Visit Gateway Arch National Park with Babies & Toddlers
During our four day, three night trip to St. Louis we stayed right next to Gateway Arch National Park. It’s the perfect National Park for families with littles. The museum is free and the grounds are beautiful.
At the time of our trip we had a one year old who woke up around 5am and a two year old who slept till around 7am. So every morning I strapped my youngest son into his stroller, we left his brother and father to continue sleeping, and rounded the corner from the Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch to this view (pictured on the left).
I will forever cherish the memories of the sunrise, the roaring Mississippi, the Arch, the countless joggers, and my babbling one year old as we explored this beautiful park.
The Museum
Gateway Arch National Park Museum was open from 9am to 6pm during our visit in May. As soon as we arrived and checked into our hotel, we walked to the National Park and went into the Museum (which is free!).
After going through security, I recommend getting your passport stamp at the main desk. Each of my kids received a National Park Passport when they visited their first National Park. Its a really fun thing for them to collect stamps and stickers in the book.
After getting our Passports stamped we went down the elevator to the Museum.
Wow, was the Museum impressive, and man, am I disappointed I didn’t take any pictures! I was too busy following a toddler around while trying to read. What I will say is that the Museum is visually appealing to toddlers and younger kids (there’s cabins to walk through, and interactive screens, etc). There is also plenty to read which my husband and I will do when we return some day and the kids are a lot older. Overall, we spent about 30min in the museum. We would have stayed longer but storms were rolling in and we wanted to get back to our hotel for dinner.
Other Attractions at Gateway Arch National Park
One of the things you can do during your visit, which we didn’t, is ride to the top of the Arch. Both my husband and I have done this in the past and it is quite neat. The view from the top is amazing. It is a tight ride in a small cart, so if you suffer for claustrophobia, it’s best to pass on this adventure. We also decided putting a one and two year old in the capsule wasn’t the best idea for us, but when we return in the future, we’ll definitely give it a go.
They also have a documentary, a virtual reality movie and Riverboat Cruises that you can enjoy at the National Park. Due to the ages of our children, we didn’t partake in these, but we will in the future.
*Something to note: The Old Courthouse was closed for renovation when we went, but this is also considered part of the National Park
For more information on the ticket prices for a ride to the top, the documentary and the virtual theater, you can visit the site here.
Gateway Arch National Park Grounds
As I mentioned in the opening, my one year old and I spent a lot of time on the National Park Grounds especially from the hours of 5:30am to 7:30am. It was just beautiful. We walked the whole park, through the Old Cathedral and down to the Riverfront. We saw countless walkers and joggers. I enjoyed my Starbucks coffee. And my son could babble as loud as he wanted. I can’t emphasize enough how much I enjoyed these peaceful mornings.
The whole park is stroller friendly, and you can reach the Riverfront from the backside. If you do want to go down to the river, the walk there will be relatively easy, but the walk back up will force you to use those muscles. It is all paved though, and if you take it slow, almost everyone can access the whole park.
The Old Cathedral (aka: Basilica of St. Louis) is open from 6:30am to 2:00pm, perfect hours for a one year old who gets up early. It’s the first cathedral west of the Mississippi (and you can read why it’s no longer a Cathedral when you visit). It’s beautiful and right in the shadow of the Arch. It was neat to read the small plaque in front of the church. Just be aware, it is a church that still holds mass, so be courteous when stopping in to see it.
Below are a number of pictures from our morning walks.
Summary: A beautiful, powerful, moving place
We’ve been to a number of National Parks (and still have so many more on our bucket list!) and they all have their unique feel. With this National Park being right in the middle of a large city, within walking distance of many hotels, it is truly special. There is so much left for our family to do here and it is on our list to return to in the near future.
