St. Louis Itinerary for Families
Gateway Arch National Park at Sunrise
Both my husband and I had been to St. Louis in our youth. Though we didn’t remember a lot of specific details, we remembered liking it. Since it’s a fun road trip from Wisconsin to St. Louis, we decided to load up our boys (one and two years old) and spend a long weekend (4 days, 3 nights).
We went in the middle of May, as the average high is 77F. But as is typical with family vacations, not everything goes according to plan. All three days the temperature reached over 90F. The high heat did effect some of our experiences, but it didn’t dry up our fun! Our trip exceeded our high expectations. What a great weekend!
Where we stayed
We chose to stay at the Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis At The Arch. We could not have been happier with the location, the service, or the comfort that comes with having a suite with kiddos that go to bed far before we do. For a more detailed account of our stay at the Drury Plaza, click on this link.
What we did
Our time in St. Louis did not disappoint! In just four days we enjoyed:
I’ll touch on all of these a bit to give a high level overview in this post, but some adventures have more information with tips and tricks, so feel free to click on those to get a more detailed account.
Gateway Arch National Park
The museum and grounds are free to enter and our hotel was right next door, so needless to say, my one-year-old son and I spent a lot of time here (especially in the early hours when he was the only one up!). We spent some time in the museum but did not go into the Arch. If you want to ride to the top, make sure you get your tickets in advance (weeks or months!).
The grounds are absolutely beautiful and you can walk down by the riverfront as well. Your family could spend as little as an hour at this National Park or as much as a half day.
Ballpark Village
Ballpark Village is right outside Busch Stadium. It is filled with fun and restaurants and this Astroturf greenspace was perfect for our kiddos (and the beverages were tasty for us adults.)
We found ourselves here at some point during all three days so the kids could kick soccer balls, throw Frisbees and the one-year-old could totter around without a fear of him hurting himself. No need to bring anything, either. The balls/toys are supplied by the Village.
St. Louis Cardinal’s Game
We’re Brewer’s fans. But even more generally, we’re fans of baseball and the excitement that comes with a game. Every stadium has their own vibe and it’s own type of fans. It’s fun to experience and we really enjoyed our time at the game.
We paid $10 per person and had great seats. The stadium tailors to families in many ways which I dive into further in a more detailed post.
St. Louis Zoo
This was one of the greatest surprises of our trip. We had heard wonderful things about the St. Louis Zoo, but wow, this zoo was neat. Yes, there are animals, but the way the exhibits are laid out makes for very personal interaction for kids and adults alike.
While trying to figure out why we were so impressed, my husband said it best. It felt like we were at Disney World. No detail is left untouched. Everyone is so friendly. It’s green, and shaded and our kids didn’t want to leave.
Grant’s Farm
Grant’s Farm is a bit tough to succinctly explain, and we didn’t even touch the surface with everything you can do here. Owned by the Busch Family, this place is part petting zoo, part beer garden and many things in between. Our two year old LOVED some things (exclaiming it was the “best day ever!”) and could have cared less about other parts.
We also made a couple mistakes here that I think could have really enhanced our experience. Overall, it is a great stop for families, but perhaps learn from us to create an even better experience for yours.
St. Louis Union Station
Due to a one-year-old’s failed nap (and over 90F heat!) we needed somewhere to take the kiddos for an afternoon where we wouldn’t bake in the sun. I had read a bit about Union Station, and knew they had an aquarium (air-conditioning!), so under duress, we stopped by. It was quite the pleasant surprise!
Though much of it is not inside, there are many parts that are, and it is a paradise for little kids! Once the largest train station in the world, it is now home to playgrounds, ice cream/candy shops, food trucks, restaurants, an aquarium, ropes course (they had a small one for toddlers which was a highlight of my two-year-old son’s trip), and more. We didn’t experience even half of what this place has to offer and when we’re back in St. Louis, we intend to visit again!
Overall… a HUGE success
I am still in awe of how much fun we had in St. Louis. As with any trip with two kiddos two and under, my husband and I were exhausted after the long weekend. But there is no doubt St. Louis is a wonderful city for families, and we didn’t even explore many of the things this place has to offer. We really can’t wait to go back!
