Hey everyone, welcome back for part two of my Vacation Staycation-St. Louis guide! In part one, I shared some of STL’s history-rich spots like the Zoo, Botanical Garden, and more. If you’re thinking, “Ok, sure Stephanie. But we’ve been to those places a million times already. We want something a little newer.” Don’t worry, I got you! In this part of the guide, I’m going to be sharing some of the newer attractions that St. Louis has to offer. So without further ado, here is my Vacation Staycation-St. Louis Part 2.
The St. Louis Aquarium
The aquarium at Union Station just opened at the tail end of 2019. So this along with all the other fun stuff they’ve put in at Union Station (think a ropes course and a Mirror Maze modeled after one from the 1904 World’s Fair) really puts a fun-filled afternoon in a one-stop destination. Word to the wise though, if you get motion sick, I would advise NOT getting on the little video train that they have at the beginning of the aquarium. It’s not a long video, but it’s pretty up in your face, so if you can bypass it I would definitely choose that option. But once you get past that, they have some pretty epic displays of live fish and even one with some pretty realistic CGI animated sea creatures. Plus, it’s always a good time when you can pet the stingrays!
The Wheel
We rode the Ferris wheel when it was still daylight out, but if I did it again, I’d go either after dark or right at sunset. You can see quite a bit of St. Louis on the journey over the top of the Wheel, so to see it in the evening all lit up would be pretty epic. The Wheel is taller than the Statue of Liberty and weighs in at 640,000 pounds. It takes 30 rotations in an hour and has climate controlled fully-enclosed gondolas.
One of the best parts about all of this being located in the historic Union Station is that you can buy multi-adventure tickets, which can save you a few dollars on your vacation staycation!
The City Museum
Founded in 1997, the City Museum isn’t quite a new as the rest of this particular list, but still, an amazing place to go. With slides and tunnels, a bar right inside the doors, and massive amounts of history and art, the museum will keep you occupied for hours! The City Museum is a definite must-go for any Missouri native, as it has quickly soared up the rankings in St. Louis landmarks.
Vacation Staycation-St. Louis Part 2 Cost Recap
Here is a quick rundown of ticket prices for the mention places!
St. Louis Aquarium- $25/person
Mirror Maze- $8/person
The Wheel- $15/person (or $50 a person for the VIP glass floor gondola)
City Museum-$18+tax/person (rooftop access is an additional $8/person)
Don’t forget that you can buy adventure bundle tickets for the Aquarium/Wheel/Mirror Maze, plus other fun activities at Union Station!
So that wraps up Vacation Staycation-St. Louis Part 2! Coming up next for part three, food destinations!
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