09 Jun Summer in St. Louis With Kids: Free, Cheap and Splurge Ideas

Summer in St. Louis is long, hot, and cheaper than most families expect. Many of the region’s best attractions charge nothing at the gate, thanks largely to the Zoo-Museum District tax that city and county residents already pay. Most of the rest is under $20 a person.

We’ve sorted this by cost, because that’s how most parents plan a week. Everything here is a standing summer option, not a one-year exhibit. Check hours before you go; several run on a spring-to-fall season.

Free

Saint Louis Zoo (Forest Park)

1 Government Dr., St. Louis 63110. Admission is free every day. The catch is parking: the Zoo charges non-members $20 per car in its lots and no longer takes cash. Park on the free streets inside Forest Park, or take MetroLink to the Forest Park-DeBaliviere station and walk in.

Saint Louis Science Center (Forest Park)

5050 Oakland Ave., St. Louis 63110. General admission is always free, and the galleries are air-conditioned, which matters in July. Omnimax films, planetarium shows, and special exhibits are paid add-ons. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Missouri History Museum (Forest Park)

5700 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis 63112. Free general admission, open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, closed Mondays.

Suson Park animal farm (South County)

6073 Wells Rd., St. Louis 63128. A St. Louis County park with a working farm: cows, horses, pigs, goats, chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Park admission is free, and the barn is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tower Grove Park (South City)

4257 Northeast Dr., St. Louis 63110. The Muckerman Children’s Fountain splash pad, next to the Central Playground near the Roman Pavilion, runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily from mid-June into October. The Nee Kee Nee playscape has a natural stream that cycles every 20 minutes. On Saturday mornings, April through early November, the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market fills the park with roughly 120 vendors.

City spray pools

The City of St. Louis Parks Department lists free spray and wading pools at Citygarden downtown (the Spray Plaza and Split Basin at 801 Market St.), O’Fallon Park, Pontiac Square Park, Strodtman Park, McDonald Park, and St. Louis Place Park. Citygarden is two blocks from the Arch.

Whitaker Music Festival (Missouri Botanical Garden)

4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis 63110. Every Wednesday evening from late May through July, the Garden opens free at 5:30 p.m. for a concert on the lawn at 7. Bring a picnic. Rules: no pets, no grills.

Sounds of Summer at Chesterfield Amphitheater

631 Veterans Place Dr., Chesterfield 63017. The City of Chesterfield runs a free Saturday-evening concert series from mid-June through August, mostly tribute bands, with food trucks on site. Lawn seating; bring chairs.

Free seats at The Muny (Forest Park)

1 Theatre Dr., St. Louis 63112. Every performance holds back nearly 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows. The line forms at the upper entrance in Kooyumjian Family Plaza, and the free-seat gates open at 7 p.m. for an 8:15 p.m. curtain.

Castlewood State Park (Ballwin)

1401 Kiefer Creek Rd., Ballwin 63021. Free entry, 1,818 acres on the Meramec River, and the River Scene Trail, which climbs the bluffs and drops down to the water. The east side of the park has picnic shelters and a playground for younger kids.

Kids Bowl Free

Registered kids get two free games a day, every day but Sunday, from late April through October at participating centers, including Crestwood Bowl (9822 Watson Rd.), Sunset Lanes (7777 Watson Rd.), Concord Bowl (11801 Tesson Ferry Rd.), and Du Bowl (2711 Lemay Ferry Rd.). Shoe rental is extra.

STL Summer Adventure (library reading program)

St. Louis County Library and St. Louis Public Library run a joint summer program for ages 0 to 17 from early June through mid-August. Complete ten activities, reading or otherwise, to claim a prize and a raffle entry for memberships to places like the Zoo and The Magic House. Sign up at any branch or on Beanstack.

Under $20 a person

Grant’s Farm (South County)

10501 Gravois Rd., St. Louis 63123. Admission is free; parking is $18 per car if you buy online in advance and $27 at the gate. That gets you the tram ride through the deer park, the animal shows, and the Clydesdales. Feeding the goats and the carousel cost extra.

St. Louis Carousel at Faust Park (Chesterfield)

15185 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield 63017. A 1920s Dentzel carousel rescued from the old Forest Park Highlands amusement park, with 65 hand-carved animals, indoors and air-conditioned. Rides are $2. Closed Mondays. The Butterfly House is on the same grounds.

Big Muddy Adventures at Creve Coeur Lake (Maryland Heights)

13171 Dripping Springs Rd., Maryland Heights 63043. Single kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes rent for $15 an hour; canoes and tandem kayaks for $20. First come, first served, life jackets included, and kids under 16 need an adult in the boat.

The Magic House (Kirkwood)

516 S. Kirkwood Rd., Kirkwood 63122. Admission is $15 for everyone over age one. Residents of the city and the surrounding Missouri counties pay $3 per person after 3 p.m.

Skyview Drive-In (Belleville, Illinois)

5700 N. Belt West, Belleville 62226. One of the last drive-ins in the metro, open spring through October, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Adults are $13 and kids under 12 are free.

Aquaport (Maryland Heights)

2344 McKelvey Rd., Maryland Heights 63043. The city-run water park charges $15 for adults and $10 for kids without a resident card, and much less with one. Open daily from Memorial Day weekend, noon to 6 p.m.

Peach picking at Eckert’s (Belleville, Illinois)

951 S. Green Mount Rd., Belleville 62220. Eckert’s pick-your-own peaches typically open in early July, with wagon rides out to the orchard. Prices are by the pound and posted on Eckert’s crop update page, which is worth checking because harvest dates move with the weather.

Worth the splurge

City Museum (Downtown)

750 N. 16th St., St. Louis 63103. Daily tickets start at $20, and kids under 2 are free. It’s a former shoe factory turned into caves, slides, and a rooftop Ferris wheel; wear closed-toe shoes.

Planning a summer here for good?

A lot of families discover the free side of St. Louis on a visit and start doing the math on what a house here costs. The answer is usually less than they think. Browse listings on Wizah, our home-search site, or reach out through our home buying page. Our agents live in these neighborhoods and can tell you which ones put a splash pad, a library branch, and a custard stand within walking distance.