff generator, which makes static electricity that makes your hair stand on end when you touch it, the three-story-high Jack and the Beanstalk climber, and the Oval Office, Legislative Chamber, and Courtroom, where kids can play make-believe. In the Children Village, they can also work as vets, bank tellers, or librarians, among other jobs. If you’re looking for fun things to do with kids in St. Louis, Missouri, don’t miss this unique place. More than 500,000 people visit the Magic House every year, which shows how popular it is.
11. Saint Louis Science Center
The Saint Louis Science Center is one of the largest science museums and planetariums in the United States. It is also one of the only free science museums in the country. It is in the southeast corner of Forest Park. More than a million people go to the futuristic-looking building with a dome every year to learn about everything from prehistoric life to the solar system.
12. See Small Things at the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis
When I told my husband that the Miniature Museum was on the list of things to do in St. Louis, he rolled his eyes. But when we got there, he was the one who didn’t want to leave!
You should go to the Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis even if you don’t like beautiful dollhouses and small works of art. The two-story building has permanent displays like a 1950s soda shop and a Victorian living room, which are made up of dolls, dollhouses, and small scenes.
13. Take a thrill ride at Six Flags St. Louis
Everyone in the family can have fun at this exciting theme park. Visitors can fly like a bat on Batman the Ride, spin 16 stories up in the air on Catwoman Whip, fly up to 62 mph on the Screaming Eagle wooden coaster, and get wet on the whitewater rapids adventure of Thunder River.
Visitors to Six Flags St. Louis can also see live shows and concerts, meet their favorite Loony Toons characters and have a lot of fun in the sun at Hurricane Harbor Water Park. Hotel guests can take advantage of group discounts for youth groups, company outings, family reunions, and much more.
14. Catch a show at the Municipal Theatre Association
After a long day of sightseeing, it’s time to put your feet up and let someone else do the entertaining. So, go to the Municipal Theatre Association for a big dose of jazz hands and belting songs.
Popular Broadway shows have been playing at this amphitheater in Forest Park for more than a century. It’s where you should go if you want to let your hair down and dance to some old favorites.
Do you want the evil Victorian barber Sweeney Todd to give you the chills? Or would you rather sing along with Mary Poppins in a sweet way? No matter what you like, there’s always something going on that will get your feet moving.
15. Soulard Farmers Market
When a Farmer’s Market has the word “soul” in its name, it’s hard not to feel good about it. This isn’t just St. Louis trying to cash in on the popularity of farmer’s markets and organic foods. This market is an important part of Missouri’s history. It’s been around for more than 200 years.
When you go, you’ll see why it’s one of the best things to do in St. Louis. At Soulard Farmers Market, you’ll have a lot of choices. You can buy some of the best produce, cheese, meat, and even flowers. Depending on when you go, your favorite fruits and vegetables might be in season.
16. City Museum, St. Louis, Missouri
City Museum is a strange museum in St. Louis that shows off things that people have thrown away. Here you can find old school buses, planes that have been left behind, bank vaults, chimneys, and almost anything else you can think of. When you put all of that in the 600,000-square-foot abandoned Shoe Company and add genius Bob Cassilly as the mastermind behind it all, you get the world’s biggest playhouse, funhouse, surrealist art pavilion, and architectural marvel. The building is also stunningly beautiful, and you could spend days just staring at everything in awe.
You can also crawl through fake caves and cute nooks, slide down floor chutes that drop ten stories, drive a school bus that hangs over the edge of the museum or climb to the top of a 20-foot-tall metal praying mantis. If your children have been very good, you could rent it out for a really fun birthday party.
17. World Chess Hall Of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame honors one of the oldest games in the world. It is just a few blocks from the northeast corner of Forest Park, which is marked by the world’s largest chess piece. This free museum has a great collection of unique chess boards, including the ones that Bobby Fischer used to beat Boris Spassky in the World Chess Championship in 1972.
18. Sip a Drink at Venice Café
What makes Venice Cafe stand out? Let me just say that it’s not so much about the drinks as it is about the setting. So, it’s all about the atmosphere, right? It came out of nowhere and is great. The weird bar’s decor is hard to describe. Picture Barbie doll heads hanging from the ceiling, ashtray mosaic walls, and colorful mannequin parts. I know it’s hard to picture all that junk, which is why you just need to leave!
19. Spend a night out on the town
Want to have a good time? Check out the entertainment district in downtown Ballpark Village that is based around sports! In the up-and-coming neighborhood of The Grove, you can choose from some of the best bars in St. Louis. In the west, people who want to have fun can also go to Westport Plaza’s 42-acre entertainment district for dinner, drinks, and a show.
Want to do something fancy? In Clayton and the Central West End, you can find the most trendy shops and upscale restaurants in the area. If you like live music, Soulard has some of the best places to hear blues. Or, try out your detective skills at one of the great escape rooms in the area, like Escape Challenge St. Louis, Escape The Room, St. Louis Escape, or Mastermind Room Escape.
20. Discover the unexpected at the City Museum
The City Museum isn’t quite what you’d expect from a place with such a name, since it’s in a 100-year-old warehouse downtown. It’s more like a playground than a place for stuffy exhibits.
Some of the old buildings in St. Louis have been used by artists to make tunnels, slides, and even castles. As you go deeper into this strange Missouri world, you can find secret passages and climb on huge frames. This is a different kind of art that explorers of any age can enjoy.
The ball pits and playgrounds will be fun for kids to play in, and the circus and train will add to the fun. Take a ride on the big Ferris wheel to see the city from a very different angle.
21. Missouri Botanical Garden
One of the best things about St. Louis is how much they care about preserving its history. The Missouri Botanical Garden is a great example of this. It was started in 1859 by a botanist named Henry Shaw. Since then, the garden has continued to grow and enchant both adults and children who visit.
Tower Grove House, where Shaw lived, is part of this garden. The Japanese Garden has plants like lotus and flowering cherries. You can also see the Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden and the Climatron when you walk around this garden.
22. The Caramel House, St. Louis, Missouri
It can be hard to find the perfect caramel. You want it to be sweet and chewy, and it should melt in your mouth without sticking to your teeth. Janet Ansehl Shulman has not only made the perfect caramel, but she has also added some great flavors to her recipe. This led to the creation of The Caramel House. All of her caramels are made by hand and put in recyclable packaging.
Come to her store on Olive Boulevard to see how she makes these delicious little treats. You can also buy them at a lot of stores across the country or order them online. Check out her website to see what new flavors she’s added recently. How about some crunchy pretzels covered in salted caramel that has a hint of beer or chili? No matter what you pick, The Caramel House will not let you down.
23. Basilica Of St. Louis
The Basilica of St. Louis, also called the Old Cathedral, was the first cathedral west of the Mississippi River. It is near the city’s famous arch. You can go inside the old church for free and look at it with respect (just remember it is an active parish). You can also pay a small fee to go to its museum.
24. Drink a Fitz’s Root Beer Float
Fitz’s Rootbeer is a local tradition that started in the late 1940s at a drive-in restaurant in St. Louis. Root beer was the perfect drink to go with a hamburger and fries. Sounds good to me! When the original restaurant closed in the 1970s, the famous bubbly was no longer made. It wasn’t made again until 1993 when the original recipe was brought back.
Now, you can get the drink at Fitz’s on the Delmar Loop, which has a vintage bottling machine that you can watch in action at the restaurant! You can’t miss getting a good old-fashioned root beer float while sitting belly up to the bar. But now it’s not just rooted beer anymore. They’ve also added a lot of other flavors, like grape pop and raspberry cola, so you can try something new like a Green Monster or a Cherry Bomb. Get ready, because they are messy!
25. All aboard at St. Louis Union Station
St. Louis Union Station was once one of the biggest and busiest passenger rail stations in the world. It helped people get from the east coast to the west coast of the United States. Today, it is home to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, which has more than 13,000 animals, the 200-foot St. Louis Wheel, a carousel, an 18-hole mini-golf course, the mirror maze, a ropes course, the train park, and several restaurants, as well as the St.
Louis Union Station Hotel. Don’t miss the Grand Hall Light Show while you’re there. It happens every day from 5 to 10 p.m. In the historic train station lobby, laser lights dance on the 65-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling while famous St. Louisans like Jon Hamm, Bob Costas, Dan Dierdorf, and Joe Buck tells the story. Get a drink at the bar, kick back, and watch the show.
26. Feed sharks at St. Louis Aquarium
At the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, you can take a trip through different watery habitats. Your journey starts in a freshwater river, continues through a salt marsh, and ends in the deep blue ocean. Along the way, you’ll meet the people who live in these amazing ecosystems and learn how their environments connect them all.
Come face to face with river monsters, get tickled by a doctor fish, and see shoals of piranhas with sharp teeth. Watch your fingers! You can touch horseshoe crabs and feed them to stingrays and sharks. Feeling brave? Then you can stroke them too.
Visit The Deep, where moon jellyfish light the way, to finish your journey. This is where things get really strange, with sea dragons and a giant octopus living there.
27. Cahokia Mounds
Take a trip to the Cahokia Mounds for another free look at the beauty of Missouri’s nature. These mounds are the most important archaeological site in all of North America. Research and careful study suggest that this was something of mini-metropolis thousands of years ago. Today, the Cahokia Mounds are a must-see for anyone visiting St. Louis, as they are close by in Southern Illinois.
They worked hard and made a strong economy based on farming and trade. No one knows what happened to the people of the Cahokia Mounds tribe, but their work lives on. Many of the earthen mounds they built are still there.
The Cahokia Mounds are without a doubt one of the best places to see in the Greater St. Louis area. You can see a beautiful example of how people used to land in the past. This is one of the best places to see day or night.
28. Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park
Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park has a total of 2,145 acres and is the biggest park in the St. Louis County park system. The park is in the Maryland Heights area of Missouri and has something for almost everyone. During the warmer months, people can rent a paddleboard, kayak, or canoe and spend the day exploring the park or going out on the water.
The 3.8-mile asphalt loop trail around the lake is great for bikers, runners, walkers, and even rollerbladers because it has some beautiful views. There are spray fountain play areas, playgrounds, and more at Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park.
“Best Things to Do in St. Louis, Missouri for Locals and Tourists: Restaurants, Hotels” Back to Top or Beautiful places near me, what to do, restaurants for breakfast, travel guide, the nearest beach
29. Citygarden
Citygarden is an oasis in the middle of downtown St. Louis. It has water features and trees that block out the noise of the city around it. This beautiful square city block is just a short walk from the Old Courthouse. It is full of flowers, benches, and different kinds of public art.
30. Tour Anheuser-Busch Brewery
Want to see where and how they make the King of Beers? For those of you who don’t know, that’s the name of a beer. Anheuser-Busch Brewery is a historic place where beer is made. It is more than just a brewhouse; it shows you the brand’s history and traditions. There are many tours to choose from, but the free one will take you on a trip you’ll never forget. You’ll learn about beers, the brewing process, and the complicated history of beer, and you’ll even get to meet one of the famous Budweiser Clydesdales. Did I mention that they give out samples on their tour? I’ll drink to that!
31. Experience art in the fresh air
Citygarden is an urban oasis with modern and contemporary art, native plants, and six rain gardens. It is a mix of sculpture and landscape architecture. Or, check out the beautiful Laumeier Sculpture Park, which has more than 70 sculptures outside, a music amphitheater for special events, and a series of exhibitions that change over time.
Laumeier is free and open to the public. It is one of the first and largest sculpture parks in the country. Like public art? Clayton has a wonderful collection of sculptures by well-known artists like Botero, Milles, Ben Tre, and Trova. The Awakening, a 70-foot statue of a giant buried in the ground, is one of the most impressive pieces in Chesterfield’s collection.
32. Visit the historic gardens of Tower Grove Park
One of the most beautiful ornamental green spaces in the city is in the beautiful Tower Grove Park. This beautiful urban park was made by a generous man named Henry Shaw. It is the best-preserved 19th-century garden park in the country.
Here, the landscape is formal, with winding paths and long lines of trees that make you feel like you’re going back in time. Many of the plants are planted in a symmetrical way, which shows how gardens were made hundreds of years ago. If you walk along the seven miles of trails, you’ll find Victorian pavilions, fancy gates, and old houses around every corner.
Since the park is next to the Missouri Botanical Garden, it makes sense to visit both places at the same time.
33. Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Hiking Trail in Weldon Spring Conservation Area is a great place to hike in Missouri if you want to see the real great outdoors. The trail is free to use, and it has two challenging but rewarding loops. Both the Lewis and Clark loops give hikers one of the best opportunities in the Greater St. Louis area.
You should bring good shoes for hiking and a lot of bug spray in case there are mosquitoes.
It might also be best to get there early in the morning so you don’t have to deal with too much heat. On a nice day, you’re likely to see and meet all kinds of people on Lewis and Clark Trail. Do your best to be kind to them and the park by not littering or doing anything else that hurts the natural body. You’re not the first person to come across this land, and you won’t be the last.
34. Grant’s Farm, St. Louis, Missouri
A fun place for families to go near St. Louis, Grant’s Farm is a 281-acre farm where the Busch family lives. They continue to take care of the farm, which allows thousands of people to visit it every year. Ulysses S. Grant, a former US president, lived and worked on the farm before the Civil War. This is how the farm got its name. It is a beautiful place with a lot of history and many well-kept historic pieces.
But the animals that the Busch family has brought in from all over the world are the most popular part of the park. At the moment, a farm is a safe place for more than 900 animals from 100 different species. Some, like deer and bison, roam free. Some animals, like goats, parakeets, and camels, live in places with more protection. There are also tortoises, monkeys, wallabies, ducks, lemurs, swans, elephants, and a lot more. If you get tired, you can take a break in the beautiful courtyard in front of the Tiergarten or farmstead and eat something.
35. James S. McDonnell Prologue Room
The Prologue Room at Boeing’s St. Louis headquarters is a free attraction that is only open to the public during the summer months of June, July, and August. It shows more than 100 years of aviation history and pays tribute to the first people to fly. See Mercury and Gemini capsules that are the real size, as well as big models of famous planes like Air Force One.
36. See the Reptiles at Turtle Playground
If you like turtles, you shouldn’t miss this fun sculpture garden where you can climb all over the animals. At Turtle Playground, there are seven turtles from Missouri that are all of the different sizes. The big sculpture of the snapping turtle is 40 feet long! There are also seven turtle eggs and what looks like a snake eating the overpass.
37. Raise a pint to St. Louis’ brewing history
There are a lot of breweries in St. Louis, from the world-famous Anheuser-Busch to small craft breweries. At A-B, people can choose from different kinds of tours. You can see the Clydesdales, learn how to brew beer, and get a VIP look at how the brewery works. Schlafly is a St. Louis institution. It was the first craft brewery in the city after Prohibition, and it has four locations where you can get great beer and food. Urban Chestnut has three locations: two in St. Louis (Midtown and The Grove) and one in Germany.
Their beers are made using old-world methods in a modern way. You can walk to Busch Stadium from 4 Hands Brewing Co., where you can choose from lagers, ryes, and ales, or try a seasonal pour. Looking for a hidden gem? Try Narrow Gauge, which is tucked away in a Florissant Italian restaurant and is known for its creative small-batch beers.
38. Visit the Pulitzer Arts Foundation
Through a series of special exhibitions, the Pulitzer Arts Foundation gives people a direct and personal look at culture. In the galleries, you’ll find pieces from the past and the present. This will take you on a journey that will make you think outside the box.
Here, it’s the different kinds of art that blow your mind. You might look at Buddhist art from Afghanistan one minute and then look at how colors work together in a modern Zen painting the next. It’s a unique place with good looks where artists and other people who like to explore new ideas and concepts can do so.
The building is also interesting because it was made by the famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando to be a blank slate for the exhibits.
39. Sweetology
The Caramel House isn’t the only place in St. Louis that has great sweets. One of the best things to do when you visit St. Louis is to go to Sweetology. You might not be able to find more beautiful cakes anywhere else in Missouri. You can also order sweets and decorating kits online. There should be no doubt that this business lives up to the “sweet” part of its name.
40. St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra was started in 1880. It is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, after the New York Philharmonic. Its current home is Powel Hall, a theater in downtown St. Louis with 2,683 seats. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra plays regularly at Powel Hall and is also the resident orchestra for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis.
The St. Louis Symphony is thought to be one of the best symphony orchestras in the country. It has toured Japan and Europe, played often at Carnegie Hall, made CDs, and won seven Grammy Awards. As part of the Community Partnership Program, the orchestra’s musicians give hundreds of free performances every year in schools, community centers, churches, and other places.
41. Hang out on The Loop
If I had to be stuck in one neighborhood for a long time, it would be the Delmar Loop without a doubt. More than 140 stores, restaurants, cafes, and art galleries fill the street with music and high spirits, making it a lively place where people never get bored.
The Loop has been called one of the 10 best streets in America and is a great place to spend a whole day. Wander through the strange art galleries, eat barbecue and ravioli, go to the crazy Ice Carnival Festival in January, hum along to the catchy beat, and walk the St. Louis Walk of Fame. When you’re tired of walking, you can take a tour on the Loop Trolley. As soon as the sun goes down, go to the Moonrise Hotel to rest and see the world’s largest man-made rotating moon on top of the boutique hotel.
42. Have an animal encounter at the Zoo and beyond
At the Saint Louis Zoo, you can get up close and personal with animals that have fur, fly, or are fish. The Saint Louis Zoo is one of the many free things to do in the city. It is also known as one of the best zoological parks in the country.
The goal of the Endangered Wolf Center is to keep wolves and other wild canid species alive and safe. There are many tours and events where people can see these amazing animals. At the St. Louis Aquarium, people can learn about aquatic life from the river to the ocean in the 250,000-gallon Shark Canyon. More than 2,000 butterflies fly around an 8,000-square-foot conservatory at the Butterfly House as if by magic. The World Bird Sanctuary covers 305 acres and is home to more than 200 animals from over 60 different species.
This unique organization has free educational programs, nature trails, and shows that change with the seasons. Want to see even more animals? Go on a private tour of Grant’s Farm to feed buffalo and goats up close and personal. Stop by to see the beautiful Budweiser Clydesdales and ride the carousel at Grant’s Farm. Or, visit the family-friendly Purina Farms, where you can play with barnyard animals and watch rescued dogs put on exciting shows at the Incredible Dog Arena.
43. Take a spin on the St. Louis Wheel
Want to look at the city in a different way? Then take a ride on this 200-foot-high observation wheel and fly like a bird. From one of the 42 enclosed gondolas, you’ll soar above the city skyline and get a unique view of the sights. Each 15-minute ride on the St. Louis Wheel lets you see all the best sights from up to four different angles.
If you don’t want the fun of the fair to end, you can relive your childhood memories at the St. Louis Union Station Carousel. As you trot up and down on the old horses and strange animals, enjoy the pleasures of leisure from a different time.
44. The Muny
One of the best tips for a trip to St. Louis is to get tickets to a show at The Muny. This is the country’s oldest outdoor musical theater venue. Seeing a beautiful performance full of lively singing and dancing is so much better when it takes place outside.
Since 1917, the Muny has been in St. Louis. Its goal is to make it easier for people to see live theater. Tickets start at $15 and are very affordable. The shows they bring are also the best. Some shows that have been to The Muny are Guys and Dolls and Kinky Boots. Upcoming shows include Footloose and Matilda. Seeing a show at The Muny is one of the most fun things to do in Missouri.
45. Jefferson Barracks Historic Park
Jefferson Barracks Historic Park is on North Road, south of downtown St. Louis, right next to the Mississippi River. It is home to Jefferson Barracks, the U.S. From 1826 to 1946, this was an Army post. The park has a visitor’s center and several museum buildings that were built in the 1850s. These include the Old Ordnance Room, the Powder Magazine Museum, and the Laborers House and Ordnance Stable.
The park also has an amphitheater, a cross-country course, trails, and other places to do different things. The Cavalry at Jefferson Barracks and Feast in the Park are two of the special events that happen in the park.
46. Go on a journey of scientific discovery
At the Saint Louis Science Center’s four-story Omnimax Theater, you can find out what it’s like to go out into the wild, travel under the sea, or fly high in the air. See an exciting show at the Planetarium, which is one of the best places in the country to learn about space and has the largest fake sky in the Western Hemisphere. Visitors of all ages can explore over 700 hands-on exhibits, such as flight simulators, the GROW Lab, and a life-sized animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex.
The Discovery Room is great for younger children because it is full of interactive exhibits and experiments. At Museum, kids learn about science through fun and unusual exhibits like a dino-dig, a vet clinic, a video wall, a radar slide, a magnetic ball wall, and a giant UFO maze. And MADE for Kids is a maker space for curious young minds that is 7,000 square feet big. Kids can design and print 3D objects, make a stop-motion movie, learn screen printing, and try their hand at pottery.
47. Be inspired at the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis
If there’s one thing that St. Louis does well, it’s art. The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, which people in the city called “CAM,” is another well-known place for art in the city. As the name suggests, the exhibits are modern, so there’s nothing old and stiff here!
Every year, the museum has six major exhibitions that show new works by national and international artists in a variety of mediums. A lot of the art is experimental, so the person looking at it has to decide for themselves what it means.
This is one of the most interesting collections of art from our time because the themes are evolving and the pieces make you think.
48. Discover the Laumeier Sculpture Park
Make time in your schedule to go to the quirky Laumeier Sculpture Park for some fresh air and outdoor art that will make you think.
This 105-acre outdoor museum is in Sunset Hills, which is only 20 minutes by car from St. Louis. It’s a fun way to spend a half-day outside of the city. Laumeier is one of the largest sculpture parks in the United States. It has about 60 large works of art to look at.
The giant bronze tulips, the tiled cat cuddle seat, and the moving steel schooner are some of the most popular pieces. Throughout the year, there are always new exhibitions, and there are several ways to walk around the grounds to see the most popular sculptures.
49. Scott Joplin House
You’ve probably heard Scott Joplin’s most famous song even if you don’t know his name.
“The Entertainer” is a crazy fun piano tune that has been enjoyed by people of all ages. Its ragtime style is easy to remember, and Joplin helped pave the way for jazz. For a few years of his tragically short life, Joplin lived in St. Louis. During this time, he had many of his artistic breakthroughs. The house where he lived for part of this time has become a major tourist attraction. At the Scott Joplin House, you can see artifacts from his life. Tours can also give you a more in-depth look at his life.
50. Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
On Grant Road, south of downtown St. Louis is the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. The nearly 10-acre site, which is also called “White Haven,” is all about Grant’s life, his time in the military, and his time as President. Up until the end of the American Civil War, White Haven was a slave plantation. On the site, there are five historic buildings. One of them was where Grant’s wife, Julia Dent Grant, grew up.
The area became part of the United States. National Park Service in 1989, and now it has programs like “Be a Junior Ranger” and “Trading Cards” for kids. Free tours are available.
51. Indulge your inner gearhead
At the Moto Museum, you can see a collection of rare and old motorcycles. At the National Museum of Transportation, you can learn about the history, mechanics, and design of the cart and buggy, planes, trains, and anything else with wheels. If you want to be the one in charge. Don’t miss Victory Raceway St. Louis – Indoor Karting or Amp Up Action Park for world-class indoor karting and much more.
And if you come in late winter, be sure to stop by America’s Center for the St. Louis Auto Show and Boat Show. NASCAR Cup Races were held at World Wide Technology Raceway in June 2022, so race fans will definitely want to go there. From May to November, the Raceway hosts drag races, oval track, and road races every week.
52. Visit car heaven at the St. Louis Auto Show
Get ready for the annual St. Louis Auto Show, which happens here in the city every January. This highly anticipated event is a celebration of everything to do with cars. Dozens of well-known brands, like Chrysler and Harley Davidson, come to show off their latest innovations on wheels.
Find out about some of the hottest new cars on the market and be one of the first to see crazy concept cars that wouldn’t look out of place in the Back to the Future movies. Then, for the ultimate test drive, get behind the wheel of your favorite jeeps and bikes.
You don’t have to like cars to have a good time here. There are lots of fun things to do that the whole family can enjoy.
53. Budweiser Brewery Tours
If you like beer, you’ve probably heard of Budweiser. If you go to St. Louis, you can see how “The King of Beers” is made.
This brewery has been making refreshing beers for beer lovers in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. A Budweiser Brewery Tour is one of the most fun things to do in the whole city. On these tours, you’ll get to see the processes that make Budweiser possible. The taste is even better when you have it right on-site.
54. Cinema St. Louis
The Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival, or SLIFF as the locals call it, is a very important event in the movie business. This festival started out small in 1992 when only 25 movies were shown. It has grown since then, and in 2014, it showed 375 movies from more than 50 countries over the course of ten days.
About 24,000 people came to see what was going on in the world of independent productions, touching international films, and high-quality studio films that haven’t yet been released to the public. The festival now brings in big movie stars and takes over the city, but for movie fans in St. Louis, it’s a rare chance to see great movies that wouldn’t normally be shown in their city.
55. Have an outdoor adventure
Climb, jump, hang, and fly at the RYZE Adventure Park, a four-story aerial adventure tower with more than 100 obstacles. At the Adventure Valley Zipline, you can fly through the trees. The Great Rivers Greenway has been built and taken care of 128 miles of bike paths. Hop on your bike and check out some of them.
Castlewood State Park is a great place to go fishing, hiking, horseback riding, or biking outside. In fact, Castlewood is thought to be the best place near St. Louis to mountain bike. At Onondaga Cave State Park, you can go underground and camp, fish, hike, boat, bike, and swim. Look for where Jesse James hid out and find lost treasure at Meramec Caverns, or spend the night in Missouri’s famous wine country at a cozy bed and breakfast and try some of the best wines from the area.
56. Explore the National Museum of Transportation
The National Museum of Transportation is a great place to learn about some of the most innovative planes, trains, and cars in modern history. The collections here are the largest of their kind in the world, with more than 190 items related to transportation.
In the rail section, the Union Pacific “Big Boy” takes pride in place as the biggest steam locomotive ever made. Look at things that were ahead of their time, like passenger coaches and diesel engines.
Even though the collection of shiny old cars is impressive, the real stars of the show are the planes, some of which were important parts of important historical events. Don’t miss the 1943 Douglas plane with two engines that were used to invade Normandy on D-Day. This is real history happening right in front of your eyes!
57. Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis, Missouri
If you want to go to St. Louis, try to go in August when the Shakespeare in the Park Festival is happening. Going to this event, which is held every year in beautiful Foster Park, is an experience you will never forget.
It is a magical experience to listen to Shakespeare’s timeless words while lying on a blanket on a lush green lawn under a starry sky. To get the most out of this celebration of theater, you should bring a picnic basket and a bottle of wine. Every night for a week, there are free performances.
In September, St. Louis holds its annual Shakespeare in the Streets event, which is also a part of the Shakespeare celebrations. There are two parts to this event: free shows and a block party. The Shakespeare Festival puts on summer camps for school kids that last for half a day. These camps are meant to get kids interested in Shakespeare. There are also a few camps for teenagers that last a week.
58. See a rockin’ live show
The Pageant is one of the top five concert venues in the world, according to Pollstar. You can go to the outdoor Hollywood Casino Amphitheater or the concert club at Enterprise Center for bigger tours and festivals with multiple bands. A Factory is a place with an industrial look where different kinds of music are played in a space made with both the performer and the audience in mind.
For something with more history, go to Blueberry Hill, a restaurant and music club that has been around for a long time and is known for hosting both touring bands and St. Louis’ best bands. Check out Jazz at the Bistro, which has won awards, or one of St. Louis’s famous blues clubs, like BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups, or Broadway Oyster Bar, for a more intimate setting.
You can also see a live show and learn about the history of blues music at the National Blues Museum. If you want to enjoy symphonic music, you can go to Powell Hall to see the famous St. Louis Symphony play. The SLSO has been around since 1880 and is thought to be one of the best orchestras in the country.
59. Enjoy a night out at Laclede’s Landing
In the middle of the city, this busy riverfront district has everything you need to eat and have fun. The old warehouses at Laclede’s Landing have been turned into trendy restaurants and cool bars that draw both locals and tourists.
This is the place to go if you want to sink your teeth into toasted ravioli or specialty St. Louis pizza. Just make sure to save room for some gooey butter cake and a cocktail or two. There’s also an old brewery here that you can tour if you want to learn more about what you’re drinking. This redeveloped area hosts many musical events throughout the year, including the largest free blues festival in Missouri, which always has a great vibe.
60. Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park
The Frank Lloyd Wright House in Ebsworth Park is on North Ballas Road in Kirkwood, which is south of downtown St. Louis. Russell and Ruth Goetz Kraus got the house from Frank Lloyd Wright in 1950. Later, the property was sold to a non-profit group in order to save the 1,900-square-foot house and the 10.5-acre park.
All of the fabrics and furniture that Wright designed are still there today. The house is taken care of by the St. Louis County Parks Department. It is now on the U.S. The National Register of Historic Places. From Wednesday to Sunday, the house is open for tours, including special tours at night.
61. Try your luck at one of St. Louis’ area casinos
Each casino has something different to offer, in addition to your favorite video poker games and classic table games like craps, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. You can see a small, high-end show at the Horseshoe St. Louis theater or dance the night away at River City Casino’s Judy’s Velvet Lounge.
Hollywood Casino has more baccarat games than any other casino in the St. Louis area, and Ameristar Casino has 130,000 square feet of gaming space and a AAA Four Diamond full-service luxury suite hotel. All have excellent hotel amenities, delicious restaurants, and top-notch entertainment.
62. Play a round of golf
Play a round of golf in the great outdoors on one of the best courses near St. Louis. Beginners can take lessons from a pro, and experts can try to get a hole-in-one at a wide range of clubs that are on an international level.
Go to Bear Creek Golf Club for a game that is like a championship and goes around lakes and creeks. Check out the 9-hole public golf course in St. Ann for something a little less scary. Incline Village has another short course with fairways that are lined with trees and make for a nice place to play. Don’t miss your chance to show off your skills on the “island green.”
The bunkers and ponds at St. Peter’s Golf Club add a bit of excitement to the overall experience. Lastly, the St. Genevieve Golf Club is the best when it comes to refreshments after the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Things To Do In St Louis
What’s cool about St. Louis?
St. Louis is a lively city in the middle of the United States. It has roots as a fiercely independent frontier town, but it also has a Midwest modesty. People often call this city the “Gateway to the West” because of its iconic Gateway Arch, its passionate sports fans, and its blues music scene.
Is St. Louis a fun town?
The personal finance website WalletHub put St. Louis at No. 19 on its list of the Most Fun Cities in America for 2018. The study, which came out this morning, ranked 182 U.S. cities on three important factors: fun and entertainment, nightlife and parties, and costs.
Is St. Louis worth visiting?
With all of its interesting museums, gardens, and parks, St. Louis is a great place to get together. The Saint Louis Zoo, The Magic House, and the Saint Louis Science Center are all fun places for families to visit. People who are interested in art can’t miss the City Museum and the Saint Louis Art Museum.
Is downtown St. Louis walkable?
St. Louis City was just named the most walkable city in Missouri, so get out of your cars and go for a walk. St. Louis got a 61 out of 100 on Walk Score, and Webster Groves and University City were also in the top five.
Is downtown St. Louis safe?
Downtown, a few neighborhoods in Central St. Louis, and a few neighborhoods in North City have the most crime. Several South City neighborhoods in St. Louis have high crime rates, but safety and crime vary a lot from one street to the next in this part of the city.
Is downtown St. Louis nice?
Downtown St. Louis is the best place to visit, eat, and have fun in the area. Downtown has a lot to do, whether you live there or are just visiting for the day. It’s full of culture and fun for everyone! There are more than 200 events every year downtown, as well as great places to eat and see.
Why do people visit St. Louis?
St. Louis is full of energy and fun, from the famous Gateway Arch to the miles of trails, parks, and waterways that are ready to be explored. With a number of world-class, family-friendly, and cheap attractions, as well as a cultural scene that can’t be beaten, St. Louis is sure to keep you entertained and give you new ideas.
Is St. Louis a good food city?
Eater.com said that St. Louis is one of the best cities to visit for food. “St. “St. Louis has snuck its way into the top 15 restaurants in America,” a well-known restaurateur named Danny Meyer said in the article.
When did St. Louis start to decline?
From 1905 to 1980, St. Louis, Missouri’s population and economy both went down, especially after World War II. Even though the city made improvements to its infrastructure in the 1920s and put in place pollution controls in the 1930s, suburban growth sped up and the city’s population dropped sharply from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Is St. Louis a foodie city?
In recent years, the rest of the country has started to see St. Louis as an important place to eat in the Midwest. It has a food and dining scene that is impressive in terms of quality, vast in terms of variety, and unique in terms of size.
What is the coolest neighborhood in St. Louis?
The trendy area of St. Louis is called “The Loop,” which is short for “Delmar Loop.” Most cities have at least one hipster neighborhood like this with lots of shops, restaurants, and nightlife. Wicker Park in Chicago, Little Five Points in Atlanta, and Williamsburg in Brooklyn are all examples.
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