Gateway Arch: 2 Days at the Arch, Old Courthouse and Riverfront
A walkable St. Louis weekend built around the tram, the museum and the Mississippi
- Length
- 2 days
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Budget
- $$
Ride the tram 630 feet up the Gateway Arch, tour the Old Courthouse where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for freedom, and walk the Mississippi riverfront. Day two adds Citygarden, a Hill hot salami sandwich and Ted Drewes custard. Budget tier is an estimate; lodging and dining prices vary.
- Timed tram ride to the top of the 630-foot Arch
- Free Museum at the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse (Dred Scott case)
- Grand Staircase, riverfront and Captains' Return statue
- Citygarden sculpture park
- Hot salami at Gioia's on The Hill and a Concrete at Ted Drewes
The story
St. Louis is not a place you hike into. It is a place you walk into, and the park is a compact green ribbon between downtown and the Mississippi. Gateway Arch National Park is small, but it packs three stories into a few walkable blocks: Thomas Jefferson's vision of a continental nation, the city's role as the jumping-off point for westward expansion, and the Old Courthouse, where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom.
This two-day plan takes the park at an unhurried pace. Day one is all park. You begin beneath the Arch while the grounds are quiet, drop down the Grand Staircase to the levee, then ride the tram 630 feet up. The free museum sits underneath, and across the street the Old Courthouse tells the Scott story in the building where the case was heard. The afternoon slows down with a walk through the Explorer Garden and a look at the Eads Bridge, which NPS calls the oldest bridge still standing on the Mississippi.
Day two widens the lens. You start with the Captains' Return statue and the riverfront trail, walk a few blocks west to Citygarden's sculptures (which NPS suggests as a next stop), then drive out of downtown for two St. Louis food traditions: the hot salami sandwich at Gioia's on The Hill and a Concrete at Ted Drewes on Route 66. Day two needs a car or rideshare.
Some logistics shape the trip more than at a typical park. The tram needs a timed ticket that can sell out; the museum and the Old Courthouse are free and unticketed; and everyone entering the Arch complex passes through a security checkpoint. Food stops are the Arch Cafe for a fast lunch on day one and Broadway Oyster Bar for a sit-down dinner with live music.
Day by day
The Arch, the Courthouse and the Riverfront
Day one stays inside the park's compact footprint. You start under the Arch and on the levee, ride the tram, spend the middle of the day in the museum and the Old Courthouse, then finish with a garden walk, the Eads Bridge, Cajun food and a dusk stroll by the ponds. Everything is within a mile of the hotel, so you can walk it all.
Stand directly beneath the Arch
Start where the photos are taken from and then ignore the camera for a minute. Walk up to the base of the Arch and look straight up the stainless-steel curve, where 630 feet of steel narrows into a sliver against the sky. NPS notes you can even lie on the lawn beneath it. Morning is the calmest time on the grounds, before the tram lines start to form. The grounds are open daily from early morning until late evening, so this stop needs no ticket.
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (2)
- NPS Data API: Gateway Arch National Park · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Directly below the Gateway Arch · retrieved 2026-09-29
The Riverfront and the Grand Staircase
Drop east from the Arch onto the Grand Staircase and gentle ramps that lead to the Mississippi. NPS describes the riverfront as once the bustling heart of the city and still one of the best places to watch river traffic. Look for the brass Flood of 1993 marker on the staircase, which shows how high the water once climbed. Then climb back up (NPS suggests 5-20 minutes, depending how hard you want to push it) and walk to the Visitor Center's west entrance, facing Fourth Street, to clear security before your tram time.
- Time
- 5-20 minutes for the staircase itself per NPS; extra time for the levee views
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (3)
- NPS: Flood of 1993 Marker · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: The Riverfront · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Rise to the West · retrieved 2026-09-29
Tram Ride to the Top of the Gateway Arch
The Arch's trams are compact capsules that carry you up inside the legs to a narrow observation deck 630 feet up. NPS asks visitors to allow 45 to 60 minutes for the full experience, including a pre-boarding exhibit. On a clear day the deck looks down on the Old Courthouse, the river and the Illinois side. Tickets are timed and, per NPS and the concessioner, sometimes sell out, so book at gatewayarch.com before you go. Everyone passes a security checkpoint at the Visitor Center's west entrance; the concessioner advises at least 15 minutes for screening. The legs themselves are exit-only.
- Time
- 45-60 minutes per NPS
- Best time
- Clear mornings
- Reservation needed
- Yes
- Price note
- Fares vary by rider and date; check the official ticket page. NPS 'A View From the Top' lists adults 16+ from about $12, children 3-15 from $8, pass holders from $9; the NPS conditions page cites a $11-$19 range.
- Price as of
- 2026-09-29
Sources (4)
- NPS Data API: fees and passes · retrieved 2026-09-29
- Gateway Arch (concessioner) official site · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Gateway Arch alerts and conditions · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: A View From the Top · retrieved 2026-09-29
Museum at the Gateway Arch
Directly below the Arch, the free museum walks through about 200 years of westward-expansion history with a focus on St. Louis's role. It is designed to be flexible: browse for 20 minutes before a tram, or read every panel. Look for the Building the Arch exhibit with its models of the grounds and the structure, and the large brick mural outside the Tucker Theater honoring the people behind the monument. If you want the backstory, the 35-minute documentary Monument to the Dream runs on timed, ticketed showings.
- Time
- Flexible; film adds 35 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
- Film price note
- Film is ticketed: NPS lists adults $7, children 3-15 $3, pass holders $4 (as of 2026-09-29)
Sources (3)
- NPS: Explore the Museum under the Gateway Arch · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: See Monument to the Dream · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Visit the Brick Mural · retrieved 2026-09-29
Lunch at the Arch Cafe
The simplest lunch is inside the Visitor Center: the Arch Cafe needs no ticket and keeps you on schedule for the Old Courthouse without re-entering security. NPS lists it as open 9 AM to 4 PM during regular hours and 9 AM to 6 PM during extended hours, so the late-morning lunch slot works in either season. Menu details are on gatewayarch.com.
- Meal
- Lunch
- Cuisine
- Casual cafe
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (3)
- NPS: Gateway Arch Visitor Center · retrieved 2026-09-29
- Gateway Arch official site · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Gateway Arch hours · retrieved 2026-09-29
Dred and Harriet Scott Statue
Cross Fourth Street to the Old Courthouse lawn and pause at the statue of Dred and Harriet Scott, placed in honor of their fight for their family's freedom. It sets up the next stop, because the Scotts' suit was heard inside the building behind it. The Arch is framed in the background from here.
- Time
- 15 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (1)
- NPS: Dred and Harriet Scott Statue · retrieved 2026-09-29
Old Courthouse and the Dred Scott case
The domed courthouse is the reason St. Louis is part of the national park. NPS identifies it as the location of the first two trials of the Dred Scott case, where Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom. NPS says the courthouse hosted more than 300 suits for freedom in all. Inside, modern exhibits cover the U.S. court system and the Scotts, and the rotunda's painted ceiling is worth a slow look upward. Admission is free and no ticket is needed.
- Time
- About 60-90 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (2)
- NPS: Old Courthouse · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Old Courthouse · retrieved 2026-09-29
Explorer Garden and North Gateway
Walk north along the paved paths to the Explorer Garden, planted mostly with native species to support pollinators; NPS says it is designed to bloom from February to October and sits where a concrete parking garage once stood. It is the park's quiet corner, with flat rocks for resting and a drinking fountain. NPS also points to plants here that Native peoples used and Lewis and Clark described in their journals. On the way you pass the Catenary Curve Wayside, which explains the curve of the Arch with a tactile model.
- Time
- 30-45 minutes
- Best time
- Spring through early fall
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (3)
- NPS: Catenary Curve Wayside · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Explorer Garden · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Explore with Lewis and Clark · retrieved 2026-09-29
Eads Bridge
Just north of the garden, the Eads Bridge is a stop for the engineering-minded. NPS calls it an architectural wonder with a fascinating history: the first bridge across the Mississippi at St. Louis, built in 1874, and the oldest bridge still standing on the river. Admire the arched steel spans from the riverfront, then head to the hotel for a rest.
- Time
- 30-40 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (1)
- NPS: Eads Bridge · retrieved 2026-09-29
Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch
A convenient base for a walking trip: the hotel's official site puts it one block from the Arch, at 2 South 4th Street. It lists a free hot breakfast daily, a free early-evening food and drink reception, an indoor pool and covered parking for a fee. Check-in is at 3 PM. Take a break here before dinner.
- Type
- Hotel
- Location
- Outside the park
- Booking
- Book / details
- Reservation notes
- Rates vary by date and are not published on the page. Covered parking is listed at $28-32 per night as of 2026-09-29.
Sources (1)
- Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch · retrieved 2026-09-29
Dinner at Broadway Oyster Bar
A short ride or roughly half-mile straight-line trip south of the Arch, this Cajun and Creole spot pairs a menu of Gulf oysters, crawfish, shrimp and catfish with live music. Its own site lists kitchen hours of 11 AM to 10 PM Sunday through Thursday and to 11 PM Friday and Saturday, and says live music runs twice nightly except Fridays. Expect a lively room rather than a quiet dinner.
- Meal
- Dinner
- Cuisine
- Cajun/Creole
Sources (2)
- Broadway Oyster Bar official site · retrieved 2026-09-29
- Broadway Oyster Bar hours · retrieved 2026-09-29
Evening at the Reflection Ponds
End the day with a slow loop by the ponds north and south of the Arch. NPS invites visitors to use all five senses here. Grounds stay open until 11 PM, so you can watch the light fade on the steel with no ticket. Sunset falls at a different time each month, so check the time for your dates.
- Time
- 30 minutes
- Best time
- Dusk
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (1)
- NPS: A Moment of Reflection · retrieved 2026-09-29
River views, sculpture and St. Louis classics
A gentler second day. Walk the north riverfront first, pick up Citygarden on the way back into downtown, then head west for two St. Louis food institutions: a hot salami sandwich and a frozen-custard Concrete.
The Captains' Return
Begin on the north riverfront with the 22-foot bronze of William Clark, Meriwether Lewis and Lewis's dog Seaman. NPS says it was installed in 2006 for the bicentennial of the expedition's return, then moved higher on the riverfront in 2016 to protect it from flooding.
- Time
- 20 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (1)
- NPS: The Captains' Return · retrieved 2026-09-29
Stroll the St. Louis Riverfront Trail
NPS points visitors to the historic riverfront trail for easy movement along the Mississippi. It is a flat, paved outing rather than a hike, good for watching barges and getting a different angle on the Arch. NPS says the grounds have about five miles of paved trails in all. Distance for this stretch is not published, so it is treated as a walk of your own length.
- Time
- 30-60 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (2)
- NPS: Carve Your Own Path · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Move Along the Mississippi River · retrieved 2026-09-29
Citygarden Sculpture Park
NPS suggests continuing past the Old Courthouse to Citygarden, a sculpture park a few blocks west. It is free, open sunrise to 10 PM daily according to its own site, and works well as a low-effort art break. Its Children's Spray Plaza runs only from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The rules include leashed dogs, no climbing on sculptures and no bikes or scooters.
- Time
- 45-60 minutes
- Fee
- Free
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (2)
- Citygarden: Visit · retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Carve Your Own Path · retrieved 2026-09-29
Hot salami lunch at Gioia's Deli on The Hill
Drive out to The Hill, about 5.7 road miles (roughly a 10-minute drive) from Citygarden; day two needs a car or rideshare, for Gioia's Deli. Its site lists The Original Hot Salami Sandwich made with fresh sausage sliced to order, available in regular and large sizes (prices in meta, as of 2026-09-29). The Hill location is open Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM, and closed Sunday. On a Sunday, use the Pappy's option instead.
- Meal
- Lunch
- Cuisine
- Italian deli
- Price
- $
- Reservation needed
- No
- Price note
- Regular hot salami $11, large $13.50 as of 2026-09-29
- Price as of
- 2026-09-29
Sources (1)
- Gioia's Deli official site · retrieved 2026-09-29
Frozen custard at Ted Drewes (Route 66)
Finish with a Concrete, the custard treat the shop says is so thick you can turn it upside down, with more than 30 toppings. The Chippewa location, about 3.2 road miles (roughly 8 minutes' drive) from Gioia's, is listed as open year-round, 11 AM to 10:30 PM daily. The business says it has run since 1929 and is a Route 66 landmark. After this, you have the afternoon free; consider the riverboat cruise from the options list before heading home.
- Meal
- Snack
- Cuisine
- Frozen custard
- Reservation needed
- No
Sources (1)
- Ted Drewes official site · retrieved 2026-09-29
Where to stay
Where to eat
More options
Map of places
- Directly below the Gateway Arch (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- The Riverfront (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Tram Ride to the Top (Gateway Arch) (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Museum at the Gateway Arch (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Arch Cafe (Gateway Arch Visitor Center) (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Dred and Harriet Scott Statue (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Old Courthouse (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Explorer Garden (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Eads Bridge (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Broadway Oyster Bar (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- Reflection ponds (north and south of the Arch) (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 1
- The Captains' Return (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 2
- St. Louis Riverfront Trail (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 2
- Citygarden (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 2
- Gioia's Deli (The Hill) (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 2
- Ted Drewes Frozen Custard (Chippewa) (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Day 2
- Pappy's Smokehouse (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Option
- Riverboats at the Gateway Arch (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Option
- Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Option
- Hampton Inn St. Louis-Downtown (At the Gateway Arch) (opens Google Maps in a new tab) Option
Good to know
Current conditions (as of 2026-09-29)
- The NPS alerts feed returned no active alerts for the park. The NPS conditions page lists a security checkpoint for all visitors (no weapons, including pepper spray and fixed-blade knives).
- Regular (winter) hours run from the day after Labor Day 2026 through 2027-05-31: Arch visitor center and museum 9 AM - 6 PM daily; last tram departure one hour before closing. Old Courthouse 9 AM - 5 PM. Grounds 5 AM - 11 PM.
- Closed Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26, 2026), Christmas Day (2026-12-25) and New Year's Day (2027-01-01).
- Tram tickets: fares vary by rider and date. NPS 'A View From the Top' lists adults 16+ from about $12, children 3-15 from $8 and pass holders from $9; the NPS conditions page cites a range of $11-$19 (as of 2026-09-29). NPS says the ticket includes a $3 entrance-fee share, waived for America the Beautiful pass holders, who get a discount on up to four tickets. Verify current prices at gatewayarch.com. The museum and Old Courthouse are free. Film: $7 adults, $3 children 3-15, $4 pass holders (as of 2026-09-29).
- Parking: the park does not run its own lot. NPS lists a preferred-parking rate of $11 for 5 hours at Stadium East Garage (200 S Broadway), pre-purchased at iparkit.com/TheArch, as of 2026-09-29. On Cardinals home-game dates it must be bought by 11:59 PM the day before.
- Arch Cafe: NPS lists 9 AM - 4 PM in regular hours and 9 AM - 6 PM in extended hours; the current season is regular hours.
- Riverboat cruises typically run March to November; check current schedules.
Planning
- Day 2 needs a car or rideshare (Citygarden to Gioia's is about 5.7 road miles; Gioia's to Ted Drewes about 3.2).
- Book the tram in advance; it sells out. Arrive at the west entrance (facing Fourth Street) with time for security; the concessioner suggests at least 15 minutes.
- The Arch legs are exit-only.
- MetroLink light rail: NPS says to exit at 8th and Pine or Laclede's Landing and follow signs for about a 10-minute walk.
- Sunday: Gioia's is closed; use Pappy's (closed Tuesday). Pappy's may sell out early.
- Tuesday: Pappy's is closed.
- The itinerary is timed for a base in the hotel one block from the Arch; skip the hotel step and it still works.
- Photos are NPS images; restaurants and hotels have none.
Want live alerts and up-to-date info?
Conditions change fast. Create an account on the DriftKin app to get live park alerts, closures and information for your trip.
Sources
- NPS Data API: Gateway Arch National Park retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Directly below the Gateway Arch retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Flood of 1993 Marker retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: The Riverfront retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Rise to the West retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS Data API: fees and passes retrieved 2026-09-29
- Gateway Arch official site retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Gateway Arch alerts and conditions retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: A View From the Top retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Explore the Museum under the Gateway Arch retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: See Monument to the Dream retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Visit the Brick Mural retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Gateway Arch Visitor Center retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Gateway Arch hours retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Dred and Harriet Scott Statue retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Old Courthouse retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Old Courthouse retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Catenary Curve Wayside retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Explorer Garden retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Explore with Lewis and Clark retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Eads Bridge retrieved 2026-09-29
- Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch retrieved 2026-09-29
- Broadway Oyster Bar official site retrieved 2026-09-29
- Broadway Oyster Bar hours retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: A Moment of Reflection retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: The Captains' Return retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Carve Your Own Path retrieved 2026-09-29
- NPS: Move Along the Mississippi River retrieved 2026-09-29
- Citygarden: Visit retrieved 2026-09-29
- Gioia's Deli official site retrieved 2026-09-29
- Ted Drewes official site retrieved 2026-09-29
- Pappy's Smokehouse official site retrieved 2026-09-29
- Riverboats at the Gateway Arch retrieved 2026-09-29
- Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch retrieved 2026-09-29
- Hampton Inn St. Louis-Downtown retrieved 2026-09-29
Hours, fees, prices and closures change. Confirm details with the park or business before you go.