Gateway Arch
Within the riverside park known as the Jefferson
National Expansion Memorial, the Gateway Arch is a soaring landmark
above the city's skyline. The thin stainless steel arc reaches to
twice the height of the Statue of Liberty, at 630 feet (192m) tall.
It symbolises the role of St Louis as the 'Gateway to the West' for
the pioneers who journeyed along the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails
towards the western frontier. It is also dedicated to the US
president who was responsible for opening up the West. An
observation deck reached by a tram system provides magnificent
views over the city, the Mississippi and the spreading plains. Also
on the site with the Arch is the Old Courthouse Museum, the venue
for the hearing of several momentous cases during the 19th century.
At the base of the monument is the excellent Museum of Westward
Expansion, with exhibits covering exploration of the West and its
honoured pioneers, including Lewis and Clark, the Plains Indians,
and buffalo soldiers. The Odyssey IMAX Theatre shows big-screen
films about the region and its history.
Gateway Arch
Fetchcomms
Forest Park
Larger than New York's Central Park, the
beautifully landscaped Forest Park is filled with attractions. The
acclaimed St Louis Art Museum has a magnificent international
collection of art covering works from the prehistoric to the
contemporary, housing one of the most extensive collections of
German Expressionism worldwide. The Saint Louis Science Center
features life-size dinosaurs along with displays and interactive
exhibits on the environment, aviation, technology and more. There
is also an OMNIMAX Theatre and Planetarium. Thousands of animals
roam the beautiful grounds of the Saint Louis Zoo, with indoor and
outdoor displays, and a Living World Exhibition features an
animated robotic figure of Charles Darwin who summarises his
theories on evolution. The Missouri History Museum documents life
in St Louis with old photographs and displays on river life, local
music, and western expansion. Forest Park is brimming with natural
beauty and fun diversions for the whole family and can easily
occupy visitors for hours.
Forest Park
Matt Kitces
Laumeier Sculpture Park
Laumeier Sculpture Park is an open-air museum
containing more than 70 outdoor sculptures dotted along a 1.4 mile
(about 2.3km) walking trail. The mission statement is to enrich
lives and inspire creativity by expanding the context of
contemporary sculpture, allowing people to see it in a natural
setting. Visitors to the Laumeier Sculpture Park are unanimous in
their approval of this goal, with well over 300,000 people visiting
the park every year. Laumeier also boasts outdoor movie screenings
and a more traditional indoor gallery housed in an 1816 Tudor
mansion. Over and above being a wonderful picnic site, it offers
visitors a fresh and exciting way to engage with the arts. The park
is open year-round and entry is free, but admission to special
exhibitions usually requires tickets.
Laumeier Sculpture Park
Joel Krauska
St Louis City Museum
One of the most popular attractions for kids in St
Louis, the St Louis City Museum isn't a stuffy hall with dusty
dioramas. It boasts attractions like a ten-storey slide, a rooftop
Ferris wheel, treehouses, enchanted caves, a 200-year-old frontier
cabin, an aquarium, and much more. There are also educational
exhibits on natural history and architecture, and special play
areas for toddlers. There is a gift shop on the ground floor and
several cafes throughout the building. With a reasonable admission
charge and so much on offer, the St Louis City Museum is definitely
a must for those travelling with kids in St Louis.
St Louis City Museum
Raymond M. Reskusich
St Louis sits somewhere between a humid subtropical and a humid
continental climate, with four distinct seasons and the possibility
of stormy weather at any time of year. July and August, the peak
summer months, are the hottest and most humid months of the year,
and January and February are the coldest and likely to be
snowy.
Winter temperatures average between 23°F (-5°C) and 45°F (7°C),
while the average summer temperatures range between 66°F (19°C) and
89°F (32°C). Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the
year, with some rain likely in every month.
St Louis Lambert International Airport
Location: The airport is situated 14 miles (23km) northwest of St
Louis.
Time: GMT -6 (GMT -5 from mid-March to the first Sunday
in November).
Transfer Between Terminals:
A free 24-hour shuttle service runs between the two
terminals.
Getting to the city:
The Metrolink light rail system departs from both terminals to
the city centre several times a day. Shared van services provide
transport to city centre hotels; bus services, and airport taxis
are also available from both terminals.
Car Rental:
Car rental companies include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Thrifty,
Hertz, Enterprise, and National.
Airport Taxis:
Taxis are available outside Exit Door 14 of Terminal 1, and
outside Exit Door 12 of Terminal 2. Ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft
are also in operation.
Facilities:
Airport facilities include ATMs, currency exchange services, an
interfaith chapel, restaurants, snack bars, shops, postal services,
club lounges, and an information desk. Disabled facilities are
good.
Parking
There is both short-term and long-term parking, with a myriad of
locations and price differences. Parking can ranges from $5 to $23
and is cheaper farther away from the terminals. A free shuttle
serves certain parking lots.
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The pride of St Louis is the city's clean, efficient
light rail system called the MetroLink, regarded as one of the best
mass transit systems in the United States. Using the MetroLink,
visitors can see most of St Louis' attractions without a car.
The system's zone covers the airport and East St
Louis, stretching through downtown. Trains stop at multiple
stations in Missouri and Illinois before the line ends at
Shiloh-Scott. A basic MetroLink fare is $2.50.
The MetroBus network, which covers not only the city
but also most of the county, also serves St Louis. Buses run to
schedule from about 4am until after midnight. A basic bus fare is
$2. There are taxi ranks near most major hotels and attractions in
the city, while cabs can be ordered from various companies.
Those who opt for self-driving will find the city
easy to navigate, as the downtown streets are laid out in a grid
pattern and there is also a good network of highways. There is
abundant parking in high-rise garages.
The city's distinctive neighbourhoods comprise the
real heart of St Louis, retaining the influence of the many ethnic
groups which settled the city. The Hill is known for its old-world
charm and excellent restaurants imbued with a Latin flavour lent by
its Italian community.
The Central West End is a trendy quarter filled with
chic boutiques and antique shops, sidewalk cafes, art galleries,
and some of St Louis's finest residential properties. The French
neighbourhood of Soulard has a colourful Saturday produce
market.
Free attractions are a St Louis tradition, and
today's visitors can access more high-quality attractions at no
cost than almost anywhere else in the USA. There are scores of
interesting things to do for free, including numerous activities
geared towards children. This makes it an excellent family
destination and a good urban option for budget travellers.
Gateway Arch
Fetchcomms
Forest Park
Matt Kitces
Laumeier Sculpture Park
Joel Krauska
St Louis City Museum
Raymond M. Reskusich
