Month guide · St. Louis · United States
St. Louis in December
What December is really like in St. Louis: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
December is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 6°C (43°F), lows of -3°C (27°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 9.5 hours of daylight. Cold with holiday lights and occasional snow.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 6°C (43°F) / -3°C (27°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 9.5 hours
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in December
December is the 11th-warmest month in St. Louis: days average 6°C (43°F) against a yearly average high of 19°C (66°F), and nights fall to about -3°C (27°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with November (13°C (55°F)), December is cooler; by January highs drop to around 4°C (39°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 07:12
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 16:41
- Daylight
- About 9.5 hours
Winter (December–February). Cold with occasional snow or ice, Garden Glow lights, Soulard Mardi Gras and the year's lowest hotel rates.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 2 for crowds (the peak is June at 4) and 2 for hotel prices (highest in June). That makes December one of the better-value months to book.
Events in December
- Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden (December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
With cold days, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Park · Downtown
Citygarden
A free downtown sculpture garden opened in 2009, Citygarden mixes works by artists such as Fernand Léger and Tom Otterness with fountains, a splash plaza and native plantings, on two blocks of the Gateway Mall leading towards the Arch.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Kids
- Outdoors
Landmark · North St. Louis
Chain of Rocks Bridge
Walk or cycle to the bend in the middle of the bridge for photos; go in daylight and with others, as the area is isolated.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Forest Park
Saint Louis Art Museum
Housed in Cass Gilbert's Palace of Fine Arts built for the 1904 World's Fair, the free museum's collection ranges from Egyptian mummies and Chinese bronzes to Monet's Water Lilies and the world's largest public collection of paintings by Max Beckmann.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Forest Park
Missouri History Museum
Start with the 1904 World's Fair gallery to understand Forest Park before exploring the rest of the park.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
What to pack
For highs near 6°C, lows near -3°C and 9 wet days: a warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers; shoes with good grip for icy pavements; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit St. Louis?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, April–May and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
St. Louis in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit St. Louis?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cold with holiday lights and occasional snow.
+How warm is St. Louis in December?
Average highs are around 6°C (43°F) and lows around -3°C (27°F).
+Does it rain a lot in St. Louis in December?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.