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What to do in St. Louis With Kids
Have a fantastic vacation in St. Louis!
We recently stayed two weeks in St. Louis during our grand adventure. We had a fantastic stay and our 5 kids really enjoyed the various activities.
So if you are wondering what to do with your kids when you visit St. Louis, look no further than this post!
Table of contents
- Gateway Arch
- City Museum
- St. Louis Zoo
- The Magic House Children’s Museum
- St. Louis Science Center
- St. Louis Aquarium
- Food
- Enjoy
Gateway Arch
No trip to St. Louis would be complete without a trip to the iconic Gateway Arch!
The museum under the arch is free and there is a Junior Ranger program for the kids to participate in. The program helps get kids interested in the museum and the history of the area.
You can also get a tram ride up to the top of the arch for an amazing view! Just be aware that the tram can only hold 5 people in each car so you may need to split your party up if it is larger than that. Also, make sure to get your tickets ahead of time, you can easily order them online.
City Museum
The City Museum is fantastic fun for kids of all ages. While not actually a museum, City Museum is more of a massive jungle gym built into a building.
They have slides that span multiple floors, climbing bars across the ceiling, a train ride, a fake cave system, and even a circus show. Just make sure you write your phone number on your kids’ wristband so you don’t lose them in the fun!
You can easily spend all day here, so plan accordingly.
St. Louis Zoo
The St. Louis Zoo is a great zoo to visit with kids. It is also free which makes it an easy choice to visit when you are in St. Louis.
You do need to pay for parking, so it is not entirely free. And there are paid extras as well. The “Adventure Pass” that bundles several extras can be purchased for a 50% discount when using an AZA membership.
It has plenty of animals to visit, but it is more spread out than some zoos. So bring a stroller and expect to get your steps in for the day!
The Magic House Children’s Museum
The Magic House Children’s Museum is probably one of the largest children’s museums that we have been to. Plan to spend several hours because they have something for every kid. They have a large water table, a costume room and theater, a play construction site, and even more!
For tickets, you can get a 50% discount with an ACM membership.
St. Louis Science Center
Like the zoo, the St. Louis Science Center is free to the public. There are some ticketed extras which may get a discount with an ASTC membership.
The science center is on the smaller size, but it does have an interesting assortment of exhibits. There is also an attached planetarium (you have to cross over a highway on a covered bridge) so check the times and prices when you arrive.
St. Louis Aquarium
The St. Louis Aquarium is located in Union Station. It is a smaller aquarium but boasts a lot of animals that your kids can touch.
There are also other activities that you can participate in around Union Station, so be sure to check them out before your visit to the Aquarium.
Food
When staying in St. Louis you absolutely MUST try the famous gooey butter cake. We got some from a cute little bake shop called Gooey Louie. The kids devoured it as soon as we got back to our Airbnb.
Another local specialty you have to try is Fitz’s Root Beer. They have a cool restaurant with windows into their bottling process. The floats they serve are massive and the root beer is excellent. Be sure to try their various different flavors (especially pumpkin if you go in the fall!).
Enjoy
Above all else, we hope that you enjoy your time in St. Louse (we sure did!). And if you want more tips for traveling with kids, be sure to follow our adventures!.
