Saint Louis Tourist Information and Tourism

(Saint Louis, Missouri - MO, USA)



Standing alongside the Mississippi River, St. Louis (pronounced 'Saint Lewis') is situated in the Saint Louis City County, Missouri (MO). Founded in 1764 as an important French trading post, St. Louis has evolved greatly over the years and is famous for hosting the Summer Olympic Games and the World's Fair in 1904.

St. Louis is also known for its spectacular Gateway Arch, in the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which was built in 1965 and has dominated the St. Louis skyline ever since. With many popular tourist attractions and guided tours, museums with information about St. Louis' heritage, and art galleries with impressive collections of paintings, St. Louis is also famous for its Blues Heritage Festival, which is held on Labor Day weekend each September.





Places to stay in St. Louis are in plentiful supply and can be found throughout the city center, close to the main business districts, and in nearby Clayton and Westport. Often featuring riverfront locations and views of the breathtaking Gateway Arch, additional hotels are nearby Lambert St. Louis Airport (STL), which is around 12 miles / 19 km from the city. More information about Saint Louis Hotels.

Tourism is becoming an increasingly important part of city life in St. Louis and the main tourist information center is the St. Louis Convention and Visitors' Commission in One Metropolitan Square. Offering indepth tourism information about the city's main tourist attractions, places to visit and popular excursions, tourist centers in St. Louis also list the city's latest events. Tourism information is readily available about things to see and do in St. Louis' Central West End, downtown district, Grand South Grand, The Hill, University City Loop and Soulard area.

St. Louis features a range of popular tourist attractions, including Saint Louis Science Center - housing over 700 interactive exhibits, an IMAX Theater and fascinating scientific information; Saint Louis Zoo - containing more than 9,000 animals, with plenty of tourist attractions for the whole family; the Anheuser-Busch Brewery - with historic tours of the Brewhouse and information about the brewing process; the World Aquarium (at City Museum) - where you are able to get hands-on with a number of sea creatures including turtles and large stingrays; Missouri Botanical Gardens - spectacular landscaped gardens, featuring a traditional Japanese Garden; and St. Louis' Forest Park - a vast urban park with many historic buildings, monuments and major tourist attractions.

Other main tourist attractions in Saint Louis include the St. Louis Gateway Arch - the city's world-famous and iconic structure, prominent on the skyline; St. Louis Union Station - once the world's busiest rail terminal, now containing a number of shops and an exclusive hotel; Busch Stadium - home of the St. Louis Cardinals, capable of holding around 50,000 spectators; the Edward Jones Dome - a simply enormous dome hosting a range of sporting and musical events; St. Louis' Old Courthouse - part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, housing a number of exhibitions; and Soulard Farmer's Market - a colorful and historic market, dating back over 200 years. More information about Saint Louis Tourist Attractions and Saint Louis Landmarks.

Some of the most notable museums and art galleries in Saint Louis include City Museum - a truly fascinating museum featuring caves, tunnels, sculptures and interactive exhibits; the Black World History Museum - with information about black history from slave days to present; the Missouri History Museum - a captivating museum, celebrating the history of the St. Louis area, with information about the city's heritage and interesting past; St. Louis' Magic House - with many impressive scientific exhibits and hands-on displays with children in mind; and the St. Louis Art Museum - featuring numerous important collections of artwork from all over the world. More information about Saint Louis Museums and Saint Louis Art Galleries.

Tourist attractions located near to Saint Louis include Six Flags St. Louis - a huge theme park full of exciting rides, rollercoasters and water slides; Aquaport at Maryland Heights Center - home to numerous fast water slides and flumes; Grant's Farm - on the outskirts of St. Louis, with more than 1,000 animals, including deer, bison, buffalos, zebras and even tortoises; The Darkness - a haunted theme park, boasting some truly scary special effects; Mount Pleasant Winery - with regular tours of limestone wine cellars and wine tastings; and Swing-A-Round Fun Town - a family attraction boasting go-karts, mini-golf courses and batting cages. More information about Saint Louis Attractions Nearby.

More Saint Louis Information / Fast Facts and Orientation