Gateway Arch National Park

Iconic, inspiring, and absolutely worth the visit! Gateway Arch National Park is a must-see in St. Louis. The Arch itself is stunning up close and even more impressive once you go to the top. The tram ride is a fun experience, and the views of the city and Mississippi River are unreal. The grounds are clean, peaceful, and perfect for walking or relaxing, and the museum below the Arch is surprisingly engaging and well done. It blends history, architecture, and scenery in a way that feels meaningful, not touristy. Whether it’s your first time or a return visit, this place never disappoints. An iconic American landmark done right.

Too bad we had to visit on a day when a trip to the top of the arch was not on offer. But to actually see (and touch) the huge monument in person was some achievement for me having read about its existence when I was waay a lot younger, in a country thousands of miles away.. Park was clean n beautifully maintained. The various explanatory plaques around the area was very informative indeed. Will be back to go up to the top some day soon.

Visiting the arch was an amazing experience! Seeing it is way better in person than in pictures or driving by on the highway. It is not hard to get to, only a minute off the highway. The parking is very convenient and close, and was only $10 for 5 hours. (East Staidum parking garage) All of the staff were very nice. The park is exceptionally maintained and I loved the brick walkways and benches around the property. Inside, the museum was fantastic. It took over an hour to see it all, and it could of been a lot longer if I had more time. Going to the top was great as well. I highly recommend seeing the documentary about how the arch was built. It was very interesting. I will definitely be returning.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Gateway Arch National Park – A Long-Awaited Visit to an American Icon Visiting Gateway Arch National Park in downtown St. Louis, Missouri was surprisingly exciting—especially after so many years of wanting to see it in person. The moment you arrive, the Gateway Arch commands attention. Sleek, modern, and monumental, it rises gracefully above the city and truly earns its title as the Gateway to the West. I took time to drive around downtown St. Louis, and one of the most impressive things about the Arch is how visible it is from nearly every direction. Whether you’re approaching from the highway, winding through city streets, or strolling near the riverfront, the Arch keeps reappearing—always dramatic, always photogenic. It creates a strong sense of place and history right in the heart of the city. The surrounding downtown area felt vibrant and walkable, with great vantage points for photography and plenty of opportunities to appreciate how the Arch anchors the city skyline. Seeing it up close after all these years felt meaningful—one of those classic American landmarks that truly lives up to its reputation.

This was a really nice experience at an iconic landmark in St. Louis. I chose the Captain’s View, which included a riverboat cruise, the museum, and the arch tram ride to the top. The customer service was great - I accidentally selected the wrong date, and Marc helped me fix the date with a friendly attitude. The cruise added something different to do that you can’t do in all large cities. Note: the Mississippi River is muddy, so don’t expect pretty water - just enjoy the experience, the commentary, and the arch views from the water! The staff member in the river boat gift shop was nice, personable, and friendly. The museum was modern and pretty - I didn’t expect it to be so engaging. Our tour guide to the tram was Valerie - she was fun, friendly, and had a great spirit to keep things fun! How cool that the arch tram is one of a kind - an escalator, an elevator, and a Ferris wheel all in one! There are glass windows on the tram buckets, so you can see the internal architecture of the arch - having the ability to see out helped with clostrophobia. Views from the top are beautiful - you can even see straight down to the bases of the arch because of how the top is angled. We loved this experience and highly recommend it.

While staying in a nearby hotel for a conference, I went out and walked around the park. It's a very well maintained clean park with a lot of green space and paved walking trails. Along the way, there are a lot of signs with an interesting glimpse into the history of the area. It's nice to be able to walk all the way around and see the arch from every angle. A lot of people were hanging out in the park and it just had a good vibe.

Sun, rain, fog, or else, the gateway glory always stands, forever in her might. Lovely paths to walk on & enjoy the Mississippi. Always lovely spending time back in the #314 & admiring this mighty structure. 🏞️ Visitor’s center has its own entrance & exit points that are no longer @ the feet of the structure. No open parking, so will need to find a garage or open lot.

I went to the Gateway Arch National Park with my daughter, son-in-law, and 4 year old granddaughter. The park, museum, café, and theater are free. You have to pay to go to the top of the arch and for the Riverboat ride. They weren't operating the Riverboat when we were there. We did go to the top of the arch. The park and museum level are handicapped accessible. The ride to the top of the arch is not. I walk with a cane and all of the steps to get to the pod, the steps when you get out of the pod, and getting into the pod were all very challenging for me. But we had a good time, and we want to go back again to explore the museum in depth.

What a neat park to visit! The visitor's center and museum are really nice, located beneath the arch. There is an information desk available in the lobby, where you can also purchase tickets, but to access anything else you need to go through the security check. The museum is free, both both the film and the tram ride to the top of the arch have fees. Once in, we headed to the theatre to watch the film, Monument to the Dream, which was a fascinating look into how the arch was built - what an architectural challenge! Afterwards, we explored the six galleries that make up the museum. It includes areas focused on the history of the westward expansion, St. Louis and the arch itself. The arch tour is extremely efficient. The friendly staff guide you through the process with the assistance of a number of videos and snappy music. Riding up in the little trams is pretty wild, and then once you reach the top you have about 10 minutes to take in the amazing views. We hadn't realized it had rained while we were below ground, but fortunately, the storm had passed and we were able to see out a ways. Other amenities in the visitor's center/museum include clean restrooms, the Arch Cafe, a gift shop, a VR area, and photos. You can also walk around the grounds, which include gardens, a view of the river, and more. We enjoyed a nice stroll until a hailstorm chased us back under a roof! Very neat monument with fascinating history and architecture.

It was too cold the day we visited to enjoy the many acres of parkland, but boy that ride to the top was an adventure. The park offers tickets to a movie, a tram to the top, an VR experience and a river tour. We went with the movie and the tram. Security into the museum area (where you access the tram, VR and movie) is just like TSA. The museum is quite large and includes information about the local area through the decades and the monument construction. You can spend a lot of time in here. The movie was interesting. Filmed in the early 1960's it was very interesting to see the monument go up. The audio is pretty bad, but also from the 1960's so technology was different. The music is 100% 1960's! In scenes with crowds you also get a glimpse of early 60's fashion. So fun on many levels. The tram ride up was so interesting. The pod system holds 5 people each and I believe there are 8 pods in the chain. The pods are round with a flat door on one end and a light and speaker at the back. An average height person will have to sit hunched over a bit due to the cylander curve. With five adults, this would be tight quarters, but for a family with smaller humans it would be cozy. Luckily as we visited off season the pod easily accommodated the two in our group. Once at the top you have about 10 minutes to take in the views. That is plenty of time to take your photos and look out the windows. Seeing the movie first impacted our understanding of what it took to get us to the top. It's quite an engineering marvel. This can be a full day park visit if you spend time taking in all the available indoor offerings and the outdoor areas. Definitely plan stay nearby to get the most out of this National Park.

Wow, I have not been to the arch grounds since they completed the construction and I was so surprised at how nice everything was! The grounds were stunning and so well maintained and the inside for the museum is so updated and fancy. I am glad I went for a visit last week to see the space and cannot believe I waited so long to get there. The museum is so updated and they have a nice way to navigate through without being too crowded. So many hands on activities to try along the way and lots of things to read and videos to watch to learn all about the arch. Security to get into the space was quick and easy. All the workers we interacted with were friendly and helpful. I can't wait to go back again when I have more time so that I can really dive into the details of the new space.

I had a wonderful time at the National Park. This review is of the museum and store below the Arch and the park on the grounds. The museum is top notch. It takes you through several periods of history: Colonial 1764-1804, Jefferson Vision 1804-1840, Riverfront Era 1838-1860, Manifest Destiny 1840-1860, New Frontiers 1860-1930, and Building of the Arch 1930-Today. The displays are top notch, interactive, and informative. There is so much information that you could spend a day reading it all. Some of the information is from different perspectives. In the Jefferson Vision section the interactive screens present the American Indian perspective on the Jefferson Purchase as well as the US perspective. The museum shop as all your typical memorabilia like T-shirts, magnets, and glassware. They also have a diverse selection of books. There is also a large section for young people and kids.. The grounds of the park or enjoyable to walk around. There's plenty of paved and shaded sidewalks to walk on. Don't forget to go down to the waterfront and see the landmark that marks the landing of the founders of St. Louis.

We stayed downtown. Downtown is a little sketch. A gritty city. Work the wall from downtown. The park is quiet and peaceful. Well kept. I ran laps through the park during my visit and the arch is cool. Really cool to see at night. If your in town for business or just visiting. It's worth a quick visit.

My kiddo and I are working on jr ranger badges. Took a thanksgiving break road trip to the arch and we're not disappointed. They have a nice little museum. We rode to the top and wow those cars are TINY. We were lucky to ride up with just two others so we had a lil space. I can't even imagine riding up in a full car of 5. It's definitely a cool unique experience and one worth a visit!

One of the coolest monuments you'll find in the U.S. The museum at the base of the Arch is well-designed and interesting for all ages. The ride to the top is $15 each but worth it for the great views!

What a great experience and time for this park! Maybe it should or shouldn't be a national park. Who cares! It was a fun time. Since it's a big building, expect security like the airport at the base. It moved very fast for a busy Saturday and we were on the way! You can explore a lot of the base area with no check in though if you want to picnic. The grounds are very pretty and have lots of walking paths. I went during spring and it was stunning. The flowers, the trees were all super pretty and provided great photo ops! The underground building hosts a big gift shop, stamp station, info desk, and food court. I browsed the shop and found it like Mt Rushmore. Heavy on the gifts but light on the history part. That's ok! Did not eat at the food court but people looked happy! I actually didn't plan ahead and couldn't get on the tram to the top due to full reservations. I thought all was lost, but I kept asking the gate staff if they had extras. And one did! He let me on the tram free since a party ahead had a spare ticket. It was a great ride to the top. It's a bit slow and you can certainly wait over a half hour to even load the gondolas. The cars are very tight and sway, an interesting experience for sure! The top is a great view on a nice day! Lots to see including the cardinals stadium, and Mississippi River. I wouldn't want to be up in severe weather since it was swaying a bit. Overall an excellent experience and I will surely be back!

The employees here were all amazing. They were all enthusiastic about our experience. The lines moved quickly and efficiently. Parts of the exhibits are showing their age, but it was apparent that it is well cared for.

Taking a road trip and had to stop. What I loved so much about this was I wanted to get a ornament but didn't want to spend an hour on the tour. You can go through the museum without having to pay to go up the entire thing or take the tour. So I still got to experience everything in the short amount of time.

It had been over 40 years since I last visited the Arch. The Arch has not changed but I don't remember the very good museum/displays that lead up to the tram ride to the top. If we had more time I could have spent over an hour exploring all of the exhibits. We did spend time reading the section on the design and engineering of the arch - very well done. We did not opt for the movie but that looked good. With our National Park pass we got $3 off the tram ride. We were lucky that when we bought our tickets we really had no wait. So we made our way through the security x-ray (seemed more thorough than the airport TSA!) and got right in line for the next tram. There is a bit of waiting but the workers were friendly and did a nice job of giving an intro. The ride up in the tiny capsule was a quick four minutes up and three down. They give you ten minutes to take in the view which given the small windows was enough. We were lucky that it was pretty clear out so we could see a long distance. It was very windy so you could feel the Arch sway a bit - kind of spooky. The grounds around the arch are very nicely designed and kept up. A great architectural and engineering wonder that is fun to photograph.

When I was planning my trip to St. Louis and asking friends for recommendations of things to do, everyone said "you've gotta go to the Arch." Sure, yeah, I put it on the list and didn't give it much thought. What this Arch thing is, I wasn't certain. But when I found myself downtown my eye caught this giant silver arch in the sky. Perhaps that's it? I walked toward it and it just got bigger and bigger. I found myself at the bottom and went into the museum to learn more about it. Turns out, this is a national park and has lots of staff to educate you on what it is. I won't spoil the surprise-you can visit for yourself and learn about the history and the "Gateway to the West" which you probably read in a fifth grade textbook forever ago. Anyway, yes, you can go to the top. No, you don't have to climb stairs. There's a little tram (it's very little) that will take you to the top so you can check out the city below. Yes, you should do it.

You know, the Gateway Arch National Park has come a long way. I've been visiting STL almost yearly since I was born and have been to the museum portion of this national park many times-- as it's air conditioned and free annnnnnnnd my mom (of three girls) really valued those three things when we needed to kill time before a ballgame. Well, fast forward decades later and this mother of two, values both of those things as well. The fam and I popped into town for Memorial Day weekend. We intended to go up in the arch for the first time together (I had been once before, as a kiddo.) I ordered the tickets online weeks in advance to go up in the arch and I am so glad I did as times filled up FAST! OF course things don't always go according to plan. My sister and her boyfriend were planning to go up with us and had a flight delayed so was unable. They easily called the Gateway Arch National Park front desk prior to our arch time and they thankfully refunded the ticket as a voucher. (You can always cancel your trip up in the arch but know it HAS to be in advance, and you won't get a refund in money but in a voucher to be used later.) I am happy to report they also were able to call the next morning to see if there were cancellations and they were able to get in! So, PRO TIP: If you are unable to get a spot reserved in advance always trying calling the day of. Severe weather was coming in the day of our trip (hence why my sister's flight was delayed) and FUN FACT: the arch is safe to go up in during thunderstorms. Additionally, it will sway during storms but was designed to do so up to 9 inches each way. Which is kind of cool. Anyways, I feel like I could write all day about our adventure to the arch. But here are my takeaways. 1) It's a well run operation. They get you in and out of the arch in a timely, professional manner. Tour guides cram a ton of info in and are very personable. 2) Bang for buck I find it worthwhile. 3) You could spend a long time in the museum portion of the national park. Plan accordingly and also know that security can take a minute as you enter. The main thing I recommend you don't miss is when the arch was designed, it was a competition. They have a portion that shows other submissions. It is wild to think about the arch looking any other way! The Arch is a gotta see both inside and outside. Check it out when you visit STL!

I was very excited to visit the arch during my visit and I gotta say, it exceeded my expectations. There is a museum that has tons of fun facts about the history of St-Louis as well as the history of the Arch. You watch a short video and are given the instructions about your visit before taking the elevator/tram/ferris wheel hybrid up to the top of the arch is a very cool experience, the pod fits 5 people but it is a tight squeeze (unless you are short like me, then it's comfortable no matter what). The view from the top is nice! It's a long narrow-ish hallway with small windows on each side that you have to lean forward to see out of. I really enjoyed my time here and it's a cool experience to do if you're in St-Louis!

Pretty cool to check this off my bucket list. Really impressive when you walk up and see the arch up close. Didn't take the tram or do the tours or movie, but did visit the museum and it was pretty interesting.

I forgot to book my ride inside of the arch and I'm sad about it. Its cool to visit here whenever I come to St. Louis. The scenery is always refreshing.

Neat to say for sure, a orderly park. I didn't even know it was a national park so that's cool to know. Speaking of cool, I had a good time here! I always learn something new when I go here. It's nice to visit all the monuments and other exhibits they have. Don't miss them, mark my words!

I am visiting family in St Louis for the first time for the holidays and had no idea that you could go to the top of the arch! This was a really cool experience. This is a national park, museum, and experience all in one place. We first did the documentary film. It was, I think, about 30 minutes or so and showed the creation and building of the arch, which was really neat. After that, we had a ticket to go up to the top. You take a 5 seat sort of tram to the top that operates like a tram and ferris wheel since you are traveling on the outer side of the arch. If you are claustrophobic, that might be something you have an issue with. It was roughly 3 minutes up and about 2.5 minutes coming back down. You get to look at the view from the top for about 10 minutes. We got lucky as the day before and after our visit were very low visibility days, and we had a really nice day on the Sunday (Christmas Eve) that we went. Our tour guide at the beginning of the tour was very friendly and super informative. Tickets were $4 for the movie and $19 to go to the top. After completing our ticket items, we had some food at the cafe and then walked around the museum. The food was ok, but the service was very friendly! Food was about $10 to $12 per item, and we got the pretzel and pulled pork sandwhich, which were ok. The museum was also really cool. There was lots of historical information about the arch and Missouri and St Louis in general. I live for museums, so it was nice to see that this was included with our ticket price. After everything, we checked out the gift shop and bought some items for ourselves as well as gifts. Everything was a reasonable enough price, and the service was very friendly and pretty quick. Anxiety inducing questions I had that will hopefully help you: 1. As a curvy woman, how tight is the tram to the top? - It wasn't too tight. We had a party of 5 people and I felt comfortable in the space. It was a little scary to me going up, but it was cool. 2. Is there parking? - As this is downtown, this is definitely like big city parking. There are garages nearby that you can pay to park in and walk to the arch. They aren't far, but if it's cold, it can seem like a while.

Wheres good HELP theses days! lol! Took a family outing to visit the St. Louis Arch AND doctor insisted I walk more considering my due date was a month away! Such an amazing piece of art. The structure was crazy HUGE! Didn't get a really nice pic THANKS photographer! lol! Noticed the bad photo when we were leaving AND BOOM! From the highway I could still get my picture! Worth seeing up close and personal! (2018)

This is the grounds that you will find the iconic Gateway Arch. There are a bunch of commercial garages and metered parking within a reasonable walking distance. Please fight the urge to park in the Church's parking lot. That is just bad ju-ju. Anyway, the park features nice paved walking path's, scenic panoramic views of the mighty Mississippi River. It is elevated above the River (hence the step stairs needed to get up/down to the River Front). The park features Grand Stairs and a pair of steep stair cases on each side of the park. The park is well maintained and not short on green space for lounging or picnics. The area was designated as a park in 2018 and is managed by the National Park Service. The park is pretty much symmetrical with the Arch and Grand Stairs being the center. You will find a steep set of stairs, a small pond, and walkways on each side of the park. The ponds are very picturesque and soothing. You will also find informational placards around the park's grounds. Even minus the Arch, this is a very nice park that provides a bit of a refugee from the hustle and bustle from city life. I understand that there is some controversy with it being designated a national park, but that is way above my head. Anyway, it is a nice park and enhances a visit to the Arch. The good news is that you cannot help visiting the park if you are visiting the Arch. They are a package deal. Either way, I still recommend checking this park out.

I had no idea (or I just didn't remember) the arch is at a National Park! The grounds are beautiful just a few steps outside of a big city feeling downtown! I bought our tickets to the top before leaving home and we got there and guess what? I bought them for the wrong day! The lady at the ticket counter was so sweet! She exchanged them without a question. Luckily there were still tickets available for that day. We went through security and headed toward the ride to the top. We spent some time learning about the building of the arch what else was happening in the years surrounding the construction. All very interesting! Then it was time to carefully board our pod for the 4 minute ride to the top. Once at the top you can see for 30 miles on a clear day and I'd say that's what we got! We could see both the Missouri and Illinois sides. Just beautiful. Then we boarded our pod for the 3 minute ride back down. A little shopping in the gift shop and it was time to close as the museum was closing. We did head back the next day to see the museum with some other friends. No

This is not your traditional National Park, but it's definitely worth seeing. The grounds around the arch are beautiful and well maintained. The museum under the arch is really nice and free to access. Don't forget to pay to get your ticket to ride all the way to the top!

St. Louis Arch Beautiful national park that is beautifully maintained. Perfect for families and runners/walkers.

The Gateway Arch has a wonderful free museum, a cafe serving fast food options, a theater with historical presentations concerning the arch, and even tram rides up the north and south sides of the arch. The food at the cafe was a bit expensive, but the tram ride to the top is definitely cool. You can walk around the small viewing area at the top and take panoramic photos out the windows.

Truly an iconic park and must-do while in St. Louis! Of course, this National Park is home to the Gateway Arch, but it's also a stunning park with lots of wildlife, vibrant greenery, and water in several forms. If you're visiting for work (like I was) and in need of a green space getaway in the heart of Downtown, this is the perfect spot for a walk or picnic. Enjoy the expansive green spaces with well paved paths - lots of runners, walkers, families, tourists, and locals alike here. If you haven't been up to the top of the Gateway Arch, I highly recommend it! It's an incredible view of the city and great to learn about its history and story. But of course, the best view is from below! The Arch is truly massive and breathtaking. Enjoy walking along the river and some small but beautiful ponds on the park property. Such a gem in the heart of the city.

Came here on a Thursday. We had booked tickets online (and parking but that is a whole other review). If you can buy the tickets online. They send you an email about where to park, that if there is a Cards Game to buy the parking the night before and it is $9 for 5 hours, info about budgeting time for security etc. There are restrooms and a barrel that you can see what the barrel you ridr up in looks like. Then on to security (just like the airport). It takes a while so budget time. After that we went to the north tram and got in line. We got car 7. There is a history talk with projection images on the wall. Then they take photos of your group. Then you go wait in line to take the ride up. Going up is 4 min, coming down is 3. You get 10 min at the top to look around. I ways enjoyed the arch when I was a kid and the improved cars (by improved they added clear doors so you can see the inner structure as you go up). Staff was friendly, we had clear views. A good experience.

I was really excited to visit this park and get to ride to the top of the arch in STL. I had no idea this was a national park, let alone that there is a ride inside of it to the top. I learned a lot while here and got the most spectacular views. The self-guided exhibit below the arch was interesting as well. I highly recommend this experience if ever in the area.

We LOVE visiting national parks, so adding a few hours to travel to St Louis, Missouri to see Gateway Arch National Park on our recent road trip in the mid-west was a no-brainer. Gateway Arch is America's tallest monument, and an engineering marvel. The park is open daily. Summer hours are 9 am-8:00 pm. Winter: 9:00 am-6:00 pm. Winter hours were still in effect during our visit in early March. Location/parking. (2/5). Upon arrival, we transitioned from a fast-moving highway to a very congested area around the park. We headed to the Stadium East Parking Garage, which is identified as the preferred parking provider for the Gateway Arch. We quickly realized -- based on the $30 stadium parking sign at the garage and the number of pedestrians in red T-shirts -- that we arrived while there was a baseball game in progress! TIP: you pre-pay for parking online, and validate your ticket at machines at Gateway Arch, for $9. Fees. (3/5). There are a combination of free and ticketed attractions available at the park. The landscaped grounds (free) are picturesque, and allow plentiful options for photographing the Gateway Arch, the Mississippi River environment, the grand entrance, the old cathedral, and the old courthouse (outside only; closed for renovations). Inside the Arch Visitors Center, there is an excellent museum (free) that features 200+ years of history within six themed exhibits. Beyond that, there are fees for other activities including the tram ride to the top (starting at $15, adults 16 and older); $11, kids 3-15); the documentary film, Monument to the Dream (35 minutes, $7 (adults), $3 (kids); St Louis Riverfront Cruise ($24 (adults); $14 (kids). Note that: (1) combination tickets are available; (2) pricing varies based on date of visit. Prices above were in affect on the day of our visit on a Friday in early May, 2023; (3) each adult tram or documentary movie ticket gets a reduction in price if $3 each for America the Beautiful Pass Holders. (4) The cruises are seasonal, and were not operational on the date of our visit. See gatewayarch.com/riverboats for full schedule. Experience (5/5). We purchased a combination ticket for the tram to the top and for the documentary film. ($16 each, including discount for America the Beautiful pass holders), and enjoyed the outdoors grounds and free museum. The tram takes you, and four of your best friends or strangers, in a small pod along the curve of the arch to the height of 630 feet at the top of the monument. At the top, there are small windows offering views (and photo ops) of St Louis on one side, and the Mississippi River on the other. Park rangers are available to answer questions. Tip: you can "try out" sitting in a sample pod in the visitors center as some people may be claustrophobic in the confined space. We enjoyed, and recommend the tram to the top. Allow one hour. Documentary film. (35 minutes). (3/5). Shown in a comfortable theater, with short leader films on the making of the Eads Bridge as well as holdings in the museum. The actual documentary was interesting, showing the engineering challenges of having designed and constructed the arch. I hadn't fully appreciated the marvel of the structure until watching the film, and gasped watching the workers who appeared NOT to have been protected with safety harnesses or other protections. We're happy to have seen the film, BUT feel that it should have offered free-of-charge or at least cheaper. There were only about ten of us in the full-sized theater. We also visited the Arch Store to add to our collection of travel magnets. The store is large, with the usual collection of t-shirts and souvenirs. Prices were ok for this type of store. There is a cafe on-site, as well as a few food trucks near the riverboats on the Mississippi River.

The Gateway Arch is an iconic American landmark and warrants a visit. I purchased tickets beforehand and the tickets say "tram ride". Ok when I think of a tram I think of a compartment that holds around 10 people and has windows. I got in line for the "tram" and then was quite surprised to find out it is more of a space pod that at max capacity would hold 5 people. At this point I was committed so I just took a deep breath and got in, but once the doors on it closed and locked I felt a bit of panic. There isn't really cool air in the pod, it has more of an air vent on the top. It did have a small window where I could see the massive amounts of stairs I would have to go down if the thing broke down. Once at the top they let you out for ten minutes to take in the view from these strange mod 60's windows. It was rather interesting. Then it's time to take a deep breath again and force yourself back into the pod. I'm glad I experienced it, but I definitely recommend checking out the sample pod at the front of the museum before you commit.

The entire area is meticulously kept. The museum is well organized and interactive. The elevator ride to the top was smooth. The views--spectacular! The park staff were welcoming, kind, and informative. Our company loved it!

This is a delightful green space in the middle of downtown St. Louis. It provides a lovely view of the Mississippi River and winding trails for walking or jogging (which I did around 7:30am during a mid-June 2023 conference). You can access the north side of the park from the Metrolink station at Laclere's Landing (which is more scenic), or enter from the west side at the Old Courthouse building (which is closest to the Visitor's Center). The Gateway Arch opens at 9:00am. Due to time limitations, I did not go into the Visitor Center or ride the tram to the top. But perhaps the best pictures are of the arch itself (from outside). Regardless of whether or not you actually go into the arch itself, it's well worth visiting the national park which is a major tourist destination and gives a close-up view of St. Louis's symbol that is instantly recognizable to visitors around the world.

Nice place! went with friends and had a good time exploring the museum. Staff were friendly and helpful and I would go again.

The arch is an obvious must-do while in St Louis. And it's definitely worth checking out. The grounds are well-maintained, and the facilities inside are newly renovated (aside from the ride up the arch itself). The museum is excellent. But I can't give this a higher rating, for a couple of reasons. First, this absolutely should NOT be a national park. Second, it's such a one-dimensional activity...you ride up in a tiny pod, you get ten minutes at the top, and then you're ushered back down. It's still worth the roughly $20 per person, but as far as national "parks" go, it's not something I'll be raving about afterwards, as was the case with the others I've been to.

We were driving up from Meredian MS on way back to MN. I drove as older people can't handle metro driving and I live in Twin Cities area and am accustomed to it. GPS brought us right to it and didn't see parking. Some bickering in the car and googled parking Gateway Arch. We parked in back of the arch by the river. Used my son's military id/photo and 3 admissions were $38. A little confused as ticket said 3:45 South. Asked and it wasn't busy today. We looked briefly at displays and went in gift shop. Went underground and watched a lame video on things in 1960. Wish it would have pertained to the Arch. All 3 of us ride in car 2. A short cable car ride to the top. We had about 10 minutes to look outside on both sides and take pictures. The south side, you are closer to Busch stadium for photo ops. The Mississippi River is on the other side. The ride down was faster. Returned to the gift shop to buy a musical snow globe, water glass, and Fitz's rootbeer. Drove past Busch stadium on the way out of town. It was a great experience with my parents.

The Gateway Arch National Park is an astonishing place in STL, and standing next to the arch made me feel so tiny. The park is clean and well-maintained by the park staff, and there is a tour to go to the top of the arch, for which you must reserve and buy tickets online or in person. I came here yesterday with my pup. I couldn't go on the tour, but next time, I'll do it and see the full view of the city from the top--one of the highlights of my stay here in STL. I highly recommend visiting this monument!

The museum was awesome. As a native St Louisian, I haven't been to the arch in about 20 years, already planning on taking some time to go back to the museum again. The recent renovation was a huge upgrade, still some things I remember seeing as a kid but much more history about the city, including a whole section on how the arch itself was selected/created. Very cool!

We were lucky enough to visit Gateway Arch a few years ago when on a weekend trip to St. Louis and it was so much fun to see this! Growing up in PA, the Gateway Arch always seemed so far away and emblematic of the west and it definitely still is, but the country definitely seems to start shrinking once you start traveling. Gateway Arch National Park is the smallest National Park in the US, but it's 100% worth it to come see this engineering marvel. The grounds surrounding the arch are clean and spacious and many people were hanging out there having picnics and enjoying the weekend. There's a museum inside with lots of information and (of course) a large gift shop. We weren't able to take the elevator up to the top since it was sold out, so that'll have to be on our list for our next trip!

I visited the gateway art after more than a decade and it has improved so much for better. The arch is as beautiful as it was years ago, but the landscape around us is phenomenal.

Fun visit! It's totally cool to go to the top and see the sights from up there. You do have limited time up top. You ride down with the same group you came up with after about ten minutes to look around and take your pictures. The rest of the park is a museum, gift shop, cafe, etc. Good idea to check ahead if you're going on a day the Cardinals are playing. We did not realize that we'd be paying $30 for parking because of game day or we would have booked the parking online, too.

One of the coolest experiences in my life! I am terrified of heights and I was able to face my fears and going to the top of the Arch was a memory I will cherish forever. The ride to the top was a little scary and the tram pod is very small and can be very anxiety provoking for folks with claustrophobia. The museum was very nice and informative on history of the westward expansion and manifest destiny as well as the construction of the arch. I would recommend this to anyone, even if you are scared of heights once you are in the observation deck it feels very secure and comfortable. The views are absolutely breathtaking

Gateway Arch National Park! I first visited this iconic landmark many years ago. But, now that officials have anointed it as a NP, it was time to return! If you haven't visited this wondrous "Gateway to the West" symbol...it is a MUST Do for everyone! You must get a photo with it. You must ride the cable car to the top of it! You must experience it! And...I'd say now that this Gateway Arch is a National Park...it was 100% worthwhile to return. A lot of additions have been made, plus as any NP fan, lol, now you can get your parks passport stamped! FYI...at the counter inside the Visitor Center, they offer a bunch of different passport stamps to choose from. Of course, I just stamped them all just to make sure it's still official in my book, hehe. Let's get to all the numbers, details and extras! First off, the Welcome to Gateway Arch Sign is a little hidden. It's located outside of the arch area and across the street from the Old Courthouse. It's definitely worth a picture. When here and visiting, it's not good enough to just walk around the arch. You have to ride the tram car to the top. You can purchase tickets for the ride inside the Visitor Center. It's only $15! The Visitor Center opens at 9am daily and I recommend you arrive as early as possible to purchase your tram tickets. When busy and during the weekend when I was here, tickets sold fast and in fact sold out for the entire day by noontime. I believe you can purchase and reserve tickets online ahead of time and on your phone and I didn't realize this until I had arrived. Still, I was able to take my time exploring the grounds the initial day I showed up and with my ticket purchased for the ride to the top the following day. Also, I paired the tram with the Documentary Film for a total of $19. The Documentary Film is a 35-minute presentation describing the entire process of The Arch being constructed. It was quite the informational story. Btw, parking. Yes, parking is difficult. The Arch is located in a beautiful and scenic area of downtown St. louis. It sits right beside the Mississippi River and the entire setting is ideal for breathing in the fresh midwest air. An extra note...Busch Stadium...home of the MLB's St. Louis Cardinals is 1/2 a mile away from The Arch and combining seeing The Arch and attending a baseball game is ideal! But, back to the parking. I actually looked for spots on the street a little away from The Arch. And...near the Ballpark Village area of downtown, there were unoccupied spaces along the street and since it was the weekend, parking was free. Or I did notice garages near The Arch, but I just assumed prices would be high for those. For accessing the Tram Ride, the Arch Museum, the Film Theater, the Gift Shop and the Cafe...you must pass through security. This security is an exact replica as if you were flying out of an airport. All your personal belongings must go through a metal detector. Your belts must come off. Your pockets must be empty. The wait for passing through security is only a few minutes. Then, you have access to everything. The Gift Shop is fantastic. They have every souvenir you can think. I spent $35 on little keychains, magnets, postcards, knickknacks, etc... The Cafe has plenty of table and chairs to sit down on and eat. They sell hamburgers, chicken, your typical all-American foods and were reasonably priced. The Walk-Through Museum is futuristic looking. Just browsing around was informative. For $10 extra, there's an area with Virtual Reality Headsets. Mostly children were interested in this. Finally, the ride to the top! There's an electronic screen with all the posted times for ticket entrances. There's a brief introduction into what you can expect from the ride. You will get assigned into a pod. It's a 5-person pod and it's tiny inside. Seriously, it's very crammed! But the ride up is extraordinary! I'm not sure if you feel transported back in time...or into the future. The ride is just memorable. It's 4 minutes to the top. It's 3 minutes back down. Here's my only disappointment, and I understand how hectic it can get and they need to keep visitors moving. But...you receive like 5 minutes at the top. 5 minutes! That's all. Then they call your group for the ride back down. Plus, it's congested at the top. There are small windows overlooking St. Louis, but you have to wait your turn for everyone to get their photos in. The process felt very rushed. I suggest to just be prepared to get your pics and videos ready before it's too late. The surroundings overlooking downtown St. Louis were terrific. The views on the Mississippi River side were decent. Lastly, just standing outside and gazing up at The Arch was a sight to behold. There's plenty of green grass for sitting down, relaxing and appreciating the moment. I'm grateful I made the effort to return to witness this stunning engineering achievement....one of the crown jewels of the United States.

This National Park includes the Arch, underground visitor center and museum, Old Courthouse, Mississippi Riverfront, and landscaped green spaces and trails. The Arch is a true marvel. For having built a structure like this in the 1960s, really mesmerizing. We booked the combo tickets for the tram ride to the top and Riverfront cruise. Some details of the Arch itself: it's the tallest human-built monument in the US, 630 feet. The architect is Eero Saarinen, and he is indeed a visionary, to have come up with such a striking masterpiece of a structure, and the engineering talent it took to build it, again in the 1960s, is truly amazing. They have done a phenomenal job of explaining the process involved in building this stricture, and it's relevance to history. It was essentially built to commemorate St. Louis role in westward expansion of the US. We got to see a wonderful puppet show about Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase (bought it from Napoleon Bonaparte, resulting in doubling the size of the US) which resulted in the Westward expansion. Essentially named the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It was really fun for my 4 year old. And we got to learn some history in a funny way as well. St Louis because of its strategic location near the confluence of nation's two longest rivers- the Mississippi and Missouri- was a successful trading center. The Arch is built on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown St. Louis. They actually held a competition challenging architects of the nation to design a memorial that would evoke the grand scale and drama of the nation's westward expansion. And from the 172 entries, judges chose Eero Saarinen's Gateway Arch. Even the tram to the top is a marvel, Eero Saarinen wanted visitors to experience a 'sky ride'. He entrusted this job to Dick Browser, a elevator man with experience for designing auto lifts for parking garages. It's a series of barrel-shaped capsules strung together like a train. Takes you to the top of the arch and you get to see the views on both sides! A true marvel, and the national park services and the museum has done a great job in making visitors understand it well as well. An absolute must for any St Louis trip.

A very fun, national park and a great place to visit with family. The lawn and old courthouse are beautiful. The courthouse is still under renovation. The arch is gorgeous and you really have to see it in person for yourself. With a Park pass you do get a three dollar discount on tickets to the tram. The tram tickets do sell out ahead of time but if you call at 9 AM on the day of there could be remaining tickets and that's how we got a last-minute ticket. The tram to the top is a pretty confined space and not for those with claustrophobia. It's four minutes to the top and three minutes down. You get 10 minutes at the top which goes by quickly. The windows are actually really small and I recommend going on a sunny day so you could see more of the ground. We went on a rainy, cloudy day, and the windows fogged up so most of the view wasn't very clear.

So I lived in St. Louis for 10 yrs of my wonderful life and have taken quite a few people here. Those were the salad days of my life, good times, I had a blast. I believe the last time I visited was around 2008, the indoor area is ok but the surrounding vicinity, including all of downtown has absolutely gone to shit. Walking up around the area I had to pass Memorial street, a stripped car, trash everywhere, homeless people, place smelled like piss. Trash and bums have crept up on the outskirts of the park, view from the top shows the urban decay, what a dump, how sad. This is not a national park as it's maybe a sq mile at best. Second most dangerous city in the US one of top 25 in the world, keep voting the same dumbasses. Take a picture from afar and keep on moving, you've been warned.

Cool park. Museum available and you can pay to reserve a method to take you inside to the top of the arch. Security inside reminds you of TSA to make sure we are safe. Trams were available to take you inside of the arch. Various tour methods were available for purchase. Fantastic views. Boardwalk below along the water.

Very clean and well maintained park. Some areas on the walk trails lead to some secluded areas.

Cool park in the middle of the city. Parking can be tricky. We found street parking but it had a two hour time limit so we didn't have a lot of time. We were able to visit the museum. There is a metal detector to get in and the museum is underground. It is a very beautiful museum with information on the history of the area, information on the arch, a cafe and rides up the arch. We did not have time for the rides but lines were not long. Lots of resource staff to ask questions and right on the Mississippi River

This really is one of those places you have to visit. My goodness what a cool experience! The arch is so much bigger than you can ever realize from pictures or even driving or flying past it. You can go up in the arch for amazing views of Illinois and downtown St. Louis and it's well worth the experience! The base of the arch has an amazing national park museum with history of the area and the arches construction and should not be missed! Such an amazing place so glad to have visited!!

Professional people working here. Clean place. Elevator smooth. Beautiful views and nice day for pictures.