While we don’t always picture quiet escapes when we think of a big city like St. Louis, there are spots in the city that offer a peaceful retreat. Whether you’re searching for a good spot to meditate or you just want a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle for a while, check out these quiet places to visit in St. Louis.
Missouri Botanical Garden
Situated on 79 acres just outside of downtown St. Louis, the Missouri Botanical Garden offers the perfect spot to stop and smell the roses. Founded in 1859, it’s one of the oldest in the country. Stroll along the paths and view the Japanese garden set around a 4-acre lake; the English garden with dogwoods, azaleas, and bluebells; or the children’s garden. You can also head into the Climatron, which is the first geodesic dome greenhouse in the world and features a tropical rainforest theme.
Missouri Zen Center
Whether you’re new to meditation or you’ve practiced for years, the Missouri Zen Center provides a welcoming and calm place. The center offers a free beginner’s class every Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. Here you’ll learn about Buddhism and Zen meditation, take part in a 20-minute meditation period, and ask questions at the end. There are also zazen chanting and discussion classes throughout the week.
Forest Park
Forest Park covers a massive 1,371 acres just outside of downtown St. Louis and offers plenty of quiet and tucked away spots where you can escape the noise. Head to The Muny, which is the country’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater, and simply take in the amphitheater’s beauty. You can walk to the 75-foot Cascades waterfall or stroll around Round Lake. Stop by the boathouse, and rent a paddle boat to head out on the water, or simply stretch out on one of the open fields and soak up some sun.
Saint Louis Art Museum
Not only can you enjoy some peace and quiet in the hushed exhibits of the Saint Louis Art Museum but you can also take in the beautiful paintings, sculptures, and masterpieces from around the world. The collection includes more than 30,000 works of art from prehistoric to present day. The collection’s 11 areas include African, American, European, Modern, and Oceanic. The collection also includes works by European masters such as Monet, Matisse, Picasso, and Van Gogh.
St. Louis Central Library
Sometimes, there’s no better place to find a quiet spot than the library. The St. Louis Central Library is in the building that formerly housed the St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall. It features an oval center pavilion surrounded by four light courts, a sunken garden in the back, and a ceiling in the Periodicals Room that’s modeled after Michelangelo’s ceiling in the Laurentian Library. When you stop by, find your favorite book and a comfortable chair, and enjoy a few hours of golden silence.
When you’re looking for that perfect spot where you can escape the noise, check out these peaceful and quiet spots around St. Louis.
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