Parks

With beautiful Forest Park as its centerpiece, the St. Louis area is widely recognized one of the greenest regions in the country.

The showcase of the 1904 World’s Fair, Forest Park today is one of the nation’s largest metropolitan parks, covering almost 1,300 acres — more than 500 acres larger than New York’s Central Park — that house some of St. Louis’ premier attractions, including the Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Missouri History Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Jewel Box, the Muny, two golf courses, tennis courts, a six-mile running trail, dozens of ball fields, and much more.

Tower Grove Park in South St. Louis is the finest example of a Victorian Park remaining in the United States. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark – one of only six municipal parks to achieve that status – and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Henry Shaw, founder of the Missouri Botanical Garden, gave the 289-acre park to the city in 1868. Shaw designed and personally oversaw the park's development, including the planting of more than 8,000 trees and shrubs he imported from around the world.

There are more than 100 St. Louis city parks, and the crown jewel of downtown is the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, which consists of the Gateway Arch, the Museum of Westward Expansion, and St. Louis’ Old Courthouse. Every year, these downtown attractions play host to Fair Saint Louis, the largest free three-day Fourth of July celebration in the United States.

In addition, the Greater St. Louis area is surrounded by a wealth of state parks in both Illinois and Missouri. These resources offer numerous activities — including camping, hiking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, spelunking, swimming, picnicking, and equestrian and bicycle riding  — in beautiful destinations that are all just a short road trip away.

To learn more about Illinois and Missouri State Parks, select the links below:

RELATED LINKS  Illinois State Parks  Missouri State Parks