Forest Park in St. Louis
Forest Park is a prominent civic center covering 1, 326 acres. Opened in 1876, this public park is located in western St. Louis, Missouri. The park project was proposed about a decade before it was opened and has since hosted numerous significant events, including the 1904 Summer Olympics and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Bounded by the Skinker Boulevard, Kingshighway, Washington University in St. Louis, Oakland Avenue, and Lindell Boulevard, the park is the Heart of St. Louis, with a wide range of attractions, such as the St. Louis Art Museum, the St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Science Center, and the Missouri History Museum.Go to this page for info about the City Museum in St Louis.
Features of Forest Park
The City of St. Louis owns and operates Forest Park, which is considered one of North America’s greatest public parks. It features beautiful landscapes with forests, nature reserves, ecosystems, lakes, and streams. Five of the area’s major cultural institutions can also be found here. If you’re looking for endless recreation opportunities, then this is probably the place for you. Forest Park attracts close to 13 million visitors annually, which makes it the 6th-most visited urban park in the U.S. In 2006, readers of USA Today voted it the number one City Park in the U.S.
Indeed, Forest Park has something for everyone, from institutions that stimulate the mind to incredible destinations that virtually anyone would find amazing. There are also quiet places to read and picnic, a Dual Path system for intense workouts and leisurely walks, and a wide range of popular events and festivals, all situated in a convenient place for you to escape the city’s madness.
Besides being among the largest urban parks in North America, Forest Park is also a magnificent natural oasis situated at the center of St. Louis City, right in the heart of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The park is about 500 acres larger than the popular Central Park in New York City and has more than 180 acres of Natural Reserves: wetlands, forests, savannas, and prairies. The majority of St. Louis’s major cultural institutions: St. Louis Art Museum, St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis Science Center, the Missouri History Museum, and the Muny, the nation’s largest outdoor musical theatre, are all contained in the park. It is also home to some of the city’s iconic destinations and meeting spots, including the Emerson Grand Basin, venue space, the Jewel Box flower conservatory, and the Boathouse that provides all-year-round dining and a wide range of boat rental opportunities in the summer, fall, and spring.
Recreational and sporting activities
Forest Park also offers a place for various recreational and sporting activities, including 2 golf courses (the Highlands Golf & Tennis Center and the Norman K. Probstein Golf Course), Steinberg Skating Rink (the largest outdoor skating rink that has been in the Midwest for the longest time), the Dwight Davis Tennis Center, and other amenities that may include ball fields, picnic sites, playgrounds, racquetball courts, and handball courts.
If you’re a cyclist, Forest Park offers a 5.6-mile Dual Recreational Path for both bikes and pedestrians where locals and visitors can have a good time. The path circles the perimeter and you can challenge a friend or a loved one to a race. There are also 30+ miles of trails all over the park to allow visitors and locals to explore and experience practically every corner of their chosen destination. St. Louis Marathon in late March or early April, the GO! the Shakespeare Festival St. Louis in late May/ early June (free), the Great Forest Park Balloon Race, and several other charity runs, walks, and community festivals, are some of the events held in the park every year.
Forest Park is highly used. With more than 13 million visitors every year, it surpasses both the Gateway Arch National Park and Busch Stadium combined in terms of the number of visitors per year. It also features diverse patronage, with both local visitors and tourists interested in what it has to offer. Special events patrons and visitors to the institutions in the park find it very useful for their activities and enjoyment. The park also boasts 11 multi-modal access points for convenience.
Therefore, if you’re an adventurous person, then you probably want to visit Forest Park in St. Louis. Whether you prefer walking or bicycling, the park will give you just that. It is a great place to take your family and children for some memorable moments. Just ensure that you get the timing of some events right so you don’t miss out.
Driving directions to our office from Forest Park in St. Louis
Take McKinley Dr and Wells Dr to Hampton Ave
Head northeast on Grand Dr toward Cricket Dr
Turn right onto Cricket Dr, onto Pagoda Cir and onto McKinley Dr
At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit onto Wells Dr
Then take I-64 W to S Hanley Rd in Clayton
At the traffic circle, take the 3rd exit onto Hampton Ave
Slight right to merge onto I-64 W/US-40 W
Keep left to continue on I-64 W
Take exit 31B to merge onto S Hanley Rd. and we will be on the right