Best Things to Do in St. Louis, MO With Kids
St. Louis's best family days are the Gateway Arch tram to the top, City Museum (the strangest and most memorable kid attraction in the Midwest), a Forest Park morning with the free St. Louis Zoo, Six Flags St. Louis for coaster-age kids, and Grant's Farm for the animal-encounter crowd. Most of the best stuff in Forest Park is free, which makes St. Louis one of the cheaper family-trip cities on this list.
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1Area photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial,… / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)Gateway Arch Tram to the Top
The defining St. Louis experience. A small tram capsule climbs the inside curve of the arch to an observation deck with river and city views most kids find genuinely thrilling, not just a photo op. The surrounding riverfront park (91 acres) is free, flat, and easy to walk with a stroller.
Watch out: Tram tickets are timed and sell out on weekends and school breaks; book ahead rather than walking up. The capsule is small and a little cramped for anyone with claustrophobia. There isn't much shade on the grounds in summer.
2Area photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial,… / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)City Museum
A former shoe factory turned into an indoor-outdoor surrealist playground built from architectural salvage: tunnels through the building's own facade, a multi-story slide, caves, a rooftop Ferris wheel, and a repurposed industrial bin that works as a ball pit. There is genuinely nothing else like it in the country, and it's the attraction most St. Louis families cite as the trip highlight.
Watch out: Wear clothes and shoes you don't care about; some of the tunnels and crawl spaces are dusty and require getting on hands and knees, including for adults. It gets loud and crowded on weekends. Some of the climbing structures have real height and no padding, which is part of the appeal but worth knowing before you bring a very cautious kid.
3Area photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial,… / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)St. Louis Zoo (Forest Park)
Free general admission and genuinely well-regarded nationally, which is a rare combination. Strong big cat and primate exhibits, a solid children's zoo, and it sits inside Forest Park, so you can pair it with the free Art Museum or History Museum the same day without moving the car.
Watch out: Free admission means it gets busy fast on nice weekends; arrive at opening. Some premium experiences (certain animal encounters, the train ride) do cost extra even though the zoo itself is free.
4Area photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial,… / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)Six Flags St. Louis
A normal regional Six Flags about 25 minutes southwest of downtown, with a real coaster lineup for kids who are past the Forest Park stage and want thrill rides. It's the honest pick for tweens and teens who've done the Arch and City Museum and want an actual amusement-park day.
Watch out: It's a real drive, requires a car, and prices for food and parking add up fast on top of admission. Summer crowds and heat are standard theme-park problems here; go on a weekday if you can. Younger kids under about 8 will find a smaller share of the park usable.
5Area photo: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial,… / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)Grant's Farm
The Anheuser-Busch family's historic property south of the city, with a tram ride through deer and elk pastures, goat and small-animal encounters kids can feed directly, and a Tier Garten beer garden for adults with Clydesdale viewing. It's a gentler, slower-paced animal day than Six Flags or the zoo and works well for toddlers who aren't ready for crowds.
Watch out: Parking is free but donation-based and the feed sticks for the goat area cost extra per person, which adds up with more than one kid. It's outdoors with limited shade; go in the morning in summer. It's south of the city, a real drive from downtown hotels.
Frequently asked
Is one day enough for City Museum?
One full day works for most families, but some come back a second day because it's genuinely that large and there's no obvious 'done' point. Budget at least 4 hours minimum and don't schedule anything else that day.
What's free to do in St. Louis with kids?
The St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, and the Gateway Arch grounds (not the tram itself) are all free general admission, and all four are in or near Forest Park. It's genuinely one of the cheapest ways to fill a family day in any major US city.
Six Flags St. Louis or City Museum for a single day?
For kids under 8, City Museum wins easily. For coaster-age kids 8 and up who've already done City Museum on a prior trip, Six Flags is the better single day. Most families do both on separate days if the trip is long enough.
How far is Grant's Farm from downtown?
About 25 to 30 minutes by car, similar distance to Six Flags. It's a real drive, not a Forest Park add-on, so plan it as its own half day rather than stacking it onto a zoo morning.
Same destination, where to stay
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Activity days work best when your resort is the right launch pad. Our St. Louis family-resort guide ranks the whole-family-experience winners.
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