One of the easiest national parks in the United States to visit is a park that doesn’t feel like a national park. Typically, we think of mountains and forests and epic nature, but that’s not what you’ll find at Gateway Arch National Park. St. Louis’s Arch is a symbol of the city and a must visit on any visit to St. Louis. And because the Arch is in downtown St. Louis, it’s easy to visit. So, here’s my top tips for visiting the St. Louis Arch.
About the Arch
The arch was completed in 1965, with trams first opening to the public two years later. The US Government partially funded the arch (the city of St. Louis only financed 25%), so the federal government manages the park today. In 2018, Gateway Arch received the designation of National Park.
Getting to Gateway Arch
Compared to most national parks, Gateway Arch is easy. You just have to get to St. Louis, which has an airport that provides connections to nearly 70 destinations. Once you’re in St. Louis, you still don’t have to go far. The Arch is right downtown.
The only challenge may be parking. If you have your own vehicle, you’ll need to find somewhere to park it. Either leave it at your hotel (if you have parking there) and take the bus or an Uber. Or you can park in one of the nearby parking garages.
When my mom and I visited in 2022, we followed the advice of the National Park Service. There is a garage nearby that allows you to prepay your parking. It cost $9 for five hours. Note that if there is a special event (such as a Cardinals’ game) you will only be able to get this price if you pre-book your parking. If you do not pre-book, you will need to pay whatever the parking fees for that event are (which will be a lot higher than $9 for five hours!).
Visiting the Arch
The Arch is likely the thing you are most excited to see. While there are other things to do near the Arch (I’ll cover those later), right now we’re going to focus on what you need to know before you visit the Arch.
Reserving a Time
In order to ride the tram to the top of the Arch, you need to reserve a ticket in advance. Prices for adult tickets vary by day, but expect to pay between $15-$20 to ride the tram to the top (less for kids). Tickets are available many months in advance, but you don’t need to book that far out. Although if you know you will absolutely go and are ready to book, go ahead six months in advance.
My mom and I booked our tickets a month in advance and had no problem getting the day and time we wanted.
What to Expect
When you arrive, you’ll need to go through security. After security, you’ll go through a museum. If you booked an early tram ride, you won’t have time to go through the museum first, so plan to circle back later.
Follow the signs to the tram ride and get in line. From here rangers will split you into groups. Each group gets a pod. You’ll go through a quick debriefing session and follow one of the rangers to the pod area. Load up into the pod, squeezing in tight.
I hope you like your pod-mates because these pods are small! It’s a quick ride to the very top of the Arch—only 4 minutes. Once at the top, you’ll get 10 minutes to peer out the windows and take photos. It’s a quick visit, but there is only so much room at the top and they have to keep people moving. Once you’re time is up, you’ll head back into your same pod for a three minute ride back down.
My Experience
My mom and I were the first people in line, which we thought was a good thing. This turned out not to be the case. When the rangers assign pods, the people at the front of the line get the higher number pods (7, 8, 9, etc.), while the people at the end of the line get the lower number pods (numbers 1, 2, 3, etc.). The pods ascend in order, so the people in the lower number pods get to the top of the arch first.
At first this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when it’s time to line up, it gets annoying. They want the people in the higher number pods to load up first (because it’s a narrow passage inside the arch). So we were first in line, but got pod #9 which means we were the last ones to get to the top of the arch and the first ones who had to leave. It felt like you just get a fraction of the time at the top compared to other people.
So what are my tips for visiting the arch is St. Louis? It’s totally worth taking the tram to the top of the Arch. I’d even recommend booking tickets for the first tram ride of the day. However, I’d recommend not necessarily being the first people in line for your time slot. To maximize your time at the top of the arch, try to get assigned to a lower number pod.
Gateway Arch National Park – Beyond the Arch
The Museum
Below the Arch is a museum that goes into the history of the arch and the surrounding area. Before Gateway Arch National Park became a national park, it was the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. It symbolized Thomas Jefferson’s vision of having a continental country and St. Louis was that gateway west.
The museum is interesting and is definitely worth a visit—especially if you’re here on a very humid, 90 degree day!
Riverboat
When you buy your ticket to the Arch, you’ll also see tickets for a riverboat. Unless you are really interested in history and the Missouri River, skip it. It’s not a very scenic ride and can be extremely hot in summer.
Basilica of St. Louis
Just a short distance away, but still within the national park, you’ll find the Basilica of St. Louis. This is a small catholic church that was built in the 1700 and 1800s and is worth a quick visit while you are here.
And if you’re interested in beautiful churches, keep reading. There’s a spectacular cathedral in St. Louis.
Old Courthouse
This is one area I didn’t get a chance to visit. The Old Courthouse is closed for renovations. This historic courthouse held several historic cases, including Dred and Harriett Scott’s case to sue for their freedom (which was denied by the Supreme Court and helped to spur the Civil War) and Virginia Minor’s case for women’s right to vote.
The Old Courthouse is expected to reopen in 2024.
How Long Do You Need
A half day is sufficient to explore Gateway Arch. You’ll have enough time to take the tram to the top, explore the museum, and even visit over to the Old Courthouse (if it’s open). With more than that, I think it may get a little boring, so one of my tips is to look at other options in St. Louis besides visiting the arch.
With More Time in St. Louis
You are right across the street from Busch Stadium, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals. Catch a game if they’re playing.
St. Louis is famous for it’s barbecue so sample some at one of the many restaurants.
The original Route 66 passed through St. Louis and one of the highlights was a stop for Ted Drewes’ custard.
And finally, because my mom would be so mad if I didn’t mention it, check out the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis for beautiful architecture and an incredible mosaic interior. Note, this is different that the Basilica of St. Louis that you’ll find at Gateway Arch National Park.
Where Should You Stay
There are numerous hotel options in St. Louis, but if you have your own vehicle and are looking to save money, consider staying outside the city. We stayed in Troy, IL which was located 25 minutes away (but had a significant cost savings).
Final Thoughts
There are all of my tips for visiting St. Louis and its arch. A visit to the arch can be quick, so make sure to check out some other fun in St. Louis on your visit.
Continue Your Adventure
Kansas: To the west of Missouri, you’ll find the state of Kansas. While on the surface, Kansas can seem boring, Wizard of Oz enthusiasts should put Wamego, KS on their list.
Nebraska: While it may seem far away, my mom and I did a road trip to St. Louis which included a stop in Omaha, Nebraska.
Illinois: It’s a five hour drive, but you’re not terribly far from Chicago and its amazing museums and great sights.