5 Essential St. Louis Experiences

“I’ve lived here for X years and I’ve never done that!”

I’ve heard that one before. As a lifetime St. Louisan, I’ve had other longtime residents tell me all about the things they haven’t done in their hometown. Sometimes I’ve been that guy.

The reality is, St. Louis is absolutely loaded with things to do, for tourists and locals, both free and paid. St. Louis and the surrounding areas offer up all kinds of recreation, food, and culture. Our family has never run out of new experiences in town, to say nothing of revisiting old ones.

Among those experiences are certain essential experiences. We think they are core attractions so important that every St. Louisan, and most travelers, should try to check them off the list if at all possible.

What follows is a list — in no particular order — of five essential St. Louis experiences. That also means a lot of things don’t make the cut, from Six Flags, to the Confluence, to the wide collection of parks, to literally dozens of attractions and eateries all around town. That also means some of the experiences are collective, meaning there are some spots where there are several things to do.

To lead things off, you can …

1. Tour the Gateway Arch

Confession: I never rode up in the Gateway Arch (Google Maps link) as a child. I fixed that problem as an adult, both for myself and later for my own kids. If you’ve never done the Arch visit, make a point to do it. Just do it. The grounds are a beauty, letting you stroll under the monument, and the museum below is a trove of history. The signature moment is, of course, the tram ride up to the top, which costs but is worth doing at least once.

There are several parking garages near the Arch, including Stadium East (Google Maps link), which offers discounted Preferred Parking for Arch visitors for up to a certain number of hours.

While you’re in the area, you can walk a short distance to the recently reopened Old Courthouse (Google Maps link), known for its role in the Dred Scott story. And since it’s just a few blocks away, you should also …

2. Visit Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village

There are, at present, three major professional sports teams in St. Louis: the Cardinals (baseball), the Blues (hockey), and St. Louis City SC (soccer). (Honorable mention also to the UFL’s Battlehawks, a spring football team, as well as other, smaller pro teams in town.) Of them, the Cardinals draw the largest crowds and command the most attention in town. Baseball is king in St. Louis, something you can’t miss looking at any store selling local sports apparel.

Appropriately, Busch Stadium (Google Maps link) is the most robust professional sports complex in St. Louis. The stadium itself is both modern, having been built in 2006, while also having classic accents to it. It’s a great stadium to catch a baseball game, whether you’re in the bleachers out in center field, box seats behind home plate, or up in the nosebleed section. The food is pretty good, too, if pricey.

Next to Busch Stadium sits Ballpark Village (Google Maps link), a companion district of shops, restaurants, a Cardinals museum, and even apartment housing. Here you can take in eats before the game — several locations have some really epic vibes and decent food, too — or just roam outside and watch people stream in. Every game day carries with it a festive atmosphere that is truly special.

As with the Arch, you can find parking around Busch Stadium, including some at Ballpark Village and across the street that can be expensive. I prefer Keiner Plaza East (Google Maps link) or Stadium East (Google Maps link). Remember, too, that Stadium East has Preferred Parking through the Arch up to a certain number of hours, although at normal price Keiner Plaza East is usually cheaper, if a little farther from Busch.

A little ways from downtown, meanwhile, you can …

3. Explore Forest Park

This one feels like cheating, because Forest Park is a whole list of attractions in an of itself. The St. Louis Zoo. The Science Center. The Missouri History Museum. The St. Louis Art Museum. The Muny. Even the John F. Kennedy Forest. Forest Park is one of the best municipal parks in America, and much of what it offers — including everything I just listed — can be patronized for free if you choose. If you’re looking to spend a little cash, the Boathouse is a lovely restaurant that also lets you rent watercraft to take out on the lakes, basins, and rivers of the park.

You can find parking all over the park, though, some of it paid, most of it free. I’m a fan of the Visitor’s Center lot (Google Maps link), which is centrally located, free, quite large, and rarely full, making it a great launchpad for many Forest Park excursions.

If you’re looking to shop or eat, you can …

4. Pick out a Shopping District

St. Louis has a few places you can dine and buy. Three of them come to mind.

If you want vintage, consider Main Street in Historic St. Charles (Google Maps link). It’s easy to get to, either by 70 or 370, and there are dozens of boutique establishments you can peruse. Want English fare? There’s a shop for that. Want camping-themed sweatshirts? Sure. Looking for books, or antiques? Check and check. There are some good eateries, too, from pubs to coffee shops to dessert shops. You can park on Main Street if you really want, but free, easier-to-access parking abounds one block over on Riverside Drive.

On the other hand, if you prefer hip and trendy, stop by the Delmar Loop (Google Maps link). This progressive shopping district sits not far east of 170, and it’s laden with ethnic restaurants, shops, and entertainment. One my favorite eateries here is Fitz’s, which serves Americana in the backdrop of a soda bottling operation you can watch through large windows. I’m partial to the parking lot between Kingsland and Leland (Google Maps link), which is large and free.

And if you need inside because of the weather, consider West County Center (Google Maps link), just off of 270 at Manchester. It’s not on the same plane as the other two, but it has a covered garage and a variety of indoor shopping shielded from the elements. Macy’s, JC Penney, and Nordstrom anchor the mall, and you can find plenty more in the spaces between, including a robust food court on the upper level. Barnes and Noble and the Lego Store are personal shopping favorites.

5. Check Out the Missouri Botanical Garden

The Missouri Botanical Garden (Google Maps link) rests south of I-44 not far from Forest Park. Admission is paid and gets you access to a beautiful, cultivated space that looks even better thanks to recent renovations. I always enjoy strolling through the Climatron on cold days, and the Japanese Garden is a true spectacle. You can pick up food or souvenirs in the Garden, too.

The Garden maintains a free parking lot next to the entrance and overflow parking a short way down the street.

There’s plenty more to explore in St. Louis, but if you check out these five, you’ve done some of the coolest things St. Louis has to offer.