History · St. Louis · United States
8 historic sites to see in St. Louis
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Garfield226, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Gateway Arch, Missouri History Museum and Anheuser-Busch Brewery. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–18 hours across 6 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 11–18 hours
- Areas
- Downtown, Forest Park and Soulard
Historic sites in St. Louis
Landmark · Downtown
1.Gateway Arch
Small five-seat tram pods climb inside each leg to a narrow observation room with views over the river and city. The museum beneath it tells the story of westward expansion and the arch's construction.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
- Architecture
Museum · Forest Park
2.Missouri History Museum
Louis from its founding to the present, with a large gallery on the 1904 World's Fair and a replica of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis aircraft, named for the city's backers.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Historic site · Soulard
3.Anheuser-Busch Brewery
Guided tours show the brewing process and end with tastings for adults.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Food
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Market · Soulard
4.Soulard Farmers Market
Saturday mornings are the busiest and most atmospheric time to go.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- History
Street · The Loop and University City
5.Delmar Loop
The St. Louis Walk of Fame's brass stars honour natives such as Miles Davis, Tina Turner and Maya Angelou.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Shopping
- History
Architecture · Downtown West
6.St. Louis Union Station
Its Grand Hall has a restored barrel-vaulted ceiling with light shows projected on it, and the complex now includes the St. Louis Aquarium, the St. Louis Wheel and a hotel.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown
7.National Blues Museum
It reflects St. Louis's own blues history.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Landmark · North St. Louis
8.Chain of Rocks Bridge
Closed to cars, it is now a walking and cycling route with views of the river and the water intake towers.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Outdoors
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown | Gateway Arch and National Blues Museum | 2–3 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Forest Park | Missouri History Museum | 1.5–2 hours |
| Soulard | Anheuser-Busch Brewery and Soulard Farmers Market | 1–2 hours + 1 hour |
| The Loop and University City | Delmar Loop | 2–3 hours |
| Downtown West | St. Louis Union Station | 1–3 hours |
| North St. Louis | Chain of Rocks Bridge | 1–2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 3 low cost, 1 mid-priced. Book ahead for Gateway Arch. The longest visit is Gateway Arch; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Gateway Arch: Tram tickets often sell out on summer weekends and holidays; buy timed tickets online in advance.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Downtown): Gateway Arch → National Blues Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Forest Park and Soulard): Missouri History Museum → Anheuser-Busch Brewery → Soulard Farmers Market, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (The Loop and University City and Downtown West): Delmar Loop → St. Louis Union Station, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (North St. Louis): Chain of Rocks Bridge, at least 1 hour.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 4°C (39°F), about 9 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold with occasional snow or ice; a good time for the free indoor museums.
- February: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Still wintry, but Soulard's Mardi Gras brings big crowds and parades.
- November: highs of 13°C (55°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and quieter, with holiday lights starting late in the month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown — The Arch, Busch Stadium and the Washington Avenue loft district
- Soulard — French-founded brick neighbourhood of blues bars, the farmers market and the brewery
- The Loop and University City — Delmar Boulevard's music venues, diners and the St. Louis Walk of Fame
More of St. Louis
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in St. Louis?
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.
+Which of these are free in St. Louis?
Missouri History Museum, Soulard Farmers Market, Delmar Loop and Chain of Rocks Bridge.