Found alongside the great Mississippi River, St Louis is a great place to explore. Many of the best sights can be found near the riverbanks but the city still hold many impressive places to see.
A walk in the Park
It’s a short drive west to Forest Park, one of the city’s biggest attractions. This was originally part of the site of the 1904 Olympic Games in St Louis. Now it’s a preserved green space with meadows, trees and water features. It is also home to the city zoo, science centre, art gallery and history museum. The Park also hosts major city events as varied as an annual balloon race and the Shakespeare Festival.
Animal attraction
St Louis Zoo is the biggest attraction in Forest Park. Expect to spot the classic zoo animals including lions, tigers, elephants and penguins. Nearby you’ll also find the Science Centre and History Museum, which feature modern interactive displays to make learning about the wonders of science and local history fun. Other Forest Park sights include the comprehensive collection in the city Art Museum, The Muny (Municiple Theatre) and the Jewel Box, an art deco greenhouse.
City symbol
The Gateway Arch alongside the Mississippi has become the landmark symbol of the city. The 630ft (192m) tall steel structure is designed to symbolise the city’s role as the ‘gateway to the West’. Learn more about this at an impressive underground visitor centre between the legs of the arch. From here you can be transported to the observation deck in an automatic shuttle and of course the views from the top of the arch are panoramic – up to 30 miles on a good day. The Mississippi waterfront around the arch has become a popular city park – and a great place to catch a riverboat cruise.
City cymbals
St Louis is also famous as a musical centre. It’s one of the American cities where blues and jazz developed and is the hometown of Miles Davis, Chuck Berry and Tina Turner. There’s still a great musical vibe. Locals say that you have 300 chances to see music here every week.
To learn more about the musical heritage of St Louis try visiting the new National Blues Museum, where you can even try your hand at playing some yourself.
