Gateway Arch

No one visiting St Louis should miss seeing the Gateway Arch.  It is the landmark that everyone associates with St Louis and it’s definitely worth the trip.  Even if you are from St Louis, it is a fun place to visit or take your kids.  When out-of-town visitors come, I always take them and I think I enjoy it as much as them every time!  Check out this Arch photo blog with a lot of cool shots of the Arch.

Some facts about the Gateway Arch:

• It is also known as the Gateway to the West
• It is the tallest monument in the U.S. at 630 feet
• The Arch weighs 17,426 tons
• Over 25 million visitors have ridden the trams to the top of the Arch
• It took about 1 ½ years to build, with construction beginning in 1963
• They are currenty holding a contest to completely redesign the grounds around the Arch

The view from the top of the Gateway Arch

Taking a ride to the top is definitely worth it – on a clear day you can see up to 30 miles in either direction! And, while you are at the St. Louis Arch, there are a lot of other things to do besides just riding to the top. The base of each leg of the Arch has something to do, too.  Visit the Museum of Westward Expansion and learn about life on the River in the 1800’s, including Lewis and Clark’s expedition and Native American culture.  You can also watch movies about Lewis and Clark’s journey and construction of the Saint Louis Arch shown on a giant four-story screen. 

Outside of the Arch, you can rent a bicycle and ride around the Riverfront Trail, take a helicopter tour of the city or take a cruise down the Mississippi on a 19^th century steamboat replica.  Dinner, entertainment, and sightseeing tours all available on the steamboat based on  the time of year.  Bicycle, helicopter, and riverboat tours are all available through the Arch and more information can be found here on their website.

And, if you are looking for a place to eat, Laclede’s Landing is within walking distance and offers a bunch of different restaurants to choose from.