Known officially as the "Gateway of the West," St. Louis, Missouri is home to more than 300,000 residents and attracts visitors from all over the world as an exciting tourist destination.
Fun fact: In 1904, the city hosted the St. Louis World's Fair, an international exposition held to celebrate the signing of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty. It is said that waffle cones were invented by accident at the World's Fair when an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes and his neighboring vendor, a waffle maker, rolled up a cone to solve the problem.
Find your family fun® with our list of 17 recommendations for kid-friendly things to do in St. Louis.
6 Indoor Activities for Families in St. Louis:
Union Station St. Louis ~ Union Station is FULL of family-friendly fun and food. Visitors can explore the Aquarium, ride the St. Louis Wheel and Carousel, play a round of mini golf, navigate through the A-Maze-Ing Discoveries mirror maze, hop aboard The Polar Express™ train ride, or climb along the intricate ropes course. Grab a bite to eat and watch the music-synchronized fire and light show that happens daily on the lake.
The Magic House: St. Louis Children's Museum ~ Interactive exhibits will spark creativity and imagination for kids of all ages. Explore the children's village, waterfall patio, STEAM center, art studio, three-story climbing structure, bubble room, and so much more.
HealthWorks! Kids' Museum St. Louis ~ Learn about healthy habits and the human body at this engaging museum that includes an interactive medical office, pharmacy, dental office, farmers market, and accessible indoor playground.
Enterprise Center ~ Cheer on the local professional hockey team, the St. Louis Blues, at Enterprise Center. Head to the KidsZone on the team's website for kid-friendly fun including coloring pages, printable activities, photo hunts, themed recipes, learn-to-play programs, and more.
World Chess Hall of Fame ~ Explore one of the world's oldest and most iconic games with engaging, interactive programming at the WCHOF. Learn about the game's history, honor its finest players, play a game or two, and shop for chess-related memorabilia in the gift shop. WCHOF is open seven days a week and admission is free.
City Museum ($72 total) ~ Explore every nook and cranny of this unexpected, one-of-a-kind warehouse filled with tunnels, slides, bridges, and secret passages galore. Thrill-seekers can ride a 10-story spiral slide through the Enchanted Caves. Knee pads are highly encouraged and can be purchased at the Museum Shop.
- Publisher note: While this is one of the most highly recommended attractions in St. Louis, I do not suggest it for every family. Not only is navigating the museum a physically challenging experience (dark passageways, narrow climbing tubes, uneven flooring, etc), but guests with acrophobia, claustrophobia, or other fears and anxieties may find this destination uncomfortable.
5 Outdoor Activities for Families in St. Louis:
Gateway Arch National Park ~ Gateway Arch is an iconic piece of architecture in the heart of St. Louis. Guests can ride 630 vertical feet to the top of the nation's tallest monument. The tour is 45-60 minutes long and offers breathtaking views of the city skyline and the Mississippi River. Kids can get a Junior Ranger booklet at the Gateway Arch info desk to complete special activities in the park and earn a badge.
Forest Park ~ A 1,300-acre park in the heart of St. Louis, Forest Park offers a variety of indoor and outdoor entertainment for visitors of all ages. Guests can enjoy FREE admission to the Saint Louis Zoo and participate in additional attractions such as the Zooline Railroad, Dinoroarus, Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, the sea lion show, 4d theater, and carousel rides for a small fee.
Busch Stadium ~ Root for the MLB home team, the St. Louis Cardinals, at Busch Stadium. Families can enjoy special events throughout the baseball season including dinner on the diamond, fantasy batting practice, private group tours, brunch in the bullpen, movie nights, and a whole lot more.
Missouri Botanical Garden ~ Stop and smell the roses at this beautifully curated garden in central St. Louis. Kids (ages 6-10) will enjoy exploring the premises with a Show-Me Backpack containing educational activities and supplies for discoveries throughout the garden. The Children's Garden (open April to October) is definitely a family favorite as well.
Citygarden Sculpture Park ~ Art enthusiasts can wander on a self-guided tour of two dozen installations. This is just one of many beautiful sculpture gardens throughout the city.
6 Family-Friendly Places to Eat in St. Louis
Park Avenue Coffee ~ Grab a cup of joe and sample a St. Louis signature dessert: gooey butter cake. This flat, dense dessert was a happy accident from the 1930s and has since become a beloved local tradition.
Fitz's ~ A local soda micro-brewery famous for its gigantic root beer floats, Fitz's serves unique sodas, floats, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, and an array of gluten-free entrees. Pick up one of Fitz's 19 unique bottled sodas to take on the road.
Pieces Board Game Bar & Cafe ~ Visitors can enjoy a variety of menu items from brunch to dinner and select from nearly 1,000 board games to play while eating.
The Fountain on Locust ~ Though the dessert options are unrivaled, foodies can find their fill of both savory and sweet eats at the Fountain. The 21+ crowd can enjoy their signature ice cream martinis.
Crown Candy Kitchen ~ As St. Louis's oldest soda fountain, Crown Candy Kitchen continues to serve up malts, shakes, sundaes, and a variety of mouth-watering candies in addition to a savory menu for the lunch crowd.
Ted Drewes ~ Perfect for a hot day, Ted Drewes offers decadent frozen custard along with malts, shakes, sundaes, and floats.
Even More Fun Things to Do:
For special events and activities in St. Louis, use the Macaroni KID location drop-down menu ("Change Your Town" in the upper right-hand corner) to find an event calendar closest to your destination.
