Hotels Near the St. Louis Zoo & Forest Park: A Family Guide to Where to Stay
Revised July 17, 2026
Where to stay near the St. Louis Zoo?
The closest hotels to the Saint Louis Zoo are about 0.7 mile away: the Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park (with an indoor pool, best for families) and the boutique Cheshire (across from Forest Park). Farther out, the Drury Inn & Suites Forest Park and the Moonrise Hotel are about 1.5 miles, with the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza and Clayton just beyond. For a year-round indoor pool, choose the Hampton, Drury, or Clayton Plaza.
Keep reading ↓Imagine a family weekend built around one of the best free attractions in the country. You spend the morning watching the elephants and the penguins, break for lunch, and the kids are begging for the sea lions before you’ve even left. The right hotel makes a day like that easy: close enough that a mid-afternoon nap or a swim is only a few minutes away, so nobody melts down before the last exhibit. Get the base right and the whole trip runs smoother; get it wrong and you spend the weekend stuck in the car.
The Saint Louis Zoo sits inside Forest Park — one of the largest urban parks in America, bigger than New York’s Central Park — and the park is ringed with hotels at every distance and budget. Here’s a local’s guide to the closest ones, how far each really is from the zoo, and which have an indoor pool for the family, so you can pick the right base for your trip — without booking a place that turns out to be a highway away.
At a Glance: Hotels Nearest the Zoo
| Hotel | Approx. distance to Zoo | Indoor pool? |
|---|---|---|
| Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park | ~0.7 mi (closest) | Yes |
| The Cheshire | ~0.7 mi (closest) | No (outdoor, seasonal) |
| Home2 Suites Forest Park | ~1.0 mi | Check when booking |
| Drury Inn & Suites Forest Park | ~1.5 mi | Yes |
| The Moonrise Hotel (the Loop) | ~1.5 mi | No (rooftop bar) |
| Clayton Plaza Hotel | ~4 mi | Yes |
The Closest Picks: Right by Forest Park
Two hotels tie for closest to the zoo, both about 0.7 mile away, and they suit very different travelers. The Hampton Inn & Suites St. Louis at Forest Park is the family pick: it’s the nearest hotel with a real indoor pool (plus a hot tub), so the kids get a swim after a long day on their feet, and it includes Hampton’s free hot breakfast. The Cheshire, an English-inspired boutique hotel right across from the park, is the character pick — cozy, distinctive, walkable to Forest Park in minutes — though its pool is a seasonal outdoor one, so it’s less of a year-round family swim.
A little farther, about a mile out, the Home2 Suites by Hilton St. Louis/Forest Park offers all-suite rooms with kitchenettes — handy for families who want a fridge and a little space — and it’s an easy few-minute drive to the zoo gates.
A Short Drive: More Room, More Extras
Widen the circle a mile or two and you get more options. The Drury Inn & Suites St. Louis Forest Park (about 1.5 miles) is a family favorite for its free extras — free hot breakfast, free evening food and drinks — and a year-round indoor/outdoor pool with a hot tub; it’s an official Saint Louis Zoo hotel partner, and Drury runs some 20 locations around the metro if these fill up. The Moonrise Hotel (about 1.5 miles), in the lively Delmar Loop, is the boutique, grown-up choice — famous for its Eclipse rooftop bar and its quirky space-themed design — though it’s a rooftop-bar hotel, not a pool hotel. And the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza (formerly the Chase Park Plaza) in the Central West End is the historic-glamour option on Forest Park’s east side, a grand landmark with an on-site theater and dining, about a couple of miles from the zoo.
A Little Farther, Still Easy
If you want a specific area or a business-district base, a few more are worth knowing. The Clayton Plaza Hotel & Extended Stay (about 4 miles, in Clayton) is a zoo hotel partner with a year-round heated indoor pool and extended-stay suites — a good pick if you’re combining the zoo with business in Clayton, though it’s a drive rather than a walk. The DoubleTree by Hilton St. Louis Forest Park (about 2.4 miles) rounds out the Hilton options in the area. Any of these puts you a short, simple drive from the zoo gates.
A quick heads-up on pools: hotel pools change with seasons and renovations, and some listings blur indoor and outdoor. If a year-round swim matters for your trip, the confirmed indoor-pool picks near the zoo are the Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park, the Drury Inn & Suites Forest Park, and the Clayton Plaza — but it never hurts to confirm the pool is open when you book.
Which Hotel Fits Your Trip?
The “best” hotel near the zoo depends on who’s traveling. For a family with young kids, prioritize a year-round indoor pool and free breakfast — that points you to the Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park (closest) or the Drury Inn & Suites Forest Park (best free extras). For a couple or a solo traveler who wants character over a kiddie pool, the Cheshire’s cozy English-pub charm or the Moonrise’s rooftop bar in the Delmar Loop are far more memorable than a chain. For a special-occasion or business stay, the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza brings historic grandeur in the Central West End, while the Clayton Plaza works if your trip also touches the Clayton business district. Match the room to the trip and the whole weekend runs smoother.
The Zoo-and-Forest-Park Day That Actually Works
Here’s the local secret that makes staying near the zoo such a good deal: the Saint Louis Zoo is free, and so are most of its neighbors. Forest Park’s ~1,300 acres also hold the free Saint Louis Art Museum, the free Saint Louis Science Center, and the free Missouri History Museum, plus The Muny outdoor theater in summer. A family can genuinely fill two or three days here without paying a single gate admission (parking, rides, and special exhibits aside).
That changes how you should think about the hotel. Because you’re not spending on admission, a slightly nicer room or a pool for the kids is an easy trade — and staying close means you can do the zoo in the cooler morning, retreat to the hotel for a nap or a swim during the midday heat, and come back for the art museum or the park in the evening. That mid-day reset is the difference between a great family day and a cranky one.
If you have two full days, an easy rhythm is: zoo first thing on day one (arrive at opening to beat the heat and the crowds), then the Saint Louis Science Center — also free, and packed with hands-on exhibits and an Omnimax — in the afternoon. Save day two for the Saint Louis Art Museum up on Art Hill, a picnic or a paddleboat on the Grand Basin, and, in summer, a night at The Muny, the country’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theater. Very few cities pack this much free, walkable family fun into one park, and staying at its edge is how you make the most of it without living in your car.
Getting from Your Hotel to the Zoo
One nice thing about the Forest Park hotels: getting to the zoo is genuinely simple. From the closest properties it’s a five-minute drive or a walk-plus-stroll through the park. The zoo sits at One Government Drive on the south side of Forest Park, just off I-64/US-40, and there’s paid parking in its lots — but on busy days those fill, so arriving early helps. Forest Park also runs a seasonal shuttle/tram that loops the major attractions, which is handy if you want to park once and hit the zoo, the art museum, and the science center in one day. If you’re staying farther out, in Clayton or the Central West End, the drive is still short and well-marked; you’re never fighting a long commute to the gates.
Book Early — Demand Is Up
One practical warning: the cluster of hotels genuinely close to the zoo is small — really only a few within a mile — and St. Louis is busier than ever. The region set a tourism record in 2025, with future hotel bookings up sharply. Spring and summer are peak zoo season, so the nearest family-friendly, indoor-pool hotels (Hampton at Forest Park, Drury Forest Park) fill first on weekends. If your trip is built around the zoo, book those as early as your dates are set. A weekday visit, if your schedule allows, also means lighter zoo crowds and easier hotel availability than a peak Saturday.
Find great local spots (and a note for the owners)
A zoo trip is better with the right lunch spot, ice cream stop, and dinner nearby — and that’s exactly what a local directory helps you find. You can search St Louis Near Me Directory for restaurants and attractions around Forest Park and across the metro before you go.
And if you run a restaurant, shop, or business near Forest Park or anywhere in the St. Louis area, getting found by visiting families is the whole game. Listing your business is how travelers searching “near the St. Louis Zoo” end up at your door.
More St. Louis travel & hotel guides
- St. Louis hotels with indoor pools
- Hotels near Busch Stadium for a Cardinals game
- Things to do at St. Louis Union Station
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to stay near St. Louis Zoo?
The closest hotels are about 0.7 mile from the zoo: the Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park (with an indoor pool, best for families) and the boutique Cheshire (right across from Forest Park). Slightly farther, the Drury Inn & Suites Forest Park and the Moonrise Hotel in the Loop are both about 1.5 miles, with the Central West End and Clayton just beyond.
What hotels near the St. Louis Zoo have an indoor pool?
Three confirmed indoor-pool options near the zoo are the Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park (about 0.7 mile, the closest with an indoor pool), the Drury Inn & Suites Forest Park (about 1.5 miles, indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub), and the Clayton Plaza Hotel (about 4 miles, year-round heated pool). Always confirm the pool is open when booking.
What is the best time to go to the St. Louis Zoo?
Aim for early morning, right at opening, to beat both the summer heat and the crowds. Spring and summer are peak zoo season, so weekday mornings tend to be calmest. A good local rhythm is the zoo in the cool morning, a midday hotel break, then Forest Park in the evening.
What part of St. Louis is the Zoo located in?
The Saint Louis Zoo is in Forest Park, a roughly 1,300-acre public park in the western part of the city of St. Louis, just off I-64/US-40 at One Government Drive. Forest Park also holds the art museum, science center, history museum, and The Muny, making the whole area a hub for a family visit.
Is the St. Louis Zoo really free?
Yes. General admission to the Saint Louis Zoo is free, as it is to the Saint Louis Art Museum, Science Center, and Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. Some attractions inside the zoo (like the Children’s Zoo, rides, and parking) carry a fee, but you can see most of the zoo without paying admission.
Can you walk to the St. Louis Zoo from nearby hotels?
A couple can. The Hampton Inn & Suites at Forest Park and the Cheshire are both about 0.7 mile from the zoo and within walking distance of Forest Park, though the walk to the actual zoo gates through the park is a bit longer. Most other “near-zoo” hotels are a short, easy drive rather than a comfortable walk.
What else is there to do near the St. Louis Zoo?
Plenty, and most of it is free. The zoo sits inside Forest Park alongside the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, and the Missouri History Museum — all free admission — plus The Muny outdoor theater in summer, boating on the Grand Basin, and miles of trails. The Central West End and Delmar Loop nearby add restaurants and nightlife.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.