The Gateway Arch

A 630 foot monument on the bank of Mississippi river, is world’s tallest arch and a major tourist spot. Easily accessible from downtown and the most visited attractions. Buy tickets to visit observation deck on top of the arch, this few minutes tram ride will be your best experience in St Louis.

I had such a great experience going to the arch. It’s a beautiful thing to see every night, while staying in downtown St. Louis.
Tickets to go up to the observation deck were $ 10 which included a movie, I did not watch it but people around me made good comments about it and the history of how this arch was built.
The pod that brings you up made me feel a tad bit claustrophobic, so we took selfies with the strangers in our pod and that made things better.
We finally made it to the top, excited to see the view, look out the window and its all so pretty when I feel the arch shifting, and I decide I need to get down, now.
Panic sets in because I am at the opposite end of the observation deck and my get out of here ticket involves walking back and getting in line to get out, while this thing is shifting, after I have looked out and «realized» we are 600ft in the air.
Suddenly I see a couple of kids jumping up and down, enjoying themselves and I decide that I paid 10 green ones to come up here, and I’m going to stay up here at least for a few more minutes. So I made my decision, I start taking pictures and talking to people while keeping my eye on these kids for courage and motivation.
The security guard may have sensed my tension because he came up to me, cracked a few jokes and stories about the arch. How this man stays up there for a shift is amazing to me.
Most employees at the arch were friendly. The view is amazing and worth the trip up there.

No amount of photos compare to actually visiting the arch. And you’re cheating yourself if you don’t ride to the top. We also enjoyed the short documentary in the theatre and the museum exhibits.

The terrific attraction gets little press it seems, even with the iconic design by Eero Saarinen, who also did many famous air ports. The Gateway Arch is something worth visiting St Louis for even if you don’t do anything else in the city. The arch itself is simply stunning and beautiful and the tour (which takes you INSIDE the arch to the top for a view of the city) is over-​the-​top and just simply has to be experienced. Trust me on this one — go, explore, and make sure you take it all in.

Sorry folks, parks closed. I’m on my way to a sporting store.
1−16−16, arch closed for renovations. But doesn’t show up on the Unilocal hours.
Thanks for nothing. Mess down here. Looks like it will be awesome when construction is done.

Click, clack. Click Clack. And don’t be scared. (A sound you will hear if you go to the top). This is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. I knew St. Louis was famous for this but never realized what it meant until I walked out on the street and saw this thing in the sky and I think I stated to my wife «Oh my God!» What?
For someone to build this in the 1960’s is just staggering. It’s not a building, it’s well, this extremely huge arch structure way up in the sky. And of course you can ride up into it and there is a area up top to hang out. I had no idea it was so huge and so historic and so functional.
I’m not really qualified to comment on things like this as while I can belt out a lot of Unilocal reviews for nearly a decade, this is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen in America and you just have to see it. A Unilocal review could never do justice.

Not the best observation deck. It was so cramped and small. Many people feeling sick from the swaying (it was windy). Yes it does sway up to 8 inches. As well its so small up there and the windows for observation are very small too. You have to lean over a ledge to look out.

A bit underwhelming, but the grounds are well kept and the park is situated right on the river in the center of downtown. The old courthouse and lawn combine to make this fairly impressive. The arch itself is massive and immaculately clean. We did not ride up to the top.

It was an item on my husband’s bucket list and we ticked it off. It was impressive and very American in its spirit. A symbol of American audacity. The history is fascinating too. Right now there are renovations going on around it and so we didn’t go up the Arch. But we walked under the Arch and that was enough for us. I loved the shadow it cast on the clouds. Very cool. Read about the history if you want to see it. Makes it even more worthwhile.

OMG this was absolutely a memorable experience and something that I am super happy that I had the opportunity to do while on my vacation, one that I would go back and do again!!!
Tbh I was really nervous at first, after viewing the pics posted. I am not afraid of heights, but I am a tad claustrophobic and seeing the TINY pods that you have to ride in and knowing they fit 5 people did not help matters. I can say though, that even with my claustrophobia I rode up to the top and back down again WITHOUT any issue… so I would encourage others with the same fear to do the same, you will be so happy that you did once you get to the top.
I was traveling as part of my vacation and was passing thru St. Louis so I made the decision to stop, I couldn’t let this opportunity pass. The place itself was easy to find, even with the construction. My directions told me to park on Pine and walk in, however due to construction going on at the time the entrance off of Pine was closed. No problem though, there were signs pointing me in the right direction. After walking a few blocks in the rain and snow (lovely, but brrrrr) I came upon the ticket building (old courthouse) which had big banners on the outside letting you know that you could purchase tickets inside. I was in awe of the courthouse itself, it certainly is a sight to see. The atrium/​dome has several floors and were decorated for the Christmas season during my visit. The old courthouse also serves as a place for tours, I wish that I would’ve had more time to take one.
As I approached the ticket room, I noticed that they had a mock-​pod to give you an idea of what the ride up and down would be like. I almost wished that I hadn’t seen it, cause for a minute I had to ask myself whether it was really worth it or not. The pod is super small, and has seating for 5. As I stated before, I hate enclosed spaces!!! And the thought of riding in this thing w/​4 other people made it seem that much smaller. My fears were not alleviated when I went to the counter either, the girl told me that the ride to the top was 4 minutes and the ride down was 3… YIKES!!! In that moment I just said to hell with it, I was going to do it… not being sure when I’d ever get another opportunity. The price was right, only $ 10 and I saw that they had a discount for having a Nat’l Park Pass and I just happened to have one. However, the girl told me that I could not use mine… it was purchased in CA, but it has the writing on it showing it was a NPS pass so I am not sure what the problem was. I wasn’t going to fuss over it so I paid full price.
When you buy the tickets, you are given a time in which your ride to the top is valid and you have to ride at that time. I really like that they have it that way, as to assure you that you have a seat and wont be standing in lines indefinitely. I was just worried about making it in time though, as you leave the old courthouse and it is a 10 minute walk to the actual arch… wear your walking shoes, and I had to use the restroom. As it was my first visit I was unfamiliar with the arch and didn’t realize they have a restroom inside before you go up. Luckily though I made it in time.
When you get to the entrance you will go through security, which was a painless process. After you pass thru security you enter a large underground area that is equipped with restrooms, a gift shop and some photo ops. It felt like a subway area. Located near the restrooms is even a water refilling station… score!!! My bottle was pretty low and I didn’t want to stand in line at the gift shop and risk not making my allotted time.
The have a marquee that lets you know when to get in line (i.e. 10:30 tram boarding in 3 minutes) which was really helpful, since I had no clue. After that you continue your walk and go down a flight of stairs to your pods. A person will be there and tell you which line to get in, there is a total of 7 pods which go up at a time.
The ride up to the top, although it was 4 minutes, went surprisingly fast and not at all what I thought it would be. There were little windows on the door and you could see the inside of the arch as you went up. It definitely took away from the claustrophobia panic, and that’s why I encourage fellow claustrophobes to do it as well.
I arrived at the top and its a little weird cause the top really curves, so be sure footed when walking up. The view, which is why you go up, was breathtaking!!! Any negative feelings I had about the ride up (or down) were gone immediately. From the one vantage point you could see the Old Courthouse and all its glory, the baseball stadium and downtown St. Louis and then the river from 630 ft up in the air. I am out of space, so I will end w/​saying to just buy a ticket and make your way to the top. Definitely a unique and memorable experience, one you wont soon forget. I haven’t stopped talking about it since returning.

Not for the claustrophobic, you do take a ride up to the top in a little sit down pod with 3 or 4 others; kind of confining. But once at the top, the view of St. Louis and the Mississippi River are fantastic. Be ready for the total federal checkpoint as well; think going through security at the airport. One guy even brought along a group of friends to help spell out a marriage proposal, in large letters, to his girlfriend on the grassy field below. I hope she said yes to this ingenious idea!
Worth the experience at least once.

5-​star landmark. 3-​star experience at the top.
I’m becoming less and less of a fan of paying money to go to the top of tall things for panoramic views of a place. That’s not to say some aren’t worth it but a lot turn out to be… meh. Unfortunately, the view from the top of the Gateway Arch was just that. St. Louis (and a lot of cities for that matter) wasn’t particularly impressive from above, and the arch isn’t really thaaat tall. If anything, it was worth it just to ride the wacky little pods that looked like they were straight out of the 50’s. Each seats 5 people and you basically ride that rickety little thing, awkwardly in silence with strangers while hoping no one farts, to the top and then back down.
I admit it was nice to not be rushed back down once you get to the top. You’re able to enjoy the views at your leisure. I was there in the middle of the day on a weekday, and it never got too crowded to be unbearable, but given the number of people in St. Louis, I doubt that’s often a problem. I also can’t say much about the Museum of Westward Expansion below the arch because it was closed during my visit, which was unfortunate because it seemed like it would’ve been interesting.
My advice: Stay on the ground. The structure is far more interesting when lying down and looking up at it from the lawn.

Meh. This was really disappointing seeing as how I was so excited for it. This is a really late review from when I went in the summer. What I did like was the two separate lines for different times. The ride to the top didn’t take very long and our line was pretty short. When we got to the top, however, it was extremely packed. You couldn’t move without bumping into someone. It was so overwhelming that I wanted to go straight back down. The views weren’t of anything great except the courthouse. The river was brown and muddy and there was construction everywhere. One guy working at the store was pretty rude to us, so that also contributes to the loss of a star.

I came to St. Louis for a wedding. When I wasn’t doing wedding things, I wanted to (1) eat some barbecue and (2) see this arch. I must admit that I enjoyed the former far more.
In my limited arch experience I guess it’s one of the better ones, landing somewhere behind the best and in front of the worst arches in Arches National Park. Unfortunately, if we’re counting the Arc de Triomphe as an arch, The Gateway Arch is going to get bumped down another notch.
I hate to say it, but I found this Arch to be far less impressive after we took the ride to the top. My reasons are twofold:
1. In the little video they play before you get in the tiny little cars to ascend, they talk a lot about the Eads Bridge, an impressive structure that was the symbolic Gateway to the West. A lot of history surrounds the bridge, and they talk a lot about how Eads built a dream for America. And then the video ends, because there’s apparently nothing interesting to say about the Arch. Or maybe there is, but I’m assuming there isn’t because it wasn’t mentioned.
2. The system is poor. It takes about 45 very crowded, uncomfortable minutes to go up, see a pretty solid view of the city for about 25 seconds, and come back down. Nearly all of that is spent waiting in line in the company of screaming children.
If I were you, I’d just appreciate the Arch from down below. You’ll probably end up liking it more.

I mean American architectural landmark? 5 stars from me, easy. The structure is a marvel.
So I can only echo what the other people who’ve gone have said. The «Journey to the Top» will set you back at $ 10/​head. We bought our tickets at the Old Courthouse. If you’re into buildings, I’d recommend checking this neighboring building out too. They also offer a cruise for $ 18 but it is only offered during limited hours. When we went they stopped at noon? This is the only thing I’d like to see change.
So after buying your tickets, either online or in person, you have to make your way thru security. I understand, and we were told while buying to give ourselves buffer time for the walk/​security. Then there’s another line, for a photo op. Ok so this photo of me turned out horribly, but it’s cool. I appreciate the advancements in technology, but do still appreciate the tactile mementos.
Then you go further underground to a stairwell that leads you to the pod elevators. There’s also a pretty cool Mark Twain full size figure that greets you on your little trip. There was a documentary playing in the background but I couldn’t hear a bit of it due to the chatter amongst each of the pods.
The pods seat 5 and are cramped, but I liked it. I mean, it was cool to be transported up a monument. Beam me up Scotty! More like pulley me up at a comfy speed but still. So the pod smelled slightly of locker room and was the teensiest bit of a wobbly ride, but was smoother and more comfortable than I imagined.
So the view on an overcast MO day wasn’t spectacular, and the tiny windows were crowded and hard to come by. It was still an interesting experience. I mean it’s the St. Louis Arch! I don’t think I’d do it again but would recommend everyone who’s interested just to try it out.
There’s a gift shop, fudge shop and place for you to buy your souvenir photo in the lobby.
I’d vote go!

Apparently this is the one thing you must do in St. Louis. Tickets are $ 10 to go up to the top. I wouldn’t say it’s worth it because the city view of St. Louis isn’t all that interesting or breathtaking. Not to mention the film they had in regards to the construction of the arch nearly put me to sleep!
I’m sorry but the one at Chicago for the Willis Tower is so much better. The film was informative and interesting to watch. Why would they make a 15 — 20 minute film of construction workers putting the Arch together, why don’t they talk about the history behind it or some historic facts about Missouri and its people and culture instead? It was the most boring film I’ve watched about a monument.
Honestly just check it out from the outside and take your photos. It’s not worth it to wait in line and pay $ 10 just to go into some tiny pod made for dwarfs just to see some swamp river with a mediocre skyline. The only thing that’s actually decent to look at is the St. Louis Courthouse which you can easily do on ground rather than up at the Arch.
They say the arch was built in regards to the expansion to the west of America but personally I think it’s because they need to create some hope for this lost city. An artificial rainbow is more like because you won’t ever find that here in St. Louis, skies are far being sunny and laughter is probably the last thing you’d hear in St. Louis.

I’ve been in St. Louis for the last eight years, but this was my first time up in the Arch. We had family in town and therefore an excuse to be a tourist in our own city! But we decided to do this kinda last minute. Apparently, if you decide in advance, you can not only buy your tickets online, but you can also schedule your time and date. We arrived around 3:15p on a Saturday in June and the earliest available time was 4:35p. We killed time exploring the couple rooms in the old building that had some great historical information… and then we went to Starbucks across the street.
We were allowed to enter at 4p, so we headed over and went through security around 4:15p. We probably didn’t get on the elevator to ride up until around 5:20p. The time in between was spent standing in one line, then standing in another, then receiving a number, then having our picture taken, then standing in another line, then standing in ANOTHER line and then standing and waiting outside of our assigned elevator. And these elevators are pretty darn small, as you might imagine. For any of you who might be worried about feeling claustrophobic, there is an elevator on display next to where you by your tickets. You can even step inside and see how you feel. Make sure you do that before hand if you have any concerns.
The ride is 4 minutes. Our ride was pretty smooth. The only problem I had was that the elevator door is clear, so you can see the insides of the structure falling down behind you, which made me dizzy to watch. My husband, on the other hand, said it made him feel better.
Once you get up to the top, it’s pretty darn tiny — go figure. But you can get some pretty neat photos!
One of my fears was that I’d be able to feel the Arch swaying (as many people told me you could). But unless I was standing and leaning against a wall, I really didn’t feel it.
The ride back down was 3 minutes and for some reason it was a little bumpy and clanky… I can’t say that was very encouraging.
Over all, this was a fun excursion because I was with my family and having a great time. I had no idea that getting up to the top would be the huge process that it was. But I’m really glad that we did it together!

Very cool monument to visit at least once. This thing really is larger then life and it isn’t quite evident how big this arch is until you get right underneath it. It’s actually quite massive and a great thing to come visit, especially on a sunny day. I still find it hard to believe the size and architecture of this thing as well as the width/​height similarity. Cool to see from a distance but amazing to see up close.
Pros–
Picturesque
Optical illusion
Size
Ride up to observation deck
River views
Cons–
Nothing to do around the area

I haven’t yet seen a more elegantly stupendous large-​scale freestanding structure anywhere and I doubt I will.
The utter simplicity of the design and the complex engineering behind The Gateway Arch leave me speechless. Even though I’ve visited the Arch before, I don’t think I could live in St Louis because I’d stare at this marvel every day and get nothing else done.
St Louis is so fortunate to have the Arch but I noticed — after driving across the river to view it from a longer distance — that the modern buildings in its shadows look incredibly banal and uninspired. In a hundred years, I’ll bet that the Arch will still be standing proudly but its 20^th century neighbors will have faded away.
This gateway to the west is especially poignant right now in this area as it also symbolizes bridging a divide.

I went to visit the Gateway Arch on a very gloomy day so the pictures of the arch was not as amazing as it would have been if it was a nice clear day or at least with white puffy clouds in the sky. There was also a lot of construction going on and it was very muddy since the snow was slowly melting. But nonetheless, the arch was a pretty cool site to see in St. Louis. Immediately as we entered the city, you will see it from the freeway. So our drive to the arch was so exciting! We parked nearby in one of the structure and walked to the arch.
It is $ 10 to go up to the arch and you would get to see two movies about its rich history. I was a bit bummed that the museum part of the arch was closed down for renovation.
The trip up the arch is about 3 – 4 minutes and you will sit with about 3 – 4 other people in a tiny little pod that slowly elevates you to the top of the arch. Not recommendable if you are claustrophobic.
The view from the top is pretty amazing, you will see the famous landmarks of St. Louis, like the courthouse, the stadiums, the Mississippi River running along the city, etc. For traveling planning purposes, I think 1 – 2 hours at this arch will be more than enough. Allowing you to enjoy the view, snap a few pics, watch the movies, and check out the gift shop.