Season guide · St. Louis · United States
St. Louis in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Cold with occasional snow or ice, Garden Glow lights, Soulard Mardi Gras and the year's lowest hotel rates. Expect highs up to 7°C (45°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 27 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -5°C (23°F) to 7°C (45°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 4°C (39°F) | -5°C (23°F) | 9 | 9.7 h | 1/5 |
| February | 7°C (45°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 9 | 10.7 h | 2/5 |
| December | 6°C (43°F) | -3°C (27°F) | 9 | 9.5 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 6°C (43°F) against a yearly 19°C (66°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 113 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Soulard Mardi Gras season begins (usually January)
- February: Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade (usually the Saturday before Fat Tuesday)
- December: Garden Glow at the Missouri Botanical Garden (December)
Good choices for winter
Gallery · Grand Center
Pulitzer Arts Foundation
Combine it with the Contemporary Art Museum next door and lunch in the Grand Center arts district.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Downtown
National Blues Museum
On Washington Avenue downtown, this museum traces the blues from its roots in the Deep South to its influence on rock and soul, with interactive exhibits that let you mix your own track.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Forest Park
Saint Louis Art Museum
Visit the German Expressionist galleries for the Beckmanns, then walk down Art Hill to the Grand Basin.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Forest Park
Missouri History Museum
In the Jefferson Memorial Building in Forest Park, the free history museum covers St.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Museum · Forest Park
Saint Louis Science Center
Head to the bridge over Interstate 64 for the radar guns, then catch a planetarium show.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Hermann (About 1.5 hours) — A German-heritage river town with brick buildings, wineries and breweries, Hermann is especially busy during autumn wine festivals.
- Grafton and the Great River Road (About 1 hour) — North of St.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit St. Louis?
It is a trade-off: Cold with occasional snow or ice, Garden Glow lights, Soulard Mardi Gras and the year's lowest hotel rates. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in St. Louis in winter?
Highs of up to 7°C (45°F) and lows around -5°C (23°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.