St. Louis is known for offering many great attractions that are completely free. All of our free attractions are amazing with top-notch service and creative exhibitions - and most are open all year long too. But the Saint Louis Zoo stands out among these, offering a great day for all ages and hours of fun. Read below to plan your trip.

The Saint Louis Zoo spans 89 acres in the heart of Forest Park with more than 18,000 creatures to view.

A one day visit here is often not enough time to see and experience everything the Zoo has to offer. Paper and online maps are available to help you plan your visit, or visits.

The Penguin and Puffin Coast Exhibit offers a nice cool down on hot days at the zoo.

Always up to something, the penguins have been known to splash visitors. We'll never know if it is on accident or to say hello in their own way.

At 36 feet high, 130 feet long and featuring 60 animals, the Animals Always sculpture is the largest sculpture in the Saint Louis Zoo.

Animals Always is one of many animal replica sculptures within the zoo. Most are much smaller and give visitors a chance to get a picture next to their favorite animal.

The Nile Hippopotamus Exhibit features above and below water viewing.

These grand creatures are located in the River's Edge section of the zoo, where you can also view elephants and rhinoceros.

The following three attractions are only free for the first hour the zoo is open.

The Conservation Carousel is located near the McDonnell Polar Bear Point at the north side of the zoo. While only free for the first hour of zoo operations, the attraction has a day pass you can buy that gives unlimited attendance to many of the charge exhibitions.

The Zooline Railroad takes you to parts of the zoo you can't see any other way.

Celebrating 50 years of service at the Saint Louis Zoo, the Zooline Railroad is a favorite here. An easy ride for all ages, the train takes you behind the scenes of the animal exhibitions. The train is not free in the first hour, but a day pass will give you unlimited rides for the day.

Purchase of one day pass includes the Sea Lion shows, which are held only on the weekends in the fall and winter.

The sea lions put on a show of their own each day in the Sea Lion Sound habitat - completely free.

You can view the sea lions from above and below.

The walking under water tunnel gives a unique view of the under water antics of the playful sea lions.

Located in the center of the zoo, this is not just a popular attraction but a great place to meet up with your group, or stop to rest a bit.

The Historic Hill section of the zoo is home to the Herpetarium where you can view snakes, frogs, and lizards.

The polar bear dive pool features split glass for viewing the polar bears from above and under water.

The Insectarium at the Saint Louis Zoo is one of only a few exhibits in the country dedicated to bugs.

Big Cat Country is located in the Red Rocks section of the zoo.

Some of the cats are viewed from above looking down. As seen in this image, these nets enclose the top of the big cats habitat.

The Saint Louis Zoo features many educational resources and events.

The Saint Louis zoo is dedicated to preserving endangered species and maintaining a safe zoo environment for the creatures cared for at the zoo. Saint Louis Zoo, Government Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63110.

When you visit the Saint Louis Zoo in Forest Park, you can save money by getting there early and parking on the street, very early, as Forest Park is a busy place. Zoo parking is available, with different fees depending on your type of vehicle.

You can find information on zoo hours and attraction pricing here. Have you visited the Saint Louis Zoo? Share your experience with us in the comments below.

Here are more places to visit in the St. Louis area and most are free too.