Discover St. Louis Scavenger Hunt
Discover the Gateway to the West with a scavenger hunt under Eero Saarinen's 630-foot Arch. Take the tram to the top, wander Forest Park where the 1904 World's Fair lit up the country, slide through the City Museum like a child and toast at Anheuser-Busch where Budweiser still ships out. Mississippi mud, baseball red, gooey butter cake.
Stops on this hunt
The geo-tagged checkpoints that anchor this route. You can rearrange, replace or remove any stop after using the template.
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1
Gateway Arch
Navigate to the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi riverfront and check in at the south leg.
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2
Old Courthouse
Walk west one block to the Old Courthouse on the Gateway Arch grounds and check in at the front steps.
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3
Forest Park
Rideshare west to Forest Park and check in by Art Hill in front of the Saint Louis Art Museum.
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4
City Museum
Rideshare east to the City Museum on Washington Avenue downtown and check in at the entrance.
Challenges (20)
St. Louis kick-off
The hunt begins! Find a classic St. Louis backdrop (the Arch in the distance, a Cardinals red sign, the Mississippi muddy and wide) and take a group photo with the whole team in shot.
Checkpoint: Gateway Arch
Navigate to the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi riverfront and check in at the south leg.
Arch silhouette pose
The Gateway Arch is the tallest monument in the United States. Step back to the Old Courthouse side, line the team up so the full arch fits between two teammates and take a group photo with the arch perfectly framed.
Trivia: Arch height
The Gateway Arch is the tallest monument in the United States. How tall is it in feet?
Answer: 630
Trivia: Arch architect
The Gateway Arch was designed by a Finnish-American architect. What was his last name?
Answers: Saarinen / saarinen / Eero Saarinen
Trivia: St. Louis founded
St. Louis was founded by Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau as a French fur-trading post in what year?
Answer: 1764
Checkpoint: Old Courthouse
Walk west one block to the Old Courthouse on the Gateway Arch grounds and check in at the front steps.
Old Courthouse dome pose
The Old Courthouse's green dome served as the city's tallest landmark for a century and was the site of the Dred Scott trials. Find a flattering angle on the dome and take a respectful group photo with the building behind the team.
Checkpoint: Forest Park
Rideshare west to Forest Park and check in by Art Hill in front of the Saint Louis Art Museum.
Art Hill / Apotheosis pose
The Saint Louis Art Museum sits at the top of Art Hill, with a bronze statue of King Louis IX (the Apotheosis of St. Louis) out front. Take a group photo with the statue and the Art Museum facade behind the team.
Trivia: 1904 World's Fair
Forest Park hosted a World's Fair that put ice cream cones, hamburgers and St. Louis on the global map. In what year was the Fair held?
Answer: 1904
Checkpoint: City Museum
Rideshare east to the City Museum on Washington Avenue downtown and check in at the entrance.
City Museum slide ride
The City Museum is built from salvaged industrial parts and has multi-storey metal slides. Find a slide (the 10-storey one is iconic) and capture a squad photo or short video with at least one teammate caught mid-ride.
Anheuser-Busch brewery backdrop
The original Anheuser-Busch brewery has been brewing Budweiser since the 19th century. Find an angle on the historic Brewhouse, the Clydesdale stables or the brewery sign and take a squad photo with the team in front.
Cardinals red shot
St. Louis lives for Cardinals baseball. Find a Cardinals red flag, jersey, mural or the Busch Stadium gate and take a squad photo with the whole team in red.
Mississippi riverboat shot
The Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher riverboats dock on the Mississippi at the foot of the Arch. Find a paddlewheel boat (or any Mississippi vessel) and take a group photo with the boat behind the team.
Toasted ravioli taste
Toasted ravioli (breaded, deep-fried ravioli) was invented in St. Louis. Order a plate from any spot on the Hill, dip in marinara and take a squad photo with everyone taking the first bite at the same time.
Gooey butter or frozen custard
St. Louis is also home to gooey butter cake and Ted Drewes frozen custard. Pick one, share among the team and take a squad photo with everyone holding a spoon up in a toast.
Local St. Louisan tip
Convince a local St. Louis resident to share a tip about the city. Take a photo with your impromptu guide and remember the tip.
St. Louis finale
Final challenge. Find a beautiful St. Louis spot (the Arch at sunset, the Mississippi at dusk, Forest Park in golden light) and take an amazing closing group photo. Cheers from the Gateway to the West!
Frequently asked questions
A full day. Four to five hours covers the Gateway Arch, the Old Courthouse, Forest Park and the City Museum at a relaxed pace. The Arch tram ride to the top adds an hour, the City Museum easily eats two if you let it. Most groups rideshare between the riverfront and Forest Park.
Yes if anyone in your group has not done it: the view from 630 feet over the Mississippi is the postcard moment of St. Louis. Book timed tickets online (they sell out same-day on weekends), the trip up takes 4 minutes in tilting pods and you spend 10 minutes at the top. The ground-level museum is free.
It is a multi-storey playground built out of salvaged industrial parts: caves, slides ten storeys long, a school bus on the roof. Wear long sleeves and trousers (the metal can scrape), bring trainers and adult shoulders for sliding. Kids 5+ and adults love it equally; small toddlers struggle.
The Gateway Arch is the natural starting point: parking garages around 4th Street are a block away, the visitor centre below the Arch is free and the Old Courthouse sits one block west. From there rideshare to Forest Park and the City Museum.
Yes. The Arch tram has timed tickets that work for any age, Forest Park's free attractions (Zoo, Art Museum, History Museum) are kid magnets, and the City Museum is the highlight of the day for kids 5+. Toasted ravioli and frozen custard are the kid-friendly food stops.