Fireworks by the Arch, then Forest Park
This is leg 1 of 1, the opening leg.
Travel leg · St. Louis New Year's Eve
Downtown St. Louis & the Arch to Forest Park & the Central West End
Downtown St. Louis & the Arch and Forest Park & the Central West End sit about 8.2 km (5.1 mi) apart in a straight line, with Forest Park & the Central West End to the west. It is leg 1 of 1 on our St. Louis New Year's Eve itinerary, a 3-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 8.2 km · 5.1 mi
- Est. road distance
- 9.9–12 km
- Est. drive time
- 15–30 min
- Direction
- Heading west
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 25–45 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our St. Louis New Year's Eve itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 9.9–12 km (6.1–7.2 mi) of road and 15–30 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Fly into St. Louis Lambert (STL); MetroLink runs from the airport to Union Station and downtown in about 30 minutes, and on to Forest Park and the Delmar Loop. Downtown streets around Kiener Plaza close for the party, and rideshare surges after the fireworks and again after midnight. On Jan 1, Forest Park and the Central West End are about 10 minutes west of downtown by car or MetroLink.
Open Downtown St. Louis → Forest Park directions in Google Maps ↗
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Forest Park & the Central West End
A slow Jan 1 of park walks, cathedral mosaics and burgers on the Delmar Loop.
Forest Park
1,300-acre park from the 1904 World's Fair, with Art Hill sloping down to the Grand Basin's fountains.
Saint Louis Art Museum
Free museum in the 1904 World's Fair Palace of Fine Art at the top of Art Hill.
Blueberry Hill
Delmar Loop restaurant and bar from 1972, full of pop memorabilia, where Chuck Berry played for years.
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis
Early 1900s cathedral whose domes and chapels are covered in one of the world's largest mosaic collections.
Central West End
Neighborhood of brick mansions and private streets, with cafes and bars along Euclid Avenue.
Pappy's Smokehouse
Memphis-style barbecue counter in Midtown, known for dry-rubbed ribs that often sell out.
Before you leave Downtown St. Louis & the Arch
Two nights downtown for early fireworks by the Arch, old soda fountains and the Union Station light show.
Kiener Plaza
Downtown plaza facing the Old Courthouse and the Arch, home of the free Winterfest Neon Nights party on Dec 31.
Gateway Arch National Park
The 630-foot steel arch on the riverfront, with a tram to an observation room at the top and a museum below.
Crown Candy Kitchen
Soda fountain open since 1913 in Old North St. Louis, known for BLTs, malts and house-made chocolates.
On this curated route
Where Downtown St. Louis → Forest Park sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Forest Park & the Central West End to Downtown St. Louis & the Arch is the same 8.2 km in a straight line, heading east. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Downtown St. Louis to Forest Park: questions travelers ask
How far is Downtown St. Louis & the Arch from Forest Park & the Central West End?
Downtown St. Louis & the Arch is about 8.2 km (5.1 mi) from Forest Park & the Central West End in a straight line, with Forest Park & the Central West End to the west. By road, we estimate 9.9–12 km (6.1–7.2 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Downtown St. Louis & the Arch to Forest Park & the Central West End?
An estimated 15–30 min, assuming 9.9–12 km of road at average speeds of 25–45 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Downtown St. Louis & the Arch to Forest Park & the Central West End?
Our St. Louis New Year's Eve itinerary includes this leg. St. Louis New Year's Eve runs about 3 days across 2 stops, best in Dec 30 – Jan 1.
Guides for both ends
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch travel guide
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch weather covers Forest Park & the Central West End
- Forest Park & the Central West End travel guide
Downtown St. Louis by month (covers Forest Park)
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in January
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in February
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in March
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in April
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in May
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in June
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in July
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in August
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in September
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in October
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in November
- Downtown St. Louis & the Arch in December
Plan Downtown St. Louis → Forest Park with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.