Our ARCH-etypical St. Louis trip in 2026

Want to get more out of our arch etypical louis without the guesswork? Below we walk through the essentials in plain language, with practical steps you can use right away.

Key Takeaways

• Louis trip, but then had such a weekend of catching up to do -- and the kids are still on spring break through right now, too!
• But better late than at no point, right?
• Louis was fantastic, and I highly recommend the trip.
• Worth noting: we stayed at a hotel with an indoor pool, so Saturday night we just got dinner and hung near there and swam.

Is Our Arch Etypical Louis Worth It?

Louis is about a four hour fifteen minute drive from Chicago's western suburbs, so we headed down last Saturday, stopping halfway at Cracker Barrel for lunch. (Since that's what you do on road trips, right?) But genuinely, not a bad drive at all. I think the boys might have been more excited about the unlimited access to Cartoon Network in the hotel room than the actual sightseeing, since their mean mom doesn't pay for cable at home. 😉 On Sunday we visited the St.

• The area all near it is currently under construction, so if you're heading to St.
• Louis anytime soon allow added time to get there.
• More importantly, the Museum of Westward Expansion inside the Arch also turned out to be closed during construction, so we didn't get a chance to see that.

Where the Real Savings Hide

You can pick to head up to the top of the Arch in this crazy tiny pod aspect -- kind of like Mork's egg -- which goes up the inside of one of the legs. Pre-order tickets online or (during construction) at the Old Courthouse a couple of blocks away: It cost $30 for the four of us: $10 per adult; $5 per child.

• 8 took one look out of the windows at the top and turned out to be terrified of those kind of heights -- then he was not too pleased about going back down in the little pod!
• Remember that the view, though, was impressive from 630 feet up!
• See the courthouse in the distance?

A Closer Look at Our Arch Etypical Louis

That's where we're headed next... We walked through the Old Courthouse, which had just gorgeous architecture and so much history -- it served as the site of the Dred Scott court trials, for one!

• As a rule, some of the museum exhibits were also located there temporarily during construction.
• Definitely spend some time here.
• After a wander through downtown, a late lunch, and a trip to a large local mall (yes... the mall...

What to Know About Our Arch Etypical Louis

MashupDad forgot to pack a swimsuit), we decamped back to the hotel for more swimming + hot tub fun. In short, this is a excellent zoo, and the place genuinely provides Brookfield a run for its money (literally, as it is free.) Free admission, but $15 to park unless you pick from the ample free street parking a little further down.

• And by the method?
• 72 and brightly sunny surprised me at the end of March, so we might have come out of the zoo a little sunburned.
• We spent the entire day at the zoo, since it was just a gorgeous day with so much to see.

How Our Arch Etypical Louis Really Works

Worth noting: highly recommended if you are also thinking of a trip to St. On Tuesday morning, we packed up and then hit the St.

• Louis Science Center on the method home.
• Also free admission, but parking runs $10 (and aspects like the Planetarium Sky Reveal or the IMAX cost added).
• More importantly, but for just that $10 parking fee, the four of us were entertained for several hours -- and could simply have stayed longer if we weren't facing that long drive home.

Getting the Most From Our Arch Etypical Louis

The Science Center is highly well done. It's sometimes hard to find places that will keep both kids entertained since they're 4.5 years apart and highly different in temperament, but this fit the bill nicely.

• We did, though, end up having to divide and conquer to suit different ages and interests.
• Remember that mashupDad hung out with Junior High Guy doing DNA experiments and such, while I ran near with Mr.
• 8 digging for fossils and examining scorpions.

Tips That Make a Difference

I'd definitely go back! Such a pretty city, and the downtown was not crowded and straightforward to walk near, with large public parks, horse drawn carriages, and the stadium and convention center both right there if you wanted to take in a game or other event.

• As a rule, we also didn't get a chance to visit the City Museum, which came highly recommended and is on the short list for next time.
• We could simply have spent another couple of days here, but overall I think we packed a lot into a four-day visit (given that solid chunks of two of those days were spent driving).
• It also turned out to be a pretty affordable trip: It amazed me that the Zoo and Science Center had free admission, and all four of went up in the St.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Louis Arch for less than it would have cost for one adult and one child to hit the Sears Tower Skydeck. (Admittedly, it's a little more cramped up at the top of the Arch, lol...) Have you been to St. In short, what else should we see on our next trip? 🙂 ...

Facebook Twitter Email Messenger.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I save money on our arch etypical louis?

Compare prices across a few retailers, look for active coupon codes, and time bigger buys around sales events. I think the boys might have been more excited about the unlimited access to Cartoon Network in the hotel room than the actual sightseeing, since their mean mom doesn't pay for cable at home. 😉 On Sunday we visited the S....

Is it worth shopping around for our arch etypical louis?

Usually yes. The area all near it is currently under construction, so if you're heading to St.

What should I check before buying?

Read the terms, confirm any code still works, and factor in shipping or returns. Louis anytime soon allow added time to get there.

Smart Ways to Save More on Our Arch Etypical Louis

• Check for student, military, or first order offers you may qualify for.
• Time non urgent purchases around major sale events for the deepest cuts.
• Leave items in your cart for a day; some stores send a follow up discount.
• Pair cashback with a coupon so you save twice on the same order.
• Stack a coupon code with an existing sale whenever the store allows it.

Final Thoughts

Before you check out, line up our arch etypical louis against current promotions and any codes you can stack. Small habits like these add up to real savings over a year.

Originally published at mashupmom.com.