I have 5 kids! Yes, 5! My husband and I have one heck of a blended family with 5 kids ranging from 9-15. Traveling with all of the kids is near impossible but when we do, it has to be a budget friendly destination and St. Louis fits the bill!
St. Louis has a lot to offer and best of all, most of the attractions are FREE! I'm going to tell you how you can entertain my family of 7 in St. Louis for less than $17 per person for the entire weekend!
*Note, I am not including the arch. It's definitely a St. Louis must and my family always enjoys it. I just feel that's a no brainer for a trip to STL!*
Let's start with our all time favorite St. Louis attraction, the City Museum. I don't even know how to describe it; just know it is fun for all ages. There is a 10 story slide, tons of caves and tunnels, a school bus on the roof, a circus. You name it, the city museum has it! It's a cluster of fun and excitement. We've been several times and there is always something new to explore and it's great for all ages from the youngest up to my husband and I, yes we slide too! The great thing about the City Museum is that it is open late on Fridays and Saturdays which is when we always go. Late admission plus roof top access ( when it it available) is $15 per person. ($105)
Another great attraction that we like to frequent is the St. Louis Zoo. Admission is absolutely free; you just walk in! Certain attractions do cost a small
fee but we've never utilized them and didn't feel like we were missing out. There is a parking fee of $5-$10 per car load but there is free parking around the Forest Park Area if you're down for a hunt. You're probably thinking a zoo that doesn't charge is probably going to be whack but no! It's large and consistently ranks pretty well in US zoos and top free attractions in the United States. ($10)
The Science Center, like the zoo is another fun and free attraction which includes free parking. They have a wide range of hands on exhibits, a planetarium and an IMAX that does change an extra fee. One of the coolest things about the museum is the Skybridge that hovers over intestate 40/64. You can detect the speed of cars while standing above the highway. I like to find my inner cop to try and figure out where the speeders are rushing to! ( no cost)
My kids second favorite St. Louis destination is the Magic House. The Magic House is a must visit St. Louis destination full of so many hands on exhibits. Admission is $11 per person but when you go on the third Friday of every month from 5:30 to 9:00 pm, a family of 6 gets in FREE! There's so much to do at the magic house but my kids and I always get a kick out of doing mock trials in their courtroom. Check out my husband imitating President Barack Obama in the mock oval office. ( no cost if you attend on Emerson Free Family Nights)
If you are down for a short drive, approximately 40 mins drive from the Arch is Purina Farms. My kids are animal lovers but our travels do not permit us to have a pet so they got a kick out of going to see the dogs (and cats). The best part about Purina is the dog agility show. The dogs in the show are so amazing and talented that I caught myself clapping a little too excitedly at one point. Purina also has horses, and cows as well as other small animals you can pet. It's definitely worth a half day of fun! Oh, did I mention that both admission and parking are FREE! (no cost)
If that's not a full weekend of fun, St. Louis also offers these other FREE attractions:
Grants Farm ( The Budweiser Clydesdales are there!)
Visiting St. Louis' super fun attractions will leave you hungry. The city has tons of great eats and most won't break the bank. Treat your family to PW Pizza for one of the most delicious pizza pies in St. Louis or Hodaks for delicious fried chicken. For dessert, take your pick between the long standing St. Louis institution Ted Drew's or the newer but uber delicious Jilly's Cupcake Bar where the cupcakes are big enough to share. Last, a trip to St. Louis just isn't complete without the amazing smokey flavor of Pappy's Smoke House.
Traveling doesn't have to be expensive. With a little resourcefulness, timing and creativity you can have it all and St. Louis will deliver!
What are you waiting for, pack up the car and treat your family to a weekend in St. Louis now!
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