Here is part two of some more free attractions around St. Louis! I continue to be amazed and so thankful for these free resources for families.
St. Louis Zoo
Lions, tigers and bears…oh my! Home to 16,000 animals and is 90 acres in the heart of Forest Park. It is one of the only zoos in the world that offers year-round free admission! I love that the zoo is free because when I come with my kids, I don’t feel pressured to stay the whole day to make the most out of the admission price. They have extended spring and summer hours too, so I will take my kids for an hour after school sometimes! I like to park at the South entrance (which is $15 for admission), but there are other options of free parking on the street especially if you arrive early in the morning. The zoo is very stroller-friendly and I love the lactation room and family restrooms by the Carousel.
Our four favorite areas to explore here are River’s Edge, the Penguin and Puffin Coast, Sea Lion Sound and the Primate Canopy. River’s Edge is one of the most beautiful areas. It features a waterway path through 4 continents…our favorite is the elephants! The Penguin and Puffin Coast feature 4 species of penguins and two species of puffins. When this open air exhibit opened in 2003, it was the first of its kind in North America! The penguins and puffins are SO close. It is unreal! Sea Lion Sound has a 35-foot-long underwater tunnel where you can view the sea lions! The Primate Canopy is a 35,000 square feet addition completed in 2021. There is a fun structure where you can climb up next to the primates! Overall, this is such an incredible free attraction!
Suson Park
A county park that is also a working farm? Yes please!!
This gem (located at 6073 Wells Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63128) has free admission. There are many animals to explore from sheep, chickens, goats, turkeys, pigs and more. The big barn with the horses and cows is open from 10:30am-3pm daily. There is a great family restroom here, as well as a craft corner and a pretend cow to simulate milking. Make sure to bring quarters for the feed machines for the smaller animals!
The grounds are stroller-friendly and there are paved trails around the fishing pond. There are pavilions and a playground too! We love to spend all day here. It is really an incredible place to hang out with the animals and take in the pretty pond views.
Delmar Trolley
This trolley was built in 1903 and was refurbished in 1991. There is no charge to ride the trolley along Delmar Blvd, and no tickets and reservations needed either.
We picked the trolley up right outside of The Pageant. There are timetables listed on the different trolley stops. We rode the trolley westward to the end of the line and back East to The Pageant. You can stay on as long as you would like…even all the way to the History Museum! This is such a beautiful and historic way to explore more of St. Louis. We also love walking in and out of the shops along The Loop, as well as Ackert Park’s splash pad!
St. Louis Science Center
We are so lucky to have one of the best science centers in the country right here in STL. There are over 700 interactive experiences throughout 10 galleries (and it is always changing). The 5 story OMNIMAX and planetarium are awesome. This is where my kids saw our first movie (we loved the Superpower Dogs & Ocean Odyssey). There are science demonstrations and flight simulators/virtual reality. Our whole family loved the Pulseworks Adventure pod. My husband had a blast experiencing the I-360 Interactive Flight Simulator.
GROW is a 5,000-square-foot pavilion and an acre of beautiful outdoor space that goes through the story of agriculture (we love the sunflowers in the summer and chickens here are so fun to watch!).
My 6yo, 4yo & 2yo especially love the preschool science series class, science storytime and the Discovery Room! Both the preschool science series and the Discovery Room are ticketed and limited to a small number of kiddos & parents. Such a great way to explore and learn new things!
The Science Center doesn’t only cater to children…I learn so much while there. There are date nights, evenings and events like “First Fridays,” “Yoga Under the Stars,” the yearly giving Golf Tournament, “Doctor Who” display, Omnimax Films, “Science of the Zodiac” and more!
As one of the only free, nonprofit science museums in the country, the Science Center serves more than one million people each year, making it one of the largest science centers in the U.S. and abroad. It is both stroller-friendly & wheelchair-accessible.
The Science Center is changing all of the time, so take part in the wonder of new exhibits!
Missouri History Museum
Also located in Forest Park, this gem was originally the first national monument to Thomas Jefferson…so cool. It looks at the history of St. Louis from the founding of St. Louis in 1964 to the present day.
It is free admission and there are special exhibitions throughout the year.
My recent favorite is Coloring STL, where you actually color the dry erase walls of St. Louis buildings. The History Museum’s History Clubhouse is a fantastic hands-on experience that is designed for children and their families. This area is free as well…just grab a sticker at the front desk to sign in. We have loved storytimes here throughout the years!
Gateway Arch Museum
Did you know that this free museum is actually located under the Arch?! This renovated museum opened in 2018 and has six interactive exhibits. It shows 200 years of St. Louis history. My kids especially had fun with the hands-on tactile spots throughout the museum, as well as different smells! My favorite area is seeing the different Arch designs and viewing the runner up Arch designs. There are over 5 miles of paved trails on the grounds too!
St. Louis offers many great opportunities, and it is a wonder to have so many free options!
