Gateway Arch grounds & riverfront
- 📍 Where
- Downtown/Riverfront
- 🕑 Best time
- Sunrise or just before sunset
Mubboo’s tip: Walk the grounds and skip the tram line — the museum underneath is free too.
Things to Do in St. Louis
Free–$399 per activity
St. Louis won't waste your money if you go free-first: Forest Park's zoo, art museum, and history museum cost nothing, and the Gateway Arch grounds are open to everyone. Paying tours earn their keep for BBQ-and-brewery crawls, Lemp Mansion's real ghost stories, and party bikes — not for the Arch tram line during peak summer crowds. Two days covers the essentials without paying for more than one or two extras.
August: Peak heat and humidity thin out the crowds — a good month for the free art museum and City Museum. · Crowds: Medium
Mubboo Verdict: Forest Park's free zoo and museums are the real St. Louis flex — see them before you pay for anything else. Skip the Arch tram line in peak summer; the free grounds and museum already tell the story.
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How M decides what’s worth it
M's rule for St. Louis: spend day one inside Forest Park's free triangle, the zoo, art museum, and history museum, since together they'd cost $60+ elsewhere. Save your budget for what free can't replicate: a BBQ-and-brewery crawl, Lemp Mansion's dark history, or a party bike for a group night out. One well-chosen private tour beats three rushed solo museum stops for time-strapped visitors. Budget travelers can fill a whole weekend on Forest Park and the Cathedral Basilica alone.
Free First
Free things to do in St. Louis
Start here. These cost nothing and are genuinely worth your time — no booking required.
Forest Park (Saint Louis Zoo, Art Museum, History Museum)
- 📍 Where
- Forest Park / Central West End border
- 🕑 Best time
- Weekday mornings
Mubboo’s tip: The zoo alone would cost $25+ elsewhere — here it's free every single day.
Citygarden sculpture park
- 📍 Where
- Downtown, Chestnut & Market
- 🕑 Best time
- Late afternoon
Mubboo’s tip: Bring kids for the splash fountains in summer — free cooling with no ticket booth.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis mosaics
- 📍 Where
- Central West End
- 🕑 Best time
- Mid-morning on weekdays
Mubboo’s tip: The mosaic ceiling rivals European cathedrals and costs nothing to see.
Soulard Farmers Market
- 📍 Where
- Soulard
- 🕑 Best time
- Saturday morning
Mubboo’s tip: Arrive before 10am for the best produce and to dodge weekend crowds.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour
- 📍 Where
- Near downtown/Soulard
- 🕑 Best time
- Weekday afternoon
Mubboo’s tip: The souvenir sample glass is the whole draw — free beer, zero catch.
Tours & experiences worth paying for in St. Louis
These six tours cover St. Louis's real strengths: barbecue and brewery culture, Gilded Age ghost stories, and only-here oddities like a 14-passenger party bike. None replace Forest Park, but they answer what free can't: what's worth paying a local guide to unlock. Most prices here are per group, not per person — a $129-$165 tour often beats four separate museum tickets. Skip the Arch tram add-on and put that money toward one of these instead.
St. Louis True Crime Tour: Soulard’s Murders, Mafia & Mayhem
5.076 reviews⏱ 1 hours
Mubboo Verdict: First-timers who want story over sightseeing will like this — Soulard's mob history is dark, and 76 reviews back the guide. Skip it for a lighthearted family walk instead.
Best for: History-curious first-timers
From $30Book Now
Private Tour of St. Louis's Iconic BBQ Joints & Breweries
5.039 reviews⏱ 4-6 hours
Mubboo Verdict: Worth it for BBQ-and-beer road-trippers who don't want to guess which smokehouse is actually good, the guide filtered out the tourist traps. Skip if you're vegetarian or short on time.
Best for: BBQ-and-beer road-trippers
From $129Book Now
StL's Signature "Sights and Bites" - Private Tour in St. Louis
5.029 reviews⏱ 4-6 hours
Mubboo Verdict: Best for groups who want landmarks and food without planning either, you pick the stops, the guide handles logistics. Skip it if you'd rather explore Forest Park for free instead.
Best for: Groups wanting a customizable day
From $165Book Now
Bullets & BBQ at Indoor Shooting Range in St. Louis County
4.921 reviews⏱ 2 hours
Mubboo Verdict: Good for a genuinely unusual group activity — an indoor range plus BBQ after is a real County pastime. Skip if anyone in your group is uneasy around firearms.
Best for: Groups wanting a novelty activity
From $175Book Now
The Haunted Lemp Brewery Bottle Works Tour
5.014 reviews⏱ 1h 15m
Mubboo Verdict: Best for history buffs who want Gilded Age tragedy, not Halloween theater, the Lemp family story is tragic and documented. Skip if ghost tours bore you more than they intrigue.
Best for: History buffs who like a scare
From $25Book Now
Missouri Private Party Bike Tour
5.07 reviews⏱ 2 hours
Mubboo Verdict: Best for bachelor/bachelorette groups who want a moving party, not a museum stop — 14 people pedal to one soundtrack. Skip it for a quiet couple's trip instead.
Best for: Bachelor/bachelorette and birthday groups
From $399Book Now
What to skip & what to know in St. Louis
Skip these
- Skip the paid Arch tram ride if you're short on time or budget — the observation deck is nice, but the free museum below and the grounds already cover the history.
- Skip driving between neighborhoods during Cardinals home games — game-day traffic around Busch Stadium and downtown parking spikes past $30.
- Skip Six Flags St. Louis on peak summer weekends unless you like 90-minute lines; weekday visits in May or September cost the same and move far faster.
Know before you go
- Know that St. Louis summers run hot and humid — plan outdoor tours for morning or evening and save midday for museums.
- Know that MetroLink light rail connects the airport, downtown, and Forest Park for a few dollars a ride — a car isn't required for a downtown-focused trip.
- Know that Forest Park is larger than New York's Central Park, so pick 2-3 attractions per visit instead of trying to see all of it in one afternoon.
Where to spend your time in St. Louis
Central West End
🚇 10 min from downtownCathedral Basilica mosaics, boutique shops, restaurant row on Euclid Avenue
Top pick: Walk Euclid Avenue for dinner before or after seeing the Cathedral's mosaics.
The Hill
🚇 15 min from downtownItalian bakeries, red-white-and-blue fire hydrants, birthplace of toasted ravioli
Top pick: Order toasted ravioli and a St. Louis-style pizza at a family-run spot.
Delmar Loop
🚇 20 min from downtownBlueberry Hill, live music venues, vintage record shops, the Loop Trolley
Top pick: Catch a show at The Pageant or browse Vintage Vinyl for an afternoon.
Soulard
🚇 10 min from downtownFarmers market, Anheuser-Busch brewery, Mardi Gras epicenter, jazz bars
Top pick: Weekend brunch at the market, then a free brewery tour next door.
Cherokee Street
🚇 15 min from downtownAntique row, Mexican bakeries, murals, the Cinco de Mayo festival
Top pick: Gallery-hop the antique shops on Cherokee, then grab tacos for lunch.
Forest Park border (Clayton side)
🚇 15 min from downtownZoo, Art Museum, Jewel Box, golf course, Missouri History Museum
Top pick: Spend a half-day museum-hopping without paying a single entry fee.
Browse by category
When to visit St. Louis, month by month
AugustThis monthMedium crowds
Peak heat and humidity thin out the crowds — a good month for the free art museum and City Museum.
JanuaryLow crowds
Cold weather favors indoor picks — the City Museum and Forest Park's free art and history museums are the move.
FebruaryMedium crowds
Soulard hosts one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the US in late February — expect a packed neighborhood.
MarchMedium crowds
St. Patrick's Day parade downtown and the first cherry blossoms in Forest Park kick off spring.
AprilMedium crowds
Cardinals Opening Day at Busch Stadium and blooming gardens at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
MayMedium crowds
Cherokee Street's Cinco de Mayo festival and Forest Park in full bloom make this a top month.
JuneHigh crowds
Cardinals season is in full swing and Delmar Loop patios fill up on warm evenings.
JulyVery High crowds
Fair Saint Louis over the Fourth of July weekend brings free fireworks over the Arch grounds.
SeptemberHigh crowds
The Great Forest Park Balloon Race and Anheuser-Busch's Oktoberfest events bring cooler, event-heavy weeks.
OctoberHigh crowds
Fall foliage and ghost tours at Lemp Mansion peak as Halloween approaches.
NovemberMedium crowds
Cooler, quieter weeks before the holiday lights season begins — a good window for museum-hopping.
DecemberMedium crowds
Holiday lights at the Cathedral Basilica's Way of Lights and ice skating at Steinberg Rink.
Need to get there first? Search flights:
Not sure where to start?
First-timer with one day downtown
See the Arch, walk Citygarden, and still fit a private sights-and-bites tour in before dinner.
Explore toursBBQ-and-beer road-tripper
Skip the guesswork and let a local guide drive you straight to the smokehouses and breweries actually worth the calories.
Explore toursHistory buff chasing a good scare
The Lemp Mansion's ghost stories are real Gilded Age tragedy, not just Halloween theater.
Explore toursBachelorette or birthday group
A 14-passenger party bike down Washington Avenue turns strangers into a crew in under an hour.
Explore toursWhat travelers are saying
“Frequent flyers point out that STL often prices lower than Chicago or Indianapolis for the same international routes, making it worth checking even if you don't live nearby.”
“Visitors passing through mention keeping valuables out of sight and staying alert around downtown parking garages and transit stops after dark, standard advice for most mid-size US cities.”
“Locals consistently steer newcomers toward Forest Park first, noting the zoo, art museum, and history museum inside it are free and better than many paid attractions elsewhere.”
Frequently asked questions
What's free to do in St. Louis?
Forest Park anchors the free list: the Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis Art Museum, and Missouri History Museum all charge zero general admission. Add the Gateway Arch grounds, Citygarden's sculpture park, and the Cathedral Basilica's mosaic ceiling, and you can fill two full days without spending on entry fees.
How can I save money on paid tours?
Most private tours here price per group, not per person, so splitting a $129-$165 BBQ or sightseeing tour four ways often costs less than four separate museum tickets elsewhere. Booking weekdays or shoulder months like February and August also tends to land softer pricing than July weekends.
Is St. Louis good for families with kids?
Yes — the free Saint Louis Zoo is stroller-friendly, City Museum lets kids climb through repurposed industrial equipment (buy timed tickets online to skip weekend lines), and the scavenger hunt tour works well for tweens. Skip the shooting range and party bike for family trips.
What should I skip in St. Louis?
Skip the paid Gateway Arch tram ride if you're tight on time — the free museum underneath and the grounds already cover the history. Also skip driving near Busch Stadium during Cardinals home games, when downtown parking spikes past $30.
When's the best time to visit St. Louis?
April-May and September-October bring mild weather, a blooming or turning Forest Park, and events like Cardinals Opening Day and the Great Forest Park Balloon Race. July is the most crowded month thanks to Fair Saint Louis and free Independence Day fireworks over the Arch.
How do I get around St. Louis without a car?
MetroLink light rail connects the airport, downtown, and Forest Park for a few dollars a ride, and the Delmar Loop Trolley covers the Loop neighborhood. A car helps for The Hill or day trips to Missouri wine country, but isn't required downtown.
Is St. Louis safe for tourists?
Popular tourist areas — downtown, Forest Park, Central West End — are generally safe with normal city precautions. Keep valuables out of sight in parked cars and stay alert around transit hubs at night, the same caution locals give any mid-size US city.
Plan the rest of your St. Louis trip
FlightsSTL (Lambert–St. Louis International) sits about 15 minutes from downtown, with direct flights from most major US hubs including Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta.HotelsStay downtown near the Arch for walkability, or in the Central West End for a quieter, restaurant-heavy base near the Cathedral Basilica and Forest Park.City guideFor a full day-by-day plan, see our complete St. Louis trip itinerary guide.
Things to do in other cities
New YorkFree museums on select days and a subway system that beats any rental car.Los AngelesFree beaches and hiking trails balance out pricey studio tours and theme parks.MiamiFree beach days offset paid nightlife and boat tours in this year-round warm city.Las VegasFree casino spectacles and Strip walks pair with paid shows and Grand Canyon day trips.ChicagoFree lakefront parks and architecture views rival Forest Park for budget-friendly days.San FranciscoFree Golden Gate Park and hilltop views offset pricey bay cruises and cable cars.
Before you go
- esimDomestic trips don't need an eSIM, but connecting through St. Louis from an international flight, a data eSIM keeps you online for MetroLink and rideshare before your US plan kicks in.
- insuranceTravel insurance matters most for tours involving equipment here — the shooting range and the party bike — so check that the policy covers activity-specific injury, not just trip cancellation.
- transferPrivate arrival and departure transfers from Lambert–St. Louis International (STL) run around $128-$134 for a car or SUV, often cheaper than rideshare surge pricing during Cardinals home games.
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