St. Louis itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in St. Louis, day by day: Forest Park, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Zoo, the Missouri Botanical Garden, City Museum and the Gateway Arch first, then the Science Center, the History Museum, Soulard, the Brewery, Busch Stadium, the Old Courthouse and Citygarden on day two. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
St. Louis in 1 day
Day 1
Forest Park
Huge city park of 1,300 acres, site of the 1904 World's Fair, holding the zoo, art museum, science centre and history museum.
Saint Louis Art Museum
Free art museum in Forest Park housed in a 1904 building, with collections from ancient Egypt to modern German art.
Saint Louis Zoo
Free zoo in Forest Park with large animal habitats, a river-themed area, penguins, big cats and a children's zoo.
Missouri Botanical Garden
One of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States, with a Japanese garden, a geodesic glasshouse and seasonal displays.
City Museum
A playground-museum made from reused building materials and industrial salvage, with tunnels, slides, climbing areas and a rooftop.
Gateway Arch
The 192-metre stainless-steel arch on the Mississippi riverfront, with a tram ride to the top and a museum underneath.
Citygarden
Free sculpture park downtown with modern art, fountains, a spray plaza and landscaped walkways, pleasant for a short stop.
St. Louis in 2 days
Day 1
Saint Louis Science Center
Free science museum in Forest Park with hands-on exhibits, a planetarium and a footbridge over the highway to the zoo.
Forest Park
Huge city park of 1,300 acres, site of the 1904 World's Fair, holding the zoo, art museum, science centre and history museum.
Missouri History Museum
Free museum in Forest Park on the city's history, the 1904 World's Fair and Charles Lindbergh.
Saint Louis Art Museum
Free art museum in Forest Park housed in a 1904 building, with collections from ancient Egypt to modern German art.
Saint Louis Zoo
Free zoo in Forest Park with large animal habitats, a river-themed area, penguins, big cats and a children's zoo.
Soulard
Historic neighbourhood south of downtown with brick row houses, bars, restaurants and the Soulard Farmers Market, known for Mardi Gras.
Day 2
Missouri Botanical Garden
One of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States, with a Japanese garden, a geodesic glasshouse and seasonal displays.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
Historic brewery complex in the Soulard area, where Budweiser is made, with guided tours, stables and a beer garden.
Busch Stadium
Downtown ballpark of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, which can be seen on a tour or at a game from April to September.
Gateway Arch
The 192-metre stainless-steel arch on the Mississippi riverfront, with a tram ride to the top and a museum underneath.
Old Courthouse
Domed 19th-century courthouse beside the Arch, where the Dred Scott case was first heard, now with free museum galleries.
Citygarden
Free sculpture park downtown with modern art, fountains, a spray plaza and landscaped walkways, pleasant for a short stop.
Watch: St. Louis
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to St. Louis
Spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October) have the mildest weather. Summers are hot and humid, with shows and the zoo busiest, and winters are cold. Mardi Gras in Soulard, one of the largest in the United States, takes place in February or early March, and the Cardinals play at Busch Stadium from April to September.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in St. Louis on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in St. Louis on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in St. Louis on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for St. Louis
- Gateway Arch tram rides to the top and the museum beneath are ticketed and sell out in busy months, so book ahead.
- The Saint Louis Zoo, Art Museum, Science Center and Missouri History Museum in Forest Park are free for general entry, though special exhibits cost extra.
- Forest Park is large; group its sights into one day and use the free park shuttle or a bike rather than walking between them.
- The Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour should be booked ahead, and tour times vary by day.
- City Museum is a large play-and-climb building, so wear closed shoes and comfortable clothes; it is busiest on weekends.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Busch Stadium: Lightmetro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- City Museum: Chris857, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Citygarden: hickory hardscrabble, CC BY 2.0
- Forest Park: Kris from Seattle, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Gateway Arch: St_Louis_night_expblend.jpg : Daniel Schwen derivative work: ← fetch comms, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Missouri Botanical Garden: unknown author, Public domain
- Missouri History Museum: Marcus Qwertyus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Courthouse: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Saint Louis Art Museum: Kitz000 – Matt Kitces, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Louis Science Center: AfricanGeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Louis Zoo: unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Soulard: Whitebox, CC BY 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
