St. Louis rewards first-time visitors who plan a little. The headline sight, the Gateway Arch, is easy to find but its tram tickets sell out, several of the best museums are free, and the most interesting parts of the city are spread between the riverfront, Midtown, Forest Park and the south-side neighborhoods. Here is how to put a first trip together.
How many days
Two full days cover the essentials: the Arch and the Old Courthouse on the riverfront, City Museum, and a day in Forest Park with the free Saint Louis Art Museum and Saint Louis Zoo. Three days is the sweet spot, adding the Missouri Botanical Garden, a food tour in the Central West End and an evening walking tour of the old Lemp brewing neighborhood. With four days, add a second Forest Park day for the Missouri History Museum, or a ballgame in season.
What to book ahead
Book a timed ticket for the Gateway Arch Tram Ride to the Top as soon as your dates are fixed, because times sell out and same-day tickets are not guaranteed; the first tram of the day is the calmest. City Museum entry can be booked online and is worth sorting before a weekend visit. The Missouri Botanical Garden’s own online ticket lets you skip the entrance queue. Walking and food tours have limited places, so reserve them a few days ahead.
Hours and closures in November 2026
The Arch visitor center and museum open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, with the last tram one hour before closing, and the whole national park is closed on Thanksgiving (26 November), Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. On Veterans Day, 11 November, the small National Park entrance fee is waived on adult tram and documentary tickets. The Old Courthouse opens daily from 9:00 to 17:00. The free Saint Louis Zoo keeps shorter winter hours, 9:00 to 16:00 in November, closes at 14:00 on Thanksgiving and is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. City Museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Saint Louis Art Museum closes on Mondays, so do not plan both for the start of the week. Arch riverboat cruises run from March to November.
Getting around
Downtown is walkable, and the Arch, the Old Courthouse and Busch Stadium are all within a few blocks of each other. MetroLink light rail links the airport, downtown, the Central West End and Forest Park, but many attractions, including City Museum, the Botanical Garden and the south-side neighborhoods, are easier by car or rideshare. If you drive to the Arch, the Stadium East Parking Garage is the preferred option. A 90-minute narrated trolley tour from the north end of downtown is a good way to get your bearings on the first morning.
Day one: the riverfront
Take an early Arch tram, explore the free museum underneath, then walk to the Old Courthouse to see where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom. In the afternoon, head to City Museum and stay until closing.
Day two: Forest Park and the Central West End
Spend the morning at the Saint Louis Art Museum, free every day it is open and free for the main special exhibition on Fridays, then walk Art Hill and cross the park to the free zoo before its 16:00 November closing. Later, join a food and history tour in the Central West End and stay for dinner.
Day three: gardens and ghosts
Visit the Missouri Botanical Garden, starting in the warm Climatron rainforest dome, then spend a rainy hour at the Museum of Illusions at City Foundry STL. In the evening, take the Lemp haunted neighborhood walk on the south side.
Practical tips
November weather can swing from mild to cold within a few days, so pack layers. Allow time for airport-style security at the Arch. Many of the best things in St. Louis are free, including the Arch museum, the Old Courthouse, the zoo and the Forest Park museums, so a careful plan can keep a first trip affordable.
