Visiting the Gateway Arch was the first thing on o...

Visiting the Gateway Arch was the first thing on our list during our 2-day visit to St. Louis but we were pleasantly surprised to find more than just the arch.

The Arch itself is beautiful in its simplicity and an engineering marvel and the grounds surrounding it are beautiful. I highly recommend that you visit the top of the arch If you re not afraid of heights and not claustrophobic (the 5-seat cars a rather confining). The views east towards Illinois and west toward St. Louis are fabulous.

Aside from the arch itself, there is a new museum hidden beneath the grounds that tells the history of the area and St. Louis s role in the westward expansion of the United States. You ll also learn about the designing, planning, construction, and operation of the Arch. The facility is operated by the US Forest Service.