Baseball is more than just sport to the locals; it is a near-sacred institution. Fans have plenty of reason to be proud of their Cards, who have won multiple World Series titles and National League championships. Locals and visitors alike flock to Busch Stadium to watch their favorite players in action. Witnessing an exciting game amid the sea of red-wearing Cardinal fanatics in this gorgeous stadium is a memorable experience.
From basketball to volleyball, arts and crafts to drumming, Cherokee Recreation Center has activities available for people of all ages. This neighborhood-centered recreational center, located in the historic residential Benton Park neighborhood, is a great place to try a new activity. The staff is extremely helpful and has extensive knowledge about the equipment available for use, as well as programs for special-needs individuals and programs for children. Stop by for a swim or learn more about opportunities to volunteer.
Explore the outer reaches of space and try your hand at archaeology when you spend a day visiting the St. Louis Science Center. Using interactive displays, life-like exhibits, an IMAX theater and hands-on activities, this center will have your imagination running wild. Kids too can have a fun time, learning about science, astronomy and health, through various camps and workshops organized on site. One of the largest establishments of its kind, the museum is also home to the famed McDonnell Planetarium and an agricultural pavilion. Best of all, admission to this fantastical center is free!
Omnimax, located at the Saint Louis Science Center, offers the audience with a movie-viewing experience like no other. The screen itself is an impressive five-story tall and the entire movie hall is in the shape of a dome with the projector positioned along the floor for the perfect angle. The digital sound system of the IMAX is also like no other. Child-friendly films based on science and history are screened here. While at the Science Center, catching a film here is an absolute must.
As one of the few remaining free zoos in the United States and the third largest, the St. Louis Zoo is a day full of discovery and exploration. Open year-round, this spacious zoo offers visitors the chance to get up close and personal with many of the animals. Some areas of the zoo do require an entrance fee such as the Sea Lion Show, Children's Petting Zoo area, Safari Tours, and Stingray Encounter at Caribbean Cove.
The Monsanto Insectarium is one of the creepier attractions at the famed St. Louis Zoo. Decked by a giant scorpion at the entrance, the creepiness just increases from there. However, many children and parents alike are marveled by the lives of all the magnificent insects in the world. Characteristic of St. Louis Zoo, the focus of this attraction is education. You can read and learn about your favorite insects, but be sure to keep your eyes open, since anything may be crawling around the corner. - Cathryn D. Blue
Naked mole rats, meerkats, fennec foxes, and Matschie's Tree Kangaroos are only a few of the animals one can watch and love on at the Emerson Children's Zoo. This attraction is one of the few in the zoo that visitors must pay to enter, but it's worth it. Sure, anyone can watch animals from a distance, but at this zoo, visitors can actually play with the animals! For example, the kid goats are particularly frisky and enjoy being fed, but be careful, they will try to eat your shirt! All the animals in this area are the puppy versions, so their ferocity is at a minimum. However, be respectful, since these are still animals with minds of their own. - Cathryn D. Blue
The Sidney S. Cohen Elephant Fountain is a majestic representation of the elephant located near the bears in St. Louis Zoo. For the animal lover in you, the zoo features a plethora of live animals, but also a large collection of sculptural representation of animals by artists from all over the world. The elephant stands proudly as the water pours and spouts all around him. Besides being beautiful to behold by the eyes, this fountain serves as a form of relief during hot days. It is frowned upon to play in the fountain, but any accessible water can really make a trip to the zoo a little more pleasurable on a hot day. - Cathryn D. Blue
The Wetterau Pavilion at St. Louis Zoo houses the Living World, the North Gift Shop, and a plethora of information at the north entrance of the park. The pavilion consists of a lecture hall, the information center, and an excited staff who really enjoys teaching visitors about what the zoo has to offer. In conjunction with resources for education and enjoyment, this is also where the best bathrooms and water fountains are. Visitors certainly want to keep this location in their sights.
The Penguin and Puffin Coast of the St. Louis Zoo is a recent addition to this wonderful park. It consists of the Dennis & Judy Jones Family Humboldt Haven (featuring the Humboldt penguins), the Lichtenstein Penguin Cove, and the Taylor Family Puffin Bay. There's much more to arctic bird life than people are generally aware of and this exhibit portrays it all. The various species of penguin and puffin living here swim and splash around to the delight of their human fans. Be prepared for the cold, however. The aquarium-like home is kept at a constant temperature of 45-50 degrees to simulate an arctic atmosphere. This can be a shock to the system, especially during the warmer months. - Cathryn D. Blue
On the north side of the St. Louis Zoo, a hop and jump away from the Penguin and Puffin Coast sits the majestic Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel. This historic carousel features hand-carved and painted wooden animals that visitors, young and old alike, can ride on while listening to vintage theme park music. You will feel as though you have traveled back through time as you ride around on this beautiful work of art. - Cathryn D. Blue
Visible from highway 64/40, Cypress Swamp is a favorite attraction at the famous St. Louis Zoo. The swamp is encapsulated by a giant, rounded steel cage that visitors can walk through. As they wander on the wooden path, zoo enthusiasts can marvel at the various species of birds and tropical animal life that live in the exhibit together. Furthermore, since the visitors are technically inside the cage, there is always an opportunity that a hawk or dove may fly right past their heads. The sophisticated filtering technology allows for the water to be filtered and recycled, while maintaining the still surface water characteristic of a swamp.