23 Best Outdoor Activities in St. Louis
When you think of St. Louis, you probably envision Gateway Arch, eating on The Hill, or hearing some blues music. What many people, including me, don’t realize, is there are so many great outdoor activities in St. Louis to enjoy.
Let’s Jet, Kids! uses affiliate links. As an Amazon (and other networks) Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It is no extra cost to you.
Being from Colorado, I am surrounded by outdoor adventures. I didn’t expect that St. Louis would have so many outdoor opportunities all around, nor that they would be so impressive! After a few visits to St. Louis for a few weeks at a time each time, we’ve come to realize what a great balance of indoor/outdoor activities the city offers.
So read on for all the best outdoor things to do in St. Louis with the family to make the most of this beautiful are filled with nature and fun.
Table of Contents
Best Outside Things to do IN St. Louis
Here are plenty of things to do outside within the St. Louis city limits. Beyond these 10+ things, you’ll find more outdoor activities that are just beyond the St. Louis boundary.
1. Gateway Arch National Park
While many people know about riding up the Arch and walking through the museum inside, the Arch is actually located on national park land. That means you get 62 acres on the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial outdoors to walk around and enjoy.
You’ll get great views of the Arch, plenty of green space with walking paths around, and views of the river a stone’s throw away.
Whether you are in St. Louis for just a weekend or a whole week, the Arch is something iconic you must visit!
2. Laumeier Sculpture Park
12580 Rott Rd, St. Louis
Laumeier Sculpture Park is one of the most unique parks you’ll even go to. Instead of playgrounds and tennis courts, there are small hiking trails and paths that take you through 105 acres of art!
There are some really unique art displays with great perspectives. Take a photo with one of the biggest eyeballs you’ll ever see (the actual largest is in Dallas), take a guess at what some of the other sculptures are, and then read their descriptions to see how close you were.
Kids love being able to discover art while outdoors and this is the perfect place to do it.
3. Riverboat Cruise
Since St. Louis sits right along the Mississippi River, make sure to take a famous river cruise while visiting. This is one of the most fun outdoor activities in St. Louis since it’s both relaxing and fun.
Often the best way to see a city is from the water, and this is no exception.
Book a tour that will make the most of your time and include a riverboat cruise and get to know St. Louis!
Note: The riverboat is seasonal, often running March through November
4. Lafayette Park
2023 Lafayette Ave, St. Louis
In 1851, Lafayette Park was officially made one of the first public parks in St. Louis. It remains one of the largest parks in St. Louis (besides the giant Forest Park) at 30 acres.
You can walk around and see historical figure statues, as well as a revolutionary war cannon. Visit the playground to let the kids get some energy out, or take a walk around the lake to see various water fowl.
5. Missouri Botanical Garden
4344 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis
Botanists and non-botanists alike will enjoy wandering through the gardens here. The Missouri Botanical Garden is filled with 79 acres of beautiful flora. You’ll get to stroll through a Japanese garden, or take the kids to the children’s garden.
Visitors will appreciate rare and endangered flora, like certain orchids. You’ll even get to witness thriving plants which were planted by the original founder, Henry Shaw, back in the mid-1800’s.
Kids will enjoy not only their own garden, but making their way through a designed labyrinth.
6. Columbia Bottom Conservation Area
801 Strodtman Road, St. Louis
Enjoy the fresh air along the river at Columbia Bottom Conservation Area. The area is made of over 4,000 acres of wetlands, forests, and prairies, making it a diverse area to explore.
Head to the confluence viewing area to see where the Mississippi River and Missouri river converge at one of the largest river systems in the country.
Visitors can enjoy hiking and biking in the area. Be sure to keep your eyes out for fish, fowl, and deer! It’s also a popular area for its abundance of sunflowers.
7. Lone Elk Park
1 Lone Elk Road, St. Louis
Lone Elk Park is a managed wildlife area made of over 500 acres. While you’ll see elk, as the name suggests, inhabitants like bison, deer, fowl, and turkeys also live on the land.
You can drive around the park, or get out and hike on the White Bison Trail, which is a little over 3 miles.
Be aware if you hike, especially during calving season in late spring, of any animals with their young nearby and give plenty of space. Otherwise, it’s a great place to have plenty of deer and elk sightings.
8. St. Louis Zoo
1 Government Drive, St. Louis
For a more manicured and traditional way of seeing animals, head to the St. Louis Zoo in Forest Park. Here you can witness hundred of animals in their zoo habitat. Check out the penguin exhibit, watch the tigers roam below in their grassland, get up face-to-face with a hippo as you watch through the glass of them napping underwater.
The St. Louis Zoo is FREE to visit, making it part of your affordable outdoor activities in St. Louis. Be sure to support the zoo in other ways, like through the gift shop, cafe, or concessions.
9. Forest Park
5595 Grand Dr, St. Louis
Forest Park is the largest park in St. Louis and impressively larger than Central Park by almost 500 acres.
Forest Park is a huge outdoor area filled with trails, fountains, the zoo, pavilions, bike paths, a boathouse for paddle boating and canoeing, and more. It’s easy to spend an entire day in Forest Park.
If you’re looking for what to do outside in St. Louis, this is the place to start. You’ll be entertained for hours, if not days.
10. Cliff Cave County Park
806 Cliff Cave Rd., St. Louis
This unique park offers trails, caves, and waterfalls.
The Cliff Cave went through many hands since the 1700’s. It’s been used as a tavern for traders and later by the Cliff Cave Wine Company, which built the rock walls in front of it that you can see today.
St. Louis Parks and Rec purchased it in the 1960’s and opened up in the ’70’s to the public.
You can’t go in the cave, as it’s been gated off to protect both artifacts and various species of bats that call it home.
Enjoy 2 of the trails within the park that are around 2 miles round trip, walk the paved trail along the river, check out the view of the Mississippi from the rock bluffs, and feel the fresh outdoors amid St. Louis, without feeling like you’re in the city.
11. Creve Coeur Lake Park
13725 Marine Ave, St. Louis
This beautiful lake park is a popular summer day outing for locals, and for good reason.
The big draw here is the ability to lay a towel out and hang out on the beach area of the lake. Those who want to get on the water can inflate their stand up paddle board and adventure out.
Note: you cannot swim in Creve Coeur Lake.
In addition to hanging out on the beach or on the water, kids will enjoy 4 different playgrounds and a spray ground to keep cool and play in the water.
And when you’re done tanning on the beach, you can hit the Lakeview Loop to get some steps in. The trail will take you around points of interest around the lake with informational signs.
More outdoor activities NEAR St. Louis
These remaining activities aren’t within St. Louis city limit, but they aren’t far. The farthest one is 45 minutes away, and everything else is within about 30 minutes.
Driving time noted is calculated from city-center St. Louis and of course can vary depending on traffic and/or any roadwork that comes up.
12. Powder Valley Nature Center
11715 Cragwold Rd, Kirkwood
26 minutes west of St. Louis city center
Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center is a great place to enjoy the great outdoors near St. Louis. You can head inside for some great local wildlife education. Then, head to the three trails that surround the nature center.
None of the trails are very long and one is nice and flat and accessible for strollers or wheelchairs.
13. Mastodon State Historic Site
1050 Charles J. Becker Drive,Imperial
26 minutes south
Go deep, deep into Missouri history as you explore extinct animals that lived in the area at the Mastodon State Historic Site. The exhibits will show you skeletons of the elephant-like animals, as well as research on how they and humans eventually overlapped over 10,000 years ago.
Bones from the animal were first discovered in 1839, and by the 1900s the skulls, jaws, and various other bones were excavated.
You can explore inside exhibits, and then head outside to the Wildflower trail and hike over to where the bones were originally found.
14. Six Flags St. Louis and Hurricane Harbor
4900 Six Flags Rd, Eureka
34 minutes west
Get your outside time in St. Louis in nearby Eureka at the local Six Flags amusement Park. Enjoy rollercoasters, carnival rides, thrill rides, and younger-aged fun.
Sweltering hot outside in St. Louis? Head to Hurricane Harbor instead. This part of Six Flags is filled with water rides sure to cool you off. The waterpark offers big kid slides, little kid slides and play areas, lazy river, a huge wave pool, and more for the whole family.
15. Eureka Mountain Bike Park
1 Coffey Park Lane, Eureka
30 minutes west
In this 11 acres of wooden trails you’ll get all sorts of skills to master on your mountain bike.
The Eureka Mountain Bike Park features a drop zone, dual slalom, beginner and intermediate trails, Pump & Jump trails, and more.
If your kids (or you!) are wanting to start up mountain biking and need an area in town with beginner skill levels, this is a great place to start out.
16. Castlewood State Park
1401 Kiefer Creek Road, Ballwin
Castlewood State Park sits along the Mermac River and Kiefer Creek, amid lush forest area. It’s great for hiking and mountain biking.
There are several trails at Castlewood, including some that connect with the Lone Elk Park as well as the World Bird Sanctuary.
The Riverscene Trail is a great path about 3.5 miles long. You’ll enjoy flat areas mixed with hills, as well as boarded walks filled with views, shade, and stairs.
17. Babler State Park
800 Guy Park Dr, Wildwood
Babler State Park is another great state park located in the suburbs of St. Louis. If you’re wanting to get outside, stop at Babler where you’ll have your choice of trails among the shaded trees to pick from.
The park offers camping areas, plenty of trails, a visitor center with last minute goods you can purchase, and a few shelters and pavilion areas.
Hike the trails, or just hang out in one of the picnic areas with a grill to get some fresh air as a family.
18. Kirkwood Aquatic Center
111 S Geyer Rd, Kirkwood
22 minutes west
Looking for a way to stay cool without heading to a huge amusement park? Plenty of cities in the St. Louis area have aquatic centers. One notable one is the Kirkwood Aquatic Center, located just west of St. Louis.
This aquatic center has a huge amount of water play for all ages. The big kids will get to zoom down bigger waterslides, while the young ones have their own play area and slide. Everyone can enjoy the lazy river and those looking for some fitness can do laps in the lanes of the lap pool.
19. Ryze Adventure Park
12420 Grace Church Rd, Maryland Heights
27 minutes northwest
Those who know Ryze probably first think of the aerial ropes course that stretches up 4 stories in the sky with over 100 obstacles to get through.
But Ryze also offers zip lines, mini golf, and yard games.
While the main tower requires kids to be 8 and older, there is a little Ninja course that allows kids as young as 4 to participate in the fun as well.
20. Crystal City Underground Kayaking
700 Crystal Ave, Crystal City
47 minutes south
This is one of those outdoor activities near St. Louis that will totally keep you cool and be worth the drive to get to.
I always hear about these exotic places that offer underground kayaking.
Well, now St. Louis can be called exotic.
Crystal City Underground Kayaking takes place with a guide to take you into the caves to kayak through an old mine. You’ll paddle through part of the 150 acre lake, fed by spring water that’s crystal clear.
21. Endangered Wolf Center
6750 Tyson Valley Rd, Eureka
25 minutes west
If you or the kids have an interest in animals, make sure to visit the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka. The center brings up endangered wolf species and then releases them in the wild.
The public can book one of many tours to learn more about the wolves and other animals and what happens at the center. Choose from being a keeper for a day, take a photography tour, or try an encounter with some of the animals.
The center also help arctic foxes, African Painted Dogs, and other species that find themselves endangered.
22. Brookdale Farms
8004 Twin River Road, Eureka
33 minutes southwest
Brookdale Farms is your one-stop getaway for all-day fun, no matter what time of year.
Springs and Summer bring float trips down the Meramec River and plenty of seasonal events. Fall brings a petting zoo, corn maze, and all the pumpkin patch classics. Into winter you’ll find plenty of holiday festivities, lights, and north pole visitors.
Find your outdoor fun in St. Louis no matter what season!
23. Trail Ride at Kraus Farms
333 Hillsboro Rd, High Ridge
33 minutes southwest
Kraus Farms began in 1936 with 66 riding stables. It offered hay rides and grew to such popularity that it was providing 100+ people a day with hayrides. Today, it’s a place where the owners provide memories, work, and fun for their multiple generations. They also open the ranch for public events, lessons, and trail rides.
Ride along with your group among 5,000 acres of Missouri conservation area. Kids can join the trail ride as long as they are at least 7 and can follow directions. Riders must wear pants and close-toed shoes.
Book your trail ride in advance
Map of Fun Outdoor Things to do in St. Louis
Plan out your days using the map to pair up outdoor activities in St. Louis that are near each other.
Where to Stay in St. Louis
I always recommend staying at the Union Station hotel downtown. It’s an incredible hotel grand enough to host weddings or personal enough for families to stay. You’ll get the whispering arch and a short walk over to The Wheel (ferris wheel) and Union Station activities.
Union Station Hotel
- Gorgeous property with famous Grand Hall and Whispering Arch
- Hosts weddings and events
- Beautiful Pool on site (seasonal)
- Multiple restaurants on site and within Union Station area
- Books up quickly! Reserve ASAP
Best Outdoor Activities in St. Louis
While there is a great amount of hiking available in the area (and much of it is shaded!), hopefully this article has shown you that there is such a variety of outside things to do in St. Louis and in the surrounding area.
From cool nature areas to sitting on the beach and paddling on the water to checking out some cool wildlife at many places in the area, you’ll have plenty of outdoor activities in St. Louis.
Looking to add a mix of activities? Check out the top things to do in St. Louis with kids in another post and mix and match activities to make your trip perfect!
