26 Best Things to Do in St. Louis, Missouri In 2023
If you’re looking to explore some of the best things to do in St. Louis, you’ve come to the right place. Being a Midwest city, you wouldn’t think St. Louis has all that much to do. But we are here to tell you there are loads of things to do in St. Louis.
You might’ve heard about St. Louis Arch or Busch Stadium where the Cardinals play but besides that, there are a ton of hidden gems and interesting things to discover in the city.
Awesome Things to Do in St. Louis, MO
Founded in 1764, St. Louis has many historical buildings that have been beautifully renovated for modern-day use. There are also nationally recognized museums that host interesting exhibits and art to see. Apart from that, St. Louis has some delicious local food and some interesting spins on things that you have to try.
Here’s a look at just some of the best things to do in St. Louis!
1. Check out The Gateway Arch National Park
The Gateway Arch National Park is home to and named for the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch. This national park reflects St. Louis’ role in the Westward Expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century, Thomas Jefferson’s role in opening the West, the pioneers who helped shape its history, and Dred Scott, who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse.
The Gateway Arch, being the main attraction of the park, features a short 4-minute ride to the top that costs $13-$19 per person, a brand new free museum about St. Louis’ role in westward expansion, and a 30-minute documentary movie about how the Arch was built.
The Gateway Arch National Park is absolutely the #1 thing to do in St. Louis for obvious reasons, but also because you can get the best views of the city of St. Louis as well as the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. You have not been to St. Louis if you didn’t check out the Gateway Arch!
2. Go to a Cardinals Game at Busch Stadium
The Cardinals are the professional baseball team of St. Louis, Missouri, playing all of their home games at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have won the Major League Baseball World Series 11 times. Second only to the New York Yankees. We may be biased, but the Cardinals can put on a pretty good game.
If you are in St. Louis from April to September, it is the perfect opportunity to catch a baseball game at Busch Stadium. It is a super affordable experience for the entire family at an average cost of $40 a ticket, but you can easily find tickets for as low as $11 per person if you don’t mind some nosebleed seats. Grab your tickets here.
You will want to get to the park early to get the full Busch Stadium experience and also get the best chance of a good parking spot. Start the experience by taking a walk around the stadium while you enjoy all of the amazing views of downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch that Busch Stadium has to offer. You might also want to indulge in some of the ballpark fare while you’re at it!
3. Go out for Drinks at Ballpark Village
Ballpark Village is a 150,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district located right across from Busch Stadium. The district features Budweiser Brewhouse, Cardinals Nation, Bally Sports Live!, as well as several other entertainment and restaurant venues.
Ballpark Village also produces over 120 free annual events and has welcomed over 10 million visitors so far. It is a new and exciting part of St. Louis’ community and nightlife that is within walking distance of many of the downtown activities.
Ballpark Village is open year-round and is active both day and night. There are events for all ages, but many of the venues are aimed at adults. You can do basically anything you can think of at Ballpark Village like: eat, drink, stay, shop, explore, and so much more. Going for a drink is one of the best things to do in Saint Louis before or after a Cardinals baseball game.
4. Get out in Nature at Forest Park
Forest Park is considered to be one of the nation’s greatest urban public parks featuring 1,300 acres of beautiful landscapes like forests, different ecosystems, nature reserves, lakes, streams, 5 major cultural institutions, and endless opportunities for recreation. Best of all, the park and many of the institutions are free for the public to enjoy!
To put the size of Forest Park in perspective, it is larger than Central Park in New York! That would explain how the Saint Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, The Muny, Saint Louis Science Center, and Saint Louis Zoo can all be situated inside Forest Park.
The Saint Louis Zoo, located on the southwest side of Forest Park, is known as one of the top 10 zoos in the United States and it is one of the only free zoos as well. The zoo is dedicated to research and conservation and works locally and globally to protect animals and their habitats.
5. Day Trip to St. Charles
There are plenty of amazing day trips that you can take from St. Louis such as floating down some of Missouri’s pristine rivers on a Missouri float trip, but another noteworthy day trip to check out is St. Charles, Missouri.
Founded in 1769, St. Charles is a restored historic city situated right on the West side of the Missouri River. Much of the history of St. Charles can be found in the buildings that line the Historic Main Street.
You can eat, drink, and shop at a variety of businesses that have found a home on Main Street as well as take a walk in the parks that surround the area. You will also find that St. Charles’ Main Street hosts many events year-round, and a lot of those events are free.
St. Charles is approximately a 35-minute drive from St. Louis, Missouri, making it the perfect day trip to add to your list of things to do in St. Louis!
6. Visit the Saint Louis Art Museum
Another institution located on the west side of Forest Park is the Saint Louis Art Museum. The St. Louis Art Museum, otherwise known as SLAM, is one of the principal United States art museums featuring beautiful and interesting paintings, sculptures, cultural objects, and ancient masterpieces from all over the world.
The Art Museum is open to the public every Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission to the museum is free every day all year round, and admission to the main rotating exhibitions is free every Friday.
The Saint Louis Art Museum is constantly changing with new exhibitions, installations, and acquisitions and it offers a bunch of exciting on-site activities for all ages. There are over 34,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of history and cultures to see here.
