St. Louis’s history showed her to be a city of business and excitement, a last stop before the frontier land of the entrepreneurial settlers heading west. Now that the west has been won, St. Louis has only grown in spirit, resolve, and beauty. Come see St. Louis for yourself and interact with history, culture, and the arts.
Home to the American Wonder, the Gateway Arch, St. Louis has no shortage of interesting sites. Ride the tram to the top of the 63 story monument, learn about its building, or visit the Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott court case was tried. Visit the nationally-lauded St. Louis Zoo and get up-close with exotic animals or stop by the Missouri Botanical Garden, a 79 acre property with 25 themed gardens including the Japanese Garden.
For some education and enlightenment, the St. Louis Art Museum is second to none in the city. Tour the galleries to see Titian, Monet, Van Gogh, and more. St. Louis is also home to some beautiful history museums including the Missouri History Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and the Missouri Civil War Museum. If you enjoy science, stop by the Science Center to uncover dinosaur bones, experience a 4D film, or watch the night sky pass overhead at the planetarium.
St. Louis was the founding city of the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and now you can tour the facilities, meet the Clydesdales, and – for those of age – taste the products straight from the Finishing Tank. For more Busch family history and interaction, visit Grant’s Farm to see two homes of President Ulysses S. Grant, exotic animals and shows, and taste authentic German bratwurst, pretzels, and Anheuser-Busch products.
Come to St. Louis and see the Cardinals play, have fun at Six Flags, or tour the restaurants and bars of the city. Have some fun in St. Louis on your next trip.
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Sample Itineraries
St Louis 3-Day Tour
Your St. Louis 3 Day Tour was created to let you see everything that St. Louis has to offer for a group tour.
- Two Nights Lodging
- Two Museums
- Sightseeing Riverboat Cruise
Taste of St. Louis 3-Day Tour
Your St. Louis 3-Day Tour is designed to give every participant an exciting experience that combines the most popular attractions.
- Two Nights Lodging
- Butterfly House
- Two Museums
Attractions
- Missouri Civil War Museum
- Cahokia Mounds State Park
- Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour
- Alton Museum of History and Art
- Holocaust Museum
- Meramac Caverns
- Grant’s Farm
- Busch Stadium
- Six Flags
- Science Center
- Art Museum
- Missouri Botanical Garden
- The St. Louis Arch
- St. Louis Zoo
Missouri Civil War Museum
When you are visiting St. Louis, make sure to stop by one of the top three museums in the city and the best Civil War museum in the state. The Missouri Civil War Museum features historical artifacts and an unbiased narrative told from archival evidence, weapons, equipment, possessions, and uniforms from the soldiers. Everyone in your group will be interested and educated by the plethora of Civil War information.
Located in the renovated Jefferson Barracks, the museum’s facility is even a historical landmark. Built in 1904, the barracks’ original use was as a military athletic center but it was converted in World War I to be used as a barracks. In 2002, the museum was formed in the refurbished building.
Open daily, the museum is a perfect destination for groups of 15-50 people, from military groups to Boy Scout troops and school trips. Employees are available to answer questions and provide enlightened input on Civil War events and the museum’s artifacts. Tour the exhibits featuring artifacts and informational visual aids on your self-guided exploration.
The Missouri Civil War Museum also sponsors research and the Civil War Studies Center is currently collecting Civil War photographs and documents. Their mission is to eventually gather information on every Missouri soldier to have on file. They are also collecting video, audio, magazines, and books on Civil War topics for their study center to better educate the interested individual and avid researcher.
For more things to do, take a short walk down to the Jefferson Barracks Park and National Cemetery to peruse and salute the fallen soldiers and take in the lovely scenery. While you are in St. Louis, take advantage of this opportunity to learn about one of the nation’s most defining wars, the young men who made up the Missouri regiments, and the battles they fought.
Cahokia Mounds State Park
These enigmatic mounds just a few minutes outside St. Louis – one of them larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza – invariably leave visitors pondering the ancient Native culture that came, grew and eventually flourished over centuries of occupation, calling the six-square-mile plains “city” home for nearly a thousand years before one day vanishing – some say without a trace, though it is likely the departure was gradual, as a starving and weakened people abandoned the once-bustling *world center* of Cahokia for better prospects, however slim. Many theories exist in support of distinct possibilities, including destructive weather patterns that eventually destroyed food sources and decimated the population; documentaries and discoveries abound that deliver evidence the tribe’s very existence was predicated on a reliance on barbaric ceremonial practice believed to ensure the success of those all-important crops and the futures of the people: the satisfying of blood thirsty corn deities with the regular human sacrifice of young females-possibly captives, but most probably terrified prisoners selected from the tribe, itself. It is said that perhaps the vanishing of the people from the great City could be explained by the creation of a new, nomadic tribe, who continued with the same crop insurance rituals their forefathers practiced into the mid 19th century when they were forced onto a reservation and the atrocious practice of human sacrifice was outlawed. Whatever you choose to believe when you visit, the common denominator in every guest experience is the awe-inspiring presence of mounds of varying sizes in three distinct shapes created by native workers hauling countless baskets of earth from the surrounding countryside, leaving large depressions in the ground around them called “borrow pits.” Come, see the mounds and other authentic remains of this most sophisticated ancient civilation North of Mexico, and be forever changed by the images you carry away.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour
If you are over 21 and looking for a fun, interactive tour of St. Louis where you can sample some of America’s finest beers, then look no further than Anheuser-Busch’s Brewery Tour. Take part in the Beermaster Tour, the Beer School, or look through the historic Old Lyon Schoolhouse for some interesting facts about one of the largest and most popular beer companies in the United States.
On the Brewery Tour, stop by the Clydesdale stables and see the horses featured in the Super Bowl Budweiser ads. Explore the historic brewery and learn about everything from gathering the ingredients to seeing the Beechwood Aging Cellars and, if you’re of age, sampling the finished product. The complimentary Brewery Tour is offered throughout the year and is available for all ages. End your tour at the new Biergarten for some delicious food and cold beer.
For more in-depth brewing tours, groups over the age of 21 are welcome to take the Beermaster Tour of the St. Louis campus as the guide leads you through the historic Brew House, the Fermentation Cellars, the Bevo Packaging Facility and finally the Finishing Cellars. You may even sample the finished product directly from the Finishing Tank. When you are done, stop by for a quick look through the Schoolhouse Museum, housing over 400 Anheuser-Busch artifacts taken out of their historic archives. The Schoolhouse includes exhibits on the history of brewing in St. Louis, Prohibition, and modern brewing developments.
For those of you who already appreciate beer or who are looking to try some new flavors, check out the Beer School’s appreciation and tasting courses. Here you can sample several different kinds of Anheuser-Busch products, learn how to properly pour a beer, and more from experts.
Stop by St. Louis’s famous Anheuser-Busch Brewery, learn about its historic legacy, and sample some excellent brews with your group.
Alton Museum of History and Art
Founded in 1971 with the intention of preserving the contributions of the Alton community, the Alton Museum of History and Art is devoted to its citizens and their history of the town’s development. Located in the Koenig House, built in 1887, the Alton Museum is also a historical landmark. Visit this concisely focused museum dedicated to the local people that made this community special over its historic life.
Not only is this museum preserving a piece of state and national history but, unlike many other museums, it devotes much of its mission to conserving and educating the public on the fascinating history of the Alton people over the years. Tour with your own pace exhibits featuring local history such as the Legend of the Piasa Bird, the Confederate Prison at Alton, and the Alton giant, Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest man who stood at a staggering 8 feet, 11 inches. Other exhibits focus on Missouri and Illinois history like explorers Lewis and Clark, the Wood River Massacre, the Lincoln and Shields Duel, and Black Pioneers.
Interact, experience, appreciate the art, and learn about history from passionate and devoted individuals. This museum is a special and interesting opportunity for your group to learn about another community. Tour groups are welcome and invited to explore the exhibits stationed throughout the house museum. The gift shop is stocked with books and DVDs with more information about the exhibit topics if you are still craving deeper knowledge after your tour. If you have questions, ask any of the helpful, informative staff for illumination. The Koenig House also hosts festivals and regular events such as trivia nights and the annual Miles Davis Jazz festival and celebration.
For an informational and fascinating tour of Illinois history, come down to the Alton Museum of History and Art.
Holocaust Museum
Tour a museum with cultural significance and historical importance at St. Louis’s Holocaust Museum. The museum was established in 1995 by the Jewish Federation of St. Louis by leaders and Holocaust survivors with the intention of preserving the history of the Jewish people’s terrible struggle and remembering the sacrifices of those who perished. Walk through the facility and experience the painful past, the hardships and discriminations culminating in the genocide of the Jewish people, and the final hopeful liberation and justice after the war’s end.
Tour the 5,000 square foot interactive museum’s many photos, visuals, audio, text, and artifacts from the camps, historical records, and survivors. Learn about the chronological history from pre-war Jewish life in Europe to the rise of Nazi power and the Holocaust which lasted from 1933-1945. Follow the events post-war at the Nuremberg trials and Jewish life in Europe after World War II. Experience the popular and poignant new exhibit, Change Begins With Me – Confronting Hate, Discrimination and Ethnic Conflict which explores post-Holocaust hate and prejudice issues.
For more information, peruse the video library including more than 500 titles or the 150 personal testimonies from survivors. Attend the monthly film series, lectures, events, teacher-training workshops, or the annual reading of the names at the Yom HaSoah Community Commemoration. The museum bookstore stocks informational texts for further study and employees are available to answer questions. After your tour, stop by the Garden of Remembrance for tranquil meditation to recall those who were lost.
Guided tours may be booked in advance and the museum is, of course, available for self-guided tours for groups and individuals. Audio tours are available for self-paced tours with informational guidance.
Bring your group to a meaningful, educational, and interesting interactive museum where the past is remembered with heartache and hope for a better future.
Meramac Caverns
Visitors to the Meramec Valley, just an hour away from the St. Louis Arch, may be surprised to know The Show Me State is also known as The Cave State, boasting almost 6400 surveyed caves scattered throughout its rolling green hills, winding rivers and lush, fertile valleys. Four are open for public exploration, and Meramec Caverns, discovered in 1720 by French Explorer Phillip Renault, is the largest of the commercial cave attractions in the state. Open to guests year round, the Caverns offer a fun, affordable vacation excursion for visitors of all ages, and well-trained rangers can accommodate groups of any size. Mile-and-a-half tours of the amazing cave complex depart every thirty minutes or so and take approximately an hour and twenty minutes to complete. Learn how the ancient Wine Table (the World’s rarest cave structure) was formed completely under water and marvel at rare and stunning mineral formations in an array of mind-blowing colors and surreal shapes and sizes as you explore this miraculous natural wonder! Exclusive 80-minute tours invite you to trip the light fantastic ( hand-held lantern light, that is) through the caverns; be prepared to encounter a gracious host of historical characters along the way – an Osage Indian, a Civil War soldier, and the infamous Jesse James regale guests with fascinating folklore and tales of courage and high adventure, and even provide a little intriguing cavern history – no secrets spilled here! When all your spelunking has you hankerin’ for some yummy vittles, the Caverns’ on-site restaurant promises hearty Classic American fare certain to satisfy as well as 28 flavors of ice cream to top it all off; a fully-stocked gift shop tenders truly perfect souvenirs of your amazing Meramec Caverns adventure!
Exploring America > U.S. Cities > St. Louis Tours
Grant’s Farm
The Busch family’s legacy is a large one in St. Louis, Missouri. Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Busch Stadium, and Grant’s Farm are but a few of the attractions one may enjoy in this vibrant city. Grant’s Farm, in particular, encompasses the history of the Busch family and President Ulysses S. Grant with exotic animals, German heritage, and good food. Fun for the whole family, Grant’s Farm has gorgeous scenery and exciting sites mixed with old Bavarian charm.
There are plenty of things to see and do at Grant’s Farm. You can ride the swan paddle boats across the pond, visit the petting zoo and other attractions at the Tier Garten, or ride through Deer Park to see exotic animals. For those of your group who are over 21, you may visit the hospitality room at The Bauernhof to try two complimentary Anheuser-Busch products. While you are there, sit, relax, and soak in the Bavarian style courtyard while you try a bratwurst or soft pretzel. If you enjoy animals, stop by the Animal Encounters show or the Elephant Education show. You may also visit the Budweiser Clydesdale Stables to meet the famous horses from the Super Bowl commercials.
Grant’s Farm is a wonderful, accommodating location to hold your next group meeting, family reunion, or other private event. Grant’s Farm offers tours of the Clydesdales, a birthday tour, a Busch Family Property tour on the history of the family property at Grant’s Farm, and a Private Expedition for your group which includes an open air vehicle ride through Deer Park and tours of Grant’s Cabin and the stables. Groups may also rent various areas on the property. Private events, special occasions, corporate meetings, or family reunions, nothing is too large or small for Grant’s Farm and everyone is sure to have a marvelous time.
Busch Stadium
Sitting in the heart of downtown St. Louis within view of the Gateway Arch is Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. With more than three million visiting fans every year, the Cardinals are one of the most visited teams in the country. If you are planning a trip to St. Louis, get yourself or your group some tickets and experience the thrill of America’s favorite past time.
Though this new Busch Stadium opened in 2006, the Cardinals were originally founded in 1882. Over the years they have won more than 9,300 games, 11 World Series Championships, 18 National League Pennants, and more. A team with such skill and history collects quite a few memories and now you can visit the Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum, the largest team-held collection of memorabilia in the MLB second only to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Tour the seven gallery collection of more than 16,000 memorabilia items and more than 80,000 archival photos. Visit the Championship Gallery to celebrate the 11 World Series wins and even hold an authentic baseball bat used by a past Cardinal in the Holding History exhibit.
With 46,000 seats, Busch Stadium is well equipped for group visits and has many attractions to keep everyone interested and entertained. Tours are offered year round, rain or shine, for groups large and small. The tours highlight areas including the Redbird Club, the Broadcast Booth, and the Cardinals Club and Dugout. The stadium and other locations may be rented for private special occasions as well.
Whether you are in a large group for a corporate get together or in a small youth group, seeing the Cardinals play at Busch Stadium is something that no one will forget. Have a hotdog, buy a Cardinals baseball cap, and have some fun!
Six Flags
There’s nothing like a good amusement park and Six Flags in St. Louis is a world class example of everything a theme park should be. With thrill rides, family and children’s rides, shows, entertainment, events, shopping and more, everyone in your group no matter the age will have a blast at Six Flags.
For those of you who enjoy a good heart-pounding thrill ride, try out the scream-tastic Batman roller coaster, the Dragon’s Wing, Mr. Freeze, Ninja, or the famous wooden coaster Screamin’ Eagle. If you have young children or for those who would prefer a calmer pace, enjoy the Colossus Ferris wheel, the majestic Grand Ole Carousel, the Log Flume, or the River King Mine Train among many others suitable for all ages. When you want a breather from all of the exciting rides, watch the Character Dance Party with the Looney Tunes or one of the other shows.
The park sponsors several events throughout the year to boost public amusement. Come over holiday weekends for Labor Day, Memorial Day, Mother’s or Father’s Days, Halloween’s Fright Fest, or participate in the Roller Coaster Race. School groups have the chance to take part in the park’s educational days where only schools are allowed to participate in the park-wide physics, math, and marketing workshops.
Six Flags is a perfect destination for all types of groups. From company outings bound for team building exercises or client lunches, religious groups, family reunions, or even weddings, Six Flags has a custom designed package to fit your group’s needs. Groups large and small, even over 80 individuals, are welcome to take part in the personalized options such as catered picnics, rented venues, private programs and more. For a fun, exciting, and interesting destination, check out Six Flags on your next group trip to St. Louis.
Science Center
Credit: St. Louis Science Center
With more than 700 hands-on exhibits, the St. Louis Science Center is a premier destination for any group dynamic. Wander on your own through the exhibits, participate in programs, or sit back and watch the simulated night sky pass overhead. The professional employees make science fun by being passionate, entertaining, and interested in the open education of the visiting public. From the youngest of children to the most mature of adults, everyone will find something to enjoy at the Science Center.
Take a tour of The Human Adventure and see on a large-scale how the human body works, become a paleontologist and dig up dinosaur bones in the Fossil Prep Lab and Dig Site, or learn how liquid nitrogen works and other science topics with the Amazing Science Demonstrations. Hop on over to the OMNIMAX to watch the Journey to Space on the domed, 5 story theater screen and experience the realistic sound of a space shuttle launch.
If you are still curious about space, visit the James S. McDonnell Planetarium and their many programs and exhibits. Look through the public viewing telescope or see the hourly planetarium shows. Attend the Experience Flight exhibit where you may take a ride in a Cessna Skyhawk around the St. Louis Arch or take off from the USS Constellation in an FA-18 Super Hornet for a thrilling flight simulation.
Kids and families, adults, school trips, and groups are all given special considerations and designed programs to fit interests and age levels. For groups visiting the Science Center, take one of the special exhibit tours, have a trained expert give a group science demonstration, take a group simulated space mission, and more. Groups may even request a Breakfast-and-a-Movie in the OMNIMAX theater.
Interact with the science of our known world and experience the exciting mysteries of the worlds beyond.
Art Museum
Located in beautiful Forest Park, the Art Museum is one of the bright jewels of St. Louis. As standard as the Arch, the St. Louis Art Museum is a city staple for culture, history, and entertainment. The museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, and present high quality art for the inspiration and education of the viewing public. Whether you are an art expert or an average Joe, true art is meant to elevate the soul and birth human discovery, to make you recognize something in yourself or in your world.
The St. Louis Art Museum possesses collections from all over the globe including African art, Islamic, Native American, Asian, European, and art from North America. Nearly every art movement in history is represented including Renaissance art, Impressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism and more. View medieval European armor and weapons then trek the galleries to see Titian, Hans Holbein, George Caleb Bingham, and Vincent Van Gogh. Travelling artwork and historical pieces expand the variety and diversity of the museum and allow for grander, more comprehensive exhibitions.
Small groups may take advantage of the daily docent-led tours of the museum or larger groups may book a private group tour. Take advantage of one of the program or workshop options to broaden your experience even further.
If you are interested in booking a venue for a special event, look no further than the Art Museum. Get married in the Sculpture Hall, have a reception next to David Chipperfield or Max Beckmann originals, or book the 1,600 square foot auditorium for your important business presentation.
Art museums are a spectacular destination for group trips no matter the age or group dynamic. Both educational and fascinatingly entertaining, art has been a medium of historical continuity since the first cave painting. Come to this gorgeous museum and look back in time and into the future.
Missouri Botanical Garden
In the heart of St. Louis, there lies 79 acres of landscaped tranquility at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The park has over 4,800 trees living within its manicured gardens and thousands of carefully chosen and sustained species of plant life from all over the globe. Walk or ride through the parks, stop to smell the flowers, and experience the lush beauty of nature at its finest.
Take a public or private guided walking tour through the Chinese Garden, the Japanese Garden, Ottoman and English Woodland Gardens, and the Victorian District. Learn about horticulture, sustainability, green living, and conservation practices from experts in botany and ecology. Walk through the Temperate House and see the Mediterranean species or through the Climatron, a tropical rainforest conservatory. If you don’t feel like walking, ride the narrated tram tours to get a comprehensive, informational tour. Groups are welcome to book private group tours with special combinations for groups over 15 persons including food and shopping plus themed tour information for school trips.
Take part in some of the Botanical Garden’s marvelous events such as the February Orchid Show, the Whitaker Music Festival, the Japanese Festival, or Gardenland Express. When you finish your tour, stop to eat at one of the cafes, Sassafras, Cafe Flora, or Terrace Cafe. Before you leave, make sure to look into the Little Shop Around the Corner or the Garden Gate Shop for a souvenir or more information about gardening.
The Missouri Botanical Garden is an excellent location for private events and may be booked for weddings, receptions, and other private parties. There are five outdoor locations available for rental and three indoor. Say “I do” in under a rose covered trellis, next to some of the garden’s beautiful fountains, or inside the beautiful Spink Pavilion overlooking lily pools and the Miles Sculpture Garden.
The St. Louis Arch
One of the American Wonders along with the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, the St. Louis Gateway Arch is a symbol of the frontier line, the border of discovery, and a hopeful door to the future of this great country. St. Louis is itself a historical city. The starting point to the Lewis and Clark expedition and the edge of civilization, where cattle drivers met East coast businessmen, St. Louis was the last stop before the gloriously undiscovered, untapped western territory. The Gateway Arch, otherwise known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, is a tribute to that time of thrilling discovery.
Standing a staggering 630 feet in the air, the Arch is a mind boggling 63 stories tall! Travel to the top in one of the trams and see the city skyline from a bird’s eye view. Visit the Old Courthouse where the famous Dred Scott court case was tried, watch the Monument to the Dream movie about the building of the Arch, or take an Arch sponsored riverboat cruise down the Mississippi to enjoy the St. Louis riverfront.
Groups large and small are welcome to enjoy the Arch and its sponsored attractions. The National Parks Service promotes ranger-led programs for the education and entertainment of the public with living history presentations on the life of early settlers. Other educational programs, group tours, and more are available for groups of all ages and interests. Various public events such as the spectacular Fourth of July fireworks display are held at the Arch among other regularly programmed activities.
For private events such as weddings, receptions, birthday parties, and more, book a riverboat cruise or rooms at the Old Courthouse to surround yourself in history and beauty for your special occasion.
St. Louis Zoo
One of the best-valued zoos in the country, the St. Louis Zoo is devoted to the animals and you. Their mission is to consistently conserve global wildlife and to offer educational and inspirational services to the public. This is a zoo that truly cares about the well-being of the animals and strives to promote global research and conservation practices to support the world’s animals.
In some ways the zoo is like a living laboratory as the zookeepers and scientists observe and research animal behavior, disease, and more to learn about how to better protect and treat animals both captive and wild. The zoo is also a safe haven for endangered species to reside away from poachers and deforestation where they might, sometimes with a little help, rebuild the species’ population.
With more than 18,000 animals, the St. Louis Zoo has a plethora of interesting and entertaining attractions for your group. Take a guided tour or guide your own way through the exhibits to see penguins, Asian elephants, the Bird House, the primates, the marvelous felines of Big Cat Country, sea lions, sharks, and much more. Personalize your visit with the help of zoo staff to custom design activities and tours to fit your desires. Plan scavenger hunts, picnics, or field trips with themed tours. Rent the zoo for weddings, receptions, birthday or anniversary parties, corporate team-building events and more.
Not only does the zoo feature thousands of fascinating creatures but it also has themed attractions for the young at heart. Visit the Zooline Railroad, the Children’s Zoo, or the Conservation Carousel if your group contains small children or trek on over to the 4D motion simulator theater to experience a multi-sensory film. Watch the Sea Lion Show, take a Safari tour or a Behind-the-Scenes tour for a more informational visit.