Nothing is more “St Louis” than the arch. The iconic part of St Louis’ skyline has been dazzling visitors and locals for almost 60 years and every time I see it I’m even more impressed.
But I mean, you’ve got to just stand there and look at it for a bit, right? The area around the arch is a lovely park setting with great views along the Mississippi River and in the spring when the trees are blooming it’s especially lovely.
Tickets are $15/adult (16+) and $11/child (3-15) and should be purchased in advance to guarantee you get a spot for the day.
For $7/adult ($3/child) you can watch a 35 minute film about the making of the arch. Tickets can be bundled with tram rides to the top of the arch and even a riverboat cruise.
The Museum underneath the arch is extremely well done and worth 45 minutes to an hour of your time. It tells the story of the Native Americans who originally called the area home as well as the explorers and pioneers who expanded America westward and the design and construction of the arch.
You can buy one in the gift shop (and there’s a couple of stamps there), but the main stamping station is at the information desk when you first go under the arch.