Writing — Page 30

A quiet overlook park in the Kansas City area with river views and trails through cedar bluffs — one of those places locals keep to themselves.

The Gateway Arch from the St. Louis riverfront — a walk along the Mississippi that puts one of America's great monuments directly overhead.

A five-tiered observation platform in East St. Louis with the best straight-on view of the Gateway Arch and the St. Louis skyline across the Mississippi.

The Gateway Arch at dusk, seen from the riverfront — 630 feet of stainless steel that earns its place as the most successful public monument in the country.

A charming historic town on the Missouri River with riverfront parks, a nature sanctuary, and a downtown that actually delivers on its small-town character…

A paved multi-use greenway through the Kansas City Northland, following Line Creek through wooded corridors with a small waterfall tucked inside.

A 116-acre Columbia, Missouri park with a lake, ArbNet-certified arboretum, and an outdoor amphitheater that hosts summer concerts above the water.

One of the top zoos in the country — completely free, in the middle of Forest Park, with over 14,000 animals across 90 acres.

St. Louis is a city of deep history, free world-class institutions, and a riverfront identity that rewards time spent actually looking.