10 Things to Do in St Louis with Kids

San Luis is a city where family plans abound throughout the year. So I invite you to continue reading this publication in which I tell you some of the things you could do with children to visit this beautiful place.

Keyvis Montilva

Keyvis Montilva

10 min read

10 Things to Do in St Louis with Kids

Children in aquarium | Caroline Hernandez

The things to see and do in San Luis are configured according to the type of tourist that comes to the city as well as according to their interests. Fortunately, this is a place where plans to do with children remain interesting during most of the year and attractions for the whole family are present throughout the city.

Exactly for that reason I advise you to read this compilation of activities that I have prepared for you. Each and every one of them are places, events or plans that you can enjoy when visiting San Luis. The best thing about them is that you can be sure that they will be entertaining for you and for the little ones in the house.

1. A fun scavenger hunt around the city

Treasure hunt| ©Immo Wegmann
Treasure hunt| ©Immo Wegmann

On the other hand, if the idea of solving riddles and using your wits to find a cultured object is something that appeals to you and the little ones at home then you can't miss out on a fun treasure hunt throughout St. Louis. This plan is basically a guided tour through downtown St. Louis in which you will have to answer some trivia and solve some challenges to overcome the challenges that will eventually lead you to the final goal.

It is an activity for the whole family and each player decides an interactive role and the challenges vary according to each person as well as their ages and abilities. Without a doubt this is an activity that is part of the best 61 fun things to do in St. Louis and is something the little ones will always remember if they enjoy role playing.

You have to keep in mind that for this activity there is usually a meeting point in the center of the city and in total the duration is usually two hours. Which means you will have the rest of the day available to continue having family fun with other types of tourist activities. The rates are also usually quite chronic, as they do not usually exceed 12 euros per person.

Book your scavenger hunt in St. Louis

2. A visit to the St. Louis Zoo

Child feeding animals| ©Daiga Ellaby
Child feeding animals| ©Daiga Ellaby

One of the best things to do with children in St. Louis throughout the year is a visit to the St. Louis Zoo. This is an important institution dedicated to the preservation of endangered animals and within the United States it is recognized as one of the leading zoos in the entire country.

At this site you will encounter all kinds of animals from hippos, to camels and even some elephants. This site actually gathers some 17,000 wild animals and usually receives about 3 million visitors annually. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and this means that it belongs to an elite of institutions worldwide that meet all the high standards in animal care as well as in maintaining an educational approach through all the existing exhibits.

The entrance to this fun family attraction is completely free which is a real peculiarity in the world of zoos in the United States. In turn, one of the best ways to enjoy this site is by participating in a scavenger hunt through its facilities. Which ends up being a significantly inexpensive experience knowing that you don't pay any initial entrance fee to tour this fun site.

3. A bike ride throughout the city

Nighttime bike ride| ©University of Missouri–St. Louis
Nighttime bike ride| ©University of Missouri–St. Louis

The city of St. Louis is significantly large and it is no secret to anyone that there are families where exercise and sports are one of the best things to share even on a sightseeing trip. In this context, a bike ride along the Downtown of the city is one of the best tours you can do in St. Louis.

You have to keep in mind that this kind of experience can come in two forms. One of them would be a conventional tour in which each person chooses an individual bicycle, either traditional or electric, and is in charge of following a pre-established route. This is accompanied by a guide specialized in the history and architecture of the city.

The second alternative is even more interesting, especially when traveling with children who are approaching adolescence. It is a bicycle tour that is reserved for groups with a maximum of 10 people and basically it is a vehicle in which participants are responsible for pedaling to give electricity to the wheels that move them together in the same vehicle.

This experience is a little more interesting because of the peculiarity of the use of the bicycle that is used as a means of entertainment and also because adults have the possibility of consuming alcoholic beverages if they wish. Although the limitations are usually quite strict and no more than two beers are allowed per participant.

Both options are a good way to incorporate the sport and the passion for cycling into a family activity. Especially to tour downtown St. Louis in a more interesting way.

4. A visit to Six Flags San Luis

Batman-ride| ©sixflags.com
Batman-ride| ©sixflags.com

Six Flags is a chain of North American amusement parks that has presence in different cities of the continent. For your convenience, San Luis is one of the sites chosen to have one of these fun and exciting parks. Therefore, a visit is something you should not miss if you are looking for entertaining plans to enjoy with children in this city.

In this place you will be able to enjoy from water activities going through the rapids of the Thunder River to flying at impressive speeds in the wooden roller coaster known as Screaming Eagle. This type of parks also usually have a very special atmosphere and your children will have the opportunity to meet their favorite cartoon characters. At least the ones that belong to the Looney Tunes.

The park itself is located outside the city of St. Louis and therefore it is appropriate that when you visit it you find a transportation alternative that will take you there and back.

Since the park is located in the eastern part of San Luis, it is also a good idea to combine it with a walking tour through the center-east of the city. This will allow you to get the most out of a single day and get to know two different places in this interesting community.

Book a tour of East Downtown St. Louis

5. An afternoon at the St. Louis Aquarium

Jellyfish| ©stlouisaquarium
Jellyfish| ©stlouisaquarium

The St. Louis Aquarium is quite an interesting place, as it is located in what was once called the Saint Louis Union Station. It was once one of the largest and busiest railroad terminals on the planet and played a key role in moving passengers from the East Coast to the westernmost part of the United States.

Today it has become a sanctuary for more than 13,000 marine animals on grounds that include everything from a carousel to an 18-hole miniature golf course. The educational focus of each of the existing exhibits as well as the large number of attractions that complement the preservation of marine animals stand out in this site. Such as the restaurants, the maze of mirrors and even the Ferris wheel that is located in this tourist complex.

This important building is located in the surroundings of Downtown and for this reason a walking tour through the center-west of St. Louis can also be a fun activity to complete the scheme of things to do on the day you decide to visit this place. Also, you should keep in mind that this aquarium is one of the best things to do in St. Louis during the winter due to the fact that it is a safe escape from the cold temperatures that define the city.

Enjoy a tour of downtown and west St. Louis

6. Hours of fun at Magic House

Family fun at Magic House| ©Steven Higgins
Family fun at Magic House| ©Steven Higgins

Kids get entertainment in a fairly easy way due to the fact that they are very impressionable. In that context you see that specifically Magic House in St. Louis is one of the best places when you are looking for a site that offers interactive rooms where you can have educational and very fun experiences for people of all ages.

In this site you will come across a construction zone where children can assume roles as if they were firefighters in a typical station or also design architectural plans. There is also a miniature village where children can play at being adults by taking on important tasks such as changing the tires on a wooden car. In addition, they can stock the shelves in a grocery store or even serve pizza in an imaginary restaurant.

At the Magic House there are also plenty of other kid-focused sports activities such as climbing a three-tiered beanstalk and using a giant kaleidoscope to spin through the air in complete safety. A dummy beach is set up in the backyard during the summers, and free family nights are also often available with a special early admission.

7. Outdoor rides at Forest Park

Sunset in Forest Park| ©Chris Campbell
Sunset in Forest Park| ©Chris Campbell

If you're thinking of public spaces that are kid-friendly and parent-friendly in St. Louis, Forest Park is a must-see. It has been open to the public since 1876 and in 1904 was the site of the World's Fair. It is actually one of the largest urban parks in the United States and is a historical jewel that receives about 12 million people a year. It has all kinds of attractions as well as lots of trails that allow you to enjoy nature and bike freely.

Visiting Forest Park is one of the best things to do in St. Louis for Christmas with kids or even on an adult trip because of the fact that it is a place that is fantastically decorated. You also have to know that this place is funded through the Zoo Museum District and this allows both the entrance to the park and the entrance to the zoo, the art museum, the history museum and the St. Louis science center to be totally free.

Throughout the park you will find all kinds of sculptures and permanent art exhibits and two corners that you did not want to miss are the Muny, which happens to be the largest and oldest outdoor musical theater in the United States and also the Jewel Box. This is a very special greenhouse that is usually filled with magnificent floral displays throughout the year.

8. A visit to the St Louis Science Center

St. Louis Science Center| ©Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons
St. Louis Science Center| ©Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons

The institutions dedicated to the cultural entertainment of the whole family in St. Louis seem inexhaustible and among them the St. Louis Science Center stands out. This site is a place that is intended for the discovery of nature from an approach that is entertaining for the youngest members of the household as well as for people with a more adult understanding.

This center is filled with interactive exhibits as well as a large number of simulators and even has a large life-size mechanized Tyrannosaurus Rex. There are mazes, slides, an exact replica of a dinosaur dig and there is also a veterinary clinic.

Kids also have the chance to print 3D objects and even create an action movie and learn screen printing. The St. Louis science center also has a four-level Omnimax Theater and a flight simulator that will allow them to jump into the void as if they were on a parachute flight.

There is also a planetarium, several educational facilities and even a whole department dedicated to learning about the marine world. The sum of all the facilities allows this to be an excellent activity for children's entertainment on a trip to the city of St. Louis.

9. More fun in nature at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden| ©Reading Tom
Missouri Botanical Garden| ©Reading Tom

The Missouri Bot anical Garden located in St. Louis City is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States and is a national benchmark when it comes to landscape architecture, greenhouses and conservatories dedicated to biological diversity.

When you visit, you will find botanical plants native to the continent as well as greenhouses designed to offer a true rainforest experience in the middle of the American countryside.

The entire park is a very entertaining place for the whole family. However, the Children's Garden stands out among all the facilities as a much more interactive place for the little ones in the house. That's why it's a corner you shouldn't miss when visiting this place in St. Louis.

10. Sharing with the family at Grants Farm

Woman taking a picture with an animal| ©awesome_sauce
Woman taking a picture with an animal| ©awesome_sauce

Grants Farm is located in the southeastern suburbs of St. Louis. This site has been the historic home of the Busch family since 1903 and over the decades has become an iconic destination in the city where people of all ages have the opportunity to have direct interactions with nature, animals and the history of this community.

The site is made even more convenient by the fact that admission is open every day of the year and this 281-acre property has more than 100 animals that are kept on constant display for all families who wish to tour the farm.

The site is also part of the best things to do in St. Louis at night, or at least during the summer, as there are often festive evenings focused on providing entertainment for the whole family during the hottest time of the year.