Top 10 FREE Things to do in St. Louis

St. Louis, often referred to as the “Gateway to the West,” is a city brimming with history, culture, and a vibrant art scene. The city is often at the top of the charts for best “family-friendly cities,” as there is ample to do at an affordable cost.

As a California native, I was surprised at how many fantastic things to do in St. Louis there were, and most of them were very cheap or completely free! There is no such thing as a free zoo in California (at least not that I know of!)

I prioritized free and cheap things to do in St. Louis while living here, mostly because I was a broke student but still wanted to do fun activities on the weekends! While in St. Louis, I also took many weekend trips to neighboring cities and states to explore more of what the Midwest has to offer.

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Top Free Attractions in St. Louis, MO

Over the 4 years of living here, I have crafted a list of the absolute 10 best free things to do in St. Louis, most of which are family-friendly, allowing you to get out to enjoy the city with everyone!

I hope you enjoy!

1. Gateway Arch National Park

Let’s start with the most iconic symbol of St. Louis, the Gateway Arch, which is actually the smallest United States National Park by area!

The idea of what we now know as Gateway Arch National Park actually began in 1935, with an idea to dedicate land in Missouri to commemorate Thomas Jefferson, the Louisiana Purchase and the pioneers settling the Western United States. With the grounds along the Mississippi River being designated near the Old Courthouse in St. Louis, the memorial started to be pieced together.

In 1948, a competition was held for the design of the monument, with Eero Saarinen’s steel arch design coming in first place! The designs for the other competitors can be found in the Gateway Arch Museum! The Gateway Arch construction began in 1963, and was completed in 1965.

Standing 630 feet wide and 630 feet tall, the arch remains a symbol of westward expansion. The arch is hallow on the inside, with enough space for a tram to fit inside that can actually take visitors to the top to view Illinois to the east, and St. Louis to the west.

While there is an admission fee to go inside the Arch and ride the tram to the top (which I only recommend if you are NOT afraid of heights), you can enjoy the stunning grounds and museum below the arch for free!

2. Saint Louis Art Museum

Next up, let’s talk about the free museums that St. Louis has to offer! The Saint Louis Art Museum is a FREE museum that features art from diverse cultures and time periods. The museum is located in Forest Park, at the top of Art Hill, and is open Tuesday- Sunday.

The Saint Louis Art Museum was founded in 1879, with a mission to educate and inspire discovery through learning about historic art works from people of St. Louis and the world.

I have visited the art museum several times, and I am always impressed with the breadth of art work that they have to see!

The Saint Louis Art Museum has rotating exhibitions, making this art museum a place you can come back again and again to see new works of art from around the world.

3. Missouri History Museum

Continuing on with free museums in St. Louis, we next have the Missouri History Museum! The Missouri History Museum is yet another FREE museum in Forest Park, located on Lindell Boulevard.

The Missouri History Museum is an accredited museum, which is a high level of distinction signifying the excellence of this museum! The museum has won several other awards throughout the years, demonstrating how special this museum is, and all of it is completely accessible to the public!

The Missouri History Museum has rotating exhibits (with the current exhibit featuring the history of soccer, a major topic in St. Louis right now with the new St. Louis SC soccer team!)

Browse historical artifacts showcasing the history of St. Louis in this fabulous museum, all at no cost to you!

4. Saint Louis Science Center

Another fantastic free museum in Saint Louis is the Saint Louis Science Center! In fact, the Saint Louis Science Center is one of the nation’s only free non-profit museums!

The Science Center is a perfect destination to take the whole family, as there are tons of great exhibits for learning, from space to dinosaurs!

Although there are some exhibits that require tickets (most range from $5-10 per person), general admission is always free to see the main exhibits!

5. Saint Louis Zoo

Forest Park is full of so many incredible gems for the city of St. Louis. As you have read, there are two free museums in the park, but many St. Louis locals are especially proud of the park having a completely free zoo!

The Saint Louis Zoo’s mission is to conserve animals and their habitat, carrying this out through research, outreach and educational programs.

Admission is always free to see the various animal exhibits, from the fish and birds to large mammals! There are some paid attractions to see at the zoo, such as the Stingray exhibit, but you will surely have a lot to see at no cost at all!

The zoo does have seasonal exhibits, so you can check on their website to see if an exhibit is open if you have something in mind you are hoping to see. It’s definitely one of the best free attractions in St. Louis!

6. Grant’s Farm

Grant’s Farm is an animal refuge and farm located just outside of St. Louis. The experience begins with a tram ride through the Deer Park, followed by a stop at petting zoos and other animal sanctuaries.

Grant’s Farm is family-friendly, with a ton of kid-friendly exhibits that will allow the kids to interact with the animals! But, Grant’s Farm is also the perfect destination for adults for a get together with friends or a date night! For guests over 21, you will be able to enjoy a free beer from Anheuser-Busch at the end of the tour!

While general admission to Grant’s Farm is always free, there is a parking fee of $16 per car in the parking lot across from Grant’s Farm.

7. Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden is an incredible garden and greenhouse that is one of the top free things to do in St. Louis! This St. Louis free attraction is reserved especially for St. Louis residents, Missouri Botanical Garden members, and children under 12 years old, so any visitors should plan to pay admission if you hope to visit the Missouri Botanical Garden!

“In appreciation for their ongoing support of the Garden through the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District, St. Louis City/County residents enjoy discounted general admission to the Garden daily and free Garden admission on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m.–noon, with early walking hours from 7–9 a.m. (free admission is limited to available capacity and available for onsite walk-up entry only; not available for advance purchase). Free admission and early entry do not apply on festival and holiday weekends, including Labor Day Weekend.”

Quote from Missouri Botanical Garden’s website

Visiting the garden is absolutely worth it if you love learning about plants and hope to see unique greenery. The gardens are expansive with a variety of plants from various climates.

The gardens house the rare “corpse flower” which smells like the name of it when it is in bloom. Although I haven’t visited it myself, I have friends that have that said it was a once in a lifetime experience!

8. Sculpture Parks

St. Louis is a city for art lovers, and luckily art lovers don’t have to pay for many attractions, museums, and sculpture parks! You heard about the free Saint Louis Art Museum, but did you know about the TWO free sculpture parks in St. Louis!?

First up, the Citygarden Sculpture Park is a free sculpture park located in downtown St. Louis. The park features 24 sculpture spread out across lawns and pathways. The sculpture park is one of the perfect things to do in St. Louis for a morning walk, mid-day break, or evening stroll! The Citygarden Sculpture Park is free and open 7 days a week to the public!

I also recommend visiting the Laumeier Sculpture Garden, which is another sculpture park located just outside the city of St. Louis. The Laumeier Sculpture Garden is HUGE, with several hiking trails throughout the park to explore the sculptures and art exhibits.

Their website has more information on accessibility and how to plan your visit, especially if you have kids!

9. Recreational Parks

In St. Louis, there is no shortage of incredible parks to enjoy. As mentioned earlier, Forest Park is easily the pride and joy of St. Louis, at around 1300 acres of greenery, hills, trails, and biking paths.

Art Hill (featured above) is one of the most popular parts of this park, as the open field has a gorgeous view, with lots of shade available at the top for picnicking! Another favorite place for picnics in Forest Park is at the World Fair Pavilion; this has been the best spot in Forest Park that I have been for sunset!

There are hundreds of other parks scattered throughout the city, each with their own beautiful features. Tower Grove Park is another favorite, and this park has tennis courts and pickle ball courts (free play time available)!

Whether you are looking for a walking or running trail, or simply want to just be out in nature, you are sure to find a park that fits your needs even in the bustling city center!

10. Neighborhoods

Finally, a tour of the best things to do in St. Louis wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the historic neighborhoods throughout the city! Visiting neighborhoods of St. Louis takes you on a journey through the culture experienced by the city over the years.

From “The Hill” to “Soulard,” to “The Grove” to downtown St. Louis, each neighborhood has something unique to offer in terms of culture, atmosphere, and things to do and see!

The neighborhoods are a perfect place to spend the day window shopping, eating local food, and maybe finding something new!

Free Things To Do in St. Louis Recap

St. Louis is a vibrant Midwest city, with tons of cheap and free things to do!

My top recommendation to anyone new to the city would be to first explore Forest Park! There is so much packed into those 1300 acres (most of it completely free) and I can almost assure you that you will have a wonderful time!

You may notice that some “free things to do” seem to be missing… but that is because they are no longer free as of writing this article (looking at you Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour…)

If you know of any other top free things to do in St. Louis, PLEASE comment below to share with other locals and travelers alike!