Saint Louis Union Station is a nice place to spend a few hours. There are several activities both indoors and out. It can get a bit pricey depending on what you choose to do. The aquarium appears to be the main indoor attraction, but we did not visit it since it didn't appeal to my teen. He did want to try the ropes course and really enjoyed it. I thought it was a good value for the experience. The mirror maze didn't seem worth the cost, it only took about five minutes to get through it. The Railroad Selfie Museum was a total waste of money, and I regret spending money on it. Outside, there are additional things to do with more of a carnival atmosphere. Again, costs can add up quickly. We rode the Ferris wheel because I wanted to compare it to the wheel in Kansas City, Missouri. The experience was similar to KC. There are also a couple of restaurants and food trucks (converted shipping containers). Overall, Union Station offers plenty to do but can be a bit pricey. read more

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I have seen the rise and fall and rise of Union Station. But, this is St Louis, which always gets in its own way. Always. I have been on the roller coaster (new, mind you) 4 times (at $7 pp) over a 6 month period and THREE of those times we've been stuck. One time for an hour with a 4 year old. And every time I come here, one of the rides is out of order. These rides are less than a year old folks! It is extremely frustrating that this is the image St Louis projects to visitors, and equally frustrating that this is a regular stop for us always with issues. There were never any refunds and why would anyone buy the bracelet when a ride it out? The mirror maze is another favorite of my kiddo and the mirrors are always gross. I am the biggest cheerleader for the Lou and it just can't get out of its own way. Beyond frustrating. read more

Always love coming to the Grand Hall (note: it is especially beautiful at Christmas). Every hour on the hour starting at 5:00 PM there is a light show on the ceiling of the Grand Hall. Kiddos can request a scavenger hunt activity from the desk. Full bar with good drink selection. Beautiful atmosphere. Make sure to check their online calendar to make sure that they are not having a private event! read more

St. Louis Union Station - Grand Hall ceiling - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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This review is only for the bar area of the Grand Central. We stopped by here on a Wednesday night and it was just magnificent. The open area, high ceiling and lots of seating. What a great place to meet others for drinks or a quick bite to eat or both. It's late November so the Christmas tree was up with all its glory. Amazing and beautiful. We sat around until about 10pm and saw the light show inside. It was beautiful with the running lights. I love every part of this spot and would totally recommend and come back. read more

St. Louis Union Station - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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It was tricky to find. We wandered around the hotel, amusement park, aquarium, and just not finding the old historic beautiful station. Finally we understood it was the old hotel. The first train pulled into Union Station in 1894, ushering in a new and exciting time. St Louis city known for being the gateway to the West suddenly became a gateway to all of America. Over the next several years, Union Station would become one of the largest and busiest passenger rail terminals in the world. Anchoring the development is the St. Louis Aquarium in the former retail space inside the station. The 120,000-square-foot attraction features tanks housing exotic fish. There was a soda fountain, Landry's seafood restaurant & a taco stand. The amusement park was on the premises with miniature golf & koi pond. We walked over train tracks @ saw a few old trains as well. read more

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Union station is sooooo cute. My hubby and I got up early (to beat the crowd and we did). We had a full day of ropes, mirror maze, aquarium, Ferris wheel, mini golf. We had a great time. It was cute seeing the kids feed the koi fish. The young man at the ticket counter on Saturday the 15th, that morning was a hoot! I enjoyed myself here. I would like to see cleaner restrooms though. read more

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Neat train station that was a huge thing in the days of rail passenger transportation. With the last intercity trains making their stops here in the late 1970s, the trainshed stood vacant and unused for decades until the property was rehabbed and repurposed. Today all the tracks have been removed, most of the train shed retained and repaired, half of the shed area has been enclosed and air conditioned with stores and restaurants and playgrounds for kids (think rope mazes and mirror rooms), and a huge aquarium on one side. The othet half of the shed is used for the parking lot. Outside there is an amusement park and a number of extra restaurants. All to say, there is loads to do at the old Union Train Station. Parking is close and inexpensive, so there is no excuse ... go visit. read more

St. Louis Union Station - Easy history ... - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Union Station is a fascinating place to visit. Originally opened in 1894 as the world's largest railroad terminal, it remains one of St. Louis's most impressive historic landmarks. I was captivated by the choreographed fire show, where flames burst from eight lotus-shaped pods on the lake, creating a spectacular display. Inside Union Station is the Ropes Course, a three-story aerial obstacle course. Even if you do not participate, it is entertaining to watch others navigate the challenges high above the ground. read more

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A cool place to hang out. We went at night too much of a younger crowd for us, probably should have gone during the day to hang out. It looked really cool lots of activities and cool sights. Totally recommend . Wish we had more time to explore. read more

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Union station is so fun. They have a the wheel, carousel, mini golf, aquarium, an ice cream shop. They may have more I'm not sure. Since it's the Christmas season. It's beautifully decorated. They have Christmas tree you can walk into for hot chocolate. An elfie station. Polar express, Mrs Claus' kitchen, and a Christmas theme bar. They have a light show which is super cute as well. read more

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We spend the day/night in St. Louis with a LO and wanted to be able to walk to multiple areas. We stayed at the hotel, which was awesome. So unique and beautiful. So many restaurants, so much to do and look at. We were bummed that they closed the bar area where they do the light show the one night we were there. We were really looking forward to that. They had an aquarium, playground, rides, ice cream and multiple restaurants all within walking distance. So much to do and I would recommend a stop here for sure. read more

Staying here for work. Very unique hotel with lots of history. Very nice staff, good gym, and overall a comfortable stay. Would definitely recommend if seeing a soccer game or have business nearby. read more

St. Louis Union Station - Reception/bar area - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis Union Station is a historic site where many trains previously came & went carrying our U.S. Soldiers to & from Boot Camp to another assignment or to their Overseas Destinations back in the mid 1900's!!! As a kid in Cub Scouts/Weblos, my Pack left from there to Springfield, Illinois for a day trip to see President Lincoln's Historic Homestead - It was still operating as a train station! It has since been converted to a hotel, conference center & event center etc. It is a joy to see & to spend a night there seeing the activities in the Grand Ballroom was special too! They broadcast the train history on the ceiling as a light show! They also still have "Conductors" as Hotel Guest Service Providers/Greeters! The hallways & rooms have captured the history of the Rail Lines too! It's amazing! read more

I've stayed at the hotel at Union Station twice, but it's more than a hotel! Union Station is an entertainment destination, with an aquarium, indoor activities like a ropes course and mirror maze, outdoor activities like a giant Ferris wheel and carousel and mini golf course, restaurants, and lots more. One of Union Station's main attractions is the St. Louis Aquarium, which opened in 2019. The aquarium features dozens of exhibits, highlighting everything from local river ecosystems to shark habitats. My family and I rode on The Wheel, a towering 200-foot-high Ferris wheel that offers panoramic views of the city from enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas. We also did the indoor ropes course, took silly photos at the selfie exhibit, explored the mirror maze, played a round of Mini Golf, rode on the carousel, played a round of putt-putt, watched a fire-and-water show take place at the giant fountain, and ate dinner at one of the restaurants inside Union Station. For dessert, we got ice cream at the ice cream parlor. There is a lot to do here -- you could spend several hours here if you wanted. They offer wrist bands that you can purchase that allow you to do all of the activities they offer. You don't have to stay at the Union Station hotel to enjoy all of these activities. This is a destination in itself, and it's located right in downtown St. Louis. read more

Such a great concepts for families. I love that there are different things such as the Ferris wheel, the carousel, soda, fountain, the polar express, there are other games inside of the facility, such as zip lining and cookie making, and so much more plus the aquarium. This is the one stop shop for all families that I absolutely love because it's all in one. You do so much with your family without having to leave the area ! read more

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I could spend ALL DAY here ! So much to do and see! The Koi are abundant & you can feed them too . ( bring coins for the feeder machine) You've got plenty to eat , rides , shopping and you MUST go into the Aquarium! read more

When I visit a new town, I like to ask my Uber drivers for recommendations of things to do. I got mixed reviews on Union Station-one driver said it's a must-visit while another one said it was overpriced and something to skip. We opted to check it out to make our own opinion. My report is somewhere in between-I'm glad we went to see it, but it's probably not one I'll need to return to see again. The history is really cool and for that, I am glad we visited. This used to be a bustling train station that connected much of the country. In the late 1970's it sent off it's last train, and later became a family friendly spot for entertainment. You can get in for free to walk around and see the station, but any of the attractions cost money. I can't speak about parking since we rode the metro, but the parking lot did appear full and likely a pain to navigate. read more

St. Louis Union Station - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

This place was nice and very different but I thought there would be more selection. I went mostly for the Aquarium which was one of the most hands on aquariums I've ever been to but definitely a much smaller aquarium than what I am use to. Union Station was completely dead and a lot of things were closed but I guess that's because it was cold, not exactly sure. I think I got there around 2 or 3pm. You weren't allowed to walk in most of the building, not sure if this is new or not since I've never been there but it seems like they have a lot of spots in the building to fill. I am not sure I would come back, but it was nice place to walk around. read more

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Stayed in a hotel near Union Station and started walking toward the Arch up Market Street.The building is beautiful and caused us to stop and inquire about it from a tile contractor doing work at a closed entrance. This when we met Anna (Sales) who was on her way into work. She was a walking encyclopedia on the sights, sounds, food and history of St. Louis. She went above and beyond in giving us recommendations for things to do while in town. Then we walked into the Grand Hall with arched ceilings, tile and marble adorning walls where she appeared again and gave us a mini tour. This iconic building was once a hub for every East/West train traveler. There is a hotel and grand bar which opens @ 4pm. Sit at the main bar or seating area to take in a daily laser light show. Walk the hallways and staircases, looking at the archways to platforms gone by. The original building is connected to a newer section which leads to a fun filled area that includes a Ferris Wheel, Aquarium, Coy Pond, Bars, Restaurants and Carnival Games. Enjoy! read more

St. Louis Union Station - Grand Hall - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Located in downtown StL, this is an overall great space for a family day. The renovated train station includes a Ferris wheel, aquarium, zip line area, kids play area, koi pond, and multiple places to eat. There is also a hotel available, although pricey. It can be expensive overall, my only complaint. But the aquarium exhibits are so fun and the staff are amazing. read more

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This is a beautiful hotel! The intricacies and detail are astounding. Friendly and accommodating staff. Room was clean, quiet and perfect for a weekend getaway! There are several dining options on the property. The Grille serves a full buffet with excellent choices. Also within 1000 feet of the hotel is Landry's Seafood House and Leonardo's Trattoria. The huge Ferris wheel is a must do! Highly recommend!! read more

St. Louis Union Station - All of the doors on our floor were adorned with a train line name-and who the agent was. - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Union station is really a great spot to visit in STL. I am so glad they have renovated this space to include restaurants, activities, the aquarium and so much more! Parking is easy to find as they have a dedicated parking lot. Of course, it's a paid lot, so grab a ticket when you enter and then pay when you leave. If you eat at one of the restaurants, they can validate your parking and then you can leave without paying for parking which is pretty sweet! I enjoy visiting Union Station during the holidays as they have some really great holiday decorations! read more

A classic tourist spot. There's a Ferris wheel, carousel, mini golf - so if you're into that, this will be up your alley. Otherwise you'll find low quality, overpriced food and drinks. When we visited at 7 pm on a Saturday night, most of the businesses were closed already for the day. read more

We visited Union Station for the aquarium today but it's well known for a few attractions, including The Wheel, carousel, koi pond, mini golf and various restaurants. The seating around Union Station is a great place to relax before or after a meal, or to grab a beer at the cart and catch up with friends. Parking lot is available nearby. If you go to the aquarium take your ticket to be stamped for a $5 flat rate. Restrooms are also available in the interior building near the entrance of the aquarium. read more

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I visited St. Louis less than a month ago and had my friend take me to Union Station to catch their light show at night inside the station. We ordered a drink and caught the show which lasted about ten minutes. It was such a beautiful experience with the ceiling looking like you were in the ocean with a lot of marine life passing by. The music and colors felt so relaxing and I would definitely recommend this for friends, couples and families! read more

Not what it used to be. Was closed when we got there. Still paid for parking. Kinda sad deal. read more

St. Louis Union Station - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Review Visit: June 21st, 2014 A place with a lot of history and nothing else... After another visit to the Anheuser-Busch Stadium, we decided to check out Union Station as we had the afternoon free. I was hyped to see what the place offered as I heard it was a cool and unique mall-style place. But... When we got there... there was nothing. About half the storefronts were shuttered. The stores that were open had nobody visiting them. I think our whole trip here lasted 10 minutes as we walked in and out fairly quick. I saw more employees than I did shoppers. ;( Looking in to it, Union Station has quite the history to it. Check the Wiki link below to learn more about it. Sadly, this cool fact was something we missed out on during this visit. I am sure the place has changed a lot since 2014. It seems like a giant aquarium has opened up in the area (possibly in Union Station itself)? If you know me, you know what this means... I will just have to go back and see what is new! So, don't take this blog at face value. It seems like a ton of things have changed at Union Station. Check out the links below to see what is currently going on there and keep an eye on this blog when I inevitable go back for a more-informed trip. read more

St. Louis Union Station - Hotels Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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It had been a good 30 years since I last visited Union Station, so I have no recollection of what it was like back then. Now, it's home to several different activities, attractions, gift shop, snacks spots and restaurants. Also a hotel. Union Station has it's own parking lot, which I think cost us around $7 to use. Several free things to check out like the massive coy pond, fire and light show (synchronized to music) and the decommissioned trains. The aquarium, ropes course, mirror maze, face painting, mini golf, ferris wheel and carousel all have fees association with them. Discounts if you buy passes for more than one activity. It was so hot the day we visited we checked out the mirror maze. Fun, on the cheaper side. Tip: buy your tickets for these attractions online ahead of time! We fed the coy fish (there must be hundreds of them) and hung out on the lounge chairs around the pond. Bustling place with lots of families hanging out. There's a Budweiser stand, taco stand, some carnival type games around the exterior of Union Station between the coy pond and ferris wheel. We didn't check any of those out. Union Station must have a problem in the evenings with unaccompanied minors because we noticed signage all over the place - 'after 3pm anyone under the age of (can't remember) must be accompanied by an adult.' We did see lots of teenagers just kind of hanging out. Overall, this was a nice, entertaining spot to spend an hour or two - especially if you need to get out of the summer heat. The whole facility appeared to be very well-staffed and clean. However, not a lot of 'free' activities here. Expect to drop some $$$. For two adults in their 30s this was fine, but a budget buster if you have lots of littles to entertain and feed. read more

This place is awesome! We stayed at the union station hotel which connects directly to this place out the back gate (by the pool). Apparently it used to be an old train station turned into super fun, family friendly zone. In the center they have a large pond filled with koi fish for feeding. There are restaurants surrounding the area as well as a playground, Ferris's wheel, carousel, aquarium, obstacle course and pop up vendors with face paint, games with prizes and merchandise. In the middle of the pond they have these black pods that stick out of the water that shoot fire during their fire show. I don't know the schedule for that, we stumbled upon it was we walked over to the ice cream shop. You have to pay for everything individually with the exception of the playground, that was free. You could easily spend an entire day doing all the things here. Our kids didn't want to leave! 100% recommend checking it out. Only downfall, we were disappointed that you couldn't look inside or walk inside the trains. Our son is big into trains right now so that was a bummer. read more

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Union Station was hopping last night! Very busy and so many events. Tried to get into The Train Shed but a 3 hour wait. A good place to people watch or grab a drink in the great hall. Lots of fun even though we didn't get into the restaurant. If you want a bit of Christmas spirit head here for a jolly time. read more

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Breakfast was amazing! Loved the full buffet. Fruit was delicious. Pancakes awesome. The light show was such a wonderful surprise. Architecture was amazing. Walkable area behind which is fun with a huge koi pond. read more

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This is St. Louis Union Station. Features mini meat things on the inside and has a lot of fun things to do. We enjoyed our time here. read more

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I've lived in St. Louis for 40 years, and re-visited Union Station today for the 1st time in probably 15 years. We went to take our grandkids to the aquarium there, and I was pleasantly surprised at the near total renovation of Union Station from a "cookie cutter" urban mall of the 1980's to a clean, up-to-date entertainment center of today. As mentioned, we came because of the aquarium here (reviewed separately) and in buying tickets, opted for the "full-fare" ticket that got us entry to the aquarium, an elevated rope course close to the aquarium, a house of mirrors obstacle course and a Christmas themed selfie photo hall. It was a good spend to entertain our grandkids for the afternoon: aquarium was the best, rope course next best, followed by the house of mirrors and the selfie exhibit. We did these attractions on this order this afternoon, and honestly the kids were pretty tired after the rope course, so maybe our views of the other 2 attractions are clouded by their exhaustion, After the aquarium visit, we opted for lunch at the Train Shed restaurant inside Union Station. It was a burger/ fries type of place with delicious ice cream drinks that surprised me with how good it was. I had a cheeseburger with an order of fries & onion rings, my wife had a grilled cheese sandwich and the grandkids had a hot dog and a cheeseburger. All the sandwiches were delicious! The crinkle fries and onion rings were on point, hot, fresh & delicious, shared by all. My wife had a chocolate milkshake with lunch, plentiful & delicious, kids had lemonades and a bottomless Diet Coke for me. Our waitress was terrific, stopped by frequently to check on us and to refill my Diet Coke. Despite a very full lunch, grandkids opted for a scoop of ice cream each for dessert, it was tasty for both, but too much after that lunch, and we left much of it in the bowls they were served in. All in all, our trip to Union Station was a success, great to see all the re-development happing inside and nearby this historic landmark. read more

I stayed at the St. Louis Union Station hotel in April 2025. This year the service, and staff was fantastic. The morning restaurant crew has been there for many years and are always friendly. They understand their exceptional service sets the tone for a customers day. Also, a special shout-out to Princess, who was at the grill making omelets. She made my breakfast three days in a row, and I have to say the omelets were nothing short of epic! Thank you to the staff for a pleasant stay and I look forward to visiting again. read more

At Louis union station is a really cool indoor/outdoor patio covered establishment that offers shopping, eateries, amusement rides, a nice koi pond that shoots flames during some songs and the Saint Louis aquarium. Was In town with my daughters 8th grade trip from Lousiville and our frost stop was the aquarium. Before and after our aquarium visits we walked around whom our group of students and explored this area. Plenty of nice places to eat, shop and play. Very stunning view and setup. The koi pond that shot flames during songs was a hit. As was the very overpriced "wheel of Saint Louis" Ferris wheel ride. They had a squish mellow tent, face painting area and a variety of other fun activities for the kiddos to explore. Overall made for a nice and relaxing area for the kids on our trip to enjoy before and after the aquarium. Very nice place in Saint Louis and I'll come back here for sure on my personal trips i take to Saint Louis every few years or so. read more

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St Louis Union Station has evolved to a family friendly food court with many other pay for theme park type rides. Aquarium, Ferris-wheel, merry-go-round, koi pond goes well with the food court and souvenir shops. This is a good place to visit St Louis with kids. Just make sure to eat at a restaurant and validate your parking. read more

We went to Union Station for a wedding. I live on St. Louis and this was my first time coming here. Wow it it beautiful! I love the architecture. The wedding was beautiful. The food was amazing. We didn't stay at the hotel but my friends did and their room was clean and nice. I would love to stay here in the future. read more

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This is a pretty cool place. There are tons of activities here to keep everyone of any age happy and entertained. They have restaurants, a rope climbing course, a mirror maze, a pond with fish, trains, The St. Louis Ferris Wheel, The St. Louis Aquarium, a Conservation & Education Center, and so much more. I came here on a Tuesday during spring break and the place was booming.   Union Station Parking is $1 for every 20 minutes for up to eight hours, and daily parking rates thereafter. If you plan on visiting the Aquarium during your visit, you can receive validated parking for only $5. I highly recommend this option if you plan on staying awhile and doing multiple activities and/or enjoying a meal at one of the restaurants.   Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Union Station, and I highly recommend you check it out if you're in the area and looking for something fun to do. read more

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We loved the super cool architecture in the Union Station! It was built in 1894 and it shows in a good way. It really felt like another time walking through the corridors of the grand hall. We splurged a little and got a Jr Suite on the fourth floor in the tower. The only perk of this is the door to the room is cool. It looks like an office door to a railroad agent, and that you have access to the balcony's to watch the shows projected on the ceiling at night. You do need a 4th or 5th floor room key to even make the elevator go that high. The nightly shows projected on the cathedral ceiling were really really cool! We caught Queen, and part of another one that I don't remember but I think they have at least 4 different ones. They last about 5 minutes. Don't eat at the restaurants! They're horrible. The breakfast buffet at the Station Grill is comparable to other hotels breakfast buffet but it's $22 a person. Decent but expensive. They have a Starbucks onsite too. Inside the union station you can also find the aquarium, a rope walk, and several other restaurants. I would recommend staying in the Union Station. We had fun looking around, swimming, playing golf, going to the aquarium, doing the rope walk. read more

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This is another fun place of my youth I remember visiting that is a shadow of itself. It is now a tourist trap. They have a ferris wheel, aquarium, mini golf, selfie express, mirror maze, rope course. All cost money. There are no longer any shops (except the gift shop for the aquarium) and the restaurants are super limited. We did the kid rope course cause kidlet is less than 48" and it was $5 plus tax but basically a circle with 3 different things to do. I miss the singing fudge makers, the million different hot sauces store and when hooters was on the 3rd floor. We were there such a short amount of time parking was only $3. read more