How to Bookend Your Visit to the Gateway Arch

Get a new perspective of St. Louis’ working riverfront aboard the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch. The Tom Sawyer, a 19th-century replica, transports guests to a time when steamboats ruled the river, and cruises are narrated by captains from the National Park Service, who bring the history of the Mighty Mississippi to life. Whether you choose a one-hour day cruise or a two-hour dinner cruise, you’ll learn about the river’s role in the country’s history as well as its impact on St. Louis’ economy to this day.

City Museum is difficult to describe; it’s best to just go. Housed in a 600,000-square-foot former shoe company warehouse, the unique attraction is as much a playground as it is a museum, and you’re never too old to have a good time. Exhibits consist largely of repurposed architectural and industrial objects, from colorful tiles to safety deposit boxes to stainless steel buffet pans. This is a truly immersive experience, where you can climb into a bow whale’s mouth, rocket down a 10-story slide and drive a bus off the roof. How serious is City Museum about exploring? The gift shop sells knee pads – which aren’t a bad idea.

Once one of the largest and busiest passenger rail terminals in the world, St. Louis Union Station is now a wellspring of family-friendly activity. Anchored by the St. Louis Aquarium, it also boasts a ropes course, a mirror maze, a miniature golf course, a selfie experience, a classic carousel and the St. Louis Wheel, which will be joined by three new amusement rides next year. While you’re here, catch a light show in the Grand Hall, share a Freak Shake at The Soda Fountain and make a new friend at Build-A-Bear Workshop, too!

Whether your visit coincides with a game or not, you can get your baseball fix at the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum. The outstanding attraction invites you to learn about the birth of the franchise, relive memorable moments across 143 seasons and interact with engaging exhibits featuring authentic bats, stadium models and more. In the broadcast booth, you can also call unforgettable plays that took place on the diamond alongside the greatest broadcasters in team history.

An artsy stretch of the Gateway Mall, which runs east to west between Market and Chestnut streets in downtown St. Louis, Citygarden overflows with arresting sculptures, lush plant life and dancing fountains. This year, the urban park debuted three new sculptures: White Ghost (2010) by Yoshitomo Nara, Mechanical Planet (2017) by Jan Kalab and All Power to All People (2021) by Hank Willis Thomas. Enjoy the art as you stretch your legs, and if you get too hot, you can cool off in the 180-foot-long shallow pool that boasts a six-foot-tall waterfall.

During the Great Migration from 1910 to 1970, more than six million Black Americans moved from the rural South to the urban Northeast, Midwest and West. Blues musicians followed the movement upriver from the Mississippi Delta, and in time, they established a unique St. Louis sound. The National Blues Museum explores the history of the blues and celebrates the genre as the foundation of all modern American music. Featuring artifact-driven exhibits and high-impact, technology-driven experiences, the museum has a cool factor for kids and adults alike. During your visit, you’ll even have the opportunity to write your own blues song and add a guitar track – no strumming skills required. On select evenings throughout the year, the National Blues Museum also hosts live performances that attract music lovers from near and far.

Besides the glorious collection of books that it holds, the St. Louis Public Library – Central Library offers unparalleled beauty through a masterful blend of classical and modern architectural styles. Built in 1912, the flagship spans an entire city block, standing proudly as a monument to the past and a cultural beacon for the future. Throughout the year, the library hosts art exhibitions and other events, and on Mondays and Saturdays, it leads architectural tours that focus on exquisite examples of both Beaux-Arts and Neoclassical architecture at the library.

Powered by fiddles, guitars and drums, The Honky Tonk keeps the good times rolling in downtown St. Louis all weekend long. The Nashville-style venue is dedicated to live country music, hosting local and regional bands from Thursday through Sunday. Whether you’re in town for a baseball game at Busch Stadium, a concert at Enterprise Center or a convention at America’s Center Convention Complex, your trip won’t be complete without a stop at The Honky Tonk. “If you like country music, you’ll love The Honky Tonk,” co-owner Ryan Binkley says. “If you don’t like country music, you’ll love the people-watching.”

Built in 1851 as the first house in the elegant Lucas Place neighborhood, the Campbell House Museum is a pristine time capsule that enlivens the history of St. Louis and Westward Expansion through the story of the Campbell family and their home. Renowned fur trader and entrepreneur Robert Campbell and various members of his family lived in the house from 1854 to 1938, and today, the museum still contains hundreds of their original possessions, including furniture, fixtures, paintings, clothing, family documents, carriages and a unique set of interior photographs taken in the mid-1880s when the house was the center of St. Louis society. In 1977, the Campbell House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2005, the Campbell House Museum completed a meticulous, five-year restoration, returning the building to its opulent appearance.

We’ll spare you the bowling puns and get straight to the point: Flamingo Bowl is fun at any age. The bowling mecca features Art Deco décor, colorful designs and a vibrant atmosphere. The lounge also serves late-night eats such as toasted ravioli, pretzel bites, tacos and pizza to keep everyone in your group happy.

Framed by four iconic Walker Hancock sculptures, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum honors local military service members, veterans and their families. Hidden in plain sight in downtown St. Louis, the state-of-the-art museum has been operated by the Missouri Historical Society since November 2015. With every exhibition, curator Mikall Venso aims to put artifacts into context, illuminating their deeper meanings for visitors. Admission is always free, and exhibitions change over time.

Start your day St. Louis-style, with piping hot coffee and a side of gooey butter cake. Less than a 10-minute walk from the Gateway Arch, the Park Avenue location at 6th and Olive streets makes the famous dessert from scratch in flavors such as turtle, triple chocolate, white chocolate-raspberry and Mom’s Traditional – where it all started.

Wake up with Rooster. The local breakfast chain doles out Nutella crêpes, chocolate chip pancakes and stuffed French toast, which will satisfy your sweet tooth, or you can take your fork and knife to one of Rooster’s slingers. Inexplicably linked to St. Louis, the slinger is an amalgamation of potato, egg, chili, cheese and protein quite literally slung together on a plate. As breakfast cooks, see who at your table can draw roosters fitting for the walls of this eatery.

Dancing queens, Tin Roof plays the music that you need to bust a move! In the main room, live performances include country hits, classic rock and emo songs, while a DJ controls the dance floor in the back with hip-hop, R&B and house tracks. The lauded live music joint has become a brunch destination, too! Exceeding expectations, the menu goes beyond bar food, featuring the Kentucky Hash Brown (hashbrowns, honey-roasted turkey, tomato, spicy cheese sauce, bacon bits and tobacco onions) and the Chonky Donkey (a Cali-style burrito with steak, spiced tater tots, guacamole, crema, tomato, pickled jalapeños, queso and Monterey Jack). The pièce de resistance, however, is the Chicken and Donuts, which combines buttermilk fried chicken, old-fashioned donuts, syrup, pecan butter and peach jam.

The chef-driven ’cue at Sugarfire Smoke House plucks the best traditions out of U.S. cities to create St. Louis-style barbecue that’s all its own. Alongside the classics, you’ll find spicy andouille, smoked portabella, fried artichokes and cheese curds. The award-winning restaurant is also famous for its meaty mashups that defy logic – and gravity!

Burgers are the name of the game at Hi-Pointe Drive-In. Using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, chef-owner Mike Johnson adds his flair to dishes such as The Taco Burger piled with Cool Ranch Doritos, Chili Cheese Fritos, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, avocado ranch and sauce from Mission Taco Joint. Traveling with little ones? The kid’s menu isn’t as creative, but it satisfies with burger sliders, chicken nuggets, grilled cheese and mac ‘n’ cheese with cut-up hot dogs.

Herbivores and carnivores alike love Sen Thai on Washington Avenue. The Asian bistro has mastered both Thai and Japanese staples, and highlights of the menu include tom yum, Hamachi tataki, pad Thai and choo chee, a rich curry made from mature red Thai chiles and stir-fried with coconut cream, bell peppers, green peas and carrots. Allergen-free dishes abound here, and everything pairs well with curated cocktails such as the Lychee Martini and Plum Blossom.

Did you hear about Sauce on the Side? It folded. Now it only serves calzones. Don’t worry – you don’t have to find dad jokes funny to enjoy a repast at this local restaurant chain. Travel Channel’s Food Paradise featured the Cock-A-Doodle Noodle calzone stuffed with mac ‘n’ cheese, roasted chicken, applewood bacon, Provel, mozzarella, green onion, garlic oil and Buffalo butter, but there are options for everyone.

Coming straight outta the 80s, Hot Pizza Cold Beer is a family-friendly pizza joint, complete with arcade games for endless entertainment. Whether you order slices or pies, the East Coast-style thin-crust pizza is the main draw. Chef-owner Mike Johnson orders the flour, tomato sauce and cheese from Italy, and if he had to choose, he would pick the Canadian Tuxedo with Canadian bacon, caramelized pineapple and hot maple syrup every time. The downtown restaurant also boasts retro menu items, including housemade pizza rolls.

A wellspring of food, drinks and entertainment, Ballpark Village is a vibe. When hunger strikes, share a spread of cannellini bean dip, artichoke toasted ravioli, Neapolitan meatballs and eggplant Parmigiano at Katie’s Pizza and Pasta Osteria or dig into a plate of pulled pork and brisket served with a Cheddar-bacon popover and two sides at Salt + Smoke. You can also build your own tacos at Condado Tacos and wash them down with tequila-infused cocktails. The good times continue into the wee hours at on-site watering holes such as Budweiser Brew House and Sports & Social.

A pint away from the Gateway Arch, 4 Hands Brewing Co. has one of St. Louis’ favorite tasting rooms. Set in a 20,000-square-foot facility in the LaSalle Park neighborhood, the tasting room has industrial chic décor, with exposed brick and classic arcade games lining the walls. Touted as “the beer we drink, and the people we serve,” City Wide is an American pale ale that benefits the community. The brewery’s other core beers include Single Speed, an American blonde ale; Divided Sky, a rye IPA; and Full Life, a beer-flavored lager – if you know what we mean.

At Clark & Bourbon, modern flair elevates Midwest dining. A dynamic steakhouse – that dabbles in brunch – it’s known for its high-end cuts of meat, ranging from a 12-ounce filet mignon to Duroc bone-in pork chops to a rack of lamb served with charred mint chimichurri. Recently, executive chef Steven Hall introduced a 22-day wet-aged whiskey rib eye, which has received rave reviews. Before you dig into your entrées, share a starter – or two – such as chicken fried lobster tails, lamb empanadas and hummus topped with marinated tri-tip. Then finish on a sweet note with a piece of housemade gooey butter cake, which comes with bourbon ice cream and candied pecans.

360 St. Louis – and the sophisticated socialites that it attracts – sits atop the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark. Here, the elevated snacks and top-shelf sips come with a stunning backdrop. Enjoy lobster arancini, beef skewers and Brussels sprouts drizzled with truffle Thai dressing alongside unique views of the Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium and beyond. Thirsty? Cocktails change with the season, but past highlights include Red Rum Crush with Jamaican rum, Campari, raspberry, grapefruit and lime and Featherlike with tequila reposado, tequila blanco, pineapple, banana, honey and lime.

Warm earth tones, beautiful tile, wood accents and round arches set the scene at Idol Wolf, where you can savor the flavors of different regions of Spain. Located inside 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis, the bustling restaurant specializes in tapas such as patatas bravas, corn gazpacho, croquetas de jamón and gambas al ajillo. Sharing a plethora of small plates is a playful way to eat, but Idol Wolf also has large dishes, including seafood paella and market steak.

Difficult to say but easy to love, Schlafly is a craft beer pioneer in the city with the country’s best beer scene. Although meticulous about consistency, the brewery is in a constant state of exploration, and its repertoire of more than 60 styles of beer ranges from classic to experimental. Enjoy pale ale, oatmeal stout, raspberry hefeweizen, Mexican lager and more at the historic Schlafly Tap Room in Downtown West. The company also distributes beer in 17 states, if you want to stock your fridge.

Quiet corners, low lighting and an air of mystique make Thaxton Speakeasy an alluring option for a late-night drink after your visit to the Gateway Arch. Among the swanky décor, indulge in luscious libations such as A Sunday Kind of Love (Champagne, elderflower liqueur, lemon shrub, yuzu bitters, Elemakule Tiki Bitters) or Beyond the Pleasure Principle (vodka, pear syrup, lemon, elderflower liqueur, scorched rosemary). Note: To enter the underground cocktail lounge, you’ll need the password.

Boasting a New Orleans-style atmosphere, Broadway Oyster Bar serves freshly shucked oysters alongside gloriously funky beats. Regional and national acts play seven nights a week, filling the beloved haunt with the sounds of blues, roots, reggae, rock and R&B. If you’re hungry for more than oysters, try the gumbo. This version features andouille, chicken and seafood, and some locals say that it’s the best in town.

Arcade meet bar. At Start Bar, pinball machines, throwback tunes, hand-tossed pizzas and 64-ounce boozy slushies converge for an epic experience.