Exploring St. Louis: The Boat House in Forest Park

For today’s venture of “Exploring St. Louis”, we went to the Boathouse, located off of Government Dive in the heart of St. Louis’ most iconic park, Forest Park. People can rent stand up paddle boats, kayaks, paddle boats, and canoes at the Boathouse and explore 22 acres of waterways throughout Forest Park.
Forest Park’s Grand Basin, the main body of water in Forest Park located a the bottom of Art Hill, sports a trove of local wildlife, including birds, bugs, and fish. Forest Park is home to 210 specie of birds and 400 species of insects including pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Paddle boats are the most popular way to see the waterways and the wildlife close-up. Boat rentals ranges from $15-25 per hour, depending on the rental of choice.
The Boathouse includes a premiere lakeside restaurant featuring a variety of dining options ranging from salads to seafood to St. Louis staples like toasted ravioli and ribs. People can sit on the patio or inside by the fireplace.
The Boathouse also offers a variety of drinks, both alcoholic and alcohol-free including wine, cocktails, soft drinks and other lakeside familiars. This is perfect after a day of being out on the water or exploring Forest Park by foot or bicycle. Bike rentals are now also available at the Boathouse.
If a sit down meal isn’t what you need, then a quick bite or drink from the outdoor bar is perfect. “I went around and it was very nice,” said sophomore Matthew Stolze. “I see people flying kites [around the lake] a lot.”
At the Boathouse, people can feed the fish. The waterways in Forest Park are home to 20 species of native fishes. “It has a lot of open space,” sophomore Benjamin Hunt said. “It’s all very green and natural.”
The Boathouse opens at 11 a.m. every day of the week and closes at 8 p.m. except Sundays and Mondays when they close earlier.