35 top family-friendly activities in St. Louis

Interactive museums, outdoor adventures, local eateries, and unique attractions

Explore a 600,000 sq. ft. former shoe factory transformed into an interactive museum with tunnels, slides, caves, and rooftop attractions.

Experience unique installations like MonstroCity, a rooftop Ferris wheel, and a 10-story slide.

The tallest arch in the world at 630 feet, completed in 1965.

Honors the westward expansion of the United States.

Oldest church west of the Mississippi, built between 1831–1834.

Stands on the site of St. Louis’s original church from 1770.

Known for one of the world’s largest mosaic collections.

Completed in 1914, it’s a masterpiece of Byzantine and Romanesque design.

One of the few free zoos in the U.S., home to 14,000 animals.

Established in 1910, internationally recognized for conservation.

Once owned by Ulysses S. Grant, now home to Budweiser’s Clydesdales.

A 281-acre wildlife preserve and historic site.

Opened in 1971 as Six Flags over Mid-America.

Features over 40 rides, including world-class roller coasters.

Founded in 1852, birthplace of Budweiser beer.

Offers historic brewery tours, tastings, and Clydesdale encounters.

Opened in 1979, an interactive children’s museum.

Inspires over 560,000 visitors a year with hands-on exhibits.

Housed in a former shoe factory, featuring repurposed architectural wonders.

Known for quirky, climbable art installations and slides.

Founded in 1963, one of the largest free science centers in the U.S.

Features a planetarium, IMAX, and 700+ hands-on exhibits.

Holds one of the largest collections of transportation vehicles in the world.

Features historic trains, automobiles, and planes.

Founded in 1879, located in Forest Park.

Holds 34,000+ works from ancient to contemporary art.

Site of the Dred Scott freedom trials in the 1840s.

A key landmark in American civil rights history.

Established in 1859, one of the oldest botanical gardens in the U.S.

Includes the tropical Butterfly House with hundreds of live butterflies.

Largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico, built around 1050–1350 CE.

UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its massive earthen mounds.

Located inside Union Station, opened in 2019.

Features 13,000+ aquatic animals and interactive exhibits.

Opened in 1876, larger than Central Park in NYC.

Home to the Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center, and more.

Wildlife drive-through park home to elk, bison, and deer.

Formerly a World War II ammunition storage site.