Bob McCarty Writes

Though I had heard a lot about Forest Park during the eight years I’ve lived in the St. Louis area, I had never spent much time at the Gateway City’s most-famous public park. Determined to increase my own familiarity with the massive public park, I took my family — minus the 18-year-old son who was busy attending post-graduation parties one day after receiving his diploma — there Sunday afternoon and had a fantastic time.

After pedal-boating on Forest Park Lake (above) for almost an hour, we downed some cool drinks and walked around for another couple of hours. We could have spent the whole day there, but allowed too little time. Still, the four of us (my wife, two sons and I) learned a lot about the park that might surprise you — especially if, like us, you’re not a St. Louis native:

• At 1,293 acres, Forest Park is one of the largest public parks in the United States and is more than 50 percent larger than New York’s Central Park;

• Forest park is home to the region’s major cultural institutions — the Zoo, Art Museum, History Museum, Science Center and the Muny Opera;

• In 1904, the St. Louis World’s Fair drew more than 20 million visitors from around the world to Forest Park; and

• Today, Forest park attracts more than 12 million visitors a year.

Whether you’re looking for something to do as part of a globe-trotting family vacation or a stay-near-home “staycation,” Forest Park offers a place to both enjoy the outdoors and a variety of artistic, cultural, historical and scientific venues. I highly recommend you visit Forest Park soon.

After your visit, I also recommend you do what we did; visit Ted Drewes Frozen Custard, located a short distance from Forest Park (Take Hampton South to Chippewa and turn right until you see a large crowd on your left). It’s been there, along what was once Route 66, since 1941. And it’s very good!