A great American city where many of the best sights are free and easy to reach
St. Louis rewards older travelers in a way few American cities do: many of its finest attractions are genuinely free, and most are flat, spacious, and easy to enjoy at an unhurried pace. Forest Park alone, larger than New York's Central Park, holds a world-class zoo, an art museum, a history museum, and a science center, and none of them charges admission. Add the Gateway Arch on the riverfront, the grand Missouri Botanical Garden, and a brewery that has welcomed visitors since the 1890s, and you have days of memorable sightseeing that ask very little of your wallet or your knees.
The city sits on the west bank of the Mississippi, and its layout is forgiving. Downtown, the Central West End, and Forest Park are broad and level, with wide sidewalks, plentiful benches, and shade. The MetroLink light rail links the airport, downtown, and Forest Park on one simple line, so you can see a great deal without ever driving. When you do want to venture out to The Hill for Italian food or to the Botanical Garden, distances are short and traffic is mild by big-city standards.
St. Louis also moves at a comfortable rhythm. This is a city of neighborhoods, brick and tree-lined, where a morning at a museum, a leisurely lunch, and an afternoon in a garden feel like plenty. The Midwestern friendliness is real, service is unhurried, and prices for hotels and meals are noticeably gentler than on either coast. For travelers who want substance without a frantic pace, it is an easy place to enjoy.
And it is a city with genuine depth. The Old Courthouse witnessed the Dred Scott case, the riverfront launched Lewis and Clark and the westward expansion the Arch commemorates, and the fortunes of the Gilded Age left behind grand homes, churches, and the dazzling gold mosaics of the Cathedral Basilica. You can trace a great deal of American history here, comfortably, and still be back at your hotel in time for a slice of gooey butter cake.
Forest Park is the single best reason to give St. Louis three or four unhurried days. Five major attractions sit inside it, and the four you are most likely to want, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, and the Saint Louis Science Center, are all free. That changes how you plan: instead of rationing paid tickets, you can visit a museum for an hour, rest on a bench, and come back the next day without feeling you have wasted a fee. The park is flat and laced with paved paths, and a seasonal shuttle connects the major buildings, so you need not cover the whole 1,300 acres on foot. Pick two attractions a day rather than four, wear supportive shoes, and let the park set the pace. The one thing well worth paying for is the Gateway Arch tram to the top, which does sell out, so reserve that timed ticket online a few days ahead.
The neighborhoods worth your time
The Gateway Arch and downtown riverfront. The Arch grounds are a beautifully landscaped national park, flat and paved, with gentle ramps down to the Mississippi. Below the monument, a large modern museum tells the story of westward expansion at an easy pace, and the historic Old Courthouse stands a short, level walk away. This is the natural place to begin, and a good half day on its own.
Forest Park and the Central West End. The park is the green heart of the city and home to its free museums and zoo. On its eastern edge, the Central West End is one of St. Louis's most walkable districts, full of sidewalk cafes, bookshops, and handsome apartment buildings, with the soaring Cathedral Basilica and its famous mosaics a few blocks north. It makes an excellent base.
The Hill. St. Louis's historic Italian neighborhood is compact, flat, and built for eating, with family-run trattorias, bakeries, and delis on quiet residential streets. It is the birthplace of toasted ravioli and a lovely place for a long, unhurried lunch.
Soulard and Lafayette Square. South of downtown, these leafy brick districts hold the historic Soulard Farmers Market, one of the oldest in the country, and rows of restored Victorian homes around a genteel park. Both are calm, pretty places for a morning stroll.
The Delmar Loop and Grand Center. The Loop is a lively strip of restaurants, music venues, and the walk-of-fame stars, reachable by MetroLink, while Grand Center is the city's arts district, home to the symphony and the Fox Theatre. Both suit an evening out.
The best things to do in St. Louis
These are the sights that appear again and again in senior travelers' reviews, chosen for the quality of the experience and the ease of enjoying it. Nearly all are flat, and several of the very best are free.
Where to eat
St. Louis has a food scene all its own, and much of it is comforting, affordable, and easy on an older palate. The city gave the world toasted ravioli, breaded and fried little pillows of pasta best eaten on The Hill, the historic Italian neighborhood where family-run trattorias have served the same recipes for generations. Come hungry and settle in for a long lunch.
For something sweet, gooey butter cake is the local specialty, a dense, buttery coffee cake found in bakeries all over town, and Ted Drewes frozen custard on old Route 66 is a beloved institution, thick enough to hold upside down. St. Louis-style pizza, cut in squares on a cracker-thin crust, is an acquired taste worth trying once.
Barbecue is serious here, with pork steaks and ribs the local pride, and the city's celebrated smokehouses draw long, friendly lines. If you prefer a quieter, sit-down meal, the Central West End and Clayton offer a good range of relaxed restaurants with easy parking and unhurried service, and most of the city's best tables are gentle on the wallet compared with the coasts.
Day trips from St. Louis
Ste. Genevieve (about an hour south) is the oldest permanent European settlement west of the Mississippi, a beautifully preserved French colonial town of stone and timber houses, now a national historical park. It is small, flat, and walkable, and makes a charming, low-key day out.
The Great River Road to Grafton and Alton (under an hour north) follows the Mississippi past limestone bluffs, with wineries, a scenic ferry, and river views. Autumn is especially lovely, and much of it can be enjoyed from the car.
Cahokia Mounds (about 20 minutes east, across the river in Illinois) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico. The interpretive center and the gentler mounds are accessible, and it is a fascinating, uncrowded morning.
Augusta and the Missouri wine country (about an hour west) is one of America's oldest wine regions, with tasting rooms, valley views, and easy country drives through the Missouri River hills.
Where to stay in St. Louis
For first-time visitors, two areas stand out. Downtown near the Arch puts you within a flat, easy walk of the riverfront, the museum, and Union Station, and on the MetroLink line straight to Forest Park and the airport. It is the most convenient base for sightseeing, and home to the city's grandest and best-value hotels alike.
The Central West End is the other strong choice, a leafy, walkable district on the edge of Forest Park, full of cafes and restaurants and close to the Cathedral Basilica. It trades the riverfront views for a neighborhood feel and easy access to the free museums and zoo.
Whichever you choose, look for the amenities that make a trip smoother: an elevator, free parking or a nearby garage, and free breakfast, all common in St. Louis and all worth filtering for. Rates here are gentle, so a comfortable, central room rarely costs what it would in a coastal city.
The best time to visit St. Louis
Spring (April to June) is arguably the finest season, with mild days, blooming gardens, and the Botanical Garden at its peak. It is comfortable for walking and lighter on crowds than summer.
Fall (September to October) is the other sweet spot, with warm days, cool evenings, and lovely color along the river bluffs. Both shoulder seasons bring pleasant weather and easier hotel rates.
Summer (July and August) is hot and notably humid, with afternoon temperatures often in the 90s. It is still very doable if you plan outdoor sights for the morning, carry water, and duck into the free, air-conditioned museums in the heat of the day.
Winter (December to February) is cold and quiet, but the indoor attractions, the Cathedral Basilica, and the museums are just as rewarding, and hotel rates are at their lowest.
Getting around St. Louis
St. Louis is easy to navigate. The MetroLink light rail runs on two lines that connect Lambert Airport, downtown, Union Station, the Central West End, and Forest Park, which covers a good share of what most visitors want to see, and seniors ride at a reduced fare. Trains are level-boarding and simple to use.
The downtown core, Forest Park, and the Central West End are all flat and walkable, and a hop-on trolley or tour bus is a comfortable way to link the main sights on your first day. For destinations off the rail line, though, you will want a car or rideshare: the Missouri Botanical Garden, The Hill, the Anheuser-Busch Brewery, and Grant's Farm are all easiest to reach by car, and parking is plentiful and inexpensive.
Rideshares are readily available and affordable across the metro area, and many visitors mix the MetroLink for the central sights with the occasional rideshare for the neighborhoods, skipping the rental car altogether.
Practical tips for older travelers
Reserve the Arch tram online. Timed tickets to the top sell out, especially in summer, so book a few days ahead. If tight spaces are a concern, the free museum and the riverfront views are rewarding on their own.
Lean on the free museums. Because Forest Park's zoo and museums cost nothing, there is no pressure to see everything in one visit. Pace yourself across two days and rest on the many benches.
Beat the summer heat. From July through August, do the Arch grounds, the zoo, and the gardens in the morning, then move indoors to the air-conditioned museums in the afternoon, and carry water.
Park in staffed garages downtown. As in any big city, use designated, well-lit parking facilities, keep valuables out of sight, and stick to the busy, well-traveled areas after dark.
Ask about senior and resident discounts. The MetroLink offers reduced senior fares, and several attractions have discounted days, so it is always worth asking at the ticket window.
What travelers say about St. Louis: our review roundup
We read through hundreds of recent reviews from older travelers across TripAdvisor, Road Scholar, US News, AARP Travel, and the local tourism board to find the themes that come up again and again about St. Louis. Here is what stands out.
A relaxed three-day St. Louis itinerary
Day 1: The Arch and the riverfront. Start at the Gateway Arch, touring the free underground museum and, if you have reserved a ticket, riding the tram to the top. Walk the landscaped grounds down to the Mississippi and across to the historic Old Courthouse. Have lunch downtown, then spend the afternoon at Union Station, with its Grand Hall, aquarium, and observation wheel.
Day 2: Forest Park. Give the whole day to the park at an easy pace. Spend the morning at the free Saint Louis Zoo before it warms up, break for lunch, then choose one of the free museums, the Art Museum or the History Museum, for the afternoon. Use the park shuttle to save your feet, and rest by the Grand Basin.
Day 3: Gardens, mosaics, and The Hill. Begin with a slow morning at the Missouri Botanical Garden, then visit the Cathedral Basilica to see its mosaics. Round off the trip with a long, unhurried Italian lunch on The Hill, and, if there is time, a scoop from Ted Drewes on the way back.
With a fourth day, add the Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour and the Clydesdale stables, or take a day trip to French colonial Ste. Genevieve or the Great River Road.
Getting to St. Louis
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) sits about 12 miles northwest of downtown and is served by most major US airlines, with plentiful nonstop routes that keep fares competitive. It is a straightforward, mid-sized airport, easy to navigate.
The simplest way into the city is the MetroLink light rail, which runs directly from the airport terminals to downtown and Forest Park in about 30 to 40 minutes for a few dollars, a real convenience if your hotel is near a station. Taxis and rideshares are also readily available and reasonably priced for the roughly 20-minute drive.
St. Louis is also an easy drive for much of the middle of the country, sitting at the crossroads of several interstates, and it is a natural stop, or start, on a Route 66 road trip, which passes right through the metro area.
Check current fares and schedules from your home airport. Booking a few weeks ahead and flying midweek usually brings the best deals.
Compare flight deals →What to pack for St. Louis
St. Louis is a walking-and-museums city with warm summers, so comfort and sun protection matter more than anything fancy. A few well-chosen items make the flat but lengthy days easier.