The Gateway Arch may dominate the skyline, but St. Louis rewards travellers who stick around. The Missouri city packs in roughly 80 neighbourhoods, a surprisingly strong food scene and one of the best free zoos in the United States — and much of it can be comfortably covered in a long weekend.

Start with the obvious: a small-group downtown tour ending with a tram ride up the 630-foot Gateway Arch is the classic orientation move. Along the way you'll pass Kiener Plaza and the Old Courthouse, where the Dred Scott case was heard, before finishing with those famous river-and-city views. Budget extra time, though — the Arch tram and its museum can easily stretch a two-hour tour into half a day.

Food is where St. Louis gets distinctive. Local specialties include toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake and Provel cheese, the divisive ingredient in St. Louis-style pizza. A three-hour food and history walking tour through the Central West End covers around two miles and mixes tastings with stories about the city's Gilded Age and the 1904 World's Fair. Note that it only runs Thursday to Saturday and often books out a month ahead.

For something darker, an hour-long true crime walking tour through historic Soulard covers bank robberies, duels and Prohibition-era gangs at the actual sites where they happened — and you can BYO drink and sip as you walk, Mardi Gras-style. It runs Friday to Sunday only.

Nature and culture come free in Forest Park. The Saint Louis Zoo has free general admission with no reservation needed — expect elephants, big cats, primates and sea lions across habitats worth a half-day. The only cost is parking, currently $20 per car for non-members. In the same park, the Saint Louis Art Museum is also free (special exhibitions are free on Fridays), and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis nearby boasts a spectacular mosaic interior.

For a rainy-hour filler, the Museum of Illusions inside City Foundry STL has more than 50 hands-on exhibits — gravity rooms, holograms, a life-size kaleidoscope — built for silly photos. Allow 60 to 90 minutes.

Practicalities: the city is spread out, so a rental car makes neighbourhood-hopping easier, though MetroLink and MetroBus connect many main areas. If you can, build a Friday or Saturday into a three-day trip so the food and true crime tours fit your schedule. Don't leave without trying the pizza and the cake.