Trifter

Whether you are just passing through or intend to spend a week or two, St. Louis is a great place to come for family fun.  If you are coming from out of the area, do some research ahead of time so you can come prepared for a great time.  St. Louis has something for the art and museum types.  It can cater to the theme park crowd.  St. Louis has enough history to fill volumes. 

For those looking for the theme park adventure, Six Flaggs Over Mid-America makes St. Louis home.  This giant park has a half a dozen roller coasters some with wooden tracks and some fashioned from steel.  With hills, drops, loops, and jolts, these thrill rides will fit every taste.  Attached to the rides and shows of this park is a decent water park.  The water park has all of the usual water adventures expected in a first rate operation.  Compared to some theme parks, you can even eat at Six Flaggs without breaking your budget.

Want to get a good look at the Mississippi?  Take a ride to the top of the St. Louis Gateway Arch.  Its exact name is the Jefferson Expansion Memorial.  It commemorates the Louisiana Purchase in 1804.  Named after Thomas Jefferson who was president at the time, the Arch also recognizes St. Louis’ roll in the westward expansion of the nation.  St. Louis was and is considered the gateway to the west.  The arch is a tangible tribute to this idea.  Standing 630 feet tall with glistening stainless steel, it is the tallest monument in the world. 

Underground between the legs of the Arch is a national museum where you can learn a bit of St. Louis history and buy tickets to ride the tram up one or the other of the legs of the Arch.  You will want to come early because the tickets are often sold with a two or more hour delay before your turn to ride up to the top.  You may want to plan a walk around Laclede’s Landing just north of the Arch to fill in the time.  If it is lunch time there are gourmet restaurants and fast food to choose from.

If it is summer when you head to the Arch, a little advanced planning can give you a chance to take in a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.  As home to one of the oldest National Baseball League teams, St. Louis has a rich baseball tradition.  St. Louis catches Cardinal Fever every year.  During the summer, downtown St. Louis becomes the reddest place in the midwest.  The new Busch Stadium is built to frame the Arch as spectators look beyond the bleachers toward the river. 

No visit to St. Louis would be complete without a trip to Forest Park and the St. Louis Zoo.  This is a world-class zoo.  The host of the old television show, “Wild Kingdom,” Marlin Perkins was a huge player in building up the zoo and its collection.  The zoo is subsidized by tax dollars and is free to all visitors.  It will probably cost you a few dollars to park, but the zoo is worth it.  You can spend a day inside with no problem.

While you are in this part of town, make plans to visit the St. Louis Science Center and Planetarium.  With all sorts of hands on exhibits, there is plenty for even the most active children and families to do.  It has an IMAX theater that is sure to keep the kids happy for an hour or two.  The science center is filled with all types of historical exhibits and information, too.

Just north of St. Louis is historic St. Charles.  Here you will find the Missouri River and downtown St. Charles.  The area is filled with quaint shops and eateries.  St. Charles was also the state’s first capital.

An art museum, transport museum, Magic House, theaters, concerts, and a host of other entertainment lurks all over the area and the city.  Across the Mississippi is Cahokia Mounds with Native American burial mounds.  During the summer, float trips and outdoor adventure can be arranged south and southwest of St. Louis within an hour or so drive by car.  It takes no problem to fill up a few days or a couple of weeks with the activities in and around St. Louis.