St. Louis Experience Gifts - Midwest Nomad Family

Are you already drowning in toys or clutter or want to give a more unique gift? Consider the gift of a local experience. These adventures don’t take up space and are a great way to create lasting memories. From memberships and museum passes to holiday lights, outdoor adventures, and FREE things to do around the city, here’s your complete guide to St. Louis experience gifts.

Memberships or Attractions

Missouri Botanical Garden

Memberships include the Butterfly House and Shaw Nature Reserve too!

Saint Louis Zoo (FREE admission daily, membership adds perks)

Great for families and includes benefits like parking, train rides, and discounts.

Saint Louis Science Center (FREE—parking, and special exhibits extra)

Membership upgrades give you IMAX passes, parking, and planetarium perks.

Saint Louis Art Museum (FREE)

Membership includes invitations, discounts, and special exhibition access.

Saint Louis History Museum (FREE)

The Kids Clubhouse area is a great free place for kids to play

The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum

Ideal for families with younger kids, also can include membership to MADE for kids

City Museum

Quirky, adventurous, and unlike anything else!

National Museum of Transportation

Perfect for car and train fans. Littles will love the Creation Station

Gateway Arch

Explore the free museum and grounds or treat someone to a ride to the top

St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station

So many interactive experiences. Can buy a combo ticket or a membership

Union Station Experiences

St. Louis Wheel
Mirror Maze
Carousel
Ropes Course
Mini Golf
New rides
Carnival Games
Fire & Light Show (FREE)
Light show in the Grand Hall (FREE)

Activate Games

This unique gaming experience is a blast for older kids and adults

City Foundry St. Louis

So many fun attractions include the Museum of Illusions, The Escape Game, the Great Big Game Show, and Puttshack. A great food hall with so much to eat too!

Kids Empire

A great indoor play space with two area locations

Go Play

Another indoor play space. Great for early risers since it opens at 8 a.m.!

We Rock the Spectrum

A fun indoor play gym for kids of all abilities and needs

Blossom Play Cafe

Adorable play cafe for kids under 7

Edwardsville Children’s Museum

Cute kids museum in the metro-east with a great village area, STEM section, and more

Arcades, Laser Tag, & More

Visit a fun arcade and indoor entertainment spot like Edison’s Entertainment, the Main Event, or Kokomo Joe’s

Urban Air

Indoor play gym with trampolines, ziplines, ninja course and more

Slick City

Unique indoor slide park

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

A great gift for music lovers. There are family concerts as well.

Fox Theatre

Broadway shows and concerts. A great date night activity.

Sports tickets

Cardinals baseball, St. Louis Blues, or St. Louis CITY SC tickets for all the sports fans

Seasonal & Holiday Experience Gifts

Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Garden

See millions of lights along a one-mile accessible path. Simply stunning!

Wild Lights at the St. Louis Zoo

The best lights experience for kids with millions of lights and fun experiences

WonderLight’s Christmas at World Wide Technology Raceway

A drive-through light show synced to music.

Polar Express Train Ride at Union Station

A magical experience with a train ride, hot chocolate & cookies, and Santa visit

Dream Time Princess Events

Magical events and parties with kids favorite princesses, princes, super heroes, and story characters

Winterfest Ice Skating at Kiener Plaza

A St. Louis holiday tradition! Add s’mores or igloo reservations.

The Loading Dock in Grafton

The coziest and most festive rink around.

Special Experiences

Build-a-Bear

Let kids create their own special stuffy

Sweet & Sassy

Let kids be pampered for a day

Sweet Treats & Ice Cream

Take the kids for ice cream or special milkshakes at the Soda Fountain, Fitz’s, or the Fountain on Locust

Learn a new skill

Book lessons for music, horseback riding, skating, art classes, or any other special skill or class to try

Let the kids shop for themselves

Give a gift card to a local store like the Frisco Train Store, The Minifig Shop, Funky Planet Toys, or Happy Up.

Outdoor Adventures

Ryze Adventure Park

The tallest adventure tower in St. Louis plus a kid’s ropes course and mini-golf.

Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park

Options for both adventurous kids and adults

Family Hike

Castlewood State Park (FREE)
Elephant Rocks State Park (FREE)
Pere Marquette State Park (FREE)
Rockwoods Reservation (FREE)
Pickle Springs (FREE)
Powder Valley (FREE)
Shaw Nature Reserve
See a huge list HERE

Lone Elk Park (FREE)

Drive through to see the elk and bison. Visit the World Bird Sanctuary and Endangered Wolf Center nearby for more animals. (Admission fees)

Hidden Valley

Go tubing or skiing once it gets cold enough

Playgrounds (FREE)

Forest Park’s Nature Playscape (St. Louis)
Brentwood Park (Brentwood)
Indian Camp Creek Park (Foristell)
Kinetic Park (Dardenne Prairie)
Crestwood Park (Crestwood)
Vlasis Park (Ballwin)
Central Park (Chesterfield)
Queeny Park (Ballwin)
Milleneum Park (Creve Couer)

Laumeier Sculpture Park

Unique sculpture park with both paved and unpaved paths to explore.

Day Trip Experience Gifts (Less Than 2 Hours Away)

Acadia Valley (Ironton, MO area)

Small-town charm, festivals, and lunch spots.

Shawnee National Forest

Family hikes at Giant City and Ferne Clyffe State Parks, explore a castle playground at Boo Memorial Playground

Meramec Caverns

Open year round, stay warm on a family-friendly cave tour

Grafton

Alpine coaster and skytour at Aerie’s Resort, Scenic overlooks & great hiking at Pere Marquette State Park

Springfield, IL

Explore the land of Lincoln with museums, historic sites, and kids play areas

Casey, IL

The small town with over a dozen of the World’s Largest Objects

See more Day Trips HERE

Weekend Getaway Experiences

Springfield, MO

See the Wonders of Wildlife Museum, visit a kids museum, explore a nature center and more

Kansas City, MO

Visit Union Station activities and attractions, explore Crown Center, walk into the pages of a storybook at the Rabbit Hole, or visit the zoo and aquarium

Great Wolf Lodge