St. Louis is the Midwest’s gateway city — anchored by the 630-foot Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River, home to one of the world’s most visited free attractions (the St. Louis Zoo), and a brewing city with a craft beer scene that has grown from the Anheuser-Busch legacy. The Ted Drewes frozen custard stand and Toasted Ravioli are the local food institutions that matter.

St. Louis: The Most Underrated City in America

I do not say this lightly: St. Louis might be the best value destination in the entire Midwest. Half the major attractions are free. The food scene is genuinely excellent. And the city has a scrappy, proud energy that reminds me of what makes this part of the country special. People sleep on St. Louis, and honestly, that is part of its charm.

The Arch and Beyond

Let me get the obvious out of the way. Yes, you should see the Gateway Arch. I know it sounds like generic tourist advice, but standing beneath it and looking straight up is one of those experiences that photos cannot capture. The tram ride to the top ($16 adults) is a fun novelty — you are crammed into a tiny capsule that feels like a 1960s space pod, because that is essentially what it is. The views from the 630-foot summit span for miles in every direction. The revamped Museum at the Gateway Arch beneath it (free) is genuinely well-done, covering westward expansion with a more nuanced lens than it used to.

But here is what I really want to talk about: everything else.

Forest Park: The Crown Jewel

Forest Park is 1,300 acres — about 500 acres larger than Central Park — and most of its institutions are free. Let that sink in. The Saint Louis Art Museum (free) houses an impressive collection that would cost you $25+ in any coastal city. The Saint Louis Zoo (free, though some special exhibits charge $5-7) is consistently ranked among the best in the country. The Missouri History Museum (free) and the Saint Louis Science Center (free) round out a museum district that could honestly fill three days.

I usually spend a morning at the art museum, grab lunch at the Boathouse in Forest Park (sandwiches $12-16, great patio overlooking the lake), then wander the park itself. Rent a paddleboat ($15/hour) or just find a bench and watch the joggers go by.

The Food: Better Than You Expect

St. Louis has its own food identity, and it goes way beyond the obvious.

Pappy’s Smokehouse (plates $14-22) is a mandatory stop. Get the ribs — they are dry-rubbed, smoked over cherry and apple wood, and fall-off-the-bone perfect. Show up before 11 AM or expect a serious line. They sell out regularly and close when the meat is gone. This is not a gimmick; it is just how they operate.

Toasted ravioli is a St. Louis original that has not really caught on anywhere else, which is baffling because it is essentially deep-fried pasta pockets. Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill ($12-18 appetizer portions) does a classic version. The Hill neighborhood itself — St. Louis’s historic Italian district — is worth an afternoon of wandering and eating.

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (on Route 66 since 1929) serves “concretes” — frozen custard blended so thick they hand it to you upside down. A regular concrete runs $5-7 and it is one of the purest joys in American road food. Get the Cardinal Sin (hot fudge and cherries).

For something more upscale, Vicia in the Central West End (entrees $28-42) does vegetable-forward cuisine that earned James Beard attention. Bulrush (tasting menu $95-130) explores Ozark foodways and is unlike anything you will find elsewhere.

The craft beer scene is thriving despite Anheuser-Busch’s long shadow. 4 Hands Brewing (pints $6-8) in the LaSalle Park area is my favorite, but Side Project Brewing in Maplewood has earned a cult following for their barrel-aged sours.

City Museum: Adult Playground

I need to dedicate a full section to the City Museum ($18 adults) because nothing else in America is quite like it. Built inside a former shoe factory, it is part playground, part art installation, part fever dream. You will crawl through tunnels made from reclaimed industrial materials, climb a ten-story slide, and find yourself inside a school bus welded to the roof of the building. It is technically a “museum” the way a rollercoaster is technically “transportation.” Go on a Friday night when they open the rooftop ($5 extra) and the bar.

Neighborhoods to Know

Soulard is the city’s oldest neighborhood and home to its best nightlife. The Soulard Farmers Market (open Wednesdays through Saturdays) has been running since 1779. On weekends, the bars along the main strips get lively without feeling aggressive. Soulard’s Mardi Gras celebration is the second-largest in the country.

The Central West End is walkable, leafy, and packed with good restaurants and independent shops. Evangeline’s (cocktails $12-15) does excellent craft drinks in a moody, speakeasy-adjacent setting.

The Grove has emerged as the city’s most eclectic entertainment strip. Live music, dive bars, and some of the best late-night food in town. Gramophone (sandwiches $10-14) serves enormous sandwiches and spins vinyl until close.

Cherokee Street is the city’s emerging arts district with a strong Latino cultural presence, vibrant murals, and some of the best Mexican food in the region.