Tripadvisor
1 / 30#30. Ulysses S. Grant National Historical Site
- Rating: 4.5/5 (573 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Highest-rated free things to do in Missouri by visitors
Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.
Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Missouri.
From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Missouri using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!
Tripadvisor
2 / 30#29. Johnson's Shut-ins State Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (292 reviews)
- City: Middle Brook
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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3 / 30#28. Tanger Outlets Branson
- Rating: 4.3/5 (944 reviews)
- City: Branson
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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4 / 30#27. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park
- Rating: 4.7/5 (346 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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5 / 30#26. Kaleidoscope
- Rating: 4.7/5 (450 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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6 / 30#25. Missouri History Museum
- Rating: 4.4/5 (777 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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7 / 30#24. Alley Spring Grist Mill Historic Site
- Rating: 4.9/5 (289 reviews)
- City: Eminence
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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8 / 30#23. Table Rock State Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (495 reviews)
- City: Branson
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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9 / 30#22. Roaring River State Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (263 reviews)
- City: Cassville
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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10 / 30#21. Springfield Botanical Gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (575 reviews)
- City: Springfield
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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11 / 30#20. Elephant Rocks State Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (370 reviews)
- City: Belleview
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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12 / 30#19. City Market
- Rating: 4.4/5 (430 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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13 / 30#18. Lone Elk Park
- Rating: 4.6/5 (533 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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14 / 30#17. Arcade City Branson
- Rating: 4.8/5 (661 reviews)
- City: Branson
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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15 / 30#16. Saint Louis Science Center
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,533 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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16 / 30#15. Branson Landing Fountain Show
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,402 reviews)
- City: Branson
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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17 / 30#14. St. Charles Historic District
- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,409 reviews)
- City: Saint Charles
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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18 / 30#13. Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,015 reviews)
- City: Branson
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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19 / 30#12. Saint Louis Art Museum
- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,482 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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20 / 30#11. Table Rock Lake
- Rating: 4.8/5 (2,327 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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21 / 30#10. Country Club Plaza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,905 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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22 / 30#9. College of the Ozarks
- Rating: 4.9/5 (3,179 reviews)
- City: Point Lookout
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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23 / 30#8. Union Station
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,597 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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24 / 30#7. Forest Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (2,498 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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25 / 30#6. Branson Landing
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,710 reviews)
- City: Branson
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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26 / 30#5. Ha Ha Tonka State Park
- Rating: 4.8/5 (868 reviews)
- City: Camdenton Lake of the Ozarks
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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27 / 30#4. Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
- Rating: 4.9/5 (3,141 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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28 / 30#3. Grant's Farm
- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,403 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
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29 / 30#2. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Rating: 4.8/5 (3,363 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
Tripadvisor
30 / 30#1. St. Louis Zoo
- Rating: 4.7/5 (8,755 reviews)
- City: Saint Louis
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.
