St. Louis, Missouri is one of the most unique and exciting cities in the country. Home to the Gateway Arch, toasted ravioli, and the Cardinals, there is always something fun going on. The city is full of sports enthusiasts, barbecue fanatics, and yes, thrill seekers.
Thrill seekers have no shortage of fun activities in St. Louis between ziplining, skydiving, helicopter rides, and escape games. You can find everything from some of the best-haunted houses in the country to thrilling whitewater rafting excursions in and around the city.
As a local who lives just outside of St. Louis, you can follow along with me as I show you 18 adventurous things to do in St. Louis I recommend whether you’re a local or tourist looking for some fun.
1. Gateway Arch Tram Ride to the Top
When many people think of St. Louis, they picture the Gateway Arch. This historic landmark is hard to miss when you drive near the river, but it’s more than just a pretty site. You can make your way to the top of the Arch via a compact tram that offers a fun, slow ride.
The tram ride costs $15 for adults and $11 for children up to 15 years old. Once you reach the top, you will get an unforgettable view of St. Louis and the Mississippi River. The arch stands 630 feet tall, so you will look at the city from a perspective that you must see to believe.
2. Go Ziplining
Ziplining is another exciting activity in and around St. Louis. Whether it be Go Ape Zipline or Ryze Adventure Park, there are many great places to go ziplining in St. Louis. Many of the best ziplines in the area are roughly 20-30 minutes or further away from the city, but that’s because the city itself isn’t ideal for long ziplines.
Even still, you can find a fun indoor zipline at the iconic Union Station in St. Louis. It’s worthwhile to make the drive out to places like Meramec Caverns and House Springs, Missouri for the best ziplines in the area.
You can expect to spend between $35 and $70 per person to go ziplining in St. Louis. As a local, I recommend driving out to Adventure Valley Ziplines and Grafton Zipline at Aerie’s Resort when you’re in the area.
3. Victory Raceway St. Louis
It doesn’t get much more adventurous than 56,000 square feet of indoor racing space! Victory Raceway in St. Louis is a thrilling indoor go-kart facility that lets you reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. Children use different karts but can still go as fast as 25 miles per hour.
Located right by Downtown St. Louis, Victory Raceway is easy to get to from most parts of the city and surrounding suburbs. The impressive electric carts feature 18-horsepower motors and accelerate quickly. Races take up to 10 minutes and the tracks are meant for both junior and adult racers.
They offer 3 types of races that vary in speed and how many laps you can through. Victory Raceway is the perfect destination for some competitive fun with friends and family in St. Louis.
4. Skydive St. Louis
Nothing compares to the thrill of skydiving, and St. Louis is the perfect place for it. Skydive STL is the closest service that offers skydiving in the St. Louis area. Whether you’re from the city or suburbs like Chesterfield, you can’t miss the chance to tandem jump from a plane and look out over the beauty of Missouri.
Don’t be afraid if you’ve never gone skydiving before. One of Skydive STL’s experienced instructors will prepare you, walk you through the process, and handle the equipment. All you need to do is go along for the ride and take in every minute as you make your way to the drop zone!
You will jump from a plane at 10,000 feet and experience a thrill like no other. Tandem skydiving costs $255 per person on weekdays and $259 per person on the weekend.
5. Swiftwater Adventures Whitewater Rafting
Look no further than Swiftwater Adventures if you want to experience the thrill of whitewater rafting. Since 2014, Swiftwater Adventures has given countless St. Louis area locals the chance to navigate the St. Louis River. Your guide will help you and your family or friends traverse the river safely.
Besides whitewater rafting, they also offer a fun high ropes course that will get your adrenaline pumping. The two-level course features 12 aerial obstacles that will test your balance and skill. It costs $40 per person to conquer the high ropes course. However, whitewater rafting is the main attraction, and the 2 ½-hour experience costs $65 per person.
I recommend bundling the high ropes course with whitewater rafting for $85 per person. This offers the best value and provides the most thrilling experience.
6. Gateway Helicopter Tours
Have you ever wanted to see St. Louis from a unique perspective? It doesn’t get much more unique than flying over the city in a helicopter. Gateway Helicopter Tours gives guests the chance to look out onto the Mississippi River and iconic St. Louis staples like the Gateway Arch.
You can experience Gateway Helicopter Tours for as little as $35 per person. Tours operate daily if the weather is good, and it’s an experience you won’t forget anytime soon.
7. City Museum
The City Museum is a St. Louis staple that every local will tell you they remember fondly. I grew up going to the City Museum, and my friends and I still go as adults. A unique combination of art, massive slides, and tunnels, there is nothing else like it in the city.
You will make your way through 4 floors of bizarre obstacles, such as the “skateless skatepark” and over 30 unique slides. However, the rooftop is the true star of the show at the City Museum. Most locals immediately think of “Big Eli”, the vintage Ferris wheel from 1940 that adorns the rooftop.
The vintage school bus on the roof is also unforgettable. Whether you want to experience the art or test your fear of heights, there is something for you at the City Museum. General admission costs $20 per person, but I recommend the $28 package which gives you access to the roof.
8. Riverboats at the Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch is home to more than just a fun tram ride. Countless locals and tourists alike take the riverboat cruise on the Mississippi River to get the best view of the landmark. This cruise is one of the best ways to experience the beauty of the Mississippi River and the St. Louis skyline.
Along the way, your tour guide will provide invaluable information about the city’s history and landmarks. You will see Downtown St. Louis from a unique perspective, and the experience lasts one hour. It costs $24 for adults, $14 for children up to 15 years old, and $22 for infants.
They also offer a fun nighttime Skyline Dinner Cruise which features fine food and live music. This cruise only runs on the weekend and the experience lasts 2 hours. The Skyline Dinner Cruise costs $59 for adults and $22 for children.
9. Sharp Shooters St. Louis Shooting Range
You wouldn’t necessarily immediately think of BBQ when you think of a shooting range, but that’s what makes this range so special. Sharp Shooters Indoor Gun Range combines the thrill of shooting with the flavor of St. Louis barbecue. They have 20 indoor lanes, and their instructors are well-educated and prepared to teach you gun safety.
Basic training sessions start at $125, and the BBQ and Bullets package costs $117-$175. You won’t find anything like it in St. Louis, and it’s fun whether you’ve been to a shooting range before or not.
10. Brookdale Farms Float Trips
The many rivers throughout Missouri make the St. Louis area perfect for float trips. Brookdale Farms Float Trips offers a variety of routes that span 4-11 miles. Whether it be a 3-hour tube and raft float or a 4-hour kayak float, you are in for a fun day on the Meramec River.
A 2-person canoe float costs $75, but you get the best value if you book your float trip with a bigger group. For example, you can book an 8-person raft for just $260, and that covers roughly 3 hours of comfortable floating. You can also book large private float trips through Brookdale Farms with over 18 people.
11. Sandbox VR
Sandbox VR offers the best virtual reality experience in St. Louis. It’s located in the City Foundry which is one of the most exciting parts of St. Louis right now, so there is plenty to do nearby. Sandbox VR puts guests into the exciting world of virtual reality where you are put into an immersive movie-like experience.
You and up to 5 other people get to try VR experiences such as Star Trek Discovery: Away Mission and Deadwood Mansion. They currently offer 7 options which all create simulations with unique settings and stories. Each experience costs $50-$55, and you must book your appointment in advance.
It’s also worth checking out the Virtual Reality Theater at the Gateway Arch if you have fun at Sandbox VR.
12. Hidden Valley Ski Resort
Hidden Valley Ski Resort in Eureka, Missouri is an underrated gem for St. Louis locals. You won’t find many other chances to go skiing in Missouri which makes Hidden Valley Ski Resort a mandatory winter destination. The weather doesn’t always allow for skiing, so Hidden Valley Ski Resort makes use of unique technology to create snow.
You can go skiing for $104 per person, and this includes access for the day. Children can ski for just $54, and it’s the perfect family activity during the winter. They even offer fun nighttime ski packages, but prices vary each season, so make sure to check their website!
13. Rock Climbing
Whether it be indoors or outdoors, there are several great options for rock climbing in and around St. Louis. Upper Limits is the most extreme indoor rock-climbing destination in the area. The Downtown St. Louis location recently closed, but they still have locations in Chesterfield and Maryland Heights, Missouri.
Open climbs cost $13-$17 per hour, and that’s a great way to prepare for outdoor rock climbing. Vertical Voyage is the best option for outdoor rock climbing in the St. Louis area. While it’s an hour’s drive from St. Louis, it’s worthwhile to visit Pere Marquette and enjoy this guided rock-climbing experience.
A half day of climbing costs $185, and a full day costs $275 per person. The only approved outdoor rock-climbing destination in St. Louis is the Rockwoods Reservation in the Wildwood suburb. Admission is free, but climbers must enter at their own risk.
14. St. Louis Six Flags
No summer in my childhood was complete without a visit to Six Flags. It’s located in Eureka, Missouri which is a short drive from St. Louis, and Six Flags is home to iconic rollercoasters like The Batman and The American Thunder. The unique mixture of classic Warner Bros. characters and DC Universe themes contribute to the fun atmosphere.
General admission passes start at $35, but I recommend the Gold Pass which costs $60. It’s worth the extra money because it includes parking which can get quite pricey. Hurricane Harbor is the waterpark on the property, and you can get access to it and the theme park for $75.
The waterpark is best known for rides like the Tornado and Typhoon Twister, and it’s a great way to cool off after riding rollercoasters all day.
15. Axe Throwing
Axe-throwing has taken the nation by storm, and St. Louis was quick to catch on. There are many great axe-throwing destinations in the city, but Top Notch Axe Throwing is my favorite. Many axe-throwing businesses give you 30-60-minute time slots, but Top Notch lets you book 90-minute slots.
You can book a 90-minute axe-throwing slot for just $35 per person, and it’s the perfect group activity. It’s also a BYOB venue, so you don’t have to spend a fortune on drinks with your friends. The Axe House is another great destination, and you can book an hour for $25, or 2 hours for $40 per person.
16. Escape Rooms
St. Louis is home to some incredible escape rooms, but St. Louis Escape is the best one. They offer 7 unique escape rooms with themes ranging from spooky cellars to the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Each escape game costs $30, and I recommend bringing a group of friends to solve the puzzles and escape the room in enough time.
Escape the Room is another popular destination in St. Louis, and they have 5 exciting rooms. Themes include bank heist, submarine, and clock tower. Each room features different puzzles that require teamwork to solve, and they each cost $33 per person.
I also recommend checking out Mastermind Room Escape in St. Louis and St. Charles, Missouri. They have 11 unique escape rooms to choose from between both locations, and admission is $30 per person.
17. Meramec Caverns Tour
Meramec Caverns is a staple of the St. Louis area, and touring the caverns is a mandatory experience. You will trek through 1 ¼ miles of walkways through historic caverns. The scenery combined with the insights your tour guide will provide make this an unforgettable experience.
Of the 6,000 surveyed caves in Missouri, Meramec Caverns is the most iconic, and you don’t want to miss the tour. The tour costs $24 for adults, $14 for children between 5 and 11, and children under 5 get in for free. Make sure to come prepared as the tour takes roughly an hour and 20 minutes.
They added a fun light show in 2014 that added plenty of value to the tour. You can request a shorter, 45-minute tour if you book a large group. Otherwise, it’s worthwhile to take the full tour and look up at the equivalent of a 7-story building worth of caverns.
18. Haunted Houses
St. Louis is known for toasted ravioli, Imo’s Pizza, and believe it or not, haunted houses. One of the haunted house capitals of the world, the St. Louis area is home to three iconic haunted attractions. The most iconic is The Darkness in Soulard. This two-story haunted attraction takes you through ancient ruins, a haunted manor, dark sewers, and a vibrant clown nightmare.
I worked at the Darkness for several years and got the chance to scare tens of thousands of St. Louis locals and tourists alike!
Lemp Brewery Haunted House is another iconic local attraction that takes place at the historic St. Louis brewery. You will navigate cavernous corridors beneath St. Louis and try to keep your sanity throughout the experience.
The third and final haunted attraction in the St. Louis area is Creepyworld. Located not far from St. Louis in Fenton, Missouri, Creepyworld is a massive haunted “scream park” that puts Halloween Horror Nights to shame. General admission to each of these haunted houses costs $30-$35, and it’s worth visiting them all during October.
Want more ideas? Read our related post “99 Adventurous Things to Do With Your Friends” here.
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Nick Durante is a professional writer that primarily focuses on extreme sports. Parasailing, paragliding, skydiving, and skateboarding are his particular areas of expertise. When he isn’t writing about extreme sports, he is catching up on the world of skateboarding and spending time outside.
