St. Louis When To Go and Weather

Peak Season June - September

Chalk it up to summer vacation, the Cardinals’ baseball season being in full swing or the myriad of festivals (particularly Fair St. Louis over July 4th holiday), but June through September is the peak tourist season and one of the best times to visit St. Louis. The city’s free attractions are packed—especially the air-conditioned ones—as St. Louis summers are sticky and sweltering, especially in July and August when the high temperatures average around 89 degrees F. Hotel rates are likely to be 20 percent higher; you’ll want to book your room at least two months in advance, and make dinner reservations for top-tier restaurants a month out. For our money, June and September are great months to visit. St. Louis weather is (slightly) more pleasant, crowds a bit thinner, and you can catch some of the city’s best festivals: its home-grown Circus Flora (June), the Great Forest Park Balloon Race (September) and the St. Louis Art Fair (September).

Off-Season December - February

As a border state—not quite southern, not quite northern—St. Louis has mixed winter weather. There’s usually more ice and slush than snow, but temps can still get chilly, with average lows in the 20s. Sledding at Art Hill in Forest Park or skating at the park’s Steinberg Ice Rink are favorite winter pastimes in town, along with catching a St. Louis Blues hockey match or St. Louis Rams football game. If you come during this slower time of year, you’ll find some great hotel deals. Tourist spots are much quieter, and several either reduce their hours (City Museum) or close entirely (Grant’s Farm).There is one winter hot spot: The Soulard neighborhood, whose St. Louis Mardi Gras is one of the largest parties in the country. If you are looking for a less expensive, and slower paced winter vacation, this is the best time to visit St. Louis.

Shoulder Season March - May; October - November

Spring and fall are delightful times to visit the Gateway City. Temperatures ranging from the 50s to 70s F make it pleasant to explore the outdoor attractions at Forest Park—without the crowds, to boot. The Missouri Botanical Garden is at its best at these times of year, too. Spring flowers are abloom during the garden’s Chinese Cultural Days in May, and the garden is ablaze in fall colors when it hosts the annual Best of Missouri Market in October. Be sure to pack a coat and umbrella, especially in the spring when sudden rainstorms can catch you by surprise. Some tourist attractions (such as Grant's Farm and City Museum) still reduce their hours this time of year, so check before heading out the hotel door. Despite the limited hours and potential threat of rain, we consider this the best time to visit St. Louis if you don't have to worry about school schedules.