10 Things to Do in St Louis in Winter

The city of St. Louis was built on a strategically important site on the banks of the Mississippi River. Among its emblematic monuments is the Gateway Arch, the tallest arch in the United States, which represents the expansion of the country to the west. Visiting the city in winter is one of the most fun things to do in St. Louis, since you can enjoy the snow and its varied cultural proposals.

Saint Louis is one of the most important stops along Route 66, where, despite its low temperatures, you will find lots of fun, activities for the whole family, a rich history and exquisite cuisine, in a sophisticated and cosmopolitan place.

Being a city steeped in history, St. Louis offers interesting walking tours that you can take to learn about the mysterious events that have occurred in the city. These are ideal walks to do in winter, since the cold and gray weather helps you to get into the mysterious, haunted places or listen to stories of ancient crimes.

For example, you can take a walking tour through the Soulard neighborhood, known for being the scene of spooky events. There you can visit dozens of historic houses where everything from bank robberies and election riots to bloody duels have taken place.

You can also visit the haunted neighborhood of Lemp, where the Lemp family mansion is located, considered one of the 9 most haunted houses by Life magazine.

If you like horror stories and mysteries, these experiences are among the most interesting activities you can do in winter. Just keep in mind that you should be warm and prepared to walk, with comfortable shoes.

Thanks to the cold weather this city has to offer, visiting the ice skating rinks is one of the most fun activities you can do, whether you are traveling alone, with friends or with your family. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, visiting the ice rinks is always an unforgettable activity.

This is a sport that you can do at any time of the winter. There is an excellent outdoor rink in the city, the Steinberg Skating Rink, located in Forest Park. If you have never skated before, you can also take lessons to learn, as well as use the rink for free.

Steinberg is one of the largest rinks in the region. It is usually open around noon and closes in the evening. There you can spend some time by the fire, enjoy the view, drink hot chocolate at the bar next to the rink or have a snack to recharge your batteries. You can also rent skates, bumper cars or any other skating equipment you may need.

More information about the rink

• Location: Forest Park 400 Jefferson Drive St. Louis, MO 63110
• Hours: between 1 p.m. and 10 p.m.
• Entrance fee: about 10 EUR, plus skate rental.
• Skate rental: about 5,50 EUR.

When visiting St. Louis during the coldest time of the year, you should know that the city is famous for its unique restaurants, where you can enjoy delicious Southern cuisine as well as cuisine from around the world. Among its typical delicacies are toasted ravioli, Gooey Butter Cake, or St. Louis style ribs or pizzas.

If you are looking for a social and interactive dinner, I recommend you take advantage of The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show experience at the Hilton St. Louis Frontenac, a police comedy show where you will have to solve a crime while savoring a delicious 4-course dinner. Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in St. Louis at night.

Being a city with an energetic nightlife, there are plenty of bars where you can try a good beer. Doing a St. Louis bar crawl is one of the best ways to explore the city's most popular spots on a fun scavenger hunt that will take you to the best bars and watering holes in St. Louis.

From mid-December through early February, you can see bald eagles in St. Louis, as these birds build nests along the Mississippi River this time of year. If you want to see them roosting in the trees near the river, it's best to head out early in the morning.

Each winter, this national animal returns to build nests, so it's easy to spot them flying and fishing along the river. In addition, during the winter season there are many events to see them up close and take pictures.

A privileged place for bald eagle watching is a former military base, Fort Belle Fontaine, 30 km from downtown St. Louis. There you can take a 4-mile trail through meadows and wetlands.

You can also visit the Chain of Rocks Bridge, which crosses the Mississippi. It is one of the longest bridges in the world and you can walk or bike across it to see these birds.

In the Soulard neighborhood, from Twelfth Night through Fat Tuesday (the day before the beginning of Lent), the second largest Mardi Gras celebration in the U.S. is held. The culmination of the celebration is the Bud Light Grand Parade.

The festival features grandiose events, including a parade with more than 100 floats, a costumed mascot parade, and a wide variety of food and beverages for you to enjoy on your stroll. The festive season also includes smaller parades and charity events.

As it lasts for weeks, you will have the chance to participate in many activities, such as the family winter carnival, which includes many experiences for children, such as creating masks or learning magic tricks. It is ideal if you are visiting St. Louis with children.

One of the most fun activities is the treasure hunt, whose clues will lead you to the highlights of the Soulard neighborhood. You can also participate in a Cajun cooking competition, where skilled chefs compete, while enjoying a traditional Cajun lunch. Cajun cuisine is a sort of fusion between French-Canadian and local cuisine, as well as influences from other world cuisines.

The snowy slopes are an excellent option for a good time. You don't have to be an expert to enjoy the snow. Whether skiing, snowboarding, sledding or just throwing yourself into snow tubes, fun is guaranteed.

A good place for beginners and families with children is Hidden Valley. As it is a short distance from the city (about 50 km) and has a varied gastronomic offer in its surroundings, it is an ideal place to enjoy the snow. There you can ski or snowboard, rent equipment or take lessons.

Another fun activity to do in winter in St. Louis is sledding or tobogganing, taking advantage of the slopes of the snowy hills of the city. Keep in mind that in some places you can't rent sleds so you have to bring your own.

Where to sled in St. Louis

• Art Hill in Forest Park, a place where you will also find many cultural activities. You must bring your own sled.
• Blanchette Park: has the highest slopes in the region.
• Lake St. Louis: you can combine sledding with skating.
• Bluebird Park: has a long and steep hill ideal for speed lovers.

During the Christmas season, west of the county, you can enjoy Winter Wonderland, one of the largest Christmas light displays in the region.

It's held every year at Tilles Park. The season begins the week before Thanksgiving and ends just after New Year's Day. The park is dressed up with thousands of twinkling lights and holiday scenes. Desserts, hot chocolate and other beverages are available in a wide variety of holiday-themed food offerings.

The display is nightly, and can be enjoyed on foot or by car. Remember to have your camera handy. On the other hand, keep in mind that this is an all-weather event, rain or shine.

More information about the event

• Location: Downtown Tilles Park in West St. Louis
• Hours: 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Admission: from 9.50 EUR; children under 2 years old free of charge. Cars pay between 15 and 125 EUR, depending on their size.
• Recommendations: it is best to get your ticket well in advance because they sell out quickly.

During the winter season, baseball fans can enjoy the annual event organized by the St. Louis Cardinals called Winter Warm-up. This winter event is ideal for fans to meet their favorite players, buy souvenirs and get autographs. There are also auctions, where you can bid on memorabilia, and question and answer sessions with the athletes.

Among the activities you can do, the most attractive are the autograph sessions, because they offer you the opportunity to meet the team, former players and Hall of Fame members. Some players sign autographs for free, while for others you will have to pay a fee. The money raised goes to the St. Louis Cardinals, a charity to help local children.

This event is held every January during the vacation weekend around Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Hyatt Regency, located a few blocks from Busch Stadium.

Learn more about the event

• Location: Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch, 315 Chestnut Street.
• Ticket sales: at the Cardinals Stores at Busch Stadium, or at the Cardinals Clubhouse Stores at Union Station, The St. Louis Galleria, St. Louis Outlet Mall, St. Clair Square, South County Center and West County Center. Also on the St. Louis Cardinals website.

It's safe to say that a trip to St. Louis in the winter season wouldn't be complete without a trip to the Enterprise Center to cheer on the local professional ice hockey team, the St. Louis Blues. Games are played from October through April.

Enterprise Center, with a seating capacity of about 19,000, is the home of the St Louis Blues and one of the arenas where their National Hockey League games are played. In addition to ice hockey, in this stadium you can enjoy other activities such as concerts, ice shows, wrestling and other sporting events.

If you are thinking of experiencing the excitement of cheering on a field hockey team, watching an action-packed game and sharing a moment with other fans, don't hesitate to get your ticket. During halftime, you can enjoy the abundant food at the restaurants inside the stadium, which include barbecue, hamburgers and fries, among others.

More information about the stadium

• Location: 1401 Clark Ave St. Louis, Missouri 63103
• Ticket sales: tickets are available on the Ticketmaster website, at the Enterprise Center box office or through the Blues + Enterprise Center app.
• Recommendations: there are three entrances to Enterprise Center that open mostly 90 minutes before the games.

The winter season is ideal for you to get to know St. Louis' extensive cultural offerings. The city is home to one of the most important museums in the United States, the St. Louis Art Museum, whose current home opened in 1909, and boasts some 30,000 works and a one-of-a-kind outdoor sculpture park and museum, Laumeier Sculpture Park, with more than 60 sculptural works along 1.5 miles of walking trails.

In addition, there are many other incredible cultural options in St Louis: the Gateway Arch National Park Museum, with its exhibits and interactive multimedia displays, and the Missouri History Museum, which explores the history of St. Louis since its founding, are both great options to visit in the winter months and are free to enter.

In the winter season, the crowds are more limited, which benefits those who want a more intimate experience. In addition, there are often themed exhibitions geared to those months in particular, putting the works and the weather in dialogue.

Free museums in St. Louis

• St. Louis Art Museum: Forest Park 1 Fine Arts Dr. St. Louis. MO 63110
• Laumeier Sculpture Park: 12580 Rott Road, Saint Louis, Missouri 63127
• Gateway Arch National Park Museum One: near Rt. 44 and Chestnut St., St. Louis.
• Memorial Drive: Suite 730. St. Louis, MO 63102 Missouri
• History Museum: 5700 Lindell BLVD St. Louis, MO 63112

If you travel to St. Louis, you should be prepared for cold and snow. The temperature varies on average between -6 °C and 4 °C. And every few weeks there is usually a snowfall or freezing precipitation. And every few weeks there is usually a snowfall or freezing precipitation.

Because of the temperature difference between outside and inside, it's best to dress in layers so you can take your coat off inside or dress warmer when you go outside. And don't forget waterproof clothing and boots, especially if you'll be playing any sports in the snow.