St. Charles offers a variety of discoveries: early history along the Missouri River, historic sites and the Lewis and Clark Expedition sit alongside prairie, trails and lakes. You can shift your focus from guided cultural experiences to outdoor activities, with each place telling its own story.
History from Different Perspectives
The city of St. Charles was the first permanent European settlement on the Missouri River and, from 1821 to 1826, the first capital of Missouri. Another historic connection is the Katy Trail State Park: its section between Cooper County and St. Charles County is designated as an official part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.
At the Historic Daniel Boone Home, tours explore the Boone family and Missouri history during the territorial period. Topics include everyday life as well as the history of Indigenous peoples and African Americans. Tours are offered during park hours. Village tours and living history programs round out the offerings, with demonstrations by artisans held seasonally.
The Lewis & Clark Boat House and Museum focuses on the expedition: on display are a full-scale replica of a keelboat and two pirogues from the Lewis and Clark Discovery Expedition. The museum also covers the expedition, depictions of Indigenous peoples and habitats along the Missouri River. It thus connects the history of the expedition with topics related to the river.
Several places in Veterans Tribute Park tell stories of history and remembrance in different ways. The Veterans Memorial Plaza lists on stone tablets the names of St. Charles County service members who died while serving the United States since World War I. The Tribute Walk uses interpretive panels to cover conflicts from 1812, the year St. Charles County was founded, to the present day. The same park also has trails for walking and cycling, as well as an accessible adventure playground with a splash area for children of all abilities.
The St. Charles County Heritage Museum in St. Peters offers free interpretive exhibits on local and state history. The museum is temporarily closed while it is being renovated into the Heritage Center.
Trails, Lakes and Natural Areas
At 603 acres, Indian Camp Creek Park is the largest park in St. Charles County. More than ten miles of paved and natural-surface multi-use trails are available for hiking, cycling and horseback riding. Klondike Park has more than four miles of paved and natural-surface multi-use trails for hiking and cycling. The stated trail lengths therefore reflect different scales; Klondike Park also features a bird and wildlife viewing area and a lake where fishing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are possible.
The 370 Lakeside Park also offers a range of activities: its 140-acre recreational lake is open for fishing and boating, and there are trails for cycling and hiking. Park at New Melle Lakes, by contrast, focuses on an 18-hole disc golf course, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Riverside Landing is the first access point to the Dardenne Creek Blueway; from there, you can paddle toward 370 Lakeside Park. If you’re looking for a different kind of activity, Kinetic Park in Dardenne Prairie has an outdoor skate course.
Prairie and Plants in Focus
The Weldon Spring Site Interpretive Center presents the history, cleanup efforts and current status of the Weldon Spring Site. At the disposal cell, an observation platform offers panoramic views of St. Charles and St. Louis counties, as well as the surrounding Howell Prairie. This 150-acre area around the Weldon Spring Site in St. Charles County was planted with more than 80 species of prairie grasses and wildflowers.
Another way to experience native plants is at the Jeannie Moe Memorial Native Plant Educational Garden: the eight-acre garden features Missouri plants, walking paths and benches. At Broemmelsiek Park, the four-acre Agriculture Educational Garden is an interpretive outdoor space devoted to the history of agriculture in St. Charles County. The August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area also offers opportunities for hiking, scenic drives and wildlife photography.
Discover more destinations: Saint Charles, O’fallon, Wentzville, Saint Peters, Foristell, Lake Saint Louis, Pike, Linn County
For the main travel overview: Missouri.
