Where to find sizzling summer fun in the Metro East

WALKER

Summer is a great time to get family and friends together. Luckily for us, the Metro East is a wonderland full of events that you can use as an excuse to have fun. Many of which are affordable and easy to get to.

National Blues Museum - St. Louis Blues music has deep roots in the St. Louis area. There is no better place to learn about it than the National Blues Museum. It has exhibits of famous blues musicians and videos explaining their legacy. If you’re a music buff, this is the place for you.

Altitude Trampoline Park - Glen Carbon Fun for most ages, trampoline parks are the ultimate entertainment. With food and many types of trampolines to jump on, it is a seemingly endless stream of things to do.

St. Louis Zoo - St. Louis

The STL zoo offers free general admission, providing the opportunity to reconnect with nature. With over 16,000 animals, there are plenty of animals to learn about.

The Wildey Theatre - Edwardsville

The Wildey Theatre is a recently revamped theater in Edwardsville that hosts all kinds of entertainment. The beautiful building houses constant movies, live music and other exciting things. Tickets are typically $3 for movies, so it is cheap, accessible fun!

Route 66 Festival Edwardsville

The 25th annual Route 66 Festival is taking place on June 10 at City Park in Edwardsville. There is going to be food, live music and vendors. It is also within walking distance of the classic car show, so you can check out some cool wheels while celebrating Edwardsville being one of the oldest towns on the mother road!

Cahokia Mounds - Collinsville

Cahokia Mounds is a historical Native American site that houses thousands of acres of remnants of the ancient civilization that once lived there. It is free to roam the park but they have a full informational experience that you have to buy tickets for. You learn all about the Cahokia settlement and about how they lived.

Forest Park - St. Louis

Located in the heart of St. Louis, Forest Park has earned the title for “Best City Park” for good reason. The gorgeous park has many learning op- portunities for people to learn how to connect themselves to nature. They offer self-guided audio tours which are available to the public at any time.

The Gardens at SIUE

The Gardens are a beautiful 36 acres of greenery located right on campus. It is an incredible place to get your steps in while taking in the extraordinary views it gives you. It is also completely free!

The Grant’s Farm Experience - St. Louis Grant’s Farm is an animal-filled farm owned by Anheuser-Busch. There are many things to do there, including a tram ride through the farm. They have events every Friday and Saturday from Memorial Day to July 4. A ticket purchase is necessary for the events, but general admission is free.

THEA WELTZIN Illustrator MYLEE WALKER Reporter UDIT NALUKALA Photographer