Ultimate St. Louis Summer Fun List

The St. Louis are has so many great attractions and activities to make memories all summer long. If you are trying to find the very best playgrounds, hikes, museums, and more to keep your kids happy and entertained this summer, then this post is for you! Scroll on down to find family fun for a variety of categories whether you are looking for water fun or to just stay cool indoors.

You can find a full list of clickable links below or download a PDF printable list to track all of your adventures!

*List has been updated for 2023 and I will continue to update and add even more adventures!

All About Animals

Aikman Wildlife Adventure – Arcola, IL
Audubon Center at Riverlands – West Alton, MO  (FREE)
Big Joel’s Safari – Wright City, MO
Critter Lane Petting Zoo – Bonne Terre, MO
Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary – Ste. Genevieve, MO
Endangered Wolf Center – Eureka, MO
Grant’s Farm – St. Louis FREE admission, parking fee
Lone Elk Park – Valley Park, MO (FREE)
Marcoot Jersey Creamery – Greenville, IL (FREE)
Powder Valley Nature Center – Kirkwood, MO (FREE)
Purina Farms – Gray Summit, MO (FREE)
Rainbow Ranch Petting Zoo – Nashville, IL
Sophia Sachs Butterfly House – Chesterfield, MO
St. Louis Aquarium – St. Louis Union Station
St. Louis Zoo – St. Louis (FREE), parking fee in lots or park FREE on streets
Suson Farm – St. Louis (FREE)
Tied Dyed Iguana Shop – O’Fallon, IL (FREE)
Treehouse Wildlife Center – Dow, IL (FREE)
Warm Springs Ranch – Boonville, MO
Wild Animal Adventures-Staunton, MO
Willoughby Farm – Collinsville, IL (FREE)
World Bird Sanctuary – Valley Park, MO FREE admission, parking fee

Perfect Playgrounds (All are FREE!)

Airplane/Township Park – Edwardsville, IL
Two playgrounds, bike trail, restrooms, picnic areas
Boo Memorial Playground–Carbondale, IL
Must see HUGE castle and dungeons & dragons themed playground, picnic area, gardens, fenced, No restrooms
Brendan’s Playground – O’Fallon, MO
Cute inclusive bug themed playground. Fenced with splash pad, restrooms.
Bryan Memorial Park – Salem, IL
Newer inclusive playground, fenced, restrooms
Central Park – Chesterfield, MO
Huge playground with some shade, walking trails, creek, sculptures, restrooms.
Deer Creek Park– St. Louis
Rocket themed playground, bike trail
Faust Park – Chesterfield, MO
Fun play area near historical village, carousel, restrooms, and Butterfly House.
Forest Park Nature Playscape – St. Louis Forest Park
Newer nature play area near the zoo. Has water, logs, and more.
Gordon Moore Park – Alton, IL
Newer fenced inclusive playground plus several other playgrounds, walking trails, restrooms, and gardens.
Hannah’s Playground– Breese, IL
Super cute farm themed inclusive playground. Fenced with restrooms adjacent.
Hawk Ridge (Zachary’s Playground)– St. Louis
Inclusive fenced playground with a castle theme, restrooms, and splash pad.
Jake’s Field of Dreams – Wentzville, MO
One of the biggest and best playgrounds with a sports theme including a kid-sized Busch Stadium. Fenced with a spray pole and restrooms.
Jaycee Park – St. Charles, MO
Nature themed inclusive and fenced play area with splash play area and restrooms.
Kade’s Playground – Herculaneum, MO
Amazing Pompeii themed playground with volcano slide and large splash pad. Restrooms and fence.
McAuley Playground – Cottleville, MO
Cute Irish themed playground that is inclusive and fenced.
Moody (Longacre) Park – Fairview Heights, IL
Partially fenced nature themed play area with restrooms.
O’Day Park – O’Fallon, MO
Unique ninja style play area. Use caution on the splash pad due to sharp concrete blocks.
O’Fallon Family Sports Park– O’Fallon, IL
Great playground plus the best splash pad in the whole area.
Queeny Park– St. Louis
Unique play area with Mario Bros. looking pyramids and tubes to explore.
Rinderer Park – Highland, IL
Fenced inclusive playground with zipline, restrooms.
Schranz Memorial Park – Swansea, IL
A great castle themed playground that is fenced and also has a splash pad and restrooms.
Shaw Park– Clayton, MO
A large nature themed inclusive playground with small splash pad.
The Heights Playground – Richmond Heights, MO
Fenced fun play area plus a nature play area.
Tilles Park – St. Louis
Large playground and splash fountain.
Veterans Tribute Park – Weldon Spring, MO
Unique and spacious playground with a great splash play area.
Wildwood Community Park – Wildwood, MO
One of the best nature themed playgrounds with unique features, a creek, and clean restrooms.
Wonderland Playground–Forest Park, St. Louis
Inclusive playground tucked away next to the Forest Park Visitor Center

Magnificent Museums

City Museum– St. Louis
Edwardsville Children’s Museum – Edwardsville, IL
Great Rivers Museum – Alton, IL FREE
HealthWorks Kid Museum – St. Louis
Lincoln Presidential Museum – Springfield, IL
Magic House Children’s Museum – Kirkwood, MO
Magic House Made (Art & STEM satellite location)
Missouri History Museum (Kid’s area) – St. Louis FREE
Myseum – Town & Country, MO
Play Street Museum – St. Charles, MO
St. Louis Arch & Museum – St. Louis Museum and grounds are FREE
St. Louis Art Museum – St. Louis FREE
St. Louis Science Center – St. Louis FREE admission, parking charge for lot
Ste. Genevieve Museum Center – Ste. Genevieve, MO

Indoor Entertainment & Gyms

Altitude Trampoline Park-Glen Carbon, IL
Blossom Play Cafe – O’Fallon, IL
Blacklight Mini-Golf – St. Louis
Busy Einstein Play Center – Arnold, MO
Defy – St. Louis, MO
Edison’s Entertainment – Edwardsville, IL
Grandma’s Playroom – St. Louis
Kids Bowl Free! (Most area bowling alleys) FREE
Kokomo Joe’s – St. Peters, MO
Marcus Theaters $5 Tuesday Movies
Rock & Play – St. Louis, MO
Silly Putter Backlight Mini Golf – St. Louis
Sky Zone–Fairview Heights, IL & Fenton, MO
St. Louis Carousel – Chesterfield, MO
The Edge – Belleville, IL
The Minifig Lego Shop – Kirkwood, MO
Urban Air – Fairview Heights, IL & Cottleville, MO
Urban Fort Play Café–St. Louis
We Rock the Spectrum Gym-Edwardsville, IL & Fenton, MO

Historical Sites

Cahokia Mounds-Collinsville, IL FREE for grounds
Daniel Boone Home & Village-Defiance, MO FREE
Fort de Chartres-Prairie du Rocher, IL FREE but donation suggested
Jefferson Barracks & MO Civil War Museum – St. Louis
Lewis & Clark State Historic Site – Hartford, IL FREE
Mastodon State Historic Site– Imperial, MO
Missouri’s 1st State Capital – St. Charles, MO FREE
Sandy Creek Covered Bridge – Hillsboro, MO FREE
Ulysses S. Grant Nat. Historic Site-St. Louis FREE

Water Parks, Creek, and Beaches

Aquaport – Maryland Heights, MO
Aquatic Zoo – Mt. Vernon, IL
Bridgeton Outdoor Family Aquatic Park -Bridgeton, MO
Carlyle Lake – Carlyle, IL
Chesterfield Family Aquatic Park – Chesterfield, MO
Collinsville Aqua Park – Collinsville, IL
Crestwood Aquatic Center – Crestwood, MO
Fairview Heights Rec Center – Fairview Heights, IL
Hawn State Park – Ste. Genevieve, MO
Heights Aquatic Center – St. Louis
Indian Camp Creek Park – Foristell, MO (FREE)
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park – Middlebrook, MO (FREE)
Korte Rec Center–Highland, IL
Mastodon State Park – Kimmswick, MO (FREE)
Manchester Aquatic Center – Manchester, MO
Maplewood Aquatic Center – Maplewood, MO
Northpointe Aquatic Center – Ballwin, MO
Raging Rivers Waterpark – Grafton, IL
River Rapids Waterpark – Ste. Genevieve, MO
Timbers of Eureka Pool – Eureka, MO
Wapelhorst Aquatic Center – St. Charles, MO
Webster Groves Aquatic Center – Webster Groves, MO
White Birch Bay Aquatic Center – Hazelwood, MO

Splash Pad Fun (All FREE except where noted!)

Alton Splash Pad – Alton, IL
Bethalto City Park – Bethalto, IL
Brendan’s Playground – O’Fallon, MO
Centennial Park – Belleville, IL
City Hall Park – Dardenne Prairie, MO
Citygarden – Downtown St. Louis
Creve Coeur Park – Creve Coeur, MO
Dupo City Park – Dupo, IL
Eise Park – Maryland Heights, MO
Fogerty Park – University City, MO
Fox Park – St. Louis, MO
Glazebrook Park – Godfrey, IL
Hartford Splash Pad – Hartford, IL ($1 residents, $2 for non-residents)
Indian Camp Creek – Foristell, MO
Jaycee Park – St. Charles, MO
Kade’s Playground – Herculaneum, MO
Koch Park – Florissant, MO
Leon Corlew Park – Edwardsville, IL
McDonald Park – St. Louis, MO
Millennium Park – Creve Coeur, MO
Missouri Botanical Garden (Children’s Garden Area) – St. Louis (admission required)
Muckerman’s Children’s Fountain – Tower Grove Park, St. Louis
Musick Park – Hazelwood, MO
O’Day Park – O’Fallon, MO
O’Fallon Family Sports Park – O’Fallon, IL
Our Lady of the Snows – Belleville, IL
Route 66 Splash Park – Sullivan, MO
Schranz Park – Swansea, IL
Shrine of our Lady Snows – Belleville, IL
Shaw Park – Clayton, MO
Sylvan Springs Park – St. Louis, MO
Theresa’s Splash Pad/Gus’s Playground – St. Louis
370 Lakeside Park – St. Peter’s, MO
Tilles Park (Litzsinger Rd.) – St. Louis
Vago Park – Maryland Heights, MO
Veterans Memorial Park – Union, MO
Veterans Tribute Park – Weldon Spring, MO
Zachary’s Playground – Lake St. Louis, MO

Outdoor Fun

Aloha mini-golf and Shaved Ice – Valley Park, MO
Braeutigram Orchards – Belleville, IL (FREE admission)
Creve Couer Lake Memorial Park – Creve Couer (FREE but some activities cost)
Desert Falls Mini Golf – St. Louis, MO
Eckert’s Orchards – Belleville, Grafton, Millstadt, IL
Falls Rec. Center Mini-golf – O’Fallon, MO
Laumeier Sculpture Park- St. Louis (FREE)
Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower – Hartford, IL
Missouri Botanical Gardens – St. Louis
Paddle boats at the Boathouse in Forest Park
Ryze Adventure Park – Maryland Heights, MO
Skyview Drive-In – Belleville, IL
St. Louis Cardinals or Gateway Grizzles game
Swing Around Fun Town – St. Charles & Fenton, MO

Transportation Fun

Frisco Train Store – Valley Park, MO (FREE but please shop or donate)
Grafton Sky Tour Gondola – Grafton, IL
St. Louis Wheel – St. Louis Union Station
Iron Spike Model Train Museum-Washington, MO
Museum of Transportation – St. Louis
Ride the ferry at Grafton, Brussels, St. Genevieve, IL
Wabash, Frisco, & Pacific Railroad-Wildwood, MO
Little Toot Railroad – Flora, IL
Monticello Railway Museum – Monticello, IL
St. Louis, Ironton Railway – Jackson, MO

Take a (kid-friendly) Hike (All FREE except where noted!)

Babler State Park – Wildwood, MO
Cahokia Mounds – Collinsville, IL
Castlewood State Park – Ballwin, MO
Cliff Cave County Park – St. Louis
Cuivre River State Park – Troy, MO
Elephant Rocks State Park – Belleview, MO
Emmenegger Nature Park – Kirkwood, MO
Ferne Clyffe State Park – Goreville, IL
Garden of the Gods – Herod, IL
Giant City State Park– Makanda, IL
Glassberg Conservation Area – Eureka MO
Klondike Park – Augusta, MO
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park – Middle Brook, MO
Kress Farm Garden Preserve – Hillsboro, MO
Mastodon State Park – Kimmswick, MO
Meramec Spring Park-St. James, MO
Olin Nature Preserve – Godfrey, IL
Pere Marquette State Park – Grafton, IL
Pickle Springs Natural Area – Ste. Genevieve, MO
Powder Valley Nature Center – St. Louis
Rockwoods Reservation – Wildwood, MO
Salt Lick Point Trails-Valmeyer, IL
Shaw Nature Reserve – Gray Summit, MO
$5 admission per adult, kids are free or free with Missouri Botanical Garden membership
Silver Lake Trail – Highland, IL
St. Francois State Park – Bonne Terre, MO
Watershed Nature Center – Edwardsville, IL
Willoughby Farm – Collinsville, IL

Dozens more great kid hikes can found HERE!

Kid Friendly Restaurants

Crown Candy Kitchen – St. Louis
Dairy King – Breese, IL
Fitz’s Bottling Co. – St. Louis
Fountain on Locust – St. Louis
Hi-Pointe Drive in – St. Louis
Gus’s Pretzels – St. Louis
St. Louis Union Station Soda Fountain – St. Louis
St. Louis’s Incredible Pizza Company – St. Louis
Ted Drewes – St. Louis
Wally’s – Breese, IL

Take a Tour

Bonne Terre Mine-Bonne Terre, MO
Busch Stadium Tours – St. Louis
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate Company Tours – St. Louis, MO (FREE)
Hakuna Matata River Cruises-Grafton, IL
Melvin Price Lock & Dam-Alton, IL (FREE)
Meramec Caverns–Sullivan, MO
Onondaga Cave State Park -Leasburg, MO
St. Louis Riverboat Tour
St. Louis Trolley Tours

Day Trips

See the World’s Largest Items in Casey, IL (FREE)
Explore Abraham Lincoln’s life and legacy in Springfield, IL (Some attractions are FREE)
Visit the River City of Cape Girardeau, MO (Some attractions are FREE)
Head to the Arcadia Valley of Missouri to visit Elephant Rocks, Johnson’s Shut-Ins, and Battle of Pilot Knob Historic Site (FREE)
Visit Meramec Caverns and Meramec State Park, MO
Take the River Road up to Grafton, IL and Pere Marquette State Park (Some attractions are FREE)
Head to Illinois’s Shawnee National Forest (FREE)
Find even more Day Trips from St. Louis HERE

Don’t forget you can find over 70 playgrounds, 100 hikes, and more adventures by location using our Adventure Map. Each point on the map links to a post with more photos and all the information for visiting. You can also find dozens of kid friendly hikes around the area on our Midwest Hikes page.

Have any other fun ideas to add? Leave us a comment or send us an e-mail. Have a safe and fun summer!