Landmark
Gateway Arch
A 630-foot arch on the Mississippi riverfront. A tram ride goes to the top, and the museum under the Arch is free.
Official website
Opportunities Featured city
Missouri
Greater St. Louis
Arnold, Des Peres and Ellisville are suburbs of St. Louis, home of the 630-foot Gateway Arch.
About Greater St. Louis
Three suburbs, one big city nearby
Arnold sits near the point where the Meramec River meets the Mississippi. Des Peres and Ellisville are in west St. Louis County, and Ellisville is 13 miles west of the St. Louis city limits.
Free things to do
The Saint Louis Zoo and the museum under the Gateway Arch are free to visit.
Getting to work
The average trip to work takes about 16 to 28 minutes, depending on the suburb.
Location
Arnold is in Jefferson County. Des Peres and Ellisville are in St. Louis County.
Quick facts
Greater St. Louis at a glance
Population3 suburbsArnold 20,994 · Des Peres 9,102 · Ellisville 10,315 (2025 estimates)
AirportSt. Louis LambertSt. Louis Lambert International Airport
Time zoneCentral TimeSame as Chicago
WeatherFour seasonsJuly highs about 90°F (32°C). January lows about 24°F (−5°C).
Things to see
Places to spend a day off
Six places locals and visitors enjoy in and around St. Louis.
Park
Forest Park
A 1,326-acre park, about 500 acres larger than New York’s Central Park, with the zoo, an art museum and a history museum inside.
Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
Home to more than 12,000 animals, inside Forest Park. Admission is free.
Official website
Garden
Missouri Botanical Garden
Founded in 1859. Its Japanese garden is the largest in North America.
Official website
Nature
Castlewood State Park
More than 26 miles of trails along the Meramec River, in Ballwin in west St. Louis County.
Official website
History
Mastodon State Historic Site
A museum with a full-size mastodon skeleton replica and hiking trails, in Imperial, Jefferson County, the same county as Arnold.
Official websiteEvents
A year in Greater St. Louis
Festivals and traditions that come back every year.
Festival of Nations
A two-day celebration of music, food, art and culture from around the world in Tower Grove Park, run by the International Institute of St. Louis.
80+countries
100+vendors
- Around July 4
Fair Saint Louis
A free Fourth of July fair with concerts and fireworks under the Gateway Arch.
- September
- Mid-November to early January
Dates change every year. Check each event’s website before you go.
Schools and learning
Schools, English classes and libraries
Places to learn for children and adults.
Public schools for children
Each suburb has its own public school district: Fox C-6 in Arnold, Rockwood in Ellisville, and Parkway and Kirkwood in Des Peres.
English classes for adults
The International Institute of St. Louis offers English language classes for adults.
iistl.orgColleges and universities
Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University, the University of Missouri–St. Louis and St. Louis Community College.
Public libraries
St. Louis County Library serves Des Peres and Ellisville, including the Daniel Boone Branch in Ellisville. Arnold has a branch of the Jefferson County Library.
Faith
Places of worship
Greater St. Louis has places of worship for many faiths. Here are a few examples, listed by faith from A to Z.
BuddhistFo Guang Shan St. Louis Buddhist CenterBuddhist center · St. Louis area
CatholicCathedral Basilica of Saint LouisCathedral · St. Louis
HinduHindu Temple of St. LouisTemple · Ballwin, St. Louis County
JewishUnited Hebrew CongregationSynagogue · Chesterfield, St. Louis County
MuslimDaar-Ul-Islam MosqueMosque · Ballwin, St. Louis County
ProtestantChrist Church CathedralEpiscopal cathedral · Downtown St. Louis
Many more churches and other places of worship are in and around the three suburbs.
Learn more
Learn more about Greater St. Louis
Official websites for the city, local travel and city data. Each link opens in a new tab.
Sources and photo creditsWhere the facts and photos on this page come from
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Arnold, Des Peres and Ellisville, Missouri Population estimates July 1, 2025. Mean travel time to work, 2020–2024.
- Wikipedia: St. Louis, Arnold, Des Peres, Ellisville, Forest Park, Missouri Botanical Garden, Castlewood State Park, Mastodon State Historic Site
- Events: St. Louis Mosaic Project, KSDK guide to Fair Saint Louis, Explore St. Louis, Missouri Botanical Garden news release Event dates checked 11 Oct 2026.
- Places of worship: Wikipedia articles on each place, and the William & Mary American Buddhism project
- The official websites linked on this page
Photos
From Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
- St. Louis skyline at nightDaniel SchwenCC BY-SA 4.0
- Arnold water towerFredlanderPublic domain
- Pomme Creek ParkWikimedia Commons userCC0
- Meramec RiverYinan ChenPublic domain
- Gateway ArchRoland ArhelgerCC BY-SA 4.0
- Forest ParkBohao ZhaoCC BY 3.0
- Saint Louis Zoochristina rutzCC BY 2.0
- Missouri Botanical GardenDaderotCC BY-SA 3.0
- Castlewood State ParkKbh3rdCC BY-SA 3.0
- Mastodon State Historic SiteKevin SaffCC BY-SA 2.0
- Washington UniversityEmil BoehlPublic domain