Seven new attractions at Union Station that aren’t the St. Louis Aquarium and worth a visit

As you sit inside one of the St. Louis Wheel’s 42 gondolas, the skyline hogs your attention, especially at sunset. But just beneath your feet? A bird’s-eye view of the newly renovated Union Station, making you feel as if you’re soaring over St. Louis’ own little theme park, not a former train station. Though much of the buzz surrounding Union Station’s revamp has been focused on that whopping 120,000-square-foot aquarium, Lodging Hospitality Management’s $187 million plan doesn’t put all of the fun in one tank. There’s also an indoor ropes course, which takes the brave three stories high to conquer 45 obstacles, and a 100-foot-long SkyRail, as well as the Mirror Maze, a funhouse-style labyrinth reminiscent of a 1904 World’s Fair attraction. You can also slurp phosphate sodas in a booth at The Soda Fountain, snack on a shareable from The Train Shed, and chow down on a burger at the 1894 Café. But be careful not to eat too much, or a ride on the nearby carousel will have you clinging to one of its fiberglass animals. Just a stone’s throw away, there’s an 18-hole miniature golf course. “It’s easy to get from one attraction to the other,” says Karyn Wilder, general manager of the St. Louis Wheel. “If you have older kids, you don’t mind sitting at a table and watching them go play mini-golf or ride the Wheel.” Opened in September, the Wheel, which towers over it all at 200 feet tall, gives passengers 15-minute rides—and time to plan what’s next.