No matter your age, interests or budget, you’ll find something fun to do in St. Louis this weekend.
Traversing St. Louis, Route 66 changed course a few times, so there are multiple roads that you can cruise. Purists will want to travel all of them!
In 2026, the Mother Road will turn 100, and there’s no time like the present to plan your celebratory journey.
As you make your way along the route(s), there are a few must-see places that have maintained their Americana character. If you combine those attractions with new destinations in diverse neighborhoods down the road, you’ll need to dedicate three days to your St. Louis pit stop.
Visit the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which spans the Mighty Mississippi on the north edge of St. Louis. This was the original Mississippi River crossing on Route 66, and although cars no longer run across it, you can! The one-mile-long pedestrian bridge has a dramatic 22-degree bend at the middle of the crossing, and it ends at a brand-new park on the Missouri side.
From the striped awning and wooden booths to the soda fountain and candy case, not much has changed at this family-owned and -operated restaurant since it opened in 1913. Stop by the beloved landmark for a Heart-Stopping BLT and chocolate malt.
No trip to St. Louis is complete without a visit to the Gateway Arch. Standing at 630 feet, it’s the tallest monument in the U.S. and a gleaming symbol of the country’s collective wanderlust. Take a tram ride to the top for panoramic views of the surrounding area. From this vantage point, you can see thousands of motorists below, following the route of the pioneers.
New to Route 66 – and a fitting addition – this nonprofit museum preserves our neon history. Vintage signs and contemporary sculptures illuminate the unique space, which continues to evolve as pieces come and go. The electrified attraction is currently open four nights a month – plan accordingly.
In its heyday, Route 66 was packed with down-on-their-luck dreamers in search of better lives, but well-heeled wanderers traveled the motorway, too – and they stayed at The Chase.
Nestled in Forest Park, this free attraction is housed in the first national monument to Thomas Jefferson, which was constructed with proceeds from the 1904 World’s Fair and dedicated in 1913. Exploring the storied history of St. Louis, the museum’s exhibits occasionally change, but they’re always well done.
Dating back to 1922, Hi-Pointe Theatre entertained long-distance drivers with classics such as Ben Hur, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Birds, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Rosemary’s Baby. Today, the two-screen movie theater mixes new releases and timeless films for a one-of-a-kind viewing experience. At this stop, you can also snap a photo of the world’s largest Amoco sign – and a symbol of St. Louis – next door.
In Maplewood, every day feels like Small Business Saturday. Walking through the historic downtown, you’ll find everything from locally made crafts to artisan chocolates and independent bookstores to internationally recognized breweries. While you explore, look for plaques along the 7200 and 7300 blocks of Manchester Avenue that pay tribute to the businesses that served travelers along Route 66 from 1926 to 1932. Ranging from a bank to a hardware store to a bowling alley, the seven businesses are still family-owned and -operated.
Originally a service station that opened in 1918, this building was converted into a summertime hot dog stand before it became a sought-after greasy spoon in 1959. Today, hungry customers from near and far vie for one of the 16 stools at Carl’s Drive-In, where only cash will buy griddle-smashed double cheeseburgers, flaky fish fillet sandwiches, old-school Frito pie and crunchy onion rings. Wash it all down with housemade root beer, which comes in gigantic glass mugs!
Tucked into a red-and-white-striped building, this no-frills tavern has served juicy burgers, housemade onion rings and cold beers to countless families for more than 100 years.
If you’re looking for modern-day entertainment along Route 66, hit the brakes at Amp Up Action Park, which guarantees fun at every turn. Zip around a custom-built track in the most technologically advanced indoor kart in the world and complete a heart-pounding adventure in the three-level, black light-lit laser tag arena. There’s also an elevated ropes course, axe throwing, arcade games and pickleball. Play as you go or purchase a two-hour pass, and when you get hungry, stop by the Filling Station Cafe or Trackside Tavern for bar bites, pizza, sweet treats and more.
Established in 1929, this is one of the last remaining restaurants from the dawn of the road. Enjoy a garden-to-table meal complete with fried green beans, smoked brisket chili, a black bean burger and chicken pot pie.
In between the old and the new Route 66, you’ll find the National Museum of Transportation. Encompassing more than 190 major exhibits, it has one of the largest and best collections of transportation vehicles in the world. Can you think of a more fitting pit stop for a road trip? Check out the Union Pacific #4006 – known as “Big Boy,” it’s the largest successful steam locomotive ever built. Ooh and aah at a 1901 automobile – built by the St. Louis Motor Carriage Co., it’s the oldest of only nine such cars still in existence. And marvel at Virgin Hyperloop’s Pegasus pod, which can transport cargo – and eventually people – at airline speeds with zero direct emissions.
French crullers, Long Johns, glazed twists – these are the best donuts on Route 66.
An irresistible icon along the original Route 66, Ted Drewes has served hot fudge sundaes, ice cream sodas and creamy “concretes” for more than 90 years. Created in 1959, the concrete is a malt or shake so thick that it’s served upside down! Don’t miss this landmark custard stand along your journey. Oh, and pick us up the Cardinal Sin – a concrete with tart cherries and hot fudge – would you?
Cherished by classic car enthusiasts, who can park in the original carports, this retro roadside property was built in 1940 across from the spot where the infamous Coral Court Motel once stood.
Want to drive something different along the original Route 66? Victory Raceway has electric go-karts that reach speeds up to 45 miles per hour on the indoor racetrack. There are no two-seaters, so everyone can get behind the wheel.
Let’s roll! Old-school fun awaits at this 24-lane bowling alley, which opened along Route 66 in 1958. More than 50 years later, the original neon sign was restored through a National Park Service grant – that alone is worth a stop.
Give your trip an artsy twist. At Laumeier Sculpture Park, you can enjoy more than 60 sculptures al fresco. Meandering along the walking trail through the 105-acre, open-air museum and sculpture park, which opened in 1976, get up close and personal with a huge eyeball, a larger-than-life deer and a pile of massive, crumpled cylinders. Laumeier Sculpture Park also offers rotating exhibitions for a consistently fresh experience. Like so many of the magical places in St. Louis, it’s free and open to the public.
Heading west along I-44, the modern-day replacement for Route 66, you’ll pass a number of attractions that the first motorists wouldn’t have been able to enjoy, but you can! Founded in 1977, the World Bird Sanctuary aims to protect and preserve all manner of winged friends through conservation, rehabilitation, education and advocacy. The sanctuary encompasses more than 305 acres and houses more than 200 birds, offering a one-of-a-kind wildlife experience. Meet a proud eagle, talk to a colorful parrot, encounter an emu and learn to appreciate vultures. If you plan ahead, you can also join a guided tour.
On the same wild detour as the World Bird Sanctuary, Lone Elk Park offers forested hills and frequent wildlife sightings. Drive through the 546-acre wildlife management area for up-close encounters with white-tailed deer, elk, bison, wild turkey, waterfowl and more animals in their natural habitat. If you want to stretch your legs, you can also follow the White Bison Trail, a three-mile loop with twists and climbs.
Arguably the best-kept secret in the St. Louis area, the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka aims to help save and protect wild canids by reintroducing Mexican wolves and American red wolves – the two most endangered wolves in the world – into the wild. Want to see the wolves for yourself? The Endangered Wolf Center offers a variety of daytime tours as well as nighttime howls. Education coordinator Jimmy Parsons can imitate each howl, and you might be lucky enough to hear the wolves howl back while learning more about wolf communication. Visiting the center, you’ll also meet other species of canids, including South American maned wolves, African painted dogs, fennec foxes, arctic foxes, swift foxes and a melanistic red fox named Cooper.
Walk back in time at Route 66 State Park. The park’s visitor center – a former Route 66 roadhouse – teems with memorabilia, road signs and vintage photographs, while the gift shop stocks themed collectibles, clothing and souvenirs. The state park also boasts seven miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. Giddy up!
Small, family-friendly amusement parks were staples along Route 66. Today, I-44 leads you to Six Flags St. Louis, which has modernized that brand of fun. Located in Eureka, the amusement park boasts nine exhilarating rollercoasters (six steel and three wooden) with more than 22,000 feet of combined track, and it continues to add attractions, appealing to thrill-seekers of all ages. Need to cool off? Head to Hurricane Harbor, a waterpark inside Six Flags St. Louis, where you can experience zero gravity on the Typhoon Twister, compete for first place on the Wahoo Racer and set sail on Gulley Washer Creek.
If you’ve previously driven Route 66, you might recall the plethora of billboards that lure travelers to Meramec Caverns. The famous cave – and the billboards – are still there, and we encourage you to journey underground to see the astounding formations, including glistening stalactites, magnificent stalagmites, an ancient “wine table” and a seven-story “mansion,” at the oldest tourist attraction on Route 66. The buried oasis is a cool 60 degrees year-round, and you can supplement the spectacular experience with ziplining or a scenic excursion on the Meramec River aboard a canopy-topped riverboat.
