St. Louis Attractions

If you could take Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory and throw out all the candy, I feel like you would get something resembling the City Museum. In all seriousness though, it’s basically just like a huge playground, spanning some four floors and filled with slides, metal-wire tubes, skating ramps, ball pits, and tunnels. It’s hard to understand how big it is until you actually visit.

For a kid, the City Museum would basically be a dream come true. For an adult, the appeal may fade quickly. It may not be worth more than one visit, as the cost of admission is a bit pricey ($14 plus tax, $10 parking), but it is definitely worth going to at least once. The atmosphere there is always amazing as there are usually a lot of families. It’s a very energetic and wholesome environment. It’s like a cultural institution at this point — if you want to start to figure out what St. Louis is about, this isn’t a bad place to start!

Whenever you need a break from the library, you can walk literally one block to one of the best attractions in St. Louis: Forest Park. Even bigger than New York’s Central Park, Forest Park has miles and miles of trails, a golf course, and a FREE history museum, art museum, and zoo. It’s the perfect place to run, people-watch, or just take a mental health break. There are also countless events in the park all year round — one snowy day I was walking and actually stumbled across a giant ice-skating rink. How magical is that?! We are really lucky that our school is right across the street from such a unique and beautiful resource.

My first exposure to the Botanical Garden was during Second Look Weekend. The event was catered with an open bar, so it was super nice getting to walk around and look at all of the flora with a beverage in hand. Since settling down in St. Louis, I have revisited the Garden on several occasions. It is one of the nation’s oldest botanical gardens and the second biggest in North America (behind only the New York Botanical Garden). Not only is it a great spectacle for the eyes, but the Botanical Garden also does extensive work in the realms of research and science education. With nearly 80 acres of horticultural display and a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, you can easily find yourself spending hours in a peaceful and meditative trance. Best of all, admission into the Garden is completely free on Wednesdays and Saturday mornings!

The Missouri History Museum is one of the reasons why I chose to come to WUSM. The museum is conveniently located at the top of Forest Park right off the Forest Park/DeBaliviere Metro stop, and it’s free, so there’s really no excuse not to go at some point! I went to the museum after Second Look and ended up seeing an exhibit that detailed the civil rights movement in St. Louis and the lasting effects it has had on the city. After learning more about the rich and complicated history of St. Louis, I realized it would be an amazing place to go to medical school, as it is a city where med students really can make a difference in the community, and it is a place where we can learn so many valuable lessons from the residents of St. Louis themselves. The museum also hosts several events throughout the year, so it’s always fun to check it out on special occasions!

The Saint Louis Zoo is one of the many gems of Forest Park! Not only has it won national awards (consistently ranking in America’s top 10 zoos), but it also is completely free! And it’s only 2.5 miles away from WUSM, so you can easily stop by while strolling/running in the park. There is so much to see, but my favorite exhibits include the prairie dogs, sea lions, hippos, and orangutans. Definitely one of my favorite things in St. Louis!

Easily overlooked, though it overlooks one of the best sledding hills in the city (Art Hill), the Saint Louis Art Museum is an excellent way to spend a steamy St. Louis afternoon in A/C or to impress your parents with the cultural merits of the Gateway to the West. Like all good things, admission is free. While the unique rotating exhibits require a reasonably priced membership, the museum is full of timeless pieces from every era from Baroque to Modern. There’s plenty to love for the history buffs too. As an added plus, there are frequent special events and shows on Art Hill, from movies to the famous Balloon Glow.

St. Louis is definitely a baseball city, and we love our Cardinals! A summer night under the stars relaxing and watching some baseball is a great way to spend an evening. Plus, tickets can be very cheap! You can easily get many of them for under $10 on StubHub or from other Cardinals promotions. Plus, they give away free prizes at many of their games. Go grab a Card’s shirt at Goodwill and get yourself some tickets!