Outdoor Summer Activities in St Louis, MO

Summer offers ample sunshine for getting out and exploring all that St. Louis, Missouri, has to offer. If you’re anxious to escape after a dreary winter and wet spring season, we have a full lineup of engaging options around the city. Add these to your summer agenda for ample outdoor fun.

Explore Laumeier Sculpture Park

In Laumeier Sculpture Park, you’ll find more than 60 stunning outdoor sculptures to capture your attention and fascinate your mind. The park’s Central Pathway covers 0.64 miles as it circles the park. It takes about 25 minutes to cover this distance, taking in some of the park’s most iconic statues. You’ll see Tony Tasset’s oversized and aptly named Eye, Isaac Witkin’s fascinatingly abstract Hawthorne Tree, David Hutson’s neon text-based piece When I Rise, and much more.

The 0.77-mile Art Hike Trail takes you through the woods past fascinating sights, such as the Pool Complex: Orchard Valley by Mary Miss. Through the use of platforms, pavilions, and stairs, this site-specific piece gave new life to the Hedenkamp family’s abandoned 1929 pool. Other highlights include the Emerson Children’s Sculpture Garden, 0.15-mile Western Woodland Trail, and Gracie’s Shop where you can purchase items crafted by local artists.

Location: 12580 Rott Road, Saint Louis.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 30 minutes past sunset, daily.

Hone Your Disc Golf Skills at Endicott Park

St. Louis features a handful of disc golf courses, but if you’re looking for an exciting challenge, Endicott Park is the place to go. This highly technical course makes thorough use of its varying elevation and thick woodland setting to present challenging holes. You may have to toss uphill and navigate around the foliage to get the right shot.

You can select from three pin locations at each hole to adjust the difficulty level as you make your way through the course. These pins may change the length of the hole by as much as 200 yards, though the par stays the same, significantly altering the challenge that you face. You’ll find 18 holes with Titan Pro-24 targets.

Location: 2950 Endicott Ave., Saint Louis.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Play the Day Away at Bella Fontaine Park

Bella Fontaine Park features two sections that straddle Lewis and Clark Boulevard. The 1.7-mile Maple Tree Trail traverses both Bella Fontaine Park West and Bella Fontaine Park East. The 1.3-mile Cardinal Trail, 0.3-mile Fox Den Trail, and 0.4-mile Maline Creek Trail are all located within Bella Fontaine Park East. The park also features two playgrounds, a hopscotch court, horseshoe pits, tennis courts, basketball courts, and volleyball courts. You can fish in Fountain Lake, picnic under one of the shelter houses, or take a stroll on the meandering trails.

The Fountain Lake Softball Center regularly draws in families for games. The park features six softball fields and parking for as many as 50 cars. There are lights on two of the fields to allow for evening play.

Location: 9565 Bellefontaine Road, Saint Louis.

Hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, daily.

Go Wild at the Saint Louis Zoo

The Saint Louis Zoo is home to more than 16,000 animals representing 500 species. You can visit elephants, hippos, and cheetahs at River’s Edge, view tigers, lions, giraffes, and zebras at Red Rocks, and see penguins, bears, and great apes in The Wild. Historic Hill features a herpetarium filled with reptiles and amphibians, a colorful bird house, the serene cypress swamp, and the engaging Primate House. This area also features the Primate Canopy Trails that allow you to climb up to the level of the lemurs, tamarins, monkeys, and other fascinating primates to see the world from their point of view.

Admission to the zoo itself is free, but you’ll also find several paid attractions that offer added thrills. You can hop aboard the Conservation Carousel, catch a film in the 4D Theater, or ride the Zooline Railroad. The property also has several animal attractions that give you a better look at the wildlife, such as the sea lion show, bird show, and stingray exhibit.

Location: 1 Government Drive, Saint Louis.

Hours: Vary throughout the year. Check their website for more information.

Stretch Your Legs on the Dual Recreational Path

Forest Park covers 1,300 acres and many consider it to be one of the best public urban parks in the country. Its dual recreation path is a great way to get out and experience some of what this expansive area has to offer. The distinctive path features a soft gravel surface on one side and a hard paved surface on the other. The gravel caters to walkers and joggers while the paved trail is ideal for anyone on wheels, such as bikes or rollerblades.

The dual recreational path covers almost 6 miles circling the outer edge of the park. While the trails are side by side for most of the trail, they diverge around Jefferson Lake, Lindell Field, and the Boeing Aviation Fields so you’ll get some variety if you try out both sides of the path. No matter which side you’re on, you’ll pass numerous highlights of Forest Park, including the fish hatchery, James S. McDonnell Planetarium, St Louis Zoo, and Norman K. Probstein Golf Course.

If you’re interested in a lusher route, head off into Kennedy Forest. There, you can make a mile-long loop on the elevated boardwalks or head off onto 3.5 miles of additional paved and gravel trails. This forested habitat covers over 60 acres and houses more than 100 species of birds.

Location: 5595 Grand Drive, Saint Louis.

Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Enjoy the St. Louis Summer

Do you have other suggestions for outdoor fun around St. Louis? Contact our team at AutoCenters Nissan and let us know. We love to hear your suggestions. If you need a new vehicle for your summer adventures, drop in and check out our lot. We can help you find the right fit for all your family’s excursions this season.

Laumeier Sculpture Park  by artistmac is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0