Going 630 Feet Up! Our Visit to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis
I had seen pictures of the Gateway Arch so many times before visiting St. Louis, but pictures really do NOT show you how huge it actually is.
When you’re standing underneath it and looking straight up, it honestly feels enormous. Like, how did people even build this thing?! It’s one of those landmarks that you recognize immediately, but seeing it in person is completely different.
And, of course, we weren’t just going to look at it from the ground. We were going all the way to the top!
Exploring Around the Arch
Before heading inside, we spent some time walking around the Gateway Arch grounds. I actually really liked this part because you can see the Arch from so many different angles.
From farther away, you can see the entire shape of it, but when you walk right underneath it, you really understand how massive it is. Standing at the bottom and looking straight up was probably one of my favorite views.
The Arch sits right next to the Mississippi River, so you can also walk around the riverfront and explore the park surrounding it. There are tons of places to stop for pictures, and depending on where you're standing, the Arch looks completely different.
Hallie Travels Tip: Definitely take some pictures from farther away before walking underneath it. It's much easier to fit the whole Arch into a photo!
The Museum Under the Arch
Something I didn't realize before visiting was that there is an entire museum underneath the Gateway Arch.
The Museum at the Gateway Arch tells the story of St. Louis and America's westward expansion. There are exhibits about Native American history, explorers, pioneers, settlers, and what life was like as the United States expanded west.
I liked that the museum wasn't just a bunch of signs that you had to stand around and read. There were artifacts, interactive exhibits, videos, maps, and displays that made it much more interesting.
And the museum is actually underground!
It's kind of strange to think that you're walking around underneath this gigantic monument while learning about the history behind it.
And Then Came the Tram...
Obviously, if you're visiting the Gateway Arch, you have to go to the top.
But first, you have to get there.
And getting to the top is an experience ALL BY ITSELF.
Instead of taking a normal elevator, you ride in these tiny little tram cars. They're sort of like a combination between an elevator, a Ferris wheel car, and a tiny space pod.
They're also pretty small!
You climb inside, sit down, and then the tram starts making its way through the inside of the Arch. Because the Arch is curved, a regular elevator wouldn't work, so the tram cars actually adjust as they travel upward.
It was definitely one of the strangest elevator rides I've ever taken!
The tram ride takes about four minutes to get to the top, and knowing that you're actually traveling inside the Arch makes it even cooler.
We Made It 630 Feet Up!
Eventually, we reached the very top of the Arch — 630 feet above the ground!
The observation area at the top is long and narrow, with little windows that you can lean over and look through.
And WOW.
The view is incredible.
On one side, you can look out over downtown St. Louis, and on the other side you can see the Mississippi River and Illinois.
It also feels a little weird when you realize you're standing at the very top of a giant curved metal structure.
The windows are smaller than I expected, but that somehow made looking through them even more fun. You have to lean forward to see everything below you, and cars and people look absolutely tiny from that high up.
It was probably my favorite part of the entire Arch experience.
What Goes Up Must Come Back Down...
Eventually, we had to climb back into our tiny tram car and make the trip down.
The ride down is a little faster than the ride up, but it was just as interesting because now we knew exactly how high up we'd been!
Once we were back outside, I found myself looking up at the Arch again and thinking, Wait...we were just ALL THE WAY UP THERE?!
That made it seem even taller.
Fun Facts About the Gateway Arch
Here are some of the coolest things I learned about the Arch:
The Gateway Arch is 630 feet tall.
It's also 630 feet wide from one leg to the other!
Construction began in 1963, and the Arch was completed in 1965.
The outside is covered in stainless steel.
The Arch was designed by architect Eero Saarinen.
It was built as a monument to America's westward expansion.
The tram system is super unusual because it had to be designed to travel through the Arch's curved shape.
Each tram has eight small capsules, with five seats in each one.
The ride to the top takes about four minutes, while the ride back down takes about three minutes.
On a clear day, you can reportedly see about 30 miles from the observation area at the top.
And maybe the craziest fact of all: when you're standing at the top, you're more than 60 stories above the ground!
Is the Gateway Arch Worth Visiting?
YES!
The Gateway Arch ended up being one of my favorite things we did in St. Louis.
I thought going to the top would be the main attraction, but I actually really enjoyed the whole experience — walking around outside, seeing the Arch from underneath, exploring the museum, riding in the tiny tram cars, and finally getting to look out over St. Louis from 630 feet in the air.
It's also a really good activity if you're traveling with a tween or teen because there's enough going on that it doesn't feel like you're just visiting a historical monument.
You get a museum, a weird tram ride, amazing views, some history, and the chance to say you've been inside the Gateway Arch.
And that's pretty hard to beat.
Hallie Travels Rating: 10/10 ⭐
I would absolutely recommend adding the Gateway Arch to your St. Louis trip. Even if you've seen it a million times in pictures, nothing compares to standing underneath it and realizing just how enormous it really is.
And if you're not afraid of heights?
Definitely take the tram to the top!
Link to Gateway Arch: https://www.gatewayarch.com/
