A Weekend in St. Louis, Missouri
Welcome to St. Louis, MO
Getting to St. Louis
For those flying into the area, both the St. Louis Lambert International Airport and the St. Louis Downtown Airport offer daily flights from across the country. Once you land, both public ride share and renting a car are options. For those only staying for a quick trip, using public transportation or rideshare apps are the better options depending on your exact plans.
Electric scooters are alternative options located around the city as well to rent by the minute. For those driving to St. Louis, on street parking is available around the city. Be sure to pay for all parking to avoid getting a ticket.Â
Where to Stay
We stayed about 1 mile from the central downtown which was perfect to avoid the daily traffic but still close enough to get to everywhere easily. It was about a 1 mile walk to reach the Gateway Arch park.
This is another great option to stay at that is much closer to the Gateway arch and National Park space. Gateway Arch is a short 2 block walk away.Â
Day 1
One of the most unique St. Louis experiences you can have is to visit the City Museum. This place is unlike anywhere else. Full of twists, turns, slides and even a school bus dangling from the roof tops, this museum is interactive and perfect no matter your age. We spent 3.5 hours exploring all the museum had to offer. We did the full ticket package which was about $35 a person but included access to all the floors and special exhibits which was a pinball arcade while we visited.Â
Located in downtown, the St. Louis Union Station is a great place to explore. Inside is the aquarium, stores, a hotel and more. It is a great place to spend a few hours checking out.Â
For a mid-day coffee stop and a quick bite to eat, head to Coffeestamp for delicious Empanadas. Locals love visiting here.Â
For an evening of fun, head to the Armory STL just outside of downtown. Mainly designed for guests 21+, inside is a massive beer garden with a bar, places to eat at and tons of games. From soccer billards to giant ping pong, it is a great place to enjoy with groups of friends.Â
Day 2
Kick off your morning with a great brunch at Rooster downtown. We walked here from our hotel and were greeted by friendly staff members. They had a great menu with various options to choose from.Â
From Rooster, head a few blocks away to visit the Gateway Arch National Park. With acres of green space and vast sidewalks to enjoy, this national park is free to enjoy the grounds and museum located below ground. For a unique perspective of town, you can ride UP in the arch. These tickets are available for purchase in person at the Arch (discounted tickets are available for NP pass holders). This is not recommended for people who are claustrophobic as the pods are quite small.
If you're stopping by, the free museum underground is worth a walk through, featuring interesting history about the construction of the arch.Â
Finish your day by attending a professional soccer game at Citypark. Relatively new to downtown St. Louis, the fans are loyal and make for a fun evening in town.Â
If you're not a huge sports fan the Saint Louis Zoo is a great, family friendly, alternative. Admission is free to this zoo and has lots of exhibits to enjoy in their expansive park.Â
Located on the zoo property is the Saint Louis Art Museum. This museum is also free to enjoy and is perfect for rainy days or art enthusiasts.Â
Finish your evening by visiting a speakeasy cocktail spot located in the city foundry. Highly recommended to us by local friends.
Special Events - Sports, Concerts and more!
For hockey fans, you must visit the Enterprise Center, home to the St. Louis Blues. They will often host concerts and other special events as well. Check out their online schedule to see what is taking place while visiting St. Louis!
Baseball fans unite and head over to Busch stadium to catch a game (and maybe even a ball if you're lucky). Well known for the fun game atmosphere, these games are enjoyed by all. They are also known to host a few concerts and special events here as well.Â
A beautiful park space located in St. Louis and will host special events. Coming up i the Balloon Glow taking place September 20-21, 2024.Â
Located within Forest Park, The Muny is an outdoor theater that puts on wonderful shows and performances. Purchase tickets online ahead of time for a one of a kind theater experience.Â
Located at St. Louis University just west of central Midtown, Chaifetz Arena hosts both college and other great local events.Â
Home to special events and smaller concerts of all kinds, be sure to stop by for an evening of music and fun!
Honorable Mentions - Great Alternative options
St. Louis is somewhere you have to visit multiple times to really enjoy everything it can offer. Check out our options below for other great recommendations to enjoy while in the area if you're visiting for longer than a week or need alternative options. Many of these are highly recommended by locals who live in the area. We love local recommendations to break away from the super touristy areas and see a small glimpse into the local culture.Â
When the weather is nice, head to the Missouri Botanical Garden to spend some time in nature. Free admission for guests 12 and under and a chance to see some unusual plants and flowers not native to St. Louis.Â
For a mid-day pick me up, head over to MoKaBe's Coffeehouse for delicious drinks.Â
St. Louis is rooted in black history. The Griot Museum of Black History is a must see to learn more about local culture that helped to shape St. Louis into the town we all know.Â
If you're looking for a nice spot that has shopping, food, bars and more all in one location, the City Foundry is the place to check out.
For those of legal drinking age, the Anheiser Busch Brewery tour gives cool insight to how their beer is produced. A unique experience while in the city.
If you visit in the late spring through early fall and have good weather, the Boathouse at Forest Park is a great stop to add. It is a great way to spend sometime in the nature just outside the main downtown city area. They have everything from great eats to fun activities to enjoy. You can spend hours here.
Looking for fresh food and hand crafted artisan items, the Tower Grove Farmers Market is a great spot to check out.
St. Louis is well known for art and what better way to enjoy art, than walking through free art museums. The Contemporary art museum offers a fun look inside less traditional pieces.Â
Head indoors to the St. Louis Aquarium for an afternoon of family friendly fun.Â
Here are a few options for great food in the Greater St. Louis area. Enjoy Chinese, Italian, American favorites and so much more.Â
For an evening of fun after enjoying a delicious dinner, check out some of these fun bar options in the city.Â
Located a bit outside of downtown is Grant's Farm. It was recommended to us to check out but we didn't get the chance to head over there during our visit. They will sometimes have live music and goats to feed.Â
Be sure to let us know which of these recommendations are your favorite by tagging us on Instagram. We hope hope you have the best visit in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.
Not sure where to travel next, check out our other guides for great trip recommendations.Â
A Weekend in St. Louis, Missouri
Welcome to St. Louis, MO
Getting to St. Louis
For those flying into the area, both the St. Louis Lambert International Airport and the St. Louis Downtown Airport offer daily flights from across the country. Once you land, both public ride share and renting a car are options. For those only staying for a quick trip, using public transportation or rideshare apps are the better options depending on your exact plans.
Electric scooters are alternative options located around the city as well to rent by the minute. For those driving to St. Louis, on street parking is available around the city. Be sure to pay for all parking to avoid getting a ticket.Â
Where to Stay
We stayed about 1 mile from the central downtown which was perfect to avoid the daily traffic but still close enough to get to everywhere easily. It was about a 1 mile walk to reach the Gateway Arch park.
This is another great option to stay at that is much closer to the Gateway arch and National Park space. Gateway Arch is a short 2 block walk away.Â
Day 1
One of the most unique St. Louis experiences you can have is to visit the City Museum. This place is unlike anywhere else. Full of twists, turns, slides and even a school bus dangling from the roof tops, this museum is interactive and perfect no matter your age. We spent 3.5 hours exploring all the museum had to offer. We did the full ticket package which was about $35 a person but included access to all the floors and special exhibits which was a pinball arcade while we visited.Â
Located in downtown, the St. Louis Union Station is a great place to explore. Inside is the aquarium, stores, a hotel and more. It is a great place to spend a few hours checking out.Â
For a mid-day coffee stop and a quick bite to eat, head to Coffeestamp for delicious Empanadas. Locals love visiting here.Â
For an evening of fun, head to the Armory STL just outside of downtown. Mainly designed for guests 21+, inside is a massive beer garden with a bar, places to eat at and tons of games. From soccer billards to giant ping pong, it is a great place to enjoy with groups of friends.Â
Day 2
Kick off your morning with a great brunch at Rooster downtown. We walked here from our hotel and were greeted by friendly staff members. They had a great menu with various options to choose from.Â
From Rooster, head a few blocks away to visit the Gateway Arch National Park. With acres of green space and vast sidewalks to enjoy, this national park is free to enjoy the grounds and museum located below ground. For a unique perspective of town, you can ride UP in the arch. These tickets are available for purchase in person at the Arch (discounted tickets are available for NP pass holders). This is not recommended for people who are claustrophobic as the pods are quite small.
If you're stopping by, the free museum underground is worth a walk through, featuring interesting history about the construction of the arch.Â
Finish your day by attending a professional soccer game at Citypark. Relatively new to downtown St. Louis, the fans are loyal and make for a fun evening in town.Â
If you're not a huge sports fan the Saint Louis Zoo is a great, family friendly, alternative. Admission is free to this zoo and has lots of exhibits to enjoy in their expansive park.Â
Located on the zoo property is the Saint Louis Art Museum. This museum is also free to enjoy and is perfect for rainy days or art enthusiasts.Â
Finish your evening by visiting a speakeasy cocktail spot located in the city foundry. Highly recommended to us by local friends.
Special Events - Sports, Concerts and more!
For hockey fans, you must visit the Enterprise Center, home to the St. Louis Blues. They will often host concerts and other special events as well. Check out their online schedule to see what is taking place while visiting St. Louis!
Baseball fans unite and head over to Busch stadium to catch a game (and maybe even a ball if you're lucky). Well known for the fun game atmosphere, these games are enjoyed by all. They are also known to host a few concerts and special events here as well.Â
A beautiful park space located in St. Louis and will host special events. Coming up i the Balloon Glow taking place September 20-21, 2024.Â
Located within Forest Park, The Muny is an outdoor theater that puts on wonderful shows and performances. Purchase tickets online ahead of time for a one of a kind theater experience.Â
Located at St. Louis University just west of central Midtown, Chaifetz Arena hosts both college and other great local events.Â
Home to special events and smaller concerts of all kinds, be sure to stop by for an evening of music and fun!
Honorable Mentions - Great Alternative options
St. Louis is somewhere you have to visit multiple times to really enjoy everything it can offer. Check out our options below for other great recommendations to enjoy while in the area if you're visiting for longer than a week or need alternative options. Many of these are highly recommended by locals who live in the area. We love local recommendations to break away from the super touristy areas and see a small glimpse into the local culture.Â
When the weather is nice, head to the Missouri Botanical Garden to spend some time in nature. Free admission for guests 12 and under and a chance to see some unusual plants and flowers not native to St. Louis.Â
For a mid-day pick me up, head over to MoKaBe's Coffeehouse for delicious drinks.Â
St. Louis is rooted in black history. The Griot Museum of Black History is a must see to learn more about local culture that helped to shape St. Louis into the town we all know.Â
If you're looking for a nice spot that has shopping, food, bars and more all in one location, the City Foundry is the place to check out.
For those of legal drinking age, the Anheiser Busch Brewery tour gives cool insight to how their beer is produced. A unique experience while in the city.
If you visit in the late spring through early fall and have good weather, the Boathouse at Forest Park is a great stop to add. It is a great way to spend sometime in the nature just outside the main downtown city area. They have everything from great eats to fun activities to enjoy. You can spend hours here.
Looking for fresh food and hand crafted artisan items, the Tower Grove Farmers Market is a great spot to check out.
St. Louis is well known for art and what better way to enjoy art, than walking through free art museums. The Contemporary art museum offers a fun look inside less traditional pieces.Â
Head indoors to the St. Louis Aquarium for an afternoon of family friendly fun.Â
Here are a few options for great food in the Greater St. Louis area. Enjoy Chinese, Italian, American favorites and so much more.Â
For an evening of fun after enjoying a delicious dinner, check out some of these fun bar options in the city.Â
Located a bit outside of downtown is Grant's Farm. It was recommended to us to check out but we didn't get the chance to head over there during our visit. They will sometimes have live music and goats to feed.Â
Be sure to let us know which of these recommendations are your favorite by tagging us on Instagram. We hope hope you have the best visit in downtown St. Louis, Missouri.
Not sure where to travel next, check out our other guides for great trip recommendations.Â