10 Things to Do in St Louis with Kids

San Luis is a city where family plans abound throughout the year. That is why I invite you to continue reading this publication in which I tell you some of the things you could do with children to visit this beautiful place.

Keyvis Montilva

Keyvis Montilva

9 min read

10 Things to Do in St Louis with Kids

Children in aquariums | Caroline Hernandez

The things to see and do in San Luis are shaped by the type of tourist that comes to the city as well as their interests. Fortunately, this is a place where plans to do with children are kept interesting during most of the year and attractions for the whole family are present all over the city.

Exactly for that reason I advise you to read this compilation of activities that I have prepared for you. Each and every one of them are places, events or plans that you can enjoy when visiting San Luis. The best thing about them is that you can be sure that they will be entertaining for both you and the little ones at home.

1. A fun treasure hunt all over the city

Treasure hunt| ©Immo Wegmann
Treasure hunt| ©Immo Wegmann

On the other hand, if the idea of solving riddles and using your wits to find a cultured object is something that appeals to you and the little ones at home then you can't miss out on a fun treasure hunt throughout St. Louis. This plan is basically a guided tour through downtown St. Louis where you will have to answer some trivia and solve some challenges to overcome the challenges that will eventually lead you to the final goal.

It is an activity for the whole family and each player decides on an interactive role and the challenges vary according to each person as well as their age and abilities. Without a doubt this is one of the top 61 fun things to do in St. Louis and is something the little ones will always remember if they enjoy role-playing.

Please note that for this activity there is usually a meeting point in the city centre and the total duration is usually two hours. This means that you will have the rest of the day available for more family fun with other tourist activities. Fares are also quite reasonable, usually not more than 12 euros per person.

Book your treasure hunt in St. Louis

2. A visit to the St. Louis Zoo

Child feeding animals| ©Daiga Ellaby
Child feeding animals| ©Daiga Ellaby

One of the best things to do with children in St. Louis all year round is a visit to the St. Louis Zoo. It is an important institution dedicated to the preservation of endangered animals and within the United States it is recognised as one of the leading zoos in the country.

Here you will encounter all kinds of animals from hippos, to camels and even some elephants. This site actually gathers some 17,000 wild animals and usually receives about 3 million visitors annually. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and this means that it belongs to an elite group of institutions worldwide that meet the highest standards in animal care as well as maintaining an educational approach throughout all the existing exhibits.

Admission to this fun family attraction is completely free which is a real peculiarity in the world of zoos in the United States. At the same time, one of the best ways to enjoy this site is to participate in a scavenger hunt through its facilities. This ends up being a significantly inexpensive experience knowing that there is no initial entrance fee to tour this fun site.

3. A bike ride around the city

Night bike ride| ©University of Missouri–St. Louis
Night bike ride| ©University of Missouri–St. Louis

The city of St. Louis is significantly large and it is no secret to anyone that there are families where exercise and sport are one of the best things to share even on a sightseeing trip. In this context, a bike ride along the city's Downtown is one of the best tours you can do in St. Louis.

You have to keep in mind that this kind of experience can come in two forms. One would be a conventional tour in which each person chooses an individual bicycle, either traditional or electric, and follows a pre-established route. This is accompanied by a guide who specialises in the history and architecture of the city.

The second alternative is even more interesting, especially when travelling with children who are approaching adolescence. This is a bicycle tour that is reserved for groups with a maximum of 10 people and basically consists of a vehicle in which the participants are responsible for pedalling to provide electricity to the wheels that move them together in the same vehicle.

This experience is a little more interesting because of the peculiarity of the use of the bicycle as a means of entertainment and also because adults have the possibility of consuming alcoholic drinks if they wish to do so. Although the limitations are usually quite strict and no more than two beers are allowed per participant.

Both options are a good way to incorporate sport and the passion for cycling into a family activity. And especially to tour downtown St. Louis in a more interesting way.

4. A visit to Six Flags San Luis

Batman-ride| ©sixflags.com
Batman-ride| ©sixflags.com

Six Flags is a chain of North American amusement parks that has a presence in different cities of the continent. For your convenience, San Luis is one of the places chosen to have one of these fun and exciting parks. So a visit is something you shouldn't miss if you're looking for fun plans to enjoy with kids in this city.

Here you can enjoy everything from water activities on the Thunder River rapids to flying at breathtaking speeds on the wooden roller coaster known as the Screaming Eagle. This type of park also tends to have a very special atmosphere and your children will have the opportunity to meet their favourite cartoon characters. At least those belonging to the Looney Tunes.

The park itself is located just outside the city of St. Louis and it is therefore appropriate that when you visit it you find an alternative means of transport to take you there and back.

As it is a park in the eastern part of San Luis, it is also a good idea to combine it with a walking tour through the centre-east of the city. This will allow you to get the most out of a single day and get to know two different parts of this interesting community.

Book a tour of East Downtown St Louis

5. An afternoon at the St. Louis Aquarium

Jellyfish| ©stlouisaquarium
Jellyfish| ©stlouisaquarium

The St. Louis Aquarium is quite an interesting place, as it is located in what was once called the Saint Louis Union Station. It was once one of the largest and busiest rail terminals on the planet and played a key role in moving passengers from the east coast to the westernmost part of the United States.

It has now become a sanctuary for more than 13,000 marine animals on grounds that include everything from a carousel to an 18-hole miniature golf course. The educational focus of each of the existing exhibits as well as the large number of attractions that complement the preservation of marine animals stand out in this site. The restaurants, the maze of mirrors and even the Ferris wheel that is located in this tourist complex.

This important building is located in the surroundings of Downtown and for this reason a walking tour through the centre-west of St. Louis can also be a fun activity to complete the scheme of things to do on the day you decide to visit this place. Also, keep in mind that this aquarium is one of the best things to do in St. Louis during the winter due to the fact that it is a safe escape from the cold temperatures that define the city.

Enjoy a tour of downtown and west St. Louis

6. Hours of fun at Magic House

Family fun at Magic House| ©Steven Higgins
Family fun at Magic House| ©Steven Higgins

Children get entertainment quite easily due to the fact that they are very impressionable. In that context, the Magic House in St. Louis specifically is one of the best places to go when looking for a place that offers interactive rooms where you can have fun and educational experiences for people of all ages.

Here you will find a construction zone where children can take on roles as firefighters in a typical fire station or design architectural plans. There is also a miniature village where children can play at being adults by taking on important tasks such as changing the tyres on a wooden car. In addition, they can stock the shelves in a grocery shop or even serve pizza in an imaginary restaurant.

At the Magic House there are also plenty of other child-focused sporting activities such as climbing a three-tiered beanstalk and using a giant kaleidoscope to spin through the air in complete safety. During the summers a dummy beach is set up in the backyard and free family nights are also often available with special early admission.

7. Outdoor rides at Forest Park

Sunset in Forest Park| ©Chris Campbell
Sunset in Forest Park| ©Chris Campbell

If you're thinking about child-friendly and parent-friendly public spaces in St. Louis, Forest Park is a must-see. It has been open to the public since 1876 and in 1904 was the site of the World's Fair. It is actually one of the largest urban parks in the United States and is a historic gem that welcomes some 12 million people a year. It has all kinds of attractions as well as lots of trails that allow you to enjoy nature and bike freely.

Visiting Forest Park is one of the best things to do in St. Louis for Christmas with kids or even on an adult trip because of the fact that it's a fantastically decorated place. You should also know that this place is funded through the Zoo Museum District and this means that admission to the park, the zoo, the art museum, the history museum and the St. Louis Science Center are all free.

Throughout the park you'll find all kinds of sculptures and permanent art exhibits and two places you don't want to miss are the Muny, which is the oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre in the United States and the Jewel Box. The Jewel Box is a rather special greenhouse that is usually filled with magnificent floral displays throughout the year.

8. A visit to the St Louis Science Center

St. Louis Science Center| ©Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons
St. Louis Science Center| ©Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons

The institutions dedicated to the cultural entertainment of the whole family in St. Louis seem inexhaustible and the St. Louis Science Center stands out among them. This place is a place that is aimed at the discovery of nature in an approach that is entertaining for the youngest members of the household as well as those with a more adult understanding.

This centre is packed with interactive exhibits as well as a host of simulators and even has a large life-size mechanised Tyrannosaurus Rex. There are mazes, slides, an exact replica of a dinosaur dig and there is also a veterinary clinic.

Children also have the chance to print 3D objects and even create an action movie and learn screen printing. The St Louis science centre also has a four-level Omnimax Theatre and a flight simulator that will allow them to jump into the void as if they were on a parachute flight.

There is also a planetarium, various educational facilities and even a whole department dedicated to learning about the marine world. The sum of all the facilities makes this an excellent activity for children's entertainment on a trip to the city of St. Louis.

9. More nature fun at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden| ©Reading Tom
Missouri Botanical Garden| ©Reading Tom

The Missouri Bot anical Garden in St. Louis is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States and is a national benchmark when it comes to landscape architecture, greenhouses and conservatories dedicated to biological diversity.

When you visit, you'll find botanical plants native to the continent as well as greenhouses designed to offer a true rainforest experience in the middle of the American countryside.

The entire park is a fun place for the whole family. However, the Children's Garden stands out among all the facilities as a much more interactive place for the little ones in the house. That's why it's a place you shouldn't miss when visiting this place in St. Louis.

10. Family time at Grants Farm

Woman taking a picture with an animal| ©awesome_sauce
Woman taking a picture with an animal| ©awesome_sauce

Grants Farm is located in the southeastern suburbs of St. Louis. This site has been the historic home of the Busch family since 1903 and over the decades has become an iconic destination in the city where people of all ages have the opportunity to have direct interactions with nature, animals and the history of this community.

The site is made even more convenient by the fact that admission is open every day of the year and the 281-acre property has more than 100 animals on constant display for all families who wish to tour the farm.

The site is also one of the best things to do in St. Louis at night, or at least during the summer, as there are often festive evenings focused on providing entertainment for the whole family during the hottest time of the year.