One of the best features of St. Louis is the Missouri Botanical Garden in the midst of the Tower Grove South, Tower Grove East, Shaw, and Southwest Garden neighborhoods. The gardens were previously the home of Henry Shaw, but have now become a sprawling garden filled with an assortment of displays and opportunities for exploration. Visitors enter through a large building that contains an auditorium, a cafe, the gift shop/garden store, classrooms, temporary displays, and art exhibits. Visitors can either purchase a garden membership, the entry fee, or during Wednesday and Saturday mornings, before noon, city and county residents can get free entry.

Proceeding into the gardens there are several paths for visitors to take and explore. The gardens have a few historic homes for visitors including the Linnean house which is filled with dessert plants; the Herring house, which was newly restored and contains a beautifully ornate English-style lecture hall; the Sachs museum that has an art exhibit; the home of the Shaw family, which visitors can tour; the gardening center where visitors can learn garden tips; and venues for private events. The gardens have a large variety of displays from all over the world such as a rose garden, Japanese garden, Ottoman garden, and many more. A particularly unique feature of the Missouri Botanical Garden is the Climatron, which provides visitors the opportunity to explore rain forest plants. The gardens allows visitors to be transported to various places in the world and experience the unique landscapes and architecture.

There are rotating flowers in bloom based on the season, ensuring there are continuously new exhibits. Besides the gardens themselves, there various festivals and events to attend throughout the year. There are larger events such as the Japanese festival and the orchid show, but also regular weekly events for a season, such as the Whittaker Music Festival (a concert on Wednesday evenings in the summer) or the Garden Glow (the gardens are decorated in hundreds of lights). The gardens also have smaller events and classes for visitors to learn more about caring for plants. No matter the time of year the gardens provide an opportunity to be in nature. Visitors can spend hours roaming about the gardens, and enjoying the beautiful assortment of scenery.