It has taken me over a week to get my thoughts together on how I would write about our spring break family vacation to St. Louis. Why? Well, it’s because there are SO MANY fun things to do in St. Louis with kids! Perhaps, I will add some additional posts later on with additional details. Today, I will give an overview of our favorite things to do in St. Louis when traveling with kids.
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. I use various programs to include affiliate links in my blog posts – such as the Amazon Associates Program and various travel partner programs – to earn from qualifying purchases. Also, this Fun Things to Do in St. Louis with Kids post is sponsored by Explore St. Louis. I was provided a hotel stay at Drury Hotels in exchange for a blog post about our family vacation to St. Louis. All opinions are my own.
When one of my teacher friends started talking about planning a spring break trip to St. Louis, we realized there are a ton of fun things to do in St. Louis. Positioned less than six hours from Little Rock, it makes for the perfect family getaway! I would highly recommend a family vacation to St. Louis. The drive to St. Louis from Little Rock was a pretty easy drive. There was not a ton of traffic and the path made for an easy road trip.
Where to Stay in St. Louis
We stayed at the Drury Inn and Suites in Brentwood. From what I can gather Drury Hotels is a pretty big hotel chain in Missouri. There is also Drury Plaza St. Louis. Several of of them were spotted in the area while we drove. We had a delightful time at our Drury.
The hotel has a nice kitchen and dining area – complete with a hot breakfast, complimentary cocktails and appetizers (with some free ones provided for each adult guest), and a popcorn machine that provided fresh popcorn every night.
The hotel also has an indoor and outdoor pool, indoor hot tub, and the absolute friendliest staff. Seriously, every single employee I encountered had a huge smile and a super awesome attitude. This is something my husband also noticed and commented on while we were there.
Since I wasn’t familiar with the St. Louis area prior to our trip, I had no idea how convenient our location would be for our stay. In my opinion, this particular Drury Hotel location offered the best of both worlds. It was a short 5-10 drive to most any St. Louis attraction we visited. But the hotel was nestled a little ways out of the downtown traffic – among some of my favorite stores and restaurants.
For instance, I literally walked out of the back parking lot to a shopping center that had Target, World Market (eeek…my favorite!), and Home Goods. Across the street was a Nordstrom’s Rack and other stores. Just a short distance down the road was the St. Louis Galleria with a Nordstrom’s, a Macy’s, and other fun stores. Across the street from the Galleria was another shopping center with a Crate and Barrel, a Maggiano’s Little Italy (where we had a delicious overload of pasta one evening), and more. I had the best time shopping one morning while the Hubs took the girls to the pool. Without a doubt, if you are looking for where to stay in St. Louis, you should give a Drury a try.
Fun Things to Do in St. Louis with Kids
Okay, so here’s the thing. There are so many fun things to do in St. Louis with kids that there is not way to do it all in one trip. Our friends and our family did a lot of things together, but we also split up and did a few things separately. I am including our favorite activities in this post. But this little video I put together should give you an idea of the fun things to do in St. Louis! After watching the video, check out my tips and thoughts below.
City Museum of St. Louis
Oh. My. Gosh.
This is a place you just have to see for yourself! There is so much to see and do at City Museum of St. Louis. In fact, I almost feel we could take the kids to City Museum every single day of the trip and still not see and experience everything. The only way I can describe this place is that it is like an indoor amusement park, indoor cave system, outdoor play area, and beautiful museum all in one! There are sculptures, caves, slides, and tunnels from floor to ceiling everywhere the eye looks. Children are popping out of the floor, the ceiling – everywhere! If your kid is a climber, this the place! Music plays, kids climb, some parents sit on hollowed tree stumps, other parents chase kids through tunnels. A grand time is had by all!
If you are planning a family vacation to St. Louis and feel yourself having to narrow down some fun things to do in St. Louis with kids, do not take City Museum off of your list! It is a must!
Things to Know Before Visiting City Museum of St. Louis
- Admission is $16 per person. This will be some of the best money you spend for a full-day adventure for your family. City Museum is one of the best things to do in St. Louis with your family. Children two and under get in for free.
- In advance, you may purchase tickets online on the City Museum website.
- The line may seem crazy long when you arrive (which vouches for the popularity of this place), but the line moves really fast. There is a short-line to the left of the entrance for those who purchased tickets online).
- Once you have your wristbands, you are able to leave and return to City Museum.
- In warm-weather months, you will have access to the Rooftop Deck, which looks like a lot of fun! (We didn’t get to access the Rooftop Deck at City Museum because we were there in March.) There is a ferris wheel, a big school bus, food, and special events on the rooftop.
- There are four main levels and the rooftop deck at City Museum. Each level is jam-packed with fun and exploration opportunities for adults and kids!
- At City Museum, there are restaurants/cafes/bars on each floor.
- There are multiple gift shops in the museum which sell artisan jewelry – often made of recycled goods, which is the foundation of this fun and quirky museum!
- There are no maps at City Museum. This is all part of the fun – to encourage exploration of this amazing place which was once a shoe factory.
- If you intend to climb the metal tunnels with your kids, you may want to purchase knee pads. There are knee pads for sale in the bottom floor gift shop, but they are only sold in one size – primarily for adults or maybe older teens. If you want knee pads that fit your kids, you need to purchase those in advance and bring them with you. Also, beware that some of the tunnels are smaller than others. My husband was concerned in one certain tunnel because he didn’t think he was going to be able to get out.
- Flashlights are sold in the gift shop. I bought some and didn’t use them one time. My kids weren’t as worried about the dark tunnels so they didn’t ask for the flashlights. I was able to use the flashlight on my phone any time I needed some light.
- There is a toddler town area at City Museum on the third floor – with lots of smaller slides, tunnels, ball pits, and climbing areas for younger children.
- There are so many slides, the museum won’t even give a number as to how many exist. Some City Museum slides are small, some are giant, some are made of metal, some are cement, some are outside, some are inside. Let’s talk about the giant slides. One slide is 10-stories high, another is 7-stories high, and another is 5-stories high. Children must be a certain height to ride the big slides. (Somehow, my crew accidentally wandered into the line for the 10-story slide while in the cave area! At first, we didn’t even know what we were in line for as we waited on a narrow, spiral staircase with lots of other people. Eventually, I had to carry my four-year-old down four stories of spiral staircase, going against traffic, to remove ourselves from the line. We still have no idea how we managed that one!) Some of the people in our group went down the 10-story slide and said it was awesome!
Mom Tip #1: Dress your children in fluorescent or neon clothing (or at least bright colors) so that you can easily keep up with them in the tunnels and cave systems. My friend’s boys were in neon yellow, and they were sometimes the only kids we could easily see.
Mom Tip #2: Make sure you write your phone number on the admission wristbands of each of your children.
Mom Tip #3: Set ground rules for your children as you enter each new area. There is so much to explore and it is easy for children to roam away from you or tunnel-travel to a new location. There is a lot of stimulation, and you may want to plan some break times in some of the calmer areas.
Mom Tip #4: Do not carry extra stuff into City Museum. You will not want to haul a bunch of stuff around. The exception might be jackets. Children will likely want to explore the outdoor area and may need jackets in cooler weather. Also, there is a bag check on the first floor near the elevator. The lower level is super crowded, and I noticed some moms struggling with pushing their strollers around. The upstairs levels were not as crowded.
Mom Tip #5: What to wear to City Museum? This is NOT a dress-up museum! Wear comfy clothes! I suggest workout gear or lounge gear – yoga pants, hoodie or t-shirt, and tennis shoes for the whole family. This is a get-up and move kind of place!
St. Louis Zoo
What would be a family vacation to St. Louis without a trip to the St. Louis Zoo? I went on a family vacation to St. Louis when I was a kid. The St. Louis Zoo is something I still remember.
Our kiddos had a wonderful time at the zoo! Many of the animals got close enough to the gates or the windows that the kids could actually check them out closely. Sometimes, at a zoo it can be tricky to actually see the animals in detail.
Things to Know Before Visiting the St. Louis Zoo
- General admission is free, but some of the additional offerings require a fee (adventure pack, sea lion show, children’s museum, train ride, safari tours, etc.)
- Street parking is free (though limited) and parking in the zoo lots does require a fee (I believe we paid $15.)
- You can bring your own snacks and drinks into the St. Louis Zoo in a picnic basket or cooler.
- There are multiple restaurants on site.
- The IMAX 4-D theater offers multiple showings a day (for a fee) where you can catch a little break for 15-20 minutes. (During our visit, we saw a special video of Smallfoot.)
- There is an older gentleman who comes to the gorilla exhibit multiple times a week. He has been coming to the zoo for over 20 years and has been observing and researching the gorillas in depth during this entire time. The man is a wealth of knowledge of the gorilla family at the St. Louis Zoo. He knows the history and personality of all of the gorillas and even their parents and grandparents! He is fascinating to talk with. The St. Louis Zoo is obviously one of his favorite things to do in St. Louis!
Mom Tip: One of the gift shop employees told us the big gift shop at the St. Louis Zoo entrance/exit carries all the merchandise that is sold in the smaller shops. So if you are planning to treat your child to a souvenir, you might prevent some meltdowns throughout the day (as they pass each shop) by letting them know they can choose a certain item at the end of the day. (The gift shop was also a dangerous place for even with all of the artisan jewelry and home decor!)
Science Center of St. Louis
The Science Center of St. Louis is another free tourist attraction. Although the center offers plenty with its free admission, there are some extras that you will likely want to purchase.
My friend’s kids enjoyed the Discovery Room – which is geared for kids up to 7 or 8. It a less crowded area and provides activities such as painting and other things appealing to younger kids. My friend’s young boys (4 and 7) were engaged by the MARS exhibit and the dinosaur exhibit where they were able to dig for fossils. There are also a lot of high-tech games. Currently, there is an exhibit of old Nintendo stations.
In the Planetarium, kids can lay on mats and look up at the stars. With four levels of shows, based on age groups, there is something for everyone.
The Science Center is definitely high on the list of fun things to do in St. Louis with kids!
Things to Know Before Visiting the Science Center of St. Louis
- The IMAX show, the Discovery Room, and the Planetarium are all extra but well worth the money.
- Note that parking requires a fee.
- The great thing is the center honors memberships from certain other museums to exempt the fees for the Planetarium, the Discovery Room, and the parking. If you have a museum membership in your own area, it is worth it to check to see if it will be accepted.
Magic House
The Magic House is the Children’s Museum of St. Louis. Just from looking at the website, I expected the place to be a smallish place with some fun exhibits for kids to explore – maybe a place to spend an hour or two. Was I ever surprised when we arrived to this huge, beautiful white “castle” as Little One called it. There were so many attractions and things to explore inside the three-level Children’s Museum of St. Louis. We stayed for the entire afternoon and closed the place down. Easily, we could have stayed at Magic House for the entire day.
I hope to include many more details in a future post on Magic House of St. Louis. Just know this is a place to go if you have children ages 2-8 who love pretend play. This Children’s Museum of St. Louis was one of our favorite things to do in St. Louis during our trip!
Things to Know Before Visiting Magic House (Children’s Museum of St. Louis)
- The Magic House entrance fee is around $12 a person. As I said, the Magic House is one of THE things to do in St. Louis with kids. The fee is worth it.
- This place is geared for toddlers and elementary-aged children.
- You cannot bring food into the Magic House, but you can purchase food in the Picnic Basket Cafe inside during certain hours or have your own snacks outside in the garden or patio areas.
- Plan to spend at least half a day if not longer.
- In the lower level, kids can explore the three levels of government, with one room dedicated to each of the three levels.
- In the Children’s Village, children can pretend play in a market, children’s hospital, bank, electric company, post office, pet hospital, fishing pond, mechanic shop, and children’s library. Basically, it is set up like a whole little city! Children who love pretend play will love this area!
- In the Wonder Works Village, children will have fun with STEM – lots of simple machine operation, kaleidoscope symmetry, climbing tubes, air power, texture tunnels, science of sand, gears, a sketch aquarium, and a water works area.
- Other areas of the museum offer tons of activities for global exploration, science, and history. These various exhibits are split up among a construction zone simulation, curiosity classrooms, a calming room, an in-depth upstairs rotating exhibit (the one that was there when we visited was a super cool multi-room exhibit of China), and a Splash and Bubbles ecosystem exhibit.
The Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch was the last of our fun things to do in St. Louis before we headed home. We bought tickets online the night before. My biggest tip? Get there early! There are a lot of people there and the lines get long fast. You enter a museum area which is a short walk from the Arch. (If you are interested in more informative explorations of St. Louis, this walking St. Louis historical tour features a visit to the The Gateway Arch Museum.)
You will have to go through a security checkpoint (much like at an airport) in order to enter the museum and Arch entrance. We ran late thanks to a last minute stop at IKEA (oops!) and exited our car only five minutes before our scheduled ticket time. Luckily, the ticket collector graciously let us jump to the front of the line – probably because we might have thrown off the next group since their tickets were marked for the next time slot.
The trams are small and elevator-slow. I was worried the girls would get scared, but they did not at all. It is much like getting on an elevator.
The observatory room at the top is pretty crowded. You can stay as long as you want. When you are ready to go back down to the museum, you give your name to the attendant and he/she will put you on a list. We only waited about five minutes after giving our name.
Things to Know Before Visiting The Gateway Arch
- Buy tickets in advance online.
- Arrive early as you will enter the checkpoint I mentioned above.
- The area you will drive into around The Gateway Arch may puzzle you, and you may think you are lost. Once you park, you will find Gateway Arch National Park to be a serene, beautiful area.
- Only 40 people can ride up to the top at a time – five people per each of the eight trams.
- There are restaurants, gift shops, and fine exhibits in the museum if you wish to eat, shop for souvenirs, and explore.
Some Other Things to Do in St. Louis with Kids
While on family vacation in St. Louis, be sure to stop by Ted Drewe’s Frozen Custard. (The Muddy Mississippi was a hit!) There are several locations. The lines are often long but seem to move pretty quickly.
If you find yourself near a Park Avenue Coffee, pick up an Ann and Allen gooey butter cake from Park Avenue Coffee.
Finally, be sure to check out Busch Stadium! Visiting Busch Stadium is one of the popular things to do in St. Louis! If the timing is right, you can even watch a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game at Busch Stadium!
I hope you enjoyed this overview of fun things to do in St. Louis with kids. If you are planning a family vacation, these five things to do in St. Louis are musts!
Check Out Our Other Travel Guides
Treehouse Cabins in Eureka Springs
Kayaking on the Arkansas River
5 Fun Things to Do in St. Louis with Kids
What to Do in Panama City, Panama
Leave a Reply