
There are so many unique things to do in St. Louis with kids. If you’re a parent, that’s a big deal—you want your kids to enjoy your vacation as much as you do. Keeping them busy and happy is one of the top challenges of any trip, but that’s not difficult in St. Louis.
This list has something for everyone’s kids—younger or older, boys or girls, adventurous or shy. And Mom and Dad, you’ll have a lot of fun, too!
Published September 2, 2024…Updated January 8, 2025
Gateway Arch National Park
Let’s begin with Gateway Arch National Park. At only 91 acres, it is the smallest national park, but it is packed with things your kids will enjoy.
Inside is a large museum depicting the role St. Louis played in the westward expansion of America. This is not some old, musty, antique-filled museum. It is six separate halls filled with interactive displays, black-and-white cowboy movies, and stories about pioneers and Native Americans.

And, of course, there’s the Gateway Arch. Take the tram to the top – 600′ high – for a birdseye view of the city.

Outside are large, open, grassy areas perfect for playing, running off some energy, and family photos. Plus, you are just a few steps away from the Mississippi River, where you can take a paddlewheel riverboat ride!
Pro Tips
- Just like at the airport, entering the visitor center requires going through metal detectors. Leave your gun and pocket knife in the car.
- Same-day tickets for park activities, especially the tram, are available but sell out quickly. Purchasing tickets beforehand is highly recommended. Click here to purchase tickets and for more info.
- We suggest getting back to your vehicle before dark, just to be on the safe side. (See “Parking” below.)
A Few Details
- Where is it? Gateway Arch National Park sits on the west bank of the Mississippi River, at the intersection of I-64 and I-44.
- Parking? There is no parking on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park. However, the park has a Preferred Parking Program at nearby Stadium East Parking Garage, 200 S Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102. The cost is a special rate of $10 for 5 hours. Pre-purchasing parking at iparkit.com/TheArch is highly recommended, especially when the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team is playing at home since the parking garage is one of the main parking areas for Busch Stadium. If parking is not pre-purchased on event days, the special $10 rate will not be recognized, and event day parking rates will apply. Some spots at Stadium East Parking Garage are accessible.

- Hours?
- The park grounds are open from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm year-round
- The museum is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm during regular hours (the day after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day) and 9:00 am to 8:00 pm during the summer (Memorial Day – Labor Day)
- The Arch Store closes about 15 minutes before the museum closes.
- The Arch Cafe is open from 9 to 4 during regular hours and 9 to 6 during the summer.
- Website? www.nps.gov
Union Station

Union Station opened in 1894 as the St. Louis train station and grew to handle over 100,000 people per day. The station closed in 1978 and was unused until it reopened in 1985.
Today, it is no longer an active train station but a mixed-use entertainment center. The Grand Hall of Union Station has been renovated and designated a National Historic Landmark. It is the home of The Wheel, The Indoor Ropes Course, a large indoor koi pond, the St. Louis Aquarium, several restaurants, and two large hotels. And it is so much fun—especially for your kids!
The station is huge and is covered, so rain is not really an issue here. You can play Mini Golf…

Your small kids will love riding the carousel.

There are several carnival-style games, like shooting hoops for prizes…

There are several places to eat, including the Taco Container, a brightly colored taco stand that serves excellent tacos. You can also dine at Landry’s Seafood or the old-time Soda Fountain (to name a few…).

There’s also a very large koi pond. You can purchase food to feed the fish, plus there is a light show here every hour on the hour. (But during the day, the sun shining through the translucent roof makes the light show impossible to see.)
Pro Tip
- Union Station has a strict Code of Conduct, designed to keep you safe and ensure your family enjoys your visit. We suggest you take the time to read it.
A Few Details
- Where is it? 1820 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63103
- Parking?
- West Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 20th St. The parking lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only.
- South Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 18th St. The parking lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only. Alternatively, you can enter the South Parking Lot at the end of South 20th St., past the West Parking Lot.
- Hours? 10:00 am – 10:00 pm daily
- Website? www.stlouisunionstation.com
But there are more unique things for your kids to do at Union Station…
The Wheel
Everyone loves a Ferris wheel, right?
The Wheel is 200′ high, providing beautiful views of downtown St. Louis, especially at night. It takes you for 3-5 rotations (our last time was 5) in a completely enclosed, climate-controlled gondola. The ride is slow and smooth.


The 41 gondolas can hold up to 8 people each and are wheelchair-accessible. Neither pets nor strollers are allowed on The Wheel, and strollers can be safely left at the exit area while you ride.
Pro Tip
- If time allows, ride The Wheel at night, when both it and the city are lit up.
A Few Details
- Where is it? 201 S 18th St, St. Louis, MO 63103, just inside Union Square entrance
- Parking?
- West Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 20th St. Parking Lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only.
- South Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 18th St. Parking lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only. Alternatively, you can enter the parking lot at the end of South 20th St., past the West Parking Lot.
- Hours? 10:00 am – 10:00 pm daily
- Website? www.thestlouiswheel.com
Indoor Ropes Course

This indoor ropes course is a MONSTER! (I mean that in a good way.) It’s three stories tall and covers 90,000 cubic feet of climbing space. You will encounter over 30 climbing obstacles when you tackle this course. There’s even a 100′ long zip line that flies over the Union Station lobby!
Sky Tykes is a mini-version of the ropes course, built especially for kids under 48″ tall. (Kids 12 and under must be accompanied by a paid adult who is at least 18 years old.)
Pro Tip
- The last tickets are sold one hour before closing

A Few Details
- Where is it? The Ropes Course is in the “inside” part of Union Station, next to the St. Louis Aquarium.
- Parking?
- West Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 20th St. Parking Lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only.
- South Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 18th St. Parking lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only. Alternatively, you can enter the parking lot at the end of South 20th St., past the West Parking Lot.
- Hours? 9:00 am – 5:00 PM daily
- Website? www.stlouisunionstation.com/rope-course
St. Louis Aquarium
We’ve been to many aquariums, but the St. Louis Aquarium is one of our favorites. It’s not the largest, but it is the most interactive. There’s a lot to see and do here. This is a great place to get your hands wet!

The experience begins in a large waiting area with a large, round aquarium at the end. But what really gets your attention is the ceiling, playing digital images of the ocean and its inhabitants. It’s almost hypnotizing, and it’s certainly beautiful.


You may want to sit down with your kids and visit Tommy the Otter. Tommy is a digitally animated otter who interacts in real time with the audience. He’ll answer questions and banter back and forth with children.

The Kidzone is set apart for children who enjoy doing arts and crafts projects. And look for the display where kids can “build bridges and dams” to direct the water flow.


Pro Tip
- The last tickets to the aquarium are one hour before closing.
- Give yourself plenty of time at the aquarium. There’s a lot to see and do—we spent more time here than we had anticipated.
A Few Details
- Where is it? 201 S 18th St, St. Louis, MO 63103, inside Union Station
- Parking?
- West Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 20th St. Parking Lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only.
- South Parking Lot – Enter from Market Street on South 18th St. Parking lot is on the right. Hourly and special event rates apply; credit card only. Alternatively, you can enter the parking lot at the end of South 20th St., past the West Parking Lot.
- Hours?
- Sunday-Thursday: 9:00 am-5:00 pm
- Friday-Saturday: 9:00 am-8:00 pm
- Website? www.stlouisaquarium.com
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Want to make your Little Leaguer very happy? Spend an afternoon or evening watching the St. Louis Cardinals play a home game in Busch Stadium! Major League Baseball teams play 162 games each season, and half of those are at home, so your chances of being in St. Louis when the Cardinals are playing at home are pretty good!

Even if there’s no game scheduled, you can still take a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, including a visit to the press box and the dugouts.
You can check the Cards schedule, purchase tickets, and even buy some merch to wear to the game at www.mlb.com/cardinals.
A Few Details
- Where is it? 700 Clark Street, St. Louis, MO 63102
- Parking? The best parking at the ballpark is at the Stadium East iParkit Garage, just a 3-minute walk from Gate 5 or Gate 6 at the park. Make parking reservations (highly recommended) at iParkit.com
- Hours? Depends on the event taking place there
- Website? www.mlb.com/cardinals
…Or to a Hockey Game
Maybe hockey is more your style! Did you know that St. Louis has a National Hockey League team – the St. Louis Blues.
The NHL season runs from October to June every year (including the playoffs and Stanley Cup), so unless you are visiting St. Louis in July, August, or September, your odds of catching one of the Blues’ 41 home matches are good.

The Blues play in the Enterprise Center, which you can easily see while you’re riding The Wheel.
So bundle up (it gets a bit cold in a hockey arena) your future Wayne Gretzky, and go cheer on the Blues!

A Few Details
- Where is it? The Blues play at the Enterprise Center, 1401 Clark Ave, St. Louis, MO, just a 13-minute walk from Busch Stadium
- Parking? According to www.enterprisecenter.com, “Approximately 6,500 parking spaces are available within 1,800 feet of Enterprise Center, including a 1,270-car garage situated immediately adjacent to the building. In addition, many nearby parking garages and surface lots offer affordable, convenient access to the Enterprise Center. “Enterprise Center Parking” signs at the entrances to additional parking facilities should help in directing Enterprise Center guests to appropriate parking.“
- Hours? Depends on the event
- Website? www.nhl.com/blues
Visit the St. Louis Zoo
We love visiting zoos. In fact, my wife and I both worked at a zoo in north Georgia for a while – leading tours, educational encounters, and hands-on animal experiences.
So let me suggest taking your kids to the St. Louis Zoo!

St. Louis Zoo is home to over 16,000 animals, representing 500 species, including mammals, reptiles, birds, invertebrates, and fish. There are Bird Shows, Sea Lion Shows, public Giraffe Feedings, and more. Plus, there is a train ride around the zoo and a carousel for your little ones to enjoy.
A Few Details
- Where is it? The St. Louis Zoo is located at 1 Government Dr, in the Forest Park section of St. Louis.
- Parking? The Zoo has two parking lots – the North Lot on Government Dr., and the South Lot on Wells Dr.
- Hours? The Zoo’s hours change seasonally, and during holidays, so I’ll just post the link here.
- Website? www.stlzoo.org
Visit City Museum
Of all the unique things for kids to do in St. Louis, City Museum may win the prize for being the most unique!
Explaining City Museum is a little difficult, so I’ll just let the description from the website speak for itself.
“Housed in an old shoe factory in Downtown St. Louis, City Museum is an ever-evolving, always-thrilling, artist-built playground full of weirdly wonderful spaces to explore. From a passion project to an indoor, outdoor, underground playground that welcomes adventurous visitors from all over, we had no idea what City Museum would become when we first opened our doors.”
The museum is 600,000 square feet and contains over 29,000 weirdly wonderful and fun artifacts. Click on the website link below the photo, and you’ll see what I mean.

A Few Details
- Where is it? 750 North 16th Street, St. Louis, MO 63103
- Parking?
- City Museum offers secure, well-marked, and lighted car and van parking right outside our door. It’s enclosed by serpents (of course it is) at 16th & Delmar and is always $15. Electronic payments, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express, are all accepted.
- Several off-street commercial lots in the neighborhood offer paid parking, often using the City Museum name. They are not related to the City Museum but are conveniently located near the City Museum.
- Hours? It’s complicated. Here’s the link…
- Website? www.citymuseum.org
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is St. Louis a safe city? St. Louis is like most places – if you use your common sense, you’ll have no issues. Lock up valuables in the trunk of your car. Stay in well-lit areas with lots of other people. If a place looks sketchy, it probably is.
- Can I bring my dog on my St. Louis adventures? You can bring your dog to two of the places mentioned above: Gateway Arch National Park and Union Station. In both places, dogs must be kept leashed at all times and outside.
The Wrap Up – Unique Things to Do in St. Louis With Kids
I love St. Louis! So much to see! So much to do! That’s not just true for adults – it’s also true for children. This post only mentions a few of the top things for your kids to do, but there are more. This may take more than one day!
Have fun!
Related Posts
- Gateway Arch National Park – 11 Unique Things to Do
- The Best Family-Friendly Hotels Near Gateway Arch
The Author
Jeff Powell is the Creator/CEO of National Park Ventures. He and his wife, Mary Ellen, are on a venture to visit every national park in the United States and share what they experience with their readers. Their goal is to help their readers maximize their own national park ventures.
Jeff and Mary Ellen have two sons, two grandkids, and two dogs. They live in the mountains outside Blue Ridge, GA.