St Louis
The gateway to the West, full of free sights.
Points of interest
- Gateway Arch
- Forest Park
- City Museum
- Soulard
- The Hill
State guide
Things to do in Missouri
The Gateway Arch and free museums of St Louis, Kansas City's barbecue and jazz, the lakes and hills of the Ozarks, Mark Twain's river town and a long stretch of Route 66.
192 m
The Gateway Arch
Barbecue, blues and the big rivers
Missouri sits where the Mississippi and Missouri rivers meet, at the meeting point of the Midwest and the South. It has two big cities at either end and the green hills, rivers and lakes of the Ozarks in between.
St Louis, on the Mississippi, is the city of the Gateway Arch, the tallest monument in the USA, which marks the city's role as the gateway to the West. It is one of the best cities in the country for free sights: Forest Park, larger than New York's Central Park, has a free zoo, art museum, history museum and science centre. The City Museum, a giant playground built from recycled materials, is unlike anything else.
Kansas City, on the western border, is famous for barbecue, jazz and fountains, with the National WWI Museum and Memorial, the free Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the historic 18th and Vine Jazz District. In the south, the Ozarks have lakes, caves, springs and the show town of Branson. Give Missouri five days. Spring and autumn are best; summers are hot and humid.
Where to base yourself
St Louis and Kansas City for the cities, and Branson for the Ozarks.
Kansas City
A city of barbecue, jazz and fountains.
Points of interest
- WWI Museum
- Nelson-Atkins
- 18th and Vine
- Country Club Plaza
Branson
The Ozarks' show town, by lakes and hills.
Points of interest
- Live shows
- Table Rock Lake
- Ozark hiking
Regions of Missouri
St Louis in the east, Kansas City in the west, and the Ozarks across the south.
St Louis
Arch, free museumsThe Gateway Arch, Forest Park and the City Museum.
Kansas City
Barbecue, jazzBarbecue, jazz and the WWI Museum.
The Ozarks
Lakes, springs, BransonHills, rivers, caves and the Lake of the Ozarks.
North-east Missouri
Mark Twain countryHannibal on the Mississippi.
Route 66
Road tripThe old road from St Louis to Joplin.
Things to do
Things to do in Missouri
In St Louis, ride the tram to the top of the Gateway Arch and visit the free museum underneath. Spend a day in Forest Park, with its free zoo, art museum and science centre, and lose yourself in the tunnels and slides of the City Museum. See a Cardinals baseball game, explore the Soulard neighbourhood and its market, and visit the Cathedral Basilica, covered in mosaics.
In Kansas City, eat barbecue, visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial and climb its tower, see the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and its giant shuttlecocks, and explore the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in the 18th and Vine District. Ride the free streetcar downtown.
In the Ozarks, swim or boat at the Lake of the Ozarks, see the castle ruins at Ha Ha Tonka State Park, and float the clear spring-fed rivers. Visit Mark Twain's boyhood home in Hannibal, and drive Route 66 across the state.
Free things
And what it costs nothing to do
St Louis is one of the best free cities in the USA. In Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum and the Saint Louis Science Center all have free general admission. The Gateway Arch grounds and museum are free; only the tram to the top costs money.
In Kansas City, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is free, and so is the streetcar downtown.
Many Missouri state parks have free entry.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking
Kansas City barbecue is the most famous food in the state: slow-smoked meats with a thick, sweet sauce, and burnt ends, crispy pieces from the end of a brisket. Joe's Kansas City, Arthur Bryant's and Q39 are local favourites.
St Louis has its own dishes: toasted ravioli, which is breaded and fried, gooey butter cake, and St Louis-style pizza, thin and cut into squares, with Provel cheese. Finish with frozen custard at Ted Drewes on Route 66. The Hill is the Italian neighbourhood.
St Louis is the home of Anheuser-Busch and has many craft breweries too. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants.
Nightlife
Going out
Kansas City is a jazz city: hear live jazz in the 18th and Vine District and in clubs around town. The Power and Light District and Westport have bars. In St Louis, Soulard has blues bars, and the Grove and Washington Avenue have bars and clubs.
Branson's nightlife is about live shows rather than bars.
Most bars close at 1:30am, with some licensed to stay open until 3am in St Louis and Kansas City.
Getting around
Getting around
St Louis Lambert and Kansas City are the main airports. In St Louis, the MetroLink light rail runs from the airport to downtown and Forest Park. Kansas City has a free downtown streetcar.
Amtrak's Missouri River Runner links St Louis and Kansas City in around five and a half hours, and other trains run to Chicago.
A car is needed for the Ozarks, Hannibal and Route 66.
Costs
What Missouri costs
Missouri is one of the best-value states in the USA. Food, drink and accommodation are cheap compared with the coasts, and St Louis has lots of free sights.
Sales tax is 4.225 per cent statewide, plus local taxes, reaching around 9 per cent or more in St Louis and Kansas City. Tip 18 to 22 per cent in restaurants.
There are few hostels, so look for good-value motels and camping.
Safety
Safety and scams
St Louis and Kansas City have high crime rates in some neighbourhoods, though the areas visitors usually go to, such as downtown, Forest Park, the Central West End and the Plaza, are generally fine. Ask locally, stay alert at night and use rideshares.
Spring brings severe storms and tornadoes: follow local warnings. Summers are very hot and humid.
On rivers and lakes, wear a life jacket. In an emergency, call 911.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Mardi Gras, Fourth of July and festive lights.
January to February
Soulard Mardi Gras
St Louis
One of the biggest Mardi Gras celebrations in the USA.
Fourth of July
Fair Saint Louis
St Louis
Concerts and fireworks under the Arch.
August
Missouri State Fair
Sedalia
Rides, music and farm shows.
Thanksgiving to January
Plaza Lights
Kansas City
The Country Club Plaza lit up for the holidays.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the best times, warm but not too hot. July and August are hot and humid. Winter is cold, with occasional snow.
Jan
Cold
Feb
Soulard Mardi Gras
Mar
Cool
Apr
Spring
May
Pleasant, storms
Jun
Warm
Jul
Hot, Fourth of July
Aug
Hot, State Fair
Sep
Pleasant
Oct
Autumn in the Ozarks
Nov
Plaza Lights
Dec
Festive lights
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs for St Louis, rounded.
What your trip will cost
Per night, for one person, based on St Louis prices.
Treat these as a guide. Car hire costs extra.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Missouri questions
The ones we get asked most.
Is St Louis worth visiting?
Yes, for the Gateway Arch, the City Museum and some of the best free museums in the USA.
Can you go to the top of the Gateway Arch?
Yes, by a small tram. Book ahead; the grounds and museum below are free.
What is Kansas City famous for?
Barbecue, jazz, fountains and the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
How do I get between St Louis and Kansas City?
By Amtrak in around five and a half hours, or by car in around four.
Which museums are free in St Louis?
The zoo, art museum, history museum and science centre in Forest Park.
Do I need a car in Missouri?
Not in central St Louis. For Kansas City, the Ozarks and Route 66, it helps.
When is the best time to visit Missouri?
Spring and autumn. Summers are hot and humid.
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