St. Louis ranks among the most affordable cities to live in America, which means a trip there with kids can be more affordable as well. We found so many fun, affordable family activities and have already been back twice! The awesome science center, the large St Louis Zoo, an Art Museum, and Forrest Park are all FREE! Read ahead for our itinerary and more recommendations.
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Top Quality and Free Zoo
My kids and I always love a good zoo, and the St. Louis Zoo is free; you can’t get more affordable than that. This is not a small zoo; it has over 600 different species. My favorite was the hippopotamuses, as this was the first time I’ve seen them! The blog ZooWithUs ranks this as the top hippo enclosure in America! The kids and I also loved the elephants, baby cheetahs, red pandas, tigers, and more. The food at the zoo was priced as expected for an entertainment venue and was of better-than-average quality. The playground is above average and features numerous areas for kids to climb, all centered around a massive treehouse structure.
The St. Louis Zoo is housed in Forrest Park. There is a reasonable parking fee, and the zoo offers several additional paid activities. This includes the sting ray/shark touch tank and the zoo train. Once you buy the train ticket, you get unlimited hop-on/hop-off access for the day. They also have special behind-the-scenes encounters if you are looking to splurge. These costs range from $40 to $125 per person. They have various minimum ages, ranging from 5 to 12 years.
Amazing Free Science Center in St Louis
Just across from Forrest Park is the St Louis Science Center, which has no admission fee! They have something for everyone. We had no problem spending the whole day here with a 6 and 8-year-old, and we didn’t even see everything. My husband’s favorite was GameXploration, which featured a variety of games, including 10-person foosball, vertical-wall chess, 360-degree ping-pong, and video games. My kids loved the “Dream it. Build it.” exhibit, which featured architectural information and bins of Keva Planks. I liked the structures area, which featured interactive displays on engineering and bridges. They also have a Makerspace for crafts, a whole section on the physics of roller coasters, and we all loved the science demonstration on states of matter featuring liquid nitrogen. We watched a rubber band shatter and a real cloud form before our eyes.
The center features a few paid sections, including the planetarium, but tickets are affordable at only $5 for kids and $6 for adults for a 45-minute show. We were too busy with the exhibits to visit the OMNIMAX theater, but tickets were reasonable at $9-$12 per person. There is a cafe there with food prices as expected for an entertainment facility. Finally, they do charge $15 for parking.
Forrest Park and More Free Activities
Forrest Park is just minutes from downtown St Louis and is over 1,300 acres of urban habitat. It houses the St Louis Zoo and so much more. One of our favorite parts was the 17-acre Ann O’C. Albrechy “experiential play space.” Designed for kids of all ages to jump, climb, dig, and play in nature. It has water pumps, downed trees, and plenty of rocks. I wish we had time to explore more of the park, such as The Cascades, Hammock Park, or Picnic Island.
There is a 6-mile trail that mostly encircles the park, along with numerous other trails and areas to explore. Stop at the Visitor Center for more information. The St Louis Art Museum, which is also free, is in Forrest Park.
The City Museum-Don’t Skip this Place!
The City Museum is my top recommendation for St. Louis. It is a unique blend of a playground, an art museum, and an aquarium. We love climbing, sliding, crawling, building, and exploring within this maze-like museum. I have a dedicated post here on my top tips for visiting the St Louis City Museum.
How do I even start to explain how awesome the place is? There is no single map for the museum because its sections are so interconnected. Walk up the curving stairs (or climb through the wire tunnels) to the aquarium, where you can discover the inner multi-level manmade cave system. Then take the 5-story slide down the center before popping out by their new section, the labyrinth. Climb through the whale and get lost in the tree house. Head outside for an open feeling, with tunnels of wire that lead you up to old airplanes suspended in the air. Don’t forget to check out the praying mantis on the roof and sit behind the wheel of the school bus hanging off the 12th-story building!
Some History with a View
The St. Louis Arch is perhaps the city’s best-known landmark and is worth spending some time at. This 630-foot arch symbolizes the gateway to the west. It is a National Park and has a Junior Ranger program for little learners to get more involved. There is an educational center at the base to explore while awaiting your turn for the tram that takes you up the arch. From the top, you can peek out the windows and see both the city and the Mississippi River. There is an entrance fee ($10-$20 per person), even if you already have a National Parks pass, and visits are timed, so make your reservations in advance. You can combine it with a Riverboat tour for an additional fee.
More Museums
We recently taught our kids Chess, and so a trip to the FREE chess museum was a great and affordable way to spend some time in St. Louis. It exceeded our expectations. For chess lovers, there are lots of boards to try your hand at, both traditional and obscure. Even for kids who haven’t learned the game yet, the kids’ area was impressive. Lots of crafting supplies, toys, and tons of logic-type games that are quick to learn and fun to play.
The Magic House is the name of the Children’s Museum in St Louis. We haven’t had a chance to review this yet, but it appears to have excellent exhibits. If you are at the age when your kids love children’s museums, this is likely worth a stop. Admission is $15 per person for adults and children; infants under 1 year are free.
The National Museum of Transportation is in St. Louis and asks for a $7 donation for admission. There is a dedicated children’s room for kids 5 years and under. The museum features trains, cars, boats, planes, and more.
Farms near St Louis
There are several tourist farms close to downtown St. Louis. We went to Grant’s Farm and had a lot of fun. We were there during Halloween, and they had the place decorated to the hilt, including a tram ride that the headless horseman visited. There are a variety of seasonal activities throughout the year. My favorite part was bottle-feeding the baby goats, which is available year-round. They also offered camel rides, a carousel, a parakeet aviary, and food to feed a variety of cows and alpacas. The farm is free to visit most days, but there is an admission fee for special events such as the Halloween fest we attended. Plus, there are lots of add-on activities that can add up if you aren’t paying attention. They have a food stand with plenty of options. During the day, you can visit the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales.
We considered going to Brookedale Farms as well, but ultimately ran out of time. This far is a bit farther from the city, close to 40 minutes. It has TONS of seasonal activities, including summer camp adventures, fall bonfire nights, and special Santa meet-and-greets. There is a basic admission, and then options for add-ons.
Escape Rooms
My husband and I love Escape Rooms, but in St Louis, we found a great one for the whole family. It is called Adventures of Intrigue and is a family-run small business. I would describe it as an open concept escape room. You pick your quest, with difficulty levels from kid-friendly up to challenging for experienced puzzlers. Then, you and your private group wind through all the different rooms searching out clues for your own puzzle. Our kids loved it so much that we ended up doing a second one right after our first. It was fun to see their excitement. I would have loved to return for the more challenging puzzles with my husband, but we didn’t have the chance this trip.
There are plenty of more traditional escape rooms in St. Louis as well. My husband and I tried Escape the Room St. Louis, which had phenomenal reviews, but we felt the hints weren’t executed super well and would probably try a different place next time.
Union Station in St. Louis
Union Station is one of the most visited attractions in St. Louis. This renovated train station is centrally located and packed with different activities. They have an aquarium, ropes course, mini golf, selfie museum, mirror maze, a large Ferris wheel, a small amusement park, and more. There are plenty of dining options with train themes as well. They have a free light show, but most other activities cost. We haven’t been yet, partly because I have the feeling the costs will add up quickly. The all-day pass price varies by season, ranging from approximately $45 to $80 per person. It may not be the most affordable thing to do with kids in St. Louis, but there is certainly fun to be had there.
Lodging in St. Louis
My all-time favorite affordable hotel chain, Drury, is a family-owned hotel chain based in St. Louis. Why is it my favorite? It is a budget hotel with larger-than-average rooms, a better-than-average continental breakfast, and the only place I’ve seen that offers a continental dinner. They call it the 5:30 kickback: three drinks per adult plus a full meal for everyone staying! Most of the hotels also have pools, many of which are indoor/outdoor.
We ended up with an Airbnb last time since my mother-in-law joined us. We picked a small townhouse in the Grove District, an up-and-coming area with plenty of tasty restaurants within walking distance. It was simple and affordable, had plenty of room for the kids, and was close to downtown St. Louis. I also looked at places along Delmar Street, which had many restaurants.
Similarly, I would look at the Grove and Delmar Loop for food options. We heard great things about The Fountain on Locust, but haven’t had a chance to visit yet. They advertise retro vibes with witty banter.
Concluding Thoughts on an Affordable Family Trip to St. Louis
We inadvertently stopped in St. Louis on our way back from a road trip and have since returned twice more. There are so many great and affordable things to do with the family. My kids LOVE going to the City Museum and look forward to it more than anything else. I can’t wait to go back.