by Katie Hinderer

Created on: January 09, 2009   Last Updated: July 27, 2009

St. Louis has a bad reputation for being boring, and to be honest it's one that it does not deserve. Sure the city is small, and yes a lot of it does close down at 5pm. But there is a lot about St. Louis that is fun for the whole family! Looking to get away with the little ones? Plan a trip to St. Louis. Here are some of the major places you can't miss while in town:

Grant's Farm. This historic site is the former home of President Ulysses S. Grant and is operated by the former Anheuser-Busch Inc. Admission is free, although you do have to pay $10 to park your car. The kids can see live animals on the tram ride throughout the grounds including all types of deer. The tram takes you to a farm area with a live elephant show, kangaroos, tortoises, a live bird show and of course the infamous Clydesdales. The kids can also feed the pygmy goats little bottles of milk. (Adults can also sample some of Anheuser-Busch's latest beer for free.)

The Magic House. This children's museum has just finished a major renovation/expansion project and has oodles of more activities for the kids to interact with. The Magic House lets patrons experiment with a variety of educational games, for example, the website states, you can "touch an electrically charged ball and make your hair stand on end; transform your silhouette into a kaleidoscope of color; lift yourself with a pulley; freeze your shadow on a wall; experiment in a water playground; make a three-dimensional impression of yourself; and zoom down a three-story slide!" Admission is $8.50 per person.

City Museum. This could potentially be St. Louis's best kept secret and greatest tourist attraction. The entire building is like a giant children's playhouse, but one that is appropriate for all ages. There are tunnels to crawl through, slides to roll down, and tons of tiny spaces to shimmy your way through. Plus everything in the museum is made up of recycled parts from St. Louis. There's a school bus on the roof, and an airplane you can climb up to from the outside jungle gym. Admission $12, or $10 after 5pm.

St. Louis Zoo. It's considered one of the best zoos in the country and admission is always free. Located in the city's Forest Park, this 90-acre park is home to over 5,000 animals. And unlike many other zoos, the animals here actually move around and interact with each other. You can view the cats (lions, leopards, panthers) from above to watch them roam or sleep in clear view. The penguin exhibit is a must-see too.

Still not convinced St. Louis is a great place to take your family for vacation? Here are a few other sites to check out when planning your trip.
Purina Farms: http://www.purina.com/purina-farms/
The Gateway Arch: http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/index.aspx
Missouri History Museum: http://www.mohistory.org/home/
St. Louis Art Museum: http://www.slam.org/
Missouri Botanical Gardens: http://www.mobot.org/

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