Weird & unusual things to do in St. Louis

The genuinely offbeat side of St. Louis: 49 hand-vetted hidden spots — oddity shops, hidden bars, haunted history, sound baths, weird outdoor finds — built for an unusual date night, a weird afternoon, or showing a visitor a side of the city they'd never find alone. Like Sincerely, The Craft, Lady Layre, Botanica Yemaya. Local secrets even locals miss — you didn't hear it from us.

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Sincerely, The Craft A vibrant, community-focused metaphysical shop and parlor that hosts workshops like Glamour Magick and Tarot… Midtown
Lady Layre An inclusive, LGBTQ+-affirming occult shop, parlor, and hands-on experience space where visitors can use inte… Bevo Mill / South City
Botanica Yemaya A traditional, authentic Latin botanica offering a wide variety of spiritual supplies, candles, herbs, and ri… Overland
First House A beautifully curated, grounded metaphysical shop that offers high-quality crystals, books, and tools alongsi… Webster Groves
Pathways Saint Louis One of St. Louis's oldest and most comprehensive metaphysical resource centers, dedicated to consciousness gr… South County / Concord Village
Circle of Light Independent Spiritualist Church An independent Spiritualist church that meets weekly to teach and demonstrate spirit communication, soul evol… Bevo Mill / South City
Laclede's Landing Wax Museum Housed in an 1885 National Historic Monument building, this kitschy museum features over 250 uncanny, life-si… Laclede's Landing
Inside the Vault (Saint Louis Science Center) Tucked inside the Planetarium tunnel, this exhibition showcases the long-hidden collection of the National Mu… Forest Park
The Golden Hoosier A neighborhood bar that feels like the love child of a natural history museum and an old-world tavern, decora… South City
St. Louis Antique Mall Spanning 21,000 square feet with over 150 vendors, this massive antique mall features several booths dedicate… St. Ann
American Oddities Museum Owned and curated by dark historian Troy Taylor, this museum houses a massive collection of haunted objects,… Alton
None of the Above Hidden deep beneath the City Foundry STL, this upscale speakeasy is accessed through an unmarked gray steel d… Midtown
Clements Bar Operating as a fully functioning locksmith shop by day, this Cherokee Street staple transforms into a cozy, i… Gravois Park
Thaxton Speakeasy Tucked into the swanky lower level of a historic 1920s Art Deco building, this underground lounge requires a… Downtown
The Silver Ballroom This legendary South City dive bar is a self-proclaimed 'Retox Center' dedicated to punk rock, cheap PBR, and… Bevo Mill
Venice Cafe A mind-bending, cash-only local landmark where every square inch of the interior and outdoor patio is covered… Benton Park
Keep Quiet Tucked away in the biergarten behind the serving hut at Urban Chestnut's Midtown brewery, this 'bar within a… Midtown
The TypOsphere StL Part typewriter museum, part manual typewriter repair shop, and part art gallery, this Cherokee Street gem ho… Cherokee Street
Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis Spanning two floors and 6,200 square feet, this whimsical museum is entirely dedicated to dollhouses, room bo… Bevo Mill
Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum Housed in a beautifully restored 1896 military duplex, this museum contains an extensive collection of teleph… Lemay
The MOTO Museum This sleek, industrial gallery houses a private collection of rare and vintage motorcycles from over 20 count… Midtown
DeMoulin Museum Located about 50 miles east of St. Louis, this bizarre museum is dedicated to the DeMoulin Brothers & Co., wh… Greenville
National Building Arts Center Located on a 12.7-acre historic steel foundry site just across the river, this sprawling archive houses the n… Sauget
Black Madonna Shrine and Grottoes A sprawling, peaceful outdoor sanctuary hand-built by a Polish Franciscan monk, featuring intricate grottoes… Pacific, MO
World's Largest Catsup Bottle Standing proudly at 170 feet tall, this iconic mid-century water tower was built in 1949 to advertise Brooks… Collinsville, IL
Turtle Playground An outdoor sculpture park featuring giant, climbable concrete reptiles—including a 40-foot snapping turtle an… St. Louis, MO
The Awakening II A dramatic, 70-foot-long cast-aluminum sculpture depicting a bearded giant struggling to emerge from the eart… Chesterfield, MO
Pink Elephant Antique Mall A quirky Route 66 roadside stop housed in a 1920s high school, surrounded by giant fiberglass statues includi… Livingston, IL
Giant Vess Soda Bottle A 34-foot-tall steel replica of a family-size orange Vess Soda bottle, originally built in 1953 as a rotating… St. Louis, MO
Craft Central Tucked inside an industrial park, Craft Central is a division of Mueller Industries that opens its profession… Sunset Hills
Third Degree Glass Factory Established in 2002, this publicly accessible glass art studio and education center anchors the Delmar Maker… Central West End
Shelby Marie Luxury Fragrance Bar This elegant, intimate lounge features sensual fragrances and a sophisticated atmosphere designed for persona… Central West End
Perennial STL Perennial is a community workshop and store in South St. Louis focused entirely on creative reuse and hands-o… Dutchtown
Craft and Chill Located in historic downtown Ferguson, this creative, laid-back art studio specializes in modern, highly tact… Ferguson
The Walls Off Washington An immersive outdoor mural museum featuring over 30 massive, thought-provoking public art installations paint… Grand Center Arts District
Sophie's Artist Lounge An immersive art lounge that serves creative cocktails alongside high-fidelity audiovisuals and rotating art… Grand Center Arts District
Museum of Illusions St. Louis Located inside the historic City Foundry STL, this interactive sensory space features mind-bending optical il… Midtown
Broemmelsiek Park Astronomy Site This dedicated, light-pollution-free astronomy park is open 24/7 and features ten concrete viewing pads equip… Defiance, MO
Arkadin Cinema & Bar A cozy, independent microcinema in the heart of the Bevo Mill neighborhood screening a curated mix of cult cl… Bevo Mill, St. Louis
Jefferson College Observatory Built in partnership with the St. Louis Astronomical Society, this observatory features a 16-inch research-gr… Hillsboro, MO
The Crack Fox & Odditeas Cafe A beloved alternative dive bar and performance venue that serves as a late-night sanctuary for St. Louis’s go… Downtown St. Louis
Lemp Brewery Bottle Works Tour Hosted by the St. Louis Paranormal Research Society, this spine-chilling night tour takes you deep into the p… Cherokee Street / Benton Park, St. Louis
Origin Wellness STL Origin Wellness STL offers over 20 touch-free, technology-based treatments, including an unusual dome-style I… Midtown St. Louis
St. Louis Salt Room This specialized halotherapy clinic features genuine Russian medical-grade equipment to deliver controlled dr… Maplewood
SVOUND Founded by Lisa Grezlak, SVOUND specializes in targeted sound vibration therapy designed to deeply regulate t… Kirkwood
FLOAT STL (Maryland Heights) Float STL is famous for its sensory deprivation pods, but its Maryland Heights location recently debuted the… Maryland Heights
Studio Anew Spanning 8,100 square feet, Studio Anew is a massive hybrid salon and spa featuring four custom-designed floa… Crestwood
The Sound Spa This minimalist, pristine studio is dedicated entirely to immersive sound and breath wellness. Guests relax o… St. Peters
City Museum A former shoe factory reincarnated as a surreal, hand-built playground for grown-ups and kids alike: ten stor… Downtown / Washington Ave

Unusual things to do in St. Louis — FAQ

What are some unusual things to do in St. Louis?

49 hand-vetted weird spots — like Sincerely, The Craft, Lady Layre, Botanica Yemaya — plus oddity shops, hidden bars, haunted history, sound baths, and offbeat outdoor finds. Every one is real and sourced, not a top-ten landmark.

Where can you go for a weird date night in St. Louis?

Try Sincerely, The Craft, Lady Layre, Botanica Yemaya — strange-but-real spots that make a memorable date. Filter by neighborhood, vibe, or how far you'll drive: in town, nearby, or a day trip.

What's a weird thing to do in St. Louis tonight or this weekend?

For tonight, filter to "in town" and low-key picks; for the weekend, the day-trip ring opens up genuinely strange spots a short drive out. Start with Sincerely, The Craft, Lady Layre, Botanica Yemaya — and sort by how far you're willing to go.

Are there free or cheap weird things to do in St. Louis?

Yes — 17 St. Louis spots are free or low-cost, like The TypOsphere StL, Miniature Museum of Greater St. Louis, Jefferson Barracks Telephone Museum. Roadside oddities, public art, and outdoor curiosities usually cost nothing.

How is this different from the usual St. Louis tourist lists?

We skip the landmarks everyone knows. An agentic research system digs up the genuinely hidden, offbeat spots — the local secrets even locals miss — and verifies each against real sources before it makes the list.