Explore St. Louis

Looking for a place to cool off during the day while you're out exploring St. Louis? (And no complaining. It's hot everywhere in the summer.) Here are a few of our favorite icy hangouts:

• Penguin & Puffin Coast at the Saint Louis Zoo. (Which is free as well as cool.) You could reach out and touch these playful arctic birds if it weren't for the very watchful eyes of the nice zookeepers. As it is, just enjoy the breezes inside this super cool up-close exhibit.
• IceZONE at St. Louis Mills. Skate with friends or just sit in the stands and watch the more graceful among us glide by while you relax. Either way, it's a refreshing experience.
• Meramec Caverns. Take a drive out Old Route 66 to America's Cave. It's always 60 degrees inside. (Just follow the painted barn roofs for directions.)
• The Central Library. In a city known for its great architecture, we defy you to find a prettier place than this Carnegie library at 1301 Olive. Designed by Cass Gilbert, the Italian Renaissance-style building features stained glass windows, hand-stenciled ceilings and glass floors.
• The Beechwood aging room at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. (Another free attraction.) See the amber brew in its formative stages before it shows up in your cup at the ballpark. You can almost hear the vendors yelling, "Cold Bud!"