Visiting the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri
By Meg Brunson
We only had one day to explore St. Louis and it simply was not enough time, so we're determined to return soon. But with that one day, we knew that we wanted to see the Gateway Arch for ourselves - and I am SO glad we did! Pictures don't do the largest manmade monument in the USA any justice - it's incredible! I also had no idea that there was a museum underneath the Arch - or that the museum would be as impressive as it was!
We followed the GPS to the Gateway Arch and almost thought we were lost driving down a narrow road with the Mississippi River on one side, and abandoned buildings on the other... but I'm glad we kept driving. We were able to find on-street parking along this road once the Gateway Arch appeared. We enjoyed walking around to take in the monument from different angles, and even walking up to it's base to touch it and look up!
The museum below the monument is free to visit, but there are a variety of activities that cost anywhere from $7-32. If you want to ride to the top of the Gateway Arch, take a Riverboar Cruise, or watch a documentary movie - you'll want to look into the ticket prices for those activities. I do think if/when we return I'd love to take a tram up to the top!
Inside the museum we were blown away - it was absolutely beautiful. The museum has six exhibit areas that span from 1764 ro 1965 and tons of interactive displays. We loved learning about the Native Americans, explorers, pioneers, and rebels who all contributed to making America what it is today, and the role that St. Louis played in that history!
When we return I'd really love to visit the Old Courthouse (not just take a pic like we did on this trip). I was a political science major in college and this is the courthouse that tried the Dred Scott case - a very significant case that determined Black Americans were not able to hold US Citizenship. It's one of the biggest mistakes ever made by the Supreme Court, and learning about our nations mistakes are so important (so we don't ever make them again). But, that will be another visit...
To start planning your visit to the Gateway Arch, visit https://www.gatewayarch.com/.
Read about some of the other adventures we're having on our Year-Long Road Trip!
© 2019 Meg Brunson
All opinions expressed are my own. See more on Instagram!
Meg is a mommy blogger, Facebook marketer, and much more. She is a mom to four kids who live full-time in an RV exploring the US! As a former Facebook employee, Meg remains a Facebook addict and handles KidsOutAndAbout.com's Social Media Marketing in addition to providing freelance services for other small businesses on how to best leverage Facebook as a part of their marketing strategy. Meg also hosts the FamilyPreneur Podcast, a podcast for parent entrepreneurs raising entrepreneurial children. Learn more about Meg at MegBrunson.com!