Sometimes, you just need a little change of scenery. Sure, we LOVE Middle Tennessee and all of its amazing options for families, but St. Louis is home to an array of unique treasures that you won’t see in Music City or its surrounding suburbs.
Drive time? Roughly four-and-a-half hours from Nashville. But don’t let that intimidate you if you’re traveling with littles. Our car boredom bag — filled with self-erasing sketchpads, coloring books, little car toys, headphones, etc. — combined with a few quick, leg-stretching stops along the way made the drive surprisingly manageable.
So, whether you’re traveling with toddlers, touring with grandparents or visiting with your teens, make sure to check out one of these 6 fun outings:
1. Saint Louis Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
First and foremost, the St. Louis Zoo is FREE — a concept that Middle Tennessee has not grasped — and it’s not hard to make a full day here. The zoo showcases a wide variety of attractions, both inside and outside, all of them set across several distinct areas.
Our favorites were seeing Asian elephants, the bears play in “Grizzly Ridge” and “Penguin & Puffin Coast” — where we could get incredibly close to the birds, plus the climate-controlled indoor area was a perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day.
Saint Louis Zoo
Most of the attractions are likewise free, except the 4D Theater, carousel, sea lion show, stingrays and zoo train that are all included in a $15 Adventure Pass. Though we opted to stay on foot, I can definitely see the advantage of purchasing the all-day train pass that travels throughout the 90-acre park, which would have prevented some tired little legs in our party.
Cost calculator: FREE admission, $20 for parking.
2. Saint Louis Science Center
Saint Louis Science Center
Once again, locals and all other visitors can stroll right into the galleries for absolutely FREE admission. My kids loved the “Mission Mars” exhibit and tinkering around in “The Makerspace” on the second floor. We were then able to build a foam-block replica of the Gateway Arch (after a few tries) in the “Structures” exhibit. The animatronic dinosaurs on the lower level were super cool, too (Rawr!).
Saint Louis Science Center
I think my kids’ favorite thing was the “Human Hamster Wheel,” which is exactly what it sounds like. Located next to the Food Court, this interactive exhibit allows visitors to walk on a giant wheel to generate kinetic energy, which powers tracks that lift colorful balls through the massive ball machine.
Another highlight was the center’s “GROW” exhibit, a soaring pavilion and acre of outdoor space all about agriculture where kids can climb on battery-powered tractors, interact with simulated animal exhibits (like a milking parlor), have fun in the mud kitchen, planting beds and more.
Cost calculator: FREE admission, $15 for parking.
3. City Museum
City Museum
This is a St. Louis must. The chaotic 10-story, 600,000-square-foot old shoe warehouse turned urban playground features massive slides and tunnels, an in-house aquarium, an architectural museum, a skatepark, a circus area, a functioning ferris wheel and a full-size school bus hanging off the roof!
The museum is both indoor and outdoor, with each floor having a different vibe. We spent hours and hours here and still feel like we didn’t half the place. There’s even a 10-story spiral slide that takes you from the top to the bottom in less than two minutes.
City Museum
My kids spent most of their time in “MonstroCity,” an outdoor labyrinth of monkey bars spanning 5 stories high with giant slinky-like wire tunnels and suspended jets.
Another favorite was the “Enchanted Caves,” a massive network of carved tunnels and secret passageways that wind 135 feet into the building. This place is weirdly and wildly wonderful, and will be a trip that your kids will remember forever.
Tip: Skip the stroller and establish a highly visible meeting point, as the complex tunnels and slides can easily cause kids to get lost in a flash.
Cost calculator: Daily tickets start at $20. Children ages 2 and younger are free.
4. St. Louis Aquarium
St. Louis Aquarium
With more than 44 exhibits, 13,000 animals and 120,000 square feet of space, the St. Louis Aquarium didn’t disappoint. We’re talking everything from sharks to river otters, with two-story tall tanks that you can walk around, under and through!
The St. Louis Aquarium is housed inside St. Louis Union Station, a once bustling train station that’s now a historic, mixed-use entertainment and hotel complex (more on that to come!). My kids loved all of the hands-on areas, especially the touch pools upstairs where they were able to pet the sting rays, star fish and even some jellyfish!
St. Louis Aquarium
But their favorite part was letting all the little Doctor Fish nibble at their fingers.
Tip: Take your time as you walk through the galleries — the aquarium’s route is designed to be one way, and there are area’s where it will be impossible to back track, especially if there’s a crowd.
Cost calculator: $35.46 for adults and $29.87 for children; kids under three get in free.
5. Union Station
Union Station
As mentioned above, Union Station is home to the St. Louis Aquarium, but it has SO much more — carnival rides, a ropes course, mini golf, multiple restaurants, a mirror maze and a AAA Four Diamond-rated hotel that boasts over 500 rooms. First, the former train station is an absolute architectural marvel. We loved exploring all the nooks and crannies and my kids were blown away by the nightly light shows projected onto the ceiling of Union Station’s Grand Hall. So cool!
Union Station
The outdoor plaza area is where we spent most of our time. We loved strolling around the massive koi pond to the St. Louis Wheel, an enormous 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel that’s open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. This wheel is worth your money — it’s made up of 42 climate-controlled gondolas that take three or four full turns during the 15-minute ride. My kids also loved the 1904-themed carousel (which features 30 animals ranging from horses to rhinos or lions), the “Wave Swinger,” the “Flying Louie” pirate ship and the “Loco Motion” mini coaster. There’s even classic carnival games for a chance to win prizes and treats like funnel cakes, fresh-squeezed lemonade and hot dogs.
Union Station
Speaking of food, we didn’t have a single bite we didn’t like. The Train Shed balances a family-friendly atmosphere with a sports bar vibe and served us a great smash burger with wings and a margherita pizza that was so good my family decided I should only get one bite of. We also enjoyed some crawfish étouffée at the New Orleans-inspired Landry’s Seafood House and frequently stopped at The Soda Fountain, a sweet tooth’s dream featuring over-the-top milkshakes, ice cream, candy, burgers and more.
Cost calculator: All-Day Ride Passes (best value) are $45 for unlimited rides on the Wheel, Carousel and other park attractions.
6. Gateway Arch National Park
Gateway Arch National Park
You can’t come to the Gateway to the West without, well, actually going to the gateway! The Arch is St. Louis’ most recognizable monument, and it is worth a visit. The Arch lies just along the Mississippi, directly across from the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
The area is lush, green and expansive, and a free museum lies beneath the ground under the actual arch. It’s highly interactive and features hands-on displays, audio-visual elements and engaging historical stories that kept my kids interested while walking through America’s westward expansion. If you’re not scared of heights or of small spaces (unlike us), you can take a tram ride to the top of the Arch to see views of St. Louis from 630 feet in the air.
Cost calculator: The park and museum are free, but tickets for the tram ride and the 35-minute documentary film start at $19 for adults and $13 for kids ages 3 – 15.
Overall, the variety of things to do in St. Louis coupled with its affordability and ease of navigation makes it a fun and easily accessible destination with kids. We will definitely be going back!
Plan your next visit at the Explore St. Louis website here.
