Hometown Fun

It's been a long while since I've been able to spend the summer in my hometown of St. Louis, MO.  While the call of travel and adventure still tug at me, circumstances beyond my control have kept me still. 
Not to worry- I have not been idle!

St. Louis has some of the best activities to keep even my ever wandering heart content. (mostly) 

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The Missouri Botanical Gardens
One of my favorite places to visit.  I could spend hours and hours there.  It is so peaceful and beautiful.  Eighty acres of landscaped gardens and water and rolling hills.  They even have a garden center so you could bring some of the magic back home.  
I don't really need additional entertainment, so it's a bonus that they offer FREE live concerts on Wednesday evenings. You're invited to come in, bring your food and beverage of choice (or they have options available for you as well!), sit back and listen to the live band that changes each week.  What a great way to get through the work week! 

The Muny
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The largest outdoor theatre can only be found right here in St. Louis, tucked inside of Forest Park!
I have been visiting this establishment since I was a child.  My mom took us every summer and I have since passed it on to my children!  And hopefully they will continue the tradition with their children!


One of the best parts about the Muny, is that for every show (EVERY SHOW) the last few rows are always free.  (ALWAYS FREE!!) So even when a family doesn't have much of an "entertainment budget", St. Louis comes to the rescue.  (Which was how we were able to visit it so often as a child!)
There are some shows that I will pay for tickets, but most times I like sitting in the "free seats".  Maybe for nostalgia, maybe because it's a different experience, or when I'm flat broke. 
I have always been a fan of live theatre so I LOVE that the Muny is in my own backyard!  What great memories I have of this place and have happily added new ones to my memory back this year. 

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The St. Louis Zoo

No St. Louis Summer is complete without at least ONE visit to the zoo.  And once again Forest Park and their grandfathered rules, comes to the aid of families.  The St. Louis Zoo is ALWAYS FREE. 
And this is no chincy, slap something together, see a few goats and a starving cougar someone tried to keep as a pet... no, this is one of the TOP RATED ZOOs in the world!! 
I love our zoo SO MUCH!  It is easy to see as you walk through, how much the animals are loved and cared for and the humans also!  
They have an extensive staff and volunteers working every single day to make the experience unforgettable.  

And THIS year (2023) they've added a new adventure!

FEED THE GIRAFFES!!!
Omigoodness!! This is one of those things you would have had to go to some expensive, exotic place to have such an upclose personal experience with these gentle, long-necked giants.  The StL Zoo said, "Hold my beer!"
Now YOU can feed the giraffes!! And even though the experience only lasts a few moments, it is SO worth it!

Honorable Mentions

The History Museum
Also FREE to get in!  So much to see and do inside! 
Special sections on the St. Louis World's Fair and Missouri's music history and the history of downtown St. Louis! 

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The StL Science Center
FREE Admission!  (Did I mention FREE?). This is THREE levels of hands on activities starting from prehistoric to what's next in space and ALL KINDS OF STUFF in between!  The grandkids had a blast here!  I had fun watching them have fun! 

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So while I am "stuck" here, I might as well make the most of it.  
I do not love the traffic of the busy city, but hey, we can't have everything, right?

If you are looking for a place to visit and you want more bang for your family buck, St. Louis, Missouri should be on your bucket list.  
SO much to do and SO much of it is FREE!
I promise you will make GREAT memories here!