Missouri is a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. With so many amazing places to choose from, it can be hard to know where to go. To help make your decision easier, we’ve compiled a list of the best places to visit in Missouri based on traveler ratings and reviews. So whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway spot or an adventure playground, there’s something for everyone in this metropolis!
The Best Place to Visit in Missouri
The Gateway Arch
- Address: Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO 63102, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (32024)
- Phone: +1 877-982-1410
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PMTuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PMThursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PMFriday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
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Top 12 Tourist Attractions in Missouri
STL Zoo
- Address: 1 Government Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (30138)
- Phone: +1 314-781-0900
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PMWednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Reviews:
Beautiful zoo! And it is free! They charge for a few of the attractions but they are geared more for smaller kids (Dino, train, petting stingray.) The bird house was one of my favorite exhibits. We also loved the penguin exhibit and how close we were able to get to them. It felt like we entered their habitat, but without disturbing them. Oh, and the Grizzlies! Really, a great zoo.By M Dowd (6 months ago)Nice zoo. Wasn’t crowded at all. Very hot out would recommend bringing personal fan or coming on a cool day. Gift shop items were reasonably priced. Also if you choose to touch the sting rays be aware of the fact that there Is no soap to wash your hands with. Everything was good except for the fact that you still need to pay for refills with the souvenir cup otherwise great experience.By Kyliebella (6 months ago)Love this zoo! Been twice now (I don’t live in St. Louis) and it is such a lovely place to visit. So many happy animals and each species has a well thought out, tailor-made enclosure. An all around great day out for both kids and adults – and admission is free! I particularly enjoyed the primates and the butterflies. The butterflies fly around a beautiful flower filled area and there are literally hundreds of them. You have to check you don’t have one on you when you leave.By Rosemary Watson (7 months ago)It’s amazing that you get such a positive experience in a zoo that doesn’t charge an entry fee. Great exhibits, great variety of animals and well maintained! Did not spot any animals that showed signs of sickness or malnourishment.
Parking was a little bit of a nightmare so I highly recommend getting there early.
Also the place is massive, definitely not something you’d try and complete in an hour or so unless you’re speed walking through the entire facility.By Russell Lee (3 months ago)So much to see. Animals are active in the morning. Get your steps in. Amazing offerings for any zoo and entry is free. Signage is educational. Great place to learn! Parking is paid, but if you arrive early you can park on the street just outside of parking lot.By Jill Walker (7 months ago)
Forest Park
- Address: 5595 Grand Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (29915)
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PMTuesday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PMWednesday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PMThursday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PMFriday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PMSaturday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PMSunday: 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Reviews:
This park is amazing. The only parks I’ve been to that compare are Central Park and Golden Gate. It absolutely massive and beautifully designed and laid out. You can spend a few days exploring all there is to see. The art museum and the zoo are both free and world class. I had a great time exploring and taking pictures.By Keith Duerk (3 months ago)Love this place!! It has great walking trails, gardens, wooded areas and streams through out the park. Great things for the family; from a great park, a zoo and discovery animals to play and ride on, and picnic areas. Every part of the park has something to offer! A planetarium, boat house, jewelbox, zoo, history and art museum all free to the public. Also a golf course for the adults.By Mimdi Everhart (8 months ago)Passing through and made a quick stop here. Dog friendly park. Beautiful area to walk around and see the grounds. Zoo is also in this area. I didn’t go there but saw the entrance as I was exiting the park. It was beautiful with metal sculptures.By Roberta Peek (3 months ago)This is a gorgeous park situated in a perfect part of town. Plenty of trails to walk with benches scattered throughout to rest and enjoy nature. Tennis courts, kayaking, canoeing, golf, trails, benches and plenty of open spaces for kites and picnicking make this entire park a picture-perfect spot to relax and explore.By Julia (9 months ago)Such a HUGE park with so many pockets of areas to explore. Running trails are maintained and there were security people posted around the park (maybe that’s a good sign? Or not?)
If you are interested in bridges, this place has dozens of them crossing over paths, waterways, streets, and more. Some are historic with plaques to read their past.Went on a cloudy day, but still enjoyed all the sights. Definitely plan to make a trip back once everything turns green.
By Kevin B (10 months ago)
City Museum
- Address: 750 N 16th St, St. Louis, MO 63103, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (17409)
- Phone: +1 314-231-2489
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PMTuesday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PMWednesday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PMFriday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PMSaturday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PMSunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Reviews:
Amazing place for everyone. Toddlers to bigger kids to teenagers and adults. You could spend hours here and keep finding amazing things. The food isn’t crazy experience either so you can spend the day here. They were super great with our large group over the weekend. We had about 90 people in our group and they were super accommodating and there were no issues.By Jess Finn (3 months ago)You have got to take your children here! I visited as the parent of adult children. I wish I had taken my kids here. This place is amazing. Be sure to give your kids a quiet break every once in a while because it’s really overwhelming for little ones. The employees are polite and thoughtful and knowledgeable. There’s something for everybody here to see or enjoy. The views from the rooftop are nice. The young man running the Ferris wheel day I visited was very entertaining and really seemed to enjoy his job. I wish someone would check on the antique cabinets because items are falling off the front of the shelves. I’m looking forward to returningBy A. (6 months ago)Took a 3yo and a 14yo, we ended up spending about 3hours here. We had so much fun exploring, around literally every turn, corner, nook, and cranny. Definitely want to return when my toddler is a little older, as I didn’t feel safe letting them explore some of the smaller and darker areas. Some sections seemed a little less tended to than others, but overall things were neat and appeared clean.By Brandi Brown (6 months ago)City Museum is awesome! I have been visiting it since 2005. It is still as fun as I have gotten older although a little rougher on the knees. The kids always have a wonderful time. You can spend a few hours or an entire day. The rotating exhibits keep things new and interesting. I highly recommend a visit if you are in St. Louis.By Fire Juan (a month ago)Great space for exploration children and adult experience. Lots of interaction with artwork/structural design indoor and outdor. The 50ft slide is fun! There is food and drink. Reasonably priced. A party can easily spend 2hr or more there. I think they should have more staff for areas especially areas wherein children easily climb through tunnels.By sheridan shauntee (4 months ago)
Missouri Botanical Garden
- Address: 4344 Shaw Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (12869)
- Phone: +1 314-577-5100
- Website: Link
- Opening hours:
Monday: ClosedTuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMWednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMThursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMFriday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMSaturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMSunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Reviews:
A really nice family friendly garden. Current under renovations to welcome center area, looks like a big project that will be amazing when completed. We came on Juneteenth for a free day at the gardens. They often have gardening workshops and the kids area of the gardens is amazing! Tons of fun things to play on, a slash pad, and more! Would come back just for the kids area!By Quincy Blackwell (7 months ago)We went to the Garden Glow last Wednesday, and the Garden looks great! The new lobby and front steps blew me away with how amazing they looked. Everything looks so open and modern! I am a big fan of Glow, and of the garden in general. I love how it’s set up, and the sense of peace and calm I get from being among all the flora. The new gift shop looks awesome, and I really like all the learning opportunities presented to guests throughout the garden. This is a St. Louis gem that we are so lucky to have!By David Hyde, IV (a month ago)This is just a review of the Garden Glow for the Holidays. It’s open until 10pm, so the later you go, the less crowds. When we were leaving at 8:30, it was considerably thinning out. Lots of very cool light displays. Very organized as you are directed along a route. The regular garden displays are not open. Only a portion of the garden is lit up.Nice photo opportunities set up along the way. It’s a little expensive but worth the money at least once. Also a great way to get some fresh outdoor air at this time of year.By Barry G (a month ago)It was a beautiful space and everyone was so helpful in the lobby area. We happened to go on a festival weekend (Japanese) and it was so much fun! I know my family has already talked about going back in different seasons to see how it changes.
Also — there are various restrooms, water fountains, and indoor exhibits to see besides the lovely outdoor garden paths.By JessAnne Denning (4 months ago)This is worth a trip. I tried to cram everything in a couple hours…. it could have easily be an entire day event. Cafe and restroom on site…. there are SO many things to explore… kid friendly… I enjoyed the Koi pond and watching people feed them… the tropics in the dome were nice too!By Emily Anderson (5 months ago)
TITANIC Museum Attraction
- Address: 3235 W 76 Country Blvd, Branson, MO 65616, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (9370)
National WWI Museum and Memorial
- Address: 2 Memorial Dr, Kansas City, MO 64108, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.9 (7281)
Fantastic Caverns
- Address: 4872 N Farm Rd 125, Springfield, MO 65803, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (5642)
Meramec Caverns
- Address: 1135 Hwy W, Sullivan, MO 63080, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (4812)
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
- Address: 1491 Missouri D, Camdenton, MO 65020, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.8 (4283)
The Butterfly Palace & Rainforest Adventure
- Address: 4106 W 76 Country Blvd, Branson, MO 65616, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (3840)
Dogwood Canyon Nature Park
- Address: 2038 State Hwy 86, Lampe, MO 65681, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.6 (3662)
Missouri History Museum
- Address: 5700 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63112, United States
- Map: Click here
- Rating: 4.7 (3464)
Missouri is a world-famous tourist destination, and it’s no wonder why. Here is our list of the top 12 best place to visit in Missouri – based on expert opinions and customer reviews. Did your favorite spot make the cut? Let us know in the comments above!
Super cool experience! The pods in the tram are tiny but we got to ride in one ourselves, so nice to not have to sit in one with strangers. The door is glass which is awesome as you can view what the inside of the Arch looks like on your ride up and down. 4 min up, 3 min down. Husband is claustrophobic but was OK on the ride! Time at the top is short but plenty of time to take pictures of just look and enjoy the view. Our group was only about 11 people total so not crowded at the windows at all. The museum is interesting with lots to read. Cafe was expensive but food was OK. Tour guide for the tram was upbeat and friendly. The Arch was definitely the highlight to our trip to St.Louis! And the small state park surrounding the structure was nice as well.
It’s cool to see. I don’t know that I’d need to do it more than once. Buy tickets in advance. You can also check the website around 900a and see if they are any available tickets. I checked and got a ticket for the same day. You have to go through security as it’s a national landmark. They have a museum area after that and other setups to learn about the arch and its history, there is a gift shop and cafe inside. Line up at your time… there aren’t many people lining up until about 4-5 min prior to the scheduled time. You stand in line for a while before you get to go back. There really isn’t a benefit because you get assigned a group 1 through 9. You sit with your group in the pod up and down…maximum of 5 people
Wonderful experience! It was cool driving through town and seeing the arch get bigger and bigger as we got closer. Then to be standing under it was amazing. The view from the top and museum were fabulous. The tram ride was faster than expected. We’ll worth the time and Money!
Well done National Park Service! I bought tickets online about a month ahead of time. I was able to have the tickets on my phone. We arrived about 30 to 45 minutes ahead of our tour time to allow for the security check. At the appointed time we were directed through the tour. The tour guides were courteous and very helpful answering questions. The views from the top are spectacular and for me, well worth the price of admission. The ride up and down is a little bumpy and the pod is a little claustrophobic, but should be no problem for most people. There is a historical museum after entry and before or after the tour that is worth a walk through. There is a concession stand of sorts as well as a souvenir shop. Overall, a great experience!
Absolutely breath taking, from the time you enter the city until you leave the park. First time visiting the arch and I have to say it was stunning. The journey to the top was amazing. After the tour we went to the movie and then on the boat tour. What a great vacation destination. The history in this city is amazing and so inspiring.