10 FREE Family Friendly Activities in St. Louis
Our home base, St Louis, is chalk full of family friendly locations. From major league baseball and a variety of iconic restaurants to a list of historic sites, all nestled against the Mississippi River. Making it an amazing stop on a family vacation is the abundance of things to do that are absolutely FREE, right within the famous city. You can find free roadside parking, but if you’d like to park in the Zoo lot, the cost is $15/car.
1. St. Louis Zoo
Voted the #1 US Zoo in 2018, The Saint Louis Zoo was one of 20 nominated in the USA TODAY Readers Choice Award Contest. It’s easy to see why this Zoo earned this amazing reward. Not only is admission to the Zoo completely free – the state of the art exhibits & wide array of animals will have everyone in your family entertained for hours.
The St. Louis Zoo sits on 90 acers & contains six “zones” which include Rivers Edge, The Wild, Discovery Corner, Historic Hill, Red Rocks & Lakeside Crossing. You will also find Zoo activities and programs for people of all ages and abilities.
There are many special attractions, including the Zooline Railroad, shows, a 4D theater, and safari tours. When the family needs a break from walking, you can always sit and enjoy one of these amazing attractions. Be sure to check the zoo website for added costs with some of the attractions.
While there are multiple restaurants & snack locations inside the zoo, you are welcome to bring your own lunch & snacks! We love to pack a picnic lunch and take advantage of the many seating areas inside the zoo or take lunch & blanket to Art Hill & enjoy the beauty of Forest Park. The St. Louis Zoo is a MUST SEE when visiting St. Louis and can easily be a completely FREE day spent with your family!
2. Gateway Arch National Park
If you know anything about us, you know we LOVE our National Parks! What’s even better – is the Gateway Arch National Park is FREE to visit! Although there is a cost to take the tram to the top ($11 – $19 per person), entrance into the newly remodeled museum & the park grounds are completely FREE!
The Gateway Arch National Park is located in the heart of Downtown STL, right on the Mississippi River. Founded by the National Park Service in 1935 , The Arch reflects St. Louis’ role in the Westward Expansion of the United States. The park is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson and his role in opening the West, as well as the pioneers who helped shape its history. The Old Courthouse is part of the National Park, and is open to visitors to learn about Dred Scott, who sued for & won his freedom there in 1857.
The Gateway Arch museum was completely renovated in 2018. The museum is free to the public and is a host to many interactive multimedia displays and galleries that highlight St. Louis’ diverse histories. The six galleries, spanning from 1764 to 1965, include Colonial St. Louis, Jefferson’s Vision, Manifest Destiny, The Riverfront Era, New Frontiers, and Building the Gateway Arch. You & your family can trace the story of the Native Americans, explorers & pioneers over 201 years throughout these exhibit areas.
Visitors can take a tram 630ft to the top of The Arch for an additional fee. This tram ride takes approx 4 minutes to reach the top, and gives amazing views of the city from above. With the Mississippi river on one side, and the Old Courthouse on the other – there is no bad view from the top!
Don’t forget to get your National Park passport stamped, and your kiddos the Jr. Ranger book & badge – both of which are FREE souvenirs you can take away from this National Park. The Gateway Arch National Park is a very unique experience to mark off your list – and don’t forget it’s FREE!
*The tram cars are quite small, only fitting 4-6 people. If you or someone in your party suffers from claustrophobia, there is a tram car example in the lobby of the museum you can try before you ride*
3. Grants Farm
Grants Farm, located in St. Louis on 281 acers of land is preserved as a symbol of the Busch family’s love for animals & conservation. In the 1850’s, Ulysses S. Grant farmed & lived on a portion of this land, given to him by his father-in-law. Although closed to public tours, Ulysses S. Grant’s Hardscrabble log cabin is also located on the property. You can visit the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site as well, adjacent to Grant’s Farm.
Admission to Grant’s Farm is FREE, but parking is $15 per car & can be purchased in advance. This makes for a wonderful day trip in St. Louis for families looking to get outside, learn some history, see some animals & enjoy some FREE Budweiser Beer (2 samples for adults 21+). Grant’s Farm is home to more than 900 animals, many of which you can touch & interact with! Our favorite has to be the camel rides & feeding the baby goats! Be sure to bring some cash & quarters along to purchase feed for the animals! I promise your kids will love it!
Along with the animals, there are many historic buildings ranging from Ulysses S. Grant’s log cabin to the Busch family’s “Big House”. The German-style architecture is simply stunning & makes for great photo op’s!
Grant’s Farm is owned by the Busch family, who you know from the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, also located in St. Louis. You can get up close & personal with the Budweiser Clydesdales at this location – their barn is located in the back of the parking lot.
To enter the park, you’ll need to ride a tram. All strollers & wagons have to be folded up and stored in the first car. If bringing a stroller, make sure it is lightweight & compactable! You can rent strollers inside the park as well, and we’ve found the walking paths to be smooth & short.
There is no outside food allowed at Grant’s Farm, although there are 2 food locations to choose from. The main beer garden is where you’ll find the FREE beer – and of course the biggest crowds. If you’re just looking for a bite to eat, head over to the food stand by the amphitheater. Here you can find pizza, brats, hot dogs & ice cream – and there is rarely a line!
*Pro Tip – don’t pass up Grant’s Farm for the holidays! They offer Halloween & Christmas events for an additional fee*
4. Lone Elk Park
https://stlouiscountymo.gov/st-louis-county-departments/parks/places/lone-elk-park/
Lone Elk Park is one of our favorite locations to visit in St. Louis County. This drive through, self guided park is 100% FREE & open from dawn to dusk every day. This park offers many trails, picnic areas, overlooks & the best of all – the wildlife! You’ll find bison, elk & deer – as well as turkey, geese and an occasional raccoon (our favorite!) Catch & release fishing is available by permit only. The World Bird Sanctuary is located just outside the entrance to Lone Elk Park as well!
So, when is your best time to spot wildlife? Park Rangers feed the animals in the early morning – so arriving anytime before 8:am will give you the best chances. However, we have visited at many different times through the days & seasons and always see some type of wildlife.
*PLEASE remember to keep your distance from wildlife & DO NOT feed them! There have been people & property hurt in the park when people do not follow this simple rule*
There is a visitor center located in the middle of the park, near the entrance to the bison area. This is where you will find year round bathrooms & park information. Plan for a half hour drive through Lone Elk Park to see everything – or make it a day trip with adding in a hike & a picnic lunch!
The history of Lone Elk Park is just as interesting as the wildlife it is now home to. The park was once part of the Tyson Valley Powder Plant used for the testing and storage of ammunition during WWII. In 1964 St. Louis County acquired a portion of land from the General Services Administration and in 1966 the name was changed from Tyson Park to Lone Elk County Park. Six elk were obtained from Yellowstone National Park in 1966 through the efforts of the children of the Rockwood School District and West St. Louis County Lions Club. The park was officially opened to the public on October 17, 1971. Six bison were acquired from the St. Louis Zoo in July 1973.
5. St. Louis Science Center
slsc.org
There is SO much to see & do at the St. Louis Science Center, which comes as a surprise when you realize this museum has 100% FREE admission! While General Admission is free – there is a $12 parking fee, and some ticketed attractions inside the museum you may choose to enjoy.
*The St. Louis Science Center is limited to only 500 visitors in the building at one time– RSVP online before arriving to guarantee entry. Stay as long as you like, however you may need to wait in line to get in.*
With 3 levels & a highway overpass, the Science Center offers many exhibits & attractions. There is something for everyone in your family here, from a Planetarium for your space lover, the Discover Room for your toddler & life size dinosaur animatronics right in the lobby! Plan to spend an entire day at the Science Center. Food & Snacks are available to purchase, or bring a picnic & head over to Forest Park for lunch!
As one of the only free nonprofit science museums in the country, the St. Louis Science Center invites everyone to create a more connected world through the power of curiosity. Our favorite activities at the Science Center are digging for dino fossils, measuring the speed of cars at the highway overpass & exploring space in the Planetarium.
6. Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis
Built in 1914 in the heart of St. Louis, this 108 year old cathedral is a thing of beauty & rich history. No matter your religion, this cathedral is a beautiful site to see. The Cathedral is home to the largest collection of mosaic art in the western hemisphere.
The lower level holds the Mosaic Museum, containing displays showing how mosaics are designed and applied. The museum contains the original Kilgen organ console; the throne used during the visit of Pope John Paul II; and a collection of precious objects used in the various rites of the Church. While self guided tours are FREE (please check Mass times & make sure the cathedral is available to visitors before you go) admission to the museum is $2.
7. St. Louis Art Museum
I remember visiting the St. Louis Art Museum as a child, and always feeling mesmerized with the beautiful exhibits. The best part? You guessed it, general admission is FREE!!
Sitting atop Art Hill in Forest Park, the St. Louis Art Museum is home to more than 30,000 paintings, drawings and sculptures. Kid-friendly tours and activities are offered on Sundays, while free lectures and live music happen most Friday nights.
The girls & I visited the St. Louis Art Museum in 2018 for a special exhibit (these special exhibits do have a fee) that highlighted Egyptian artifacts. Seeing these relics in person was absolutely amazing – and something the girls still talk about to this day!
You may be thinking that an Art Museum isn’t somewhere that would hold a childs interest – but the museum hosts many kid-friendly activities. There are classes & activities for kids aged 3 – 12, as well as a teen program.
The museum has a delicious café on site, but we usually opt to bring our own picnic lunch & head out to Art Hill. The St. Louis Art Museum has constantly revolving exhibits – check their calendar to find one that interests you!
8. Forest Park
https://www.forestparkforever.org/about
Forest Park, which is larger than Central Park in NYC, has something for everyone. Established in 1876 & sitting on 1,300 acres, Forest Park is owned & operated by the city of St. Louis along with the Department of Parks, Recreation & Forestry.
Forest Park is a FREE park in downtown St. Louis & home to many of the attractions we talked about in this post. These include the St. Louis Zoo, Science Center, Art Museum, Missouri History Museum – as well as many monuments, historic buildings & waterways.
Forest Park has hosted many programs, concerts & events – with the most popular being the 1904 Worlds Fair! The history is rich throughout St. Louis, and this park is no exception.
Our favorite things to do in Forest Park are walk the paved & well groomed trails, enjoy the fountains at the Grand Basin & have a picnic lunch on Art Hill (which is something Brad & I have been doing since we started dating!) When visiting St. Louis, Forest Park is a MUST – even if you’re just driving through, or spending the day – it will be something you’ll always remember.
9. History Museum
The Missouri History Museum, founded in 1913, is located inside Forest Park & sits on the site that once was the main entrance of the 1904 Worlds Fair! Entry into this historic location is FREE! The Museum also features a rotating schedule of free special exhibitions throughout the year.
In the museum you will find exhibits focusing on St. Louis, from is conception to present day. Sports fans can discover the city’s baseball history from the Browns to the Cardinals, while visitors learn about life on the Mississippi River, the 1904 World’s Fair, and much more. The History Clubhouse is a special gallery with hands-on activities for children.
I am sad to say that as of today, we have not visited the Missouri History Museum (I know, what’s wrong with us!?) We are hoping to make this a stop on our 2022 Spring Break stay-cation!
Cahokia Mounds
This historic site is just a short drive from downtown St. Louis. These dirt mounds were home to a pre-Columbian Native American settlement, and it was the largest settlement of the Mississippian culture. You can walk the grounds, climb the mounds, and visit the interpretive center. And you guessed it, the admission is FREE!
In the outdoor space you’ll find tours, both self-guided & ranger led, many trails and the 100ft high Monks Mound. There is plenty to see & can easily consume an entire day. Make sure you dress for the location, as there are LOTS of steps! Wear your comfiest shoes, and don’t forget the sunscreen & water! Picnic lunches are welcomed as there is no restaurant or lunch location available.
Cahokia Mounds is another location we have yet to visit, but it is on our list! Once we visit we will update the blog with our personal experiences.
*Note that pets are allowed on the grounds when leashed, but not indoors*
Those are our TOP 10 things to do in St. Louis for you & your family to explore for FREE! If you have any suggestions for locations in STL or any tips & tricks, please leave them below!
See ya at the next mile marker!
-Jess