Tom and I had been talking about this for a while — treating St. Louis like a city we were visiting instead of one we live in. Going back to all the places we’d tell a visitor to go. The ones we somehow stopped making time for once they got familiar.
The weather last week was gorgeous. So we made a plan.
We grabbed our kids, Andi and Sam, and Andi’s roommate Hunter, and headed to the St. Louis Zoo. Warm April day, no agenda, nowhere else we needed to be. Forest Park was at its best — peonies everywhere, flowers all along the paths, the kind of afternoon that makes you a little annoyed at yourself for not doing this sooner.
The Bear
I want to tell you about the bear first because he was the moment of the day.
We were at the window of the grizzly bear habitat when he started jumping. Not once — over and over, launching himself up out of the water against the glass, coming down, doing it again. Pure joy, or something that looked exactly like it. We stood there longer than made any practical sense, laughing, watching him, nobody moving on.
That’s the thing about a day with no agenda. You get to stay.
The Apes (And Why I Have Feelings About Them)
Hunter had never heard the story. Tom, Andi, and Sam had heard it many times.
So standing in front of the great ape habitat, I told it again — the Planet of the Apes TV series when I was a kid, the action figures, my Barbies playing Nova and the other mute captive humans while the apes ran everything. The fact that I have seen every film in the original and rebooted series, and that each time a new one comes out, everyone in my orbit rewatches the previous ones before we go to the theater. This is not a preference. It is a policy.
Hunter listened. Tom, Andi, and Sam stood there with the patient expressions of people who knew exactly where this was going.
I have no regrets. Some things about you are just true, and the apes at the St. Louis Zoo are genuinely magnificent, and if that requires a brief autobiography in front of the habitat, so be it.
Everyone Gets Their Thing
What I love about a day like this is that everyone gets their thing.
Hunter loves birds, so we made our way through the bird exhibits and slowed down where nobody else was slowing down — watching species I couldn’t name, listening to Hunter point things out with the quiet authority of someone who actually knows what they’re looking at. There’s something about spending time with people who love things differently than you do. You see more of the world than you would have on your own.
Sam loves the seals. That stop was non-negotiable and we all knew it going in. The seals delivered. That was enough.
We walked through the big cats area too. The tiger and cheetah were out, pacing restlessly. I don’t know how to explain it except that you just go a little quieter near that habitat. Everybody does.
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Animals Aglow
We didn’t expect this: the St. Louis Zoo is currently decorated throughout for Animals Aglow, their nighttime light experience. During the day the installations are not as exciting as they’d be after dark, but they were creatively woven all through the paths — tucked into the landscaping, catching the afternoon light between the peonies and the flowering trees.
It made the whole place feel a little different than we remembered. Not dramatically — just enough to notice.
Why We’re Doing This
We have described St. Louis to visitors in detail. We have recommended restaurants, parks, neighborhoods, the zoo. And then gone home and not done any of it ourselves for years.
This summer, we’re fixing that. During our anniversary staycation, we visited the Great Wheel and the Aquarium. The zoo was next on the list, and the kids were interested in meeting up for it. There are more. And so far the pattern is holding — the things you stop making time for are usually better than you remember.
If it’s been a while — or if you’ve never been — here’s the practical rundown.
St. Louis Zoo Admission: The zoo itself is free. If you want to ride the train, see the 4D theater, or visit certain special exhibits, those require tickets purchased separately. Budget accordingly if you’re bringing kids or grandkids.
Parking: There are paid lots at both the North and South entrances. The North lot is closer; the South lot means a longer walk in. Our move — get there right when the zoo opens at 9:00 a.m. and park free along the street just down from the North Gate in Forest Park. It fills up as the day goes on, so earlier is better.
Animals Aglow: Running through May 17, 2026. Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday evenings from 6:30–9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:30–10:00 p.m. Tickets required — check the zoo’s website to purchase in advance. Worth it if you want to see the installations the way they’re meant to be seen.
How long to plan for: We spent three hours and covered a lot of ground — and still missed an entire large loop of the zoo. In three hours we logged 3.5 miles. This is a full day if you want to do it properly, so wear comfortable shoes, bring water, and don’t underestimate how much walking is involved. The paths are stroller and mobility-friendly, but there is a lot of them.
Best time to visit: A weekday morning in spring is about as good as it gets. The animals are more active, the crowds are manageable, and Forest Park in April is genuinely beautiful.
If you’re local, go. Take someone with you. Let the bear jump for longer than seems reasonable. Stay in front of the thing that makes time disappear.
That’s the whole point.
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