A Day of “Stomping” St. Louis at “Fab N' Free”

*“Fab N' Free”: An acronym for “Fabulously FREE stuff”, meaning lots of great free stuff.

People say that the reason St. Louis has so many “Fab N' Free” is because people in the state pay more taxes than other states, so they should enjoy more incentives. However, in the end, once people give something away, they will take something back. For example, the zoo offers free admission, but you will have to pay $15-20 for parking. Or buying a bottle of water there costs $3 while the supermarket sells it for 1/6 of that price. However, those who only have minimal needs, like our family, just take the bus, bring lunch and bottled water, go there to play the free things, and then go home. No one complains or discriminates.

Free giant zoo in the heart of the city

Located on Government Drive, the St. Louis Zoo occupies nearly 37 hectares of land in Forest Park, which was once voted the most beautiful city park in the United States by the famous newspaper USA Today. The St. Louis Zoo is also voted the most popular free tourist destination in the United States, thanks to its possession of more than 15,000 different exotic animals of more than 600 species.

Just visiting the 6 campuses marked with 6 colors corresponding to different themes also takes visitors almost a whole day for walking. So this is also an opportunity for everyone to exercise…for free in the cool scenery of trees, chirping birds and howling, growling of animals that have never been seen in any textbooks or animal world programs.

Rated 4.7/5 stars from more than 62 thousand votes from Google, Tripadvisor, Facebook, so it is understandable that tourists choose this place as their first stop. So I had to come here from 8 am to find a free parking spot near the entrance (because parking in the lot costs 15 USD/day and there is no space). At the same time, some games inside that sell tickets will also be "open" for free for everyone to play from 8 am to 9 am. Note that you should bring a big bottle of water because a small bottle of mineral water sold here also costs 3.5 USD.

The museum is free too!

Museums located around this area are free to visit to meet everyone's visiting needs. From the Saint Louis Art Museum for those who love painting and sculpture with many famous works in the world to the Missouri History Museum preserving the early relics of the state. Those who are passionate about motorcycles from ancient to modern can explore the Motor Museum located on Olive Street.

Also located in the nearby park, the Saint Louis Science Center has over 700 free science experiments for all ages, especially children. And don’t forget to check out the one-of-a-kind exhibit called “Grow” about the journey of our food. Likewise, when visiting these attractions by car, parking fees are charged from 10 to 15 USD/day. So to save money, you can buy bus and trolley tickets to move between attractions.

City of green parks

A network of walking parks dotted around St. Louis is a great choice for an early morning or late afternoon walk. The 1.4-mile Laumeier Sculpture Park offers fresh air and more than 80 contemporary sculptures on display outdoors.

Nearby in Lone Elk Park is the World Bird Sanctuary where visitors can clearly see falcons, eagles, hawks, owls and many other raptors. If children want to cool off outdoors, they can go to the city park called "City Garden" to play with the water jets from underground and run around the colorful lights. Meanwhile, the elderly can sit on the benches next to the lake to look up to the sky to watch the water and fire show every night from 7 pm to 11 pm at Union Station, the largest train station in the United States located on Market Street.

Visit a farm in a modern city

If you leave the zoo still craving to see animals, head to Grant's Farm, built in 1955, to see hundreds of wild animals as well as see Clydesdales, the largest and most majestic horse breed in the world, used as the mascot for the famous American beer brand Budweiser. A free tram will take you to the middle of the 88-hectare park for everyone to start their journey of discovery. You can choose the free elephant show at 11:15 am, 12:45 pm or 2:15 pm. There are 5 other shows a day with animal trainers with other animals. If you are willing to pay, you can spend 50 cents to 2 USD to buy food to feed the camels, zebras, parakeets or a bottle of milk for the goats.

About a 30-minute drive from the city center is Purina Farms, where children can learn about animal life. They have the opportunity to milk cows, go on wagon rides, and feed animals. At the dog arena, you can enjoy watching professional show dogs demonstrate their amazing skills.

Admire ancient architecture

The St. Louis Cathedral Basilica is a Roman Catholic cathedral that has existed for more than a century. It fascinates international visitors with its intricate carvings on every wall and ceiling. Located on Lindell Avenue and next to the Saint Louis Cathedral is the Forest amusement park. Because of its extremely convenient location, every year this place attracts millions of tourists to St. Louis to visit. So you should be the next million and first tourist!

The Old Courthouse is a huge domed building, built in the mid-1800s, and is an extension of Jefferson Memorial Park. The building displays historical artifacts of the city, and is also the place where visitors can start to approach the towering archway with the beautiful name "Gateway of Arch", which guards the gateway to the city. Of course, to go up to the top of the archway to look down on the city by cabin with chains, it costs 13 USD for adults and 10 USD for children. Standing under the Guinness Book of World Records certified site as the world's tallest stainless steel architectural work of art, nearly 200m, from here you can look out to see the poetic Mississippi River dividing the states of Illinois and Missouri into two distant regions.

The free city vibe has also helped me feel better before returning to my daily routine. Of course, I will have to save up more so that I can come back and find the “paid” places here next time! For now, thanks a lot, St. Louis!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

More information:

+Travel:Some roads are under construction and the Gateway of Arch is being renovated so visitors should not rely on GPS but always keep up to date with traffic conditions online and information provided by the city.

+Note:Always have enough change and coins to pay for parking because some automatic parking lots will not give change.

+Information:Find out more free tourist information at:https://explorestlouis.com/. City map can be downloaded from the link:https://explorestlouis.com/travel-tools/maps/

+Sightseeing coupon:At hotels, bus stations, and train stations, there are tourist information shelves with many free coupons for sightseeing tickets for tourists.

+ Means:The downtown trolley and Forest Park trolley cost $2 per adult, $1 per child and senior. Tickets are valid all day from 8am to midnight.

------------------------

Phan Quoc Vinh, 38 years old

Online travel operator, currently living in Texas, USA

He came to the United States with his family in 2011 and has traveled through many states. With a passion for backpacking since childhood, he has explored many lands here with the criteria of "delicious, nutritious, cheap, and free" as the top priority! The article about the city of St. Louis is one of such interesting experiences in the journey he has traveled.

Article and photos: Phan Vinh

The Thanh