A first-time guide to St Louis, Missouri

Founded more than a decade before the United States became a country, St Louis has far deeper roots than many realize. Nicknamed the “Gateway to the West,” this city at the confluence of two major rivers – the Missouri and the Mississippi – has welcomed travelers for centuries, whether they’ve arrived by plane, train, boat, covered wagon or car. 

Nearly in the middle of the country but now seemingly off the map, St Louis flies under the radar for many travelers. But “the Lou” makes a surprisingly excellent travel destination for a long weekend or more for lovers of history, food and brews.

When should I go to St Louis?

St Louis shines in every season, but if you plan on spending much time outdoors, late spring and fall are the best times to visit. Summers are hot and humid, while in winter, the thermostat can dip to uncomfortably low numbers, and snow and ice sometimes blanket the city.

But extreme temperatures don’t put a damper on St Louis’ festive spirit. In January or February, St Louis hosts the second-largest Mardi Gras in the country after New Orleans, and summertime baseball games and the Blues at the Arch Festival draw fans willing to brave the heat.

How much time should I spend in St Louis?

A long weekend is enough to see the best of St Louis, but travelers with more time can dig much deeper. Start with the most iconic attraction on the city skyline, the Gateway Arch. After surveying the scene from the top, let your interests lead the way, perhaps to the famous Clydesdale horses and beer-filled brick buildings of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, the intriguing (and free!) museums and art galleries of Forest Park, or the indie breweries and restaurants serving up the nowhere-else-but-here flavors of this mighty Midwestern city.

Is it easy to get to and around St Louis?

St Louis Lambert International Airport has nonstop flights to most major US cities, as well as a few destinations in Canada, Germany, Mexico and the Caribbean. Amtrak train services arrive at Gateway Station downtown (sadly not the much grander Union Station a few blocks away) from Kansas City on the Missouri River Runner, Chicago on the Lincoln Service and San Antonio on the Texas Eagle. Companies such as Viking and American Cruise Lines are bringing back the boat as a viable way to visit St Louis on a scenic journey on the Mississippi River. Regional travelers and road trippers can reach St Louis by car, located on a handful of major interstates, as well as historic Route 66.

St Louis has a light rail system called MetroLink, which is a good option for getting into town from the airport, but renting a car or using ride-hailing apps like Uber or Lyft will ensure you can squeeze the most out of your visit. In some areas, parking can be tricky or pricey, particularly downtown. If you’d rather not drive, rent bikes or e-scooters through the Lime or Bird apps.

Top things to do in St Louis

The list of things to do in St Louis is long, but these are some of the city’s must-dos.

See the city from the top of the Gateway Arch

The world’s largest arch soars 630ft above the smallest national park in the United States. Set within a green space near the Mississippi River, long an unofficial divider between east and west, the Gateway Arch is a symbol of the city, as well as “manifest destiny” and white western migration. The museum below the arch presents more nuanced views on that history, asking whether the West was “won” or “stolen,” and details the architectural and engineering feats required for the arch’s construction.

A visit to Gateway Arch isn’t complete without whizzing to the top in one of the 1960s capsules that complete the journey in four minutes. The narrow window-lined viewing area offers perfect photo ops of St Louis spreading out in all directions below your feet.

Get a dose of culture in Forest Park

Once the grounds for the 1904 World’s Fair, Forest Park is still a cultural hub of St Louis, thanks to the array of top-notch and free-to-visit museums dotted among the 1371 acres of green space. The St Louis Art Museum is located inside a grand beaux-arts building that was originally built for the fair, and art lovers could spend an entire day admiring the 34,000-piece collection that boasts works from across the globe, including a good selection by European masters. Dive deeper into the legacy of the World’s Fair at the nearby Missouri History Museum, whose showcase exhibit is a scale model of the 1904 grounds.

Tour the Anheuser-Busch Brewery – and then drink a local craft beer

Some of the best-selling beers in the United States hail from St Louis. Opened in the 1850s by German immigrants looking to create a beer that appealed to the entire nation’s tastebuds, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery is a huge red-brick complex that still brews and bottles Budweiser, Bud Light and dozens of other brands as it has for more than a century, with a few expansions and technological upgrades since its founding. Sign up for a tour to coo over the famous huge-hooved Clydesdale horses and then sample the suds on tap.

The massive presence and popularity of Anheuser-Busch hasn’t at all hindered St Louis’ craft beer scene, arguably one of the best in the Midwest. While the neighborhoods surrounding downtown aren’t short on options, some of the must-visit breweries are actually in the ‘burbs. If you have wheels (and a designated driver), head to the western suburb of Maplewood for Side Project Brewing, which in 2020 was named the second-best brewer in the entire world by RateBeer. Its experimental barrel-aged beers include spontaneously fermented wild ales and fruity saisons. Narrow Gauge in Florissant is a must-visit for IPA fans, and Perennial Artisan Ales, with its welcoming atmosphere, is known for its Abraxas, a stout flavored with chili peppers, cinnamon and coffee.

My favorite thing to do in St Louis

City Museum, perhaps St Louis’ most boring-sounding attraction, is one of the coolest things to do in the entire region. The Ferris wheel and school bus surely hint at the hilarity inside. Part playground, part architectural salvage, part contemporary art gallery, this all-ages fun house is a wild ride – literally. Seven- and 10-story slides zoom through the century-old former warehouse once used by the International Shoe Company.

Relics from demolished buildings – many designed by architect Louis Sullivan, the “father of skyscrapers” and mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright – are portals to other floors (and maybe even other worlds). The modern art is sure to crack a smile, too, from a “sausage man” made of bronze to “Bop Bear,” a honey bear jar-shaped punching bag installation that first debuted at Burning Man and is now a hit with kids.

How much money do I need for St Louis?

St Louis makes a great budget getaway – it’s not as pricey as big US cities, and there’s plenty around town to do for free or on the cheap. Generally, accommodation prices remain steady throughout the year, but they can spike when the Cardinals Major League Baseball team plays at home.

• Night at a downtown hotel: from $200

• One-day Metro pass (unlimited rides): $5

• Filtered coffee at literary arts cafe High Low: from $4

• Sandwich from family-owned Italian deli Adriana’s on the Hill: $15

• 8oz pour of craft beer at Side Project: from $7

• Large 14-in St Louis-style pizza from Imo’s: from $20

• Ticket to St Louis Cardinals baseball game: $40 on average

Where should I stay in St Louis?

St Louis’ main attractions are spread across the city, but staying downtown puts you at the heart of it all. One of the best and newest hotels on the scene is 21c Museum Hotel, which opened in 2023 and took over a 1920s former YMCA building. The museum part of its name is no lie: the open-24/7 gallery on the 2nd floor – partly in the gym’s old basketball court encircled by a mezzanine jogging track – is hung with rotating exhibitions of world-class pieces and expands over 14,000 sq ft. The 173 guest rooms are decorated with works by artists with close ties to Missouri, but the gallery is also open to the public if you’re not staying the night.

What should I eat in St Louis?

The unique only-in-St-Louis foods reflect the diversity of the immigrants and newcomers who have called this city home over the centuries. Try toasted ravioli at a restaurant in The Hill, a long-standing Italian-American neighborhood. It's said these breaded and deep-fried pockets of meat were invented at Charlie Gitto's in 1947 when a chef accidentally dropped a ravioli in hot oil instead of water.

Continue the carb overload with St Louis–style pizza. A super-thin crust is topped with the standard pick of meats and vegetables and then covered in buttery-textured Provel, a mix of cheddar, Swiss and provolone cheeses that you won’t find far outside St Louis’ boundaries. (It’s a love-or-hate thing.) Local chain Imo’s has been serving pizzas topped with Provel since the 1960s, and with more than 70 outlets across the St Louis metro area, it clearly has a strong following.

Gooey butter cake is another St Louis treat sure to send your arteries into overdrive. This dense, uber-sweet cake made with flour, butter, sugar and eggs packs a lot into its small stature. You can grab gooey butter cake in individual or larger portions at Gooey Louie, or many residents swear by the GBC at Schnucks, a local grocery store chain.