Tower Grove Park, Saint Louis (must see)

Tower Grove Park is a 289-acre public park established in 1868 through a land donation from philanthropist Henry Shaw, founder of the nearby Missouri Botanical Garden, and officially opened to the public in 1872. Shaw envisioned the park as a green space where people could enjoy nature, recreation, and cultural activities in a carefully planned setting.

Designed in the Victorian Gardenesque landscape tradition, it features gently winding roads, open meadows, wooded areas, and scenic vistas that invite visitors to explore at a relaxed pace. The exceptional preservation of its original layout and structures earned the park designation as a National Historic Landmark, making it one of the country's best-preserved 19th-century public parks. One of the park's defining features is its collection of ornate Victorian pavilions, designed by prominent local architects including George I. Barnett, Eugene L. Greenleaf, Henry Thiele, and Francis Tunica. Decorative stone bridges, elegant entrance gates, fountains, statues, lily ponds, and historic monuments are found throughout the grounds, while more than 7,000 trees representing hundreds of species provide shade and seasonal color. Walking and cycling paths connect gardens, open lawns, and quiet groves, making the park a popular destination for birdwatching, photography, exercise, and picnics. As the seasons change, flowering plants and colorful foliage give the landscape a different appearance throughout the year.

Today, Tower Grove Park hosts farmers' markets, outdoor concerts, cultural festivals, yoga classes, food truck gatherings, and many other community events. It continues to reflect Henry Shaw's vision by bringing together history, architecture, horticulture, and recreation in a welcoming public space. Visitors can enjoy peaceful walks beneath mature trees, admire the park's historic structures, or simply relax in one of the largest and best-preserved Victorian parks in the United States.