Forest Park of St. Louis Offers Visitors More Than Picnics

In the heart of St. Louis, you will find Forest Park. Forest Park brings the St. Louis community together via a variety of cultural and historical venues. Over 100 years ago, Forest Park actually brought the world to St. Louis. That is, the 1904 World's Fair in the Gateway Arch City was held in the close to 1,300 acre Forest Park, bringing in some 20 million visits. A century later, and without a World's Fair, this venue still attracts 12 million-plus visits per year. I would like to focus on three must visit venues in Forest Park that will keep travelers more than occupied for a good day or two:

Lead off by Heading to the St. Louis Zoo

The St. Louis Zoo is one of Forest Park's year round destinations for exploration, and the vast majority of it is free to visit! The Zoo was recently voted the #1 zoo/animal park in the United States by a Zagat/Parenting Magazine Survey for a USA family travel guide. This is one those places that a whole day can be spent quite easily. The 90-acre zoo in Forest Park of St. Louis is made up of five major animal areas to explore the thousands upon thousands of Mother Nature's most fascinating creatures.

Take some time after you arrive at this Forest Park zoo to visit two introductory exhibit areas via the northern entrance of the zoo, where you can get a ton of information regarding the goings on of the place. The first is called "Introduction to Animals". I found the Upside Down Jellyfish to be the most interesting creature in this section. Across the foyer of this area is another area called "Introduction to Ecology", where an Ozark stream has been replicated. Other ecological issues are also showcased using lively exhibit creatures.