10 Best Reasons To Visit St. Louis, Missouri
Please note, we use limited ads and affiliate links to keep our blog free. We greatly appreciate any small commission received from purchases made through our affiliate links, at no cost to you.
Are you looking for the perfect destination for a quick, low-stress and budget-friendly weekend getaway? If so, then a trip to The Gateway City of St. Louis, Missouri may be ideal for you! After travelling across America, St. Louis, Missouri is still one of my favorite travel destinations. In fact, it is the #1 city I recommend to first time travelers looking to take an extended weekend trip. Let’s explore 10 reasons to visit St. Louis, Missouri, and at least as many things to do while there!
Why Visit St. Louis, Missouri?
While St. Louis is famous for The Gateway Arch, there is so much more to the city. Amazingly, St. Louis is rarely talked about as a preferred travel destination in the United States. However, St. Louis has nearly everything a traveler could want in an ideal vacation destination. In this city, you’ll find an unassuming low-key vibe without the cost, hassle, or the crowds found in similar-sized cities. In addition, St. Louis is an easy city to navigate and is one of the most budget-friendly cities in the country.
Have you been thinking about planning a trip to St. Louis? In today’s post, I will share everything I love about The Lou to inspire you visit the city. So let’s dive into my top 10 reasons to take a trip to St. Louis today!
1. Ease of access
St. Louis is in the central United States, on the banks of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. As a result, St. Louis is one of the most central cities in America, no matter where you live. Missouri shares a border with a whopping eight other states. Accordingly, the city is just a day’s drive away from most states.
St. Louis is easy to reach both by air and train. Amtrak currently has three train routes that run through the city. In addition, there are more than seventy cities currently offering non-stop flights to Lambert International Airport.
Not only is St. Louis an easy city to get to, it’s even easier to navigate once you arrive. The city has many walkable entertainment districts to explore. Additionally, while St. Louis is a large city, it has little sprawl or traffic congestion. Unlike many cities, a visit to St. Louis won’t have you stuck in traffic or wasting time driving between faraway destinations. St. Louis has that perfect “big little city” feel which is ideal for exploring!
2. Visit the world’s tallest arch
St. Louis is well known for the iconic Gateway Arch, one of America’s most recognized monuments. The fascinating 630-foot-high creation is the crown jewel of the St. Louis skyline. The Arch was created as a monument to Thomas Jefferson and is a symbol of America’s Westward Expansion. The Gateway Arch is currently the tallest arch in America and the tallest monument in the Western Hemisphere!
Adventurous visitors can purchase a tram ticket and ride to the top of the Arch! At the top, visitors can walk around and take in spectacular city views from up above. If you’re fearful of heights, no to worry – stunning views are available at ground level as well. Even with my fear of heights, I managed the trip to the top, with a wiggly baby strapped to me. Either way, the Gateway Arch is a great reason St. Louis should be on your bucket list!
3. More free attractions than most cities
Perhaps the best reason to visit St. Louis, especially if you’re a newer explorer, is the tremendous number of free things to do. You’ll find more freebies in The Lou than any city in America, except for maybe Washington D.C. If you want to stretch your travel dollar, St. Louis is the city for you!
Visitors to St. Louis will be surprised to learn that many of the biggest and best attractions in the city are free. Forest Park is one of America’s premier urban parks and it is loaded with free attractions. Explore the city’s incredible zoo and many museums, plus other attractions, without spending a dime. A few of my favorite free attractions in the city include the St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, and St. Louis Science Center. I absolutely love how fun and accessible St. Louis is for everyone, no matter your budget.
4. Visit one of the best U.S. zoos for free
Speaking of free fun in St. Louis, the city’s amazing zoo very deserves its own spot on this list. The St. Louis Zoo is consistently named one of the best in the entire country. In fact, it recently held the title of #1 Best Zoo for two years running. The Zoo is 90 acres large and is home to more than 14,000 animals in naturalistic habitats. When visiting St. Louis, make time for one of the most renown zoos in the United States, at absolutely no cost. Double win!
5. St. Louis is a family-friendly city
St. Louis is an especially great travel destination for families travelling with young kids. The list of activities for kids of all ages in this city is a long one. A major part of this list is the city’s robust museum scene, with many museums geared specifically toward kids. A few favorite museums for kids include City Museum, The Magic House Children’s Museum, and the St. Louis Science Center.
St. Louis has so much to offer kids aside from zoos and museums. Turtle Park is a perfect place for kids to burn energy by climbing the oversized turtle sculptures. In addition, kids love running free on the beautiful grounds of Forest Park, or playing in the spray fountains at City Garden. And after a long day of exploring, take the kids to Fitz’s to enjoy a homemade craft soda. Yum!
6. St. Louis is home to Anheuser-Busch
St. Louis is the proud home of Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser headquarters. As such, beer lovers should consider a visit! The flagship brewery opened in St. Louis, Missouri back in the 1850s. Currently, the site brews more than thirty favorites, such as Budweiser and Michelob Ultra. Visitors can sign up for a tour of the brewery and learn about its history. While there, be sure to stop for a visit with the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales.
7. Explore one of the ten Best Streets in America
Did you know one of the coolest streets in America is in St. Louis, Missouri? Don’t just take my word for it. The Delmar Loop has been nationally recognized for its cool factor. The area is home to a hip live music scene, more than 60 multi-national restaurants, and 140 specialty shops. All that action is packed into a span of just six blocks.
The Loop has that hip, college-town feel, located just minutes from Washington University. From iconic Blueberry Hill, to the largest revolving man-made moon, to the St. Louis Walk of Fame, the area is awesome. The Delmar Loop packs a huge punch of eclectic, laid-back rocker Americana fun for anyone needing another reason to visit STL.
8. Visit City Museum, one of the quirkiest museums in the U.S.
So, I fancy myself somewhat of a nerdy museum junkie. I’ve seen many of America’s best museums and City Museum is one of the best in the country. So, what is City Museum? After multiple visits, I still don’t have adequate words for it.
The developers of City Museum transformed an old shoe warehouse into the most wildly eclectic children’s wonderland imaginable. Items like backyard garbage, scrap metal and even an old school bus have been reimagined into quirky play structures. The vibe is very much industrial trash meets Tim Burton and Alice In Wonderland in an overesized children’s playground. And I am so here for it.
City Museum is four outlandish floors plus a rooftop of complete randomness that will leave one dumbfounded, amazed and entertained. I visit every time I’m in town and I still haven’t wrapped my head around it. Everyone should experience City Museum at least once (except maybe if you’re claustrophobic…in that case, consider watching from the sidelines).
9. Mild year-round climate
St. Louis weather is temperate year-round, which makes it prime for visiting any time of year. The city is a great choice for anyone like me who hates extreme weather and prefers a mild climate. St. Louis does experience all four seasons, but to a much lesser degree than elsewhere. No minus 40-degree frigid winters in St. Louis like those in the great North.
10. Sample the essential foods of St. Louis
Are you a foodie who loves to try new and unique foods you can’t find elsewhere? If so, you should head straight to St. Louis for a wildly different culinary experience. The St. Louis food scene is like few elsewhere in America.
In St. Louis, you are likely to see foods on local menus you are unlikely to find anywhere outside of the city. Take St. Louis Style Pizza for example; a cracker-crisp pizza crust topped with the little-known smokey cheese blend called provel, toppings all to the way to the edge, and the whole creation is typically cut in squares rather than wedges. It is truly like no other pizza in existence. St. Louis cuisine is both tasty and occasionally strange. The quirkiness of St. Louis eats is one of the reasons I love the city. Here are a few other St. Louis concoctions to try:
The Slinger: A marvelous mash-up of hash brown potatoes, eggs (typically over easy), cheese and onions, topped with chili.
St. Louis style barbeque: Ribs are the claim to fame here. Extra meaty and more flat/square than you tend to find elsewhere. Grilled and then slathered with sweet, sticky sauce.
Gooey butter cake: So sweet it’ll make your teeth hurt, and so buttery that you might melt into your chair. This is the very definition of richness.
That’s a wrap on the top 10 reasons to visit St. Louis, Missouri. If you can’t tell, I love The Lou and hope you’ll give it a visit soon!
Have you visited St. Louis, Missouri? If so, drop me a comment and let me know what you think of it. Why would you recommend plan a trip to (…or just through…) St. Louis?