Unique Experiences In St. Louis For Every Type Of Traveller

Having many free tourist attractions, there are always exciting things to do in St. Louis. This river town has must-visit attractions such as its art museum, science centre, history museum and zoo. On your next trip, add St. Louis to your list of cities to visit in the United States and get ready for a trip to remember.

From visiting iconic landmarks to diving into the world of art and culture, the neighbourhoods of St. Louis have a lot in store to offer visitors of all ages and travel styles. With so much to do and a limited budget, we created this guide to highlight all the must-see attractions and top experiences for you to try in St. Louis. Let's get started!

An Overview Of St. Louis

St. Louis is a large city located in Missouri, the United States, along the Mississippi River. Photo by allan - stock.adobe.com

Founded in 1764, St. Louis is the second largest city in Missouri, United States. There are plenty of recreational activities in the city, and it is easy to travel to as well as get around in St. Louis. Here is an overview of the city with a quick guide on location, weather and the local neighbourhoods for your next visit. 

Best Time To Visit

Located on the banks of the Missouri River and the Mississippi, the city of St. Louis is known for many things and is proudly called the Gateway To The West. St. Louis has a strategic location as a hub for transportation and distribution.

The weather in St. Louis is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. The coldest month in the city is January, with an average temperature of 0.1°C (or 32.1 °F), and the warmest month is July, with an average temperature of 26.9 °C (or 80.4 °F). Travellers vote the best time to visit St. Louis is from late May to early July or late July to late September. These two periods are good times for outdoor activities.

The Neighbourhoods of St. Louis

St. Louis is a beautiful city with green space, vibrance neighbourhoods and entertaining activities. Each community in St. Louis has its own culture and distinctiveness. Delmar Loop, Grand Center art district, Forest Park and Downtown St. Louis are famous with travellers and locals.

Getting to St. Louis

It’s all just a flight away. Photo by Zamir - stock.addobe.com

St. Louis is an accessible city with many modes of transportation for travellers to choose from. You can visit St. Louis by car, by plane, by train, by bus or by boat. Driving is a great way to experience classic American road trips.

Flying is a fast and convenient way to get to St. Louis, as there are four domestic airports and one international airport in the city. A non-stop round-trip flight straight from London costs about $600. When you depart from New York, the fare is about $50-150.

If you want a train riding experience, Amtrak offers up to five daily arrivals depending on where you depart. For example, there are five daily arrivals for travellers from Chicago and two daily arrivals for visitors from Kansas City.

Getting Around In St. Louis

If you love walkable cities, enjoy exploring new places on foot and travel sustainably, St. Louis is the city that will not disappoint. There is MetroLink - a train system with convenient stops at popular destinations. Cars are a popular way to travel in St. Louis, with ridesharing services and taxis as your options.

What Makes St. Louis Special?

The US is the second most popular destination for UK holidaymakers in 2022. Most would go for Los Angeles or New York. But Gateway City is a delightful surprise.  Besides the low cost of living, the Midwestern city is a place to be if you travel on a budget. The free activities visitors can do are too many to count.

St. Louis hasn’t been touched by anything chic or influencer culture. So, the place retains its distinct identity. It’s a big city with a small-town charm; going from the Arch Riverfront at the very eastern edge to the quaint takes about 30 minutes at most. It’s truly a hidden gem of America.

And the art and culinary scene is on another level. We know what’s good and what’s not is a matter of subjectivity, but there’s one thing for certain:  there is hardly a dull moment in St. Louis. Why don’t you find out for yourself?

Top Things To Do In St. Louis

Filled with both free and paid activities as well as attractions across the city, travellers with different travel styles all find exciting things to do in St. Louis. Whether you are visiting in the summer months or during cold winters, there are still both indoor and outdoor activities to enjoy. Here is our list of top things to do in St. Louis.

1. View St. Louis From The Gateway Arch

Imagine standing at the top of the Arch and taking in the surrounding view. Photo by f11photo - stock.adobe.com

• Address: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO 63102, United States

• Fee: $15 per adult (from 16 years old) for the Tram Ride To The Top

• Hours: 9AM - 6PM

• Website: https://www.gatewayarch.com/ 

Known as one of the most popular attractions in St. Louis, the Gateway Arch is a must-visit for every traveller. This 630-foot-tall man-made monument was built to withstand earthquakes. It can sway up to 18 inches. 

Inside the arch, a tram system takes visitors to an observation deck at the top, where they can enjoy panoramic views of downtown St. Louis and the Mississippi River.

If you visit on a clear day, you can view the city from the top up to 30 miles. Once you are there, watch "Monument to the Dream" - a documentary that showcases the Gateway Arch from its original concept to the final construction. 

2. Visit the City Museum

• Address: 750 N 16th St, St. Louis, MO 63103, United States

• Fee: $20 per Single-day Ticket 

• Hours: 10AM - 6PM 

• Website: https://www.citymuseum.org/  

The City Museum is an artist-built and fun-filled playground with many celebrations and special events. Located in an old shoe factory, visitors can spend an entire day enjoying all the fun activities in indoor, underground and outdoor playgrounds that are made out of architectural artefacts. 

From the praying mantis to the twisted fun slides, there are four floors to explore and a rooftop to visit when you are there. Feeling lost? Take a guided tour for guidance and further stories behind the City Museum.

3. Get To the St. Louis Zoo

• Address: 1 Government Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States

• Fee: Free access to the zoo, $17.95 per Adventure Pass (including paid attractions)

• Hours: 9AM - 5PM

• Website: https://stlzoo.org/ 

Visitors will get to see lively animals and take part in behind-the-scenes tours at St. Louis Zoo. There are indoor exhibits, outdoor exhibits, a children's petting zoo and learning centres for visitors of all ages to have a day filled with fun. 

The zoo is one of the best free attractions to visit in St. Louis, as visitors do not need tickets to see, and paid attractions are available in the zoo's Adventure Pass. We highly recommend the Zooline Railroad, a 20-minute fun ride through tunnels and animal exhibits.

4. Sample St. Louis' Specialities At The Hill

Toasted ravioli is a slice of heaven. Photo by Ezume Images - stock.adobe.com

• Address: St. Louis Hills 

Come to the Hill, a historic neighbourhood renowned for its rich Italian heritage, to enjoy St. Louis cuisine. It is conveniently located, bordered by Interstates 44 and 64.

Besides its eateries, The Hill is home to various boutiques, shops, and markets. Even if you don’t fancy a food tour, the tight-knit community feel is worth it, illustrated by both the U.S. and Italian flags on the homes.

It's the birthplace of the toasted ravioli, a popular dish that originated in Italy. These filled and tasty pastas are usually boiled and served with either broth or sauce. For food lovers, trying out popular dishes with a distinctive local twist is a must. Toasted Ravioli (aka T-Ravs) is a unique dish created in St. Louis.

If you love sweet treats, a tasty slice of Gooey Butter Cake is not to be missed. The satisfying treat originated in the 1930s by accident: a baker mistakenly mixed up the wrong proportion of butter in coffee cakes. Dense, creamy and chewy. If toasted ravioli is the king of side dishes, then this cake is a staple in the world of desserts to try in St. Louis. 

5. Explore the Anheuser-Busch Brewery

• Address: 1200 Lynch St, St. Louis, MO 63118, United States

• Fee: $15 per adult for Day Fresh Tour

• Hours: 11AM - 6PM

• Website: https://www.budweisertours.com/ 

Are you a fan of Budweiser? Have a fun time on an exclusive tour of one of the world's biggest breweries. Anheuser-Busch Brewery offers visitors beer samples right from their cellars and a bunch of tour options to choose from. 

There is the Beermaster Tour with an all-access look behind the scenes at how Budweiser is brewed. Opt for the Clydesdale Experience to get close to the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses.

6. Spend Time In Nature At Missouri Botanical Garden

There are plenty of green spaces and different garden themes to be explored in the spacious Missouri Botanical Garden.  Photo by chettarin - stock.adobe.com

• Address: 4344 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States

• Fee: $14 per General Admission (13 years old and above)

• Hours: 9AM - 5PM

• Website: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ 

Voted as one of the world's top public gardens, Missouri Botanical Garden offers visitors a place of serenity and beauty with its 79-acre garden. You can take a leisure stroll in their expansive gardens and discover interesting facts about plants by joining a customised tour that is tailored to different interests.

Tours, events and activities in the Missouri Botanical Garden are available year-round with seasonal rotation. Just be extra careful and check the local weather before visiting, as event tickets are non-refundable, and activities at the garden might be cancelled due to weather conditions.

7. Go Back In Time At Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site was once the largest city in Mexico or even North America. Photo by Zack Frank - stock.adobe.com

• Address: 30 Ramey Street Collinsville, IL 62234

• Fee: No admission fee

• Hours: Open daily from dawn until dusk

• Website: https://cahokiamounds.org/ 

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982, this is one of the largest pre-Columbian settlements north of Mexico. Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is located in Illinois near St. Louis. There are artefacts, monuments and ruins of homes on this site. It’s also the locals’ favourite place for hiking, thanks to well-maintained roads and meadows and wooded areas as a backdrop.

Do you know that Cahokia was larger than London in AD 1250? If you are a fan of history, this UNESCO site is a must-visit that is just about 11 miles (or 15 15-minute drive) from St. Louis. Admission and parking fee is free, and the Cahokia Mounds State Historical Site opens daily.

Note: The interpretive centre (museum) and gift shop are closed for renovations. But the ground is yours to explore freely. So prepare to break a sweat and bring a good walking trainer!

8. Visit St. Louis' Aquarium For A Fun Time

• Address: 201 S 18th St, St. Louis, MO 63103, United States

• Fee: $21.50 - 25.00 per General Admission (depending on the purchasing date)

• Hours: 9AM - 5PM

• Website: https://www.stlouisaquarium.com/ 

This 120,000-square-foot aquarium is a wonderland for both adults and children. Do you love aquatic life? Visiting St. Louis' Aquarium is where you can explore over 13,000 aquatic animals, including rare species such as blue lobsters. 

You can start your journey discovering aquatic animals in Missouri's local freshwater rivers, then move toward the vast open ocean. It is highly recommended that you purchase your ticket in advance to avoid sell-out, as the aquarium has a limited amount of tickets available.

9. Have A Thrilling Time at Six Flags St. Louis

• Address: 4900 Six Flags Rd, Eureka, MO 63025, United States

• Fee: $59 per Platinum Pass

• Hours: (Friday) 6PM - 11PM, (Saturday) 12PM - 11PM, (Sunday) 12PM - 9PM 

• Website: https://www.sixflags.com/stlouis  

Six Flags St. Louis is an amusement park located in Eureka, about 30 miles away (or a 30-minute drive) from the city centre of St. Louis. This is a fun-filled amusement park that is packed with thrilling adventures, such as riding the tallest pendulum rides over 17-stories heights or experiencing the classic world-class roller coaster complex.

There are family-friendly shows and activities, a waterpark and special year-round events at this amusement park. If you want to visit the amusement park during less crowded times, try to visit during spring weekends and summer weekdays. Our advice is to pre-purchase tickets online for a better price.

10. Learn About Blues At the National Blues Museum

• Address: 615 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63101, United States

• Fee: $15 per Admission (for adults from 18 years old)

• Hours: 10AM - 4PM

• Website: https://www.nationalbluesmuseum.org/ 

Known as a national home for the blues, the National Blues Museum is where the blues is celebrated and its legacy is preserved. Considered the foundation of American music, visitors can learn more about the history of the blues via exhibits filled with artefacts and technology-driven interactive programs.

Exhibits are divided into four periods: The Early Evolution of The Blues 1900-1930), The Blues Plugs In (1930-1960), The Blues Goes Mainstream (1960-1980), and The Traditional Continues (1980-now). The museum opens daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, and you can purchase tickets at the box office.

Popular Events In St. Louis

From music festivals to the annual Cardinals, St. Louis has all sorts of exciting events to offer visitors year-round. There is the famous Mardi Gras Parade with exciting parties and events lineup. For fans of the blues genre, not only St. Louis has the fan-favourite National Blues Museum, there is an annual free-of-charge music festival located near the Gateway Arch as well. Here are our top events for your inspiration. 

1. Join The Soulard Mardi Gras Parade

• When: Jan 6 - Mar 4, 2025 - Awaiting dates for 2026

• How To Attend: The parade is free for all. Secure your tickets for other events here.

"Mardi Gras" can be translated into "Fat Tuesday", and it is a Christian holiday that dates back to medieval times. Normally , itfalls in January through March, Mardi Gras in St. Louis is considered one of the USA's biggest parties.

Thousands of visitors gather in Soulard and enjoy the Purina Pet Parade, Bud Light Grand Parade, and the Mardi Gras beads collecting tradition. Two highlighted events that you should not miss are Bud Light Party Tent and Blues Alumni Experience.

Our advice is to use public transportation or ride-sharing services instead of driving. Also, be aware of the local weather and plan your outfits accordingly.

2. Celebrate Flowers and Fine Arts

• When: February 28–March 2, 2025 - Awaiting dates for 2026

• Where: One Fine Arts Drive, Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri

• How To Attend: You can see their upcoming events here.

Hosted by St. Louis Art Museum, Art in Bloom is an annual celebration with floral displays, family activities, special events, dining and shopping options. The festival features creative works of floral designers who are inspired by works of art in the museum.

If you plan to visit, be mindful that the parking space is limited due to high attendance. Using the museum's free shuttle from the Forest Park Visitors Centre is a convenient option. You can purchase tickets at the museum or online via Metrotix.

3. Join PrideFest and Celebrate the LGBTQIA+ Community

Joining PrideFest is a great way to show support for the LGBTQIA+ Community. Photo by Africa Studio - stock.adobe.com

• When: June 28-29, 2025

• How To Attend: Follow for the latest update here.

PrideFest is one of the biggest events in St. Louis, with over 300,000 people joining. This is a free event to celebrate the diverse LGBTQIA+ community and foster a better understanding from the public by raising awareness. 

There is a DJ and dancing area, vendor fair with local artists, food court, children's area, non-profit village and the Grand Pride Parade. Even though there is no admission fee to the festival, we suggest visitors consider donating to support the community efforts. You can check PrideFest's entertainment page in advance to see the schedule of performances.

4. Be In The Groove With Blues At The Arch

• When: Aug. 7-10, 2025

• Where: North Gateway of the park

• How To Attend: Follow for the latest update here.

Blues at the Arch is a free music festival hosted by the Gateway Arch Park Foundation, the National Blues Museum and the National Park Service. It showcases the talents of both local and national artists while paying tribute to the long history of blues in St. Louis. 

This popular summer celebration takes place every year. There are festival vendors with an incredible lineup of local food and drinks and Blues at the Arch's park.

FAQ

1. What Is St. Louis Best Known For?

St. Louis is known for its iconic attractions such as the Gateway Arch, a long history of blues music, state-of-the-art museums and historical sites, unique food scenes and flourishing botanical parks. The local breweries and art scenes are also among the highlights of every trip to this Gateway To The West city.

2. Is St. Louis An Expensive City?

Ranked as one of the most beautiful yet affordable places to live in the United States by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2023, the median cost of living in St. Louis is far less than the national median. Not only that, St. Louis is among the top travel destinations with many free attractions.

You can travel on a budget and still experience the city with plenty of exciting things to do. For example, visiting the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum, and Gateway Arch National Park (outside) is free of admission.

3. Is Downtown St. Louis Walkable?

St. Louis has walkable streets, especially the downtown area. There is a good number of public parks in the area as well. Dining and shopping options are located across the neighbourhoods. Public transportation and ride-sharing services are accessible in case you need to save time transiting between attractions. Refer to our "Getting Around St. Louis" above for more details.

4. What Are Unique Things To Do In St. Louis?

Visiting the iconic Gateway Arch, a 630-foot monument, is a must-visit attraction in St. Louis. Join the exciting events and cardinals in the city for unique and memorable travel experiences. Immerse yourself in the local cultural and art scenes at the National Blues Museum - a national home of the blues or reconnect with your inner child with plenty of fun at the City Museum.

Top Things To Do In St. Louis For Every Type Of Traveller

Depending on your travel style, the list of top things to do in St. Louis might be endless. With stunning natural attractions, impressive historical sites, iconic landmarks and a great variety of activities to do throughout the year, St. Louis is an ideal destination for travellers of all ages. 

From art admirers to blues fans, from urban explorers to outdoor enthusiasts, you are guaranteed to find fun things to do in St. Louis. Use this guide to plan your next fun-filled adventure to St. Louis - The Gateway to the West. Feeling inspired? Share this with your fellow world wanderers.

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