3 days in St. Louis

Day by day

1. Day 1: Gateway Arch and City Museum

   Gateway Arch, City Museum and Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village, then Delmar Loop in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Gateway Arch

      Eero Saarinen's stainless-steel arch, completed in 1965, rises 192 metres over the Mississippi and is the tallest arch in the world.

   2. Late morning

      City Museum

      Wear closed shoes, kneepads if you have them and clothes you can crawl in, and bring a torch for the caves.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Toasted ravioli

      Italian restaurants on The Hill and appetiser menus all over the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village

      The St.

   5. Evening

      Delmar Loop

      Walk the Walk of Fame stars, then have dinner and a show at Blueberry Hill or The Pageant.

2. Day 2: Forest Park and Saint Louis Zoo

   Forest Park, Saint Louis Zoo and Saint Louis Art Museum, then Soulard in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Forest Park

      Rent a bike or walk the paved loop of about 10 km to link the museums, and stop at the Grand Basin below the art museum.

   2. Late morning

      Saint Louis Zoo

      One of the few major zoos in the United States with free general admission, the Saint Louis Zoo has more than 10,000 animals in areas such as Penguin and Puffin Coast, Sea Lion Sound with an underwater viewing tunnel and the River's Edge.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: St. Louis-style pizza

      Local chains such as Imo's and neighbourhood pizzerias.

   4. Afternoon

      Saint Louis Art Museum

      Visit the German Expressionist galleries for the Beckmanns, then walk down Art Hill to the Grand Basin.

   5. Evening

      Soulard

      Blues bars, corner pubs and restaurants in historic brick buildings.

3. Day 3: Missouri History Museum and Saint Louis Science Center

   Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Science Center and Missouri Botanical Garden, then Delmar Loop in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Missouri History Museum

      In the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park, the free history museum covers St.

   2. Late morning

      Saint Louis Science Center

      Head to the bridge over Interstate 64 for the radar guns, then catch a planetarium show.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Gooey butter cake

      Local bakeries across the city, sold by the slice or whole.

   4. Afternoon

      Missouri Botanical Garden

      Founded by Henry Shaw in 1859, the garden is one of the oldest in continuous operation in the United States.

   5. Evening

      Delmar Loop

      Live music at Blueberry Hill and The Pageant, plus casual bars.

Before you go

• Gateway Arch: Tram tickets often sell out on summer weekends and holidays; buy timed tickets online in advance.

If it rains

• Swap in Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (Central West End): Visit on a bright day, and look up at the central dome before exploring the side chapels; check the Mass schedule first.
• Swap in St. Louis Union Station (Downtown West): Stop in the Grand Hall in the evening for the light show, then visit the aquarium with children.
• Swap in Pulitzer Arts Foundation (Grand Center): Combine it with the Contemporary Art Museum next door and lunch in the Grand Center arts district.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Downtown keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Central West End ($$$) suits couples, food lovers, first-timers and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 27–36 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.5 hours in December to 14.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in St. Louis
• 2 days in St. Louis

Questions travellers ask