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St. Louis Family Getaway: Where to Stay, Eat, and Play

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St. Louis is a fantastic destination for a family getaway.

There are so many incredible places to stay and eat as well as fun things to do with kids in St. Louis.

This city boasts an abundance of family attractions, making it challenging to experience everything in a single getaway.

For that reason, I created what I would call “the best” of St. Louis for your family getaway to this vibrant city.

Every place and attraction mentioned here caters to families with kids of various ages, offering something enjoyable for everyone.

Check out the best places to stay, eat, and play on your St. Louis family vacation.

Best Place to Stay in St. Louis

My favorite hotel in St. Louis is the Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch.

This hotel has so many great amenities plus its location cannot be beat!

Check out the reasons why I LOVE this hotel.

1. Proximity to the Arch. You can walk out the lobby doors and be on the grounds of the Arch in less than a minute. This is awesome!

2. Clean and spacious suites. We stayed in a two room suite and had a good amount of room for our family of 6.

3. Delicious complimentary breakfast each morning of your stay.

4. Complimentary evening light dinner and snacks included

5. Eighth floor pool with two hot tubs plus an outdoor observation deck with a view of the Arch.

LEARN MORE: Top 5 Reasons to Stay at the Drury Plaza Hotel at the Arch

Most Unique Museum in St. Louis

The City Museum in St. Louis is a unique and entertaining place to take kids on your St. Louis family getaway.

This museum is truly incredible!

Below are some highlights and details about the City Museum.

  • Located in an old warehouse
  • Indoor and outdoor playground made up of old architectural and industrial items
  • Climb and crawl through tunnels, an enormous cave system, an enchanted forest, and more
  • Lots of slides including one that is 10 stories tall
  • Other highlights include an aquarium exhibit, ball pit, ferris wheel ride on the roof*, old aircraft fuselages, castle turrets, fire engine, and my two year old’s favorite, a school bus on the roof.*

I recommend planning on spending at least a half of a day at the City Museum if not a full one.

There are a few different places to eat and drink on each floor of the museum so you can take a break for lunch and then continue on exploring the City Museum in the afternoon.

Parking is $10 in a gated lot across the street.

DISCOVER MORE: Exploring the St. Louis City Museum: Ultimate Guide

Expert Tip

Consider writing your phone number on each kids’ wristbands before exploring the tunnels and vast cave system at the City Museum. It is a proactive measure to take in case they get separated in the excitement of it all.

*The rooftop costs $8 extra

Some of the outdoor attractions at the City Museum located in St. Louis, Missouri.

Best Children’s Museum

Another one of our favorite places to take kids in the St. Louis area is The Magic House.

It is a phenomenal children’s museum that can also keep your kids busy and engaged for a large portion of the day.

The Magic House offers endless hands-on learning opportunities and tons of chances for imaginative play.

My four boys ages 0-8 all love The Magic House.

Our favorite exhibits at the Magic House include:

  • Children’s Village It is a make-believe town where kids can pretend to do various jobs and careers such as mechanic, librarian, doctor or nurse, waiter or waitress, mail-person, ice cream truck server, and more. There is also a cute little fishing area.
  • Star Spangled Banner Center They have a replica of the Oval Office in this exhibit. My boys loved sitting at the Presidential desk and giving speeches at the podium.
  • Kids Construction Zone This is a large construction area where kids can pretend to be builders, diggers, architects, painters, etc. There is a construction vehicle kids can sit in. They can also see and learn about all of the parts of a building including what is behind the walls.  

At the Magic House, you will find tons of cool exhibits and hands-on learning activities at every corner, inside and out.

These were just a few that we really loved!

The Magic House has something for everyone, regardless of age or interests. 

Best Free Attraction in St. Louis

In my opinion, the St. Louis Zoo stands out as the ultimate free attraction.

Surrounded by the stunning scenery of Forest Park, the St. Louis Zoo is an incredible place to connect to nature and marvel at all of the amazing animals.

Some of these fascinating animals exhibits at the zoo include:

  • Polar Bear Point
  • Grizzly Ridge
  • Penguin and Puffin Coast
  • Jungle of the Apes
  • Rivers Edge
  • Big Cat Country
  • Fragile Forest
  • And so many more

While in the Forest Park area, either before or after your visit to the zoo, check out the ginormous turtle sculptures at the Turtle Playground.

Best Historical Attraction

Gateway Arch National Park is a definite must do on your St. Louis family getaway.

Even if you aren’t planning on taking the time to visit the museum or go to the top, it’s still worth a visit to see the Arch and experience its massive size from the outside.

DISCOVER MORE: Ultimate Family Guide to Exploring Gateway Arch National Park

If you do want to spend time in this area, below are some fun things to do with kids at the Gateway Arch.

  1. Take a family selfie
  2. Walk, ride bikes, or scooter around the Arch
  3. Have a picnic on the grass
  4. Play frisbee or ball
  5. Check out the interactive Gateway Arch Museum (it is free)
  6. Visit the gift shop
  7. Ride the tram to the top of the Arch
  8. Take a picture in front of the Gateway Arch National Park sign
  9. Enjoy a riverboat cruise with views of the Arch

Must Know Information

The Gateway National Park sign is located on the riverfront side of the Arch. To get to the sign, walk down the stairs that are under the Arch towards the riverfront.

Best St. Louis Sporting Event

If the Cardinals are playing when you are in town, I suggest getting tickets to the baseball game and experience the amazing Busch Stadium.

Your family will have tons of fun and make amazing memories.

Best Entertainment Complex in Downtown St. Louis

Make sure to include Union Station in your St. Louis family getaway itinerary.

With its diverse array of activities, there is something here to entertain every member of the family!

Here are some of the great things to do at Union Station:

  • Experience the Wheel 200 ft high observation ride inside an enclosed gondola
  • Ride the Carousel
  • Play on the train themed playground
  • Feed the koi fish
  • Watch the Fire and Light Show
  • Find your way through the Mirror Maze
  • Explore the Aquarium
  • Do the Ropes Course and Zipline
  • Play miniature golf
  • Enjoy a treat at the Soda Fountain
  • Eat and drink at the many restaurants and snack shops

Exploring Union Station: Our Experience

The older boys and I did the indoor ropes course and zip-line while the younger two kids went with dad through the aquarium. These were perfect activities for each age group. We also played on the playground, fed the koi fish, and enjoyed the Fire and Light Show.

Best Places to Eat in Downtown St. Louis

On our visit to St. Louis, we ate at Salt and Smoke across from Busch Stadium TWICE.

Once we did carryout, and the second time we dined in.

The food at Salt and Smoke is phenomenal.

It is pretty awesome eating across from Busch Stadium.

There was not a Cardinals home game during the weekend we were in St. Louis.

I can imagine this restaurant gets quite busy on home game days.

When we dined in, the kids enjoyed their special kids menu that is also a hat they can wear. 

We also ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Laclede’s Landing.

This is a cute little area of downtown St. Louis, which is actually downtown’s oldest district.

The kids always love the decor and ambiance in this restaurant.

Also, who doesn’t love spaghetti?!

Of course, we all enjoy the spumoni or vanilla ice cream that comes with every meal. 

St. Louis is a city teeming with family-friendly attractions and vibrant experiences.

From the extraordinary St. Louis Zoo to the entertaining experiences at Union Station and more, this city promises endless excitement for both kids and adults.

Download my complimentary travel itinerary planner and start mapping out your exciting St. Louis adventure or your family’s next travel destination!

May you love your adventure. KW

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