Take a 630-foot ride to the top of this world-famous stainless steel monument for the finest view in the Gateway City. Then stop by the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial to get a glimpse of where Lewis and Clark set out on their historic expedition! Visitors can also hop aboard a 19th century paddle-wheel boat replica for a narrated cruise down the mighty Mississippi.

Sports fans rejoice! During the spring and summer seasons, you can cheer on our 10-time World champions the St. Louis Cardinals at the new Busch Stadium. If you’re visiting in the fall or winter, you can catch the St. Louis Blues heating up the ice at the Scottrade Center or watch the Rams take to the field at the Edward Jones Dome. No matter what time of year, visitors can get a taste of true team spirit in this bona fide sports town.

Visit this exciting Midwest theme park that’s fun for the whole family! Visitors can loop the loop on Batman the Ride, soar at speeds of up to 62 mph on the Screaming Eagle wooden coaster and get soaked on the whitewater rapids adventure of Thunder River. Guests of Six Flags St. Louis can also see live shows and concerts, meet their favorite cartoon characters and have tons of fun in the sun at Hurricane Harbor Water Park. There are plenty of hotel amenities just minutes from the park, and visitors can take advantage of group discounts for youth groups, company outings, family reunions and much more!

Looking for a fun night out? Head downtown to Washington Avenue or Laclede’s Landing and take your pick of some of the hottest bars and dance clubs in St. Louis (most are smoke free and open till 3 a.m.). Visitors can also go for dinner, drinks and a show at Westport Plaza’s 42-acre entertainment district, or check out the trendiest boutiques and upscale dining establishments in Clayton and the Central West End. If live music is your thing, Soulard boasts some of the best blues venues in town.

Get up close and personal with the furry, the flying and the fishy creatures of the St. Louis Zoo. One of the city’s many free attractions, the St. Louis Zoo has been recognized as one of the nation’s leading zoological parks. Take a ride on the Emerson Zooline Railroad and get a guided tour of some of the most exciting animal exhibits in the park, or venture on your own through attractions like Big Cat Country, Penguin & Puffin Coast or the Interactive Stingray Pool. Kids will enjoy the children’s petting zoo, and dining and souvenirs are available at one of the many boutiques and restaurants located around the park.

Visit the region’s first interactive children’s museum, built in a sprawling Victorian mansion in suburban St. Louis. Kids will enjoy all sorts of fun and educational activities at the Magic House, including sitting at the president’s desk in a spot-on recreation of the Oval Office and performing patriotic karaoke. In a miniature town, kids can play grownup for a day as they change the tire on a wooden car, stock shelves in a model grocery store or serve pizza in a pretend kitchen. Visitors can even climb a three-story beanstalk, spin a giant kaleidoscope or perform a puppet show! Enjoy special events that include magical story time, free family nights and fitness first Fridays.

Once home to the 1904 World’s Fair, Forest Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. It attracts 12 million visitors a year with world-class attractions and scenic walking and biking trails. Other points of interest include the Jewel Box, a beautiful greenhouse filled with magnificent floral displays, the golf courses and the World’s Fair Pavilion, a perfect site for a company picnic or private party.

Enjoy a fusion of sculpture and landscape architecture at Citygarden, an urban oasis featuring works of modern and contemporary art, native plants, six rain gardens and a café overlooking the beautiful scene. Or discover the stunning Laumeier Sculpture Park with over 70 outdoor sculptures, a music amphitheater for special events and a traveling series of exhibitions. Chesterfield boasts an impressive collection of outdoor art including the recently added sculpture “The Awakening,” a 70-foot statue of a giant embedded in the earth.

Take a tour of the historic Anheuser-Busch Brewery where you can visit the Budweiser Clydesdales and sample a variety of premium brands. For more local flavor, stop by Schlafly Bottleworks for a free brewery tour and to try a few of the 50 different styles of beer. Enjoy live music and dining at both the Bottleworks and the Schlafly Tap Room. For a taste of something new, stop by one of St. Louis’ many microbreweries such as the Square One Brewery & Distillery, which opened in 2006 as the first microdistillery restaurant in Missouri.

Go on a private expedition through Grant’s Farm for an up-close and personal feeding experience with buffalo and goats. Stop by and visit the majestic Budweiser Clydesdales and take a ride on the Grant’s Farm carousel. Shop for collectibles and souvenirs, catch a live concert or see an animal show complete with kangaroos, tortoises and ostriches. Have an interactive encounter with some of the elephants, then stop for lunch and a brew at the Brat Haus or Grant’s Farm Deli.

Explore the City Museum’s unique all-ages playground filled with caves, slides and climbing apparatus made from recycled and found objects. Visitors can interact with over 10,000 sea creatures in the World Aquarium, venture through the Museum of Mirth, Mystery and Mayhem and wander through the Elmslie and Sullivan architectural exhibit. Stop in for circus-themed food, parties and educational circus classes and workshops held daily. Create your own masterpiece in Art City, take notes with the world’s largest pencil and enjoy the view while grabbing a bite at The Roof Top Cantina.

Don’t miss the opportunity to try some of the city’s tastiest (and unique) treats. Munch on a slice of delectable St. Louis-style thin crust pizza smothered in Provel cheese and then pick up a mouth-watering gooey butter cake (the most delicious accident ever created). Snack on scrumptious deep-fried toasted ravioli at one of the many dining establishments on The Hill, a quaint St. Louis neighborhood famous for Italian cuisine. And to top it all off, satisfy your sweet tooth at Ted Drewes with some signature frozen custard.

Visit Saint Louis University’s Museum of Contemporary Religious Art (MOCRA), a venue committed to peaceful interfaith dialogue and understanding. Take in the beauty of the world’s largest mosaic installation inside the spectacular Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis or see the historic Old Cathedral and St. Ferdinand Shrine, both constructed in the early 19th century with ties to the oldest Catholic congregation in St. Louis. Across the river, attend mass, walk the grounds and have a delicious meal at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Snows.

See what’s new at the St. Louis Science Center. Find out what it’s like to venture out into the wild, journey under the sea or fly high up in the air at the four-story Omnimax Theater, a film experience unlike any other. See a thrilling space show at the Planetarium, one of nation’s leading space education facilities. Younger children will enjoy the Discovery Room filled with interactive exhibits and experiments, and visitors of all ages can explore over 700 hands-on displays including a life-sized animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Rev up your engine at the Kemp Auto Museum marveling at the beauty and craftsmanship of the finest European automobiles, from the classic early models to contemporary designs. Tour a collection of rare and vintage motorcycles at the Moto Museum, or explore the history, mechanics and design of the cart and buggy, planes, trains or anything else with wheels at the St. Louis Museum of Transportation. And if you’re visiting in the late winter, be sure to stop by the St. Louis Auto Show and Boat Show at America’s Center.

View a collection of art ranging across centuries and cultures from sculpture and oil paintings to charcoal drawings and photography at the St. Louis Art Museum. Enjoy the works of newly established artists both locally and internationally at the Contemporary Art Museum of St. Louis. In addition to innovative exhibitions, the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts features concerts by the Saint Louis Symphony, panel discussions and educational programs. A more permanent collection of contemporary art resides in the Kemper Museum.

Take a two-wheel excursion through the Gateway City on one of our many biking trails (contact TrailNet for maps). Set up camp at one of Missouri’s beautiful state parks and choose from a variety of al fresco activities ranging from fishing and hiking to swimming, horseback riding and much more! Journey underground and discover buried treasure at Meramec Caverns or stay the night at a comfy bed and breakfast in famous Missouri wine country while sampling some of the regions finest varietals.

Update your style with a fabulous shopping spree. Find vintage-inspired clothing, trendy and unique furniture and accessories at specialty boutiques. Couture and designer brand name fashions are available at dozens of high-end shops throughout the city. Hunt for one-of-a-kind treasures at many area antique shops and independent bookstores, or get it all under one roof at one of the many area malls and shopping centers.

Walk the halls of the Old Courthouse featuring restored courtrooms and galleries that depict significant moments in St. Louis history. Take an exciting and educational trip through the past at the Missouri History Museum where guests can also join a local excursion to various historical points of interest in the city. Visitors can see the home of Ragtime legend Scott Joplin, walk through a world heritage site and ancient civilization at Cahokia Mounds and pay their respects at the resting place for many St. Louisians at Bellefontaine Cemetery.

Get your live music fix at The Pageant, ranked one of the top five concert venues in the world by Pollstar. For larger multi-band tours and festivals, travel to the outdoor Verizon Wireless Amphitheater or the concert club at Scottrade Center. Visit Blueberry Hill, the landmark restaurant and music club for touring acts as well as St. Louis’ top bands including regular performances by rock ‘n’ roll legend Chuck Berry. For a more intimate venue, check out the award-winning Jazz at the Bistro or one of St. Louis’ famous blues clubs like BB’s Jazz, Blues & Soups and Broadway Oyster Bar.

Explore 79 acres of lush gardens, landscape architecture, greenhouses and conservatories at the oldest Botanical Garden in the United States. Wander through collections of botanical and horticultural plants among beautiful fountains and statuary. Visit the Climatron for a real rainforest experience featuring magnificent waterfalls, tropical birds and exotic plants like bananas, cacao, coffee trees and orchids. Other points of interest include the serene Japanese garden and the interactive and educational Children’s Garden.

In addition to all your favorite video poker games and classic table games like craps, blackjack, roulette and baccarat, each casino has something special to offer visitors from the dueling piano bar at Harrah’s to the Sevens sports lounge and nightclub at Casino Queen. Take in an intimate show at the luxurious Lumiere Casino theatre or dance the night away in Judy’s Velvet Lounge at River City Casino. All have excellent hotel amenities, delicious restaurants and top-notch entertainment.

There’s no place finer than the Fabulous Fox for dazzling live theater, where you can catch the Broadway bug with a play, concert or dance troupe. Hear your favorite classical music performed by the renowned St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall, or see an award-winning musical at Stages St. Louis. Immerse yourself in operatic drama at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, or experience classic and modern playwrights at the Repertory Theater or the newly renovated Peabody Opera House. Bathe in moonlight during an outdoor show at Forest Park’s The Muny, the nation’s largest outdoor amphitheater dedicated solely to musical theater.

In February you can join a Mardi Gras celebration second only to New Orleans, and May brings the Rib America Festival and delicious BBQ to town. Summer visitors can get patriotic at Fair St. Louis, which features fireworks, air shows and free live concerts. If you’re visiting in the fall, attend the International Film Festival and see some of the world’s most innovative and cutting-edge features at each of St. Louis’ independent landmark theaters. Fall guests can also attend the St. Louis Art Fair and celebrate German culture with authentic food and live music at Soulard Oktoberfest. Before your visit, check out a full list of the city’s annual events.

Make a day of it at the Delmar Loop. This six-block entertainment and shopping district is packed with hip bars, eclectic restaurants, live music venues, vintage clothing boutiques and a Hollywood-inspired walk of fame featuring St. Louis celebrities. Catch a show at the historic Tivoli Theatre or learn about our solar system along the outdoor Planet Walk exhibit. Shop for quirky gifts or souvenirs and grab a bite to eat at one of the dozens of restaurants and outdoor cafés, from Turkish and Thai delights to Mexican and American classics.