Note: All travel is subject to frequently-changing governmental restrictions—please check federal, state, and local advisories before scheduling trips. 

Established as a fur-trading post by French settlers in 1764, considered the “Gateway to the West” for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and now a major tourist destination in Missouri, St. Louis offers a neat slice of American history. It’s also lovingly referenced by some “B” words: blues, barbecue, baseball and beer.

Yet there’s far more to this city hugging the Mississippi River. From its signature Gateway Arch to Anheuser-Busch, to historic firsts and free things to do, St. Louis can surprise visitors as a jam-packed activity destination. Here are 10 things every visitor to St. Louis must do — at least one time.

Photo courtesy of Donovan

Visit the Gateway Arch

As the city’s most popular attraction, the Arch is an obvious choice to kick off your St. Louis adventure. While some call it the St. Louis Arch, this modern marvel is officially named the Gateway Arch. It’s also gotten some spiffy new features and better visitor accessibility. As part of a nearly five-year, $380 million renovation project, the stainless steel icon now welcomes surrounding biking and walking pathways and a new visitors center that can be approached via a greenway. Inside the center, the new Museum of the Gateway Arch (formerly the Museum of Westward Expansion) offers vibrant exhibits on St. Louis and explorations of the American West. Naturally, a ride to the top is a must.

Photo courtesy of Gordon Radford

Drink Up at the Anheuser-Busch Plant

St. Louis has a sudsy legacy that can be seen and sipped. Founded in 1852 by German immigrants Eberhard Anheuser and Adolphus Busch, Anheuser-Busch still brews and packages beer at their plant in the Soulard neighborhood. Behind-the-scenes tours at this brewery delve into the company’s past (including three National Historic Landmark buildings and Clydesdale horse stables) and observe present-day operations. Beer tastings are also, naturally, part of the experience (for visitors age 21 and up). Order a drink and meal within their Biergarten or nab a gift shop souvie for beer enthusiasts back home.

Pappy’s Smokehouse | Photo courtesy of Michele Herrmann

Beef up on Barbecue

St. Louis barbecue involves a sweet and savory tomato-based sauce and, among other meaty choices, burnt ends. For starters, Bogart’s Smokehouse has best picks ranging from ribs and burnt ends and deviled egg potato salad. Sugarfire Smoke House has a counter line setup for picking up ribs, pulled pork, turkey or specialties such as their chicken biscuit or bourbon flavored milkshakes. Salt + Smoke draws crowds for its BBQ and bourbon; popular ops extend to their white cheddar cracker mac, fried chicken skins and two-side combos. And at Pappy’s Smokehouse, pair your order with their deep fried corn.

Toasted Ravioli | Photo courtesy of Michele Herrmann

Eat Your Heart Out

Not a fan of ‘cue? In the Italian enclave The Hill, toasted ravioli is debated to have come from either Charlie Gitto’s or Mama’s on the Hill. Nonetheless, these lightly breaded, deep fried pillows stuffed with meat and sprinkled with a cheese topping can be ordered in many restaurants here. Then there’s the gooey cake. Its backstory: A baker messed up on making coffee cakes and got a sweetly flat dessert — and it sold! Go to Gooey Louie or the café chain Park Avenue Coffee, which serves the tasty treat in multiple flavors. Order frozen custard (known locally as “concretes”) at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, a longstanding institution. Save room to dish out for St. Louis style pizza — a flat, crisp pie covered with provel cheese at Imo’s.

Forest Park

Get Lost in the Forest

A public park since 1876, Forest Park is actually bigger than NYC’s Central Park by 450 acres (it has 1,300 in total). It was the grounds for the 1904 World’s Fair (formally known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition), which introduced the world to the turnstile, ice cream cone, peanut butter, iced tea and cotton candy. Today, Forest Park holds five cultural institutions — Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Science Center, Saint Louis Art Museum and The Muny, the country’s largest outdoor theater. Bonus: They all have free admission!

Photo courtesy of Michele Herrmann

Discover Civil Rights

The Old St. Louis County Courthouse was where Dred Scott sued for his freedom (which he won) before this historic slavery verdict was appealed and went to the U.S. Supreme Court. See exhibition spaces such as the room where Scott’s case was heard. Find a statue of Scott and his wife, Harriet, in front of the building.

City Museum | Photo courtesy of Michele Herrmann

Marvel at Museums

Among St. Louis attractions, City Museum is probably the most unique. Started by sculptor/artist Bob Cassilly, this museum inside a defunct shoe factory is part fun house featuring multiple floors with various themes and found objects for exploring and Instagramming. Outside, there’s a jungle gym that kids of all ages (including adults) can cross bridges or plop into ball pits. The World Chess Hall of Fame hosts exhibits relating to this strategic game. The green thumbed will delight in the Missouri Botanical Garden, noted for its horticultural displays and research.

National Blues Museum

Music to Your Ears

St. Louis’ ties to the blues come from the genre migrating north from the Mississippi Delta, but also mingling with ragtime and further evolving in sound. The National Blues Museum honors this legacy through a chronology of photographs, videos and recordings. Speaking of ragtime, musician Scott Joplin jammed in St. Louis; see where he lived at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. Listen to live music within the Blues Triangle, at Beale on Broadway or BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups. Or head to The Loop to Blueberry Hill, with its Duck Room hosting weekly live acts; native son Chuck Berry played here regularly.

Ballpark Village

Super Sporty

So what if the Rams aren’t playing football in St. Louis anymore? This city’s got other team sports. As one of the National League’s original baseball teams (then called the Browns), the Cardinals play at downtown Busch Stadium; tours are available. Even post-season or during an away game, dine at its adjacent Ballpark Village, a complex of restaurants ranging from Cardinals Nation to the sushi-centered Drunken Fish.

Photo courtesy of Michele Herrmann

Rolling In

While getting around St. Louis on the MetroLink transit system, consider that St. Louis Union Station once served as the world’s biggest train station from the turn of the century through the late seventies. A National Historic Landmark, the building is still grand and now the location for the St. Louis Union Station Hotel. The building will welcome the St. Louis Aquarium in fall 2019.

Travelocity compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site; such compensation may include travel and other costs.

Pin It on Pinterest