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Living in Missouri, we sure know our thing about caves. I went to Meramec on July 14, 2026 and it was great. Far better than I expected, and I loved the gift shop! Some of the formations were great! It was also much bigger at the entryway than I thought, but that was nice to truly take in the depth and greatness of the cave. I have to say though, the cold cave was nice in the July heat! :D
We had an awesome time at the caverns! Every staff member we encountered was genuinely so nice. We had a lot of fun on the Zipline, the boat tour, and in the cave tour. The workers at the restaurant were also very nice and the food tasted good. Great time and can't wait to come back! Hopefully to do a float trip!
We just wrapped up the 5th Annual Boobs and Tubes Float Trip on July 5th, and once again Meramec Caverns delivered an incredible experience! Our group of 46 people felt like VIPs the entire day -- the whole team made it feel like we were the only ones on the river. Les was absolutely amazing -- attentive, organized, and so helpful throughout the day. Crystal, our bus driver, brought the energy with her fun and engaging personality, setting the tone for a perfect float. And of course, Carly welcomed us with her usual bright smile and warm attitude. Meramec Caverns continues to be one of the easiest and best float trips near Saint Louis. It's a quick, stress-free day trip, and the staff makes it feel like a summer tradition worth repeating. THANK YOU, Meramec Caverns, for another fantastic float! Already looking forward to year six!
My family enjoyed the tour more than we expected. The caverns were so beautiful and the path made it accessible for many people. Our tour guide was knowledgeable. It is well worth a visit!
We drove from Southern Illinois to check this place out. The various rock formations (stalactites, stalagmites, etc) were incredible. Our tour guide was awesome, sharing stories about Jesse James and movies filmed on site. The only real knock on Meramec is the cost. For two adults and two children, we paid over $100 after tip, for a one-hour tour. The boat tour of the river and the restaurant were also a bit pricey. It's worth doing once every few years.
We visited on a very hot day, and the cool air inside the cave was a welcome relief. This was by far the largest cave we've ever toured--massive rooms and expansive areas made for a visually impressive experience. Unfortunately, our tour guide wasn't very engaging. He spoke too softly for the size of our group, and it was difficult to hear much of what he said. The cave itself is fascinating, but the stories and delivery could definitely be improved. It didn't feel like the guide was enjoying the experience, which made it harder to stay engaged. There were quite a few children on our tour, and while that's understandable, it did make things loud and a bit chaotic at times. It would be nice if the cave offered a couple of adult-only tours each day for those who prefer a calmer, more focused experience. Overall, the cave is well worth seeing, but there's room to enhance the tour experience.
The tour was well conducted. Stories were engaging and made it more interesting. I do feel that sometimes there's too much done to keep the crowds entertained rather than just letting people enjoy what nature made as they are. There was a cartoon character at one point. There was an area where different colored lights were used to create effect. After the third color change, it got to be a bit much. The patriotic movie projected onto the wall of the cave felt a bit "propaganda-ish" Overall, I enjoyed it.
My family and I enjoyed our tour this morning. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and their spiel was peppered with cheesy but fun one last need that had the ring of having been well rehearsed. You can buy tickets online or at the caves. I'd purchased ahead of time but was very grateful that they allowed us on the earlier tour as our plans had changed. The cafe is paved and except for being a bit slippery in places was very easy to walk through, and the ceiling is high throughout. My 4 year old son was with us and he had no problems , although he did end up wanting to be carried towards the end. We camped overnight, which worked well. The sites are pretty primitive. You can buy firewood at the camp store (it was pretty bad yesterday and mostly smoked, had to work hard to get enough gland for my son to roast a marshmallow). It VERY buggy, so make sure you're prepared to deal with that. They have a playground and showers, which were pretty filthy (and also very buggy last night) but I had shower shoes so it was much better than no shower. But seriously, they could use a good scrubbing.
First time visiting the caverns even though I've lived in/around St Louis almost all of my life. I had so much fun and never wanted our tour to end! Our tour guide had a semi-bland and dry wit about her which made the experience that much more memorable. We stopped for ice cream at the end of our tour and it was delicious. I would have gone back again the very next day for another tour!
Fun experience for my 5 year olds! We will have to come back when they are older so they can do the ropes course. We did the tour which lasted an hour and then spent some time in the gift shop. It appears this place gets busy so I suggest going early or on a weekday.
2 months ago
Phoenix was our tour guide. He was friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. This tour is one hr and 20 min of guided walking, climbing and formation line walking. Inside of this cave feels moist to touch, clammy and cold temperatures. Steps and incline walking is included. Great for exercising and getting your steps in. Adult ticketing is $30 and kids are $16, there is a senior discount as well. The visuals and sound and shapes of rock is amazing. The sound theatre is something to see and the colors are breathtaking. There is a gift shop, ice cream parlor, restaurant that consists of wraps, chicken strips, sandwiches etc. the grounds includes lodging, rope and rock wall, zip lining, canoes. Fudge counters etc. check the website for days and hours of operation and full pricing. Plenty of parking in its own private parking lot. This is definitely an experience for everyone. read more
4 months ago
It's an experience that is a little high priced at $30 but it's well worth it you only go once. it's not really something you're going to go multiple times in unless you bring kids. I think it's something adults will enjoy more so than the kids just because of the science behind it all. Another reviewer mentioned that the God Bless America segment was too long and she did not like it I will say I didn't think it lasted long enough! read more
11 days ago
2 months ago
Living in Missouri, we sure know our thing about caves. I went to Meramec on July 14, 2026 and it was great. Far better than I expected, and I loved the gift shop! Some of the formations were great! It was also much bigger at the entryway than I thought, but that was nice to truly take in the depth and greatness of the cave. I have to say though, the cold cave was nice in the July heat! :D read more
We had an awesome time at the caverns! Every staff member we encountered was genuinely so nice. We had a lot of fun on the Zipline, the boat tour, and in the cave tour. The workers at the restaurant were also very nice and the food tasted good. Great time and can't wait to come back! Hopefully to do a float trip! read more
We just wrapped up the 5th Annual Boobs and Tubes Float Trip on July 5th, and once again Meramec Caverns delivered an incredible experience! Our group of 46 people felt like VIPs the entire day -- the whole team made it feel like we were the only ones on the river. Les was absolutely amazing -- attentive, organized, and so helpful throughout the day. Crystal, our bus driver, brought the energy with her fun and engaging personality, setting the tone for a perfect float. And of course, Carly welcomed us with her usual bright smile and warm attitude. Meramec Caverns continues to be one of the easiest and best float trips near Saint Louis. It's a quick, stress-free day trip, and the staff makes it feel like a summer tradition worth repeating. THANK YOU, Meramec Caverns, for another fantastic float! Already looking forward to year six! read more
6 months ago
3 months ago
1 year ago
We drove from Southern Illinois to check this place out. The various rock formations (stalactites, stalagmites, etc) were incredible. Our tour guide was awesome, sharing stories about Jesse James and movies filmed on site. The only real knock on Meramec is the cost. For two adults and two children, we paid over $100 after tip, for a one-hour tour. The boat tour of the river and the restaurant were also a bit pricey. It's worth doing once every few years. read more
We visited on a very hot day, and the cool air inside the cave was a welcome relief. This was by far the largest cave we've ever toured--massive rooms and expansive areas made for a visually impressive experience. Unfortunately, our tour guide wasn't very engaging. He spoke too softly for the size of our group, and it was difficult to hear much of what he said. The cave itself is fascinating, but the stories and delivery could definitely be improved. It didn't feel like the guide was enjoying the experience, which made it harder to stay engaged. There were quite a few children on our tour, and while that's understandable, it did make things loud and a bit chaotic at times. It would be nice if the cave offered a couple of adult-only tours each day for those who prefer a calmer, more focused experience. Overall, the cave is well worth seeing, but there's room to enhance the tour experience. read more
3 months ago
The tour was well conducted. Stories were engaging and made it more interesting. I do feel that sometimes there's too much done to keep the crowds entertained rather than just letting people enjoy what nature made as they are. There was a cartoon character at one point. There was an area where different colored lights were used to create effect. After the third color change, it got to be a bit much. The patriotic movie projected onto the wall of the cave felt a bit "propaganda-ish" Overall, I enjoyed it. read more
2 years ago
My family and I enjoyed our tour this morning. The guides were friendly and knowledgeable, and their spiel was peppered with cheesy but fun one last need that had the ring of having been well rehearsed. You can buy tickets online or at the caves. I'd purchased ahead of time but was very grateful that they allowed us on the earlier tour as our plans had changed. The cafe is paved and except for being a bit slippery in places was very easy to walk through, and the ceiling is high throughout. My 4 year old son was with us and he had no problems , although he did end up wanting to be carried towards the end. We camped overnight, which worked well. The sites are pretty primitive. You can buy firewood at the camp store (it was pretty bad yesterday and mostly smoked, had to work hard to get enough gland for my son to roast a marshmallow). It VERY buggy, so make sure you're prepared to deal with that. They have a playground and showers, which were pretty filthy (and also very buggy last night) but I had shower shoes so it was much better than no shower. But seriously, they could use a good scrubbing. read more
1 year ago
First time visiting the caverns even though I've lived in/around St Louis almost all of my life. I had so much fun and never wanted our tour to end! Our tour guide had a semi-bland and dry wit about her which made the experience that much more memorable. We stopped for ice cream at the end of our tour and it was delicious. I would have gone back again the very next day for another tour! read more
4 months ago
1 year ago
We really enjoyed our time here! The rock mining was very fun along with the cave tour!! Staff was friendly and we felt very informed by our tour guide. Highly recommend read more
Fun experience for my 5 year olds! We will have to come back when they are older so they can do the ropes course. We did the tour which lasted an hour and then spent some time in the gift shop. It appears this place gets busy so I suggest going early or on a weekday. read more
2 years ago
Really neat experience! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. The video played at the end was a bit odd, but overall, I enjoyed getting to see the cave. read more
I went to Meramec Caverns on a guided tour from St. Louis and had a nice trip. We had the shortened tour through the caves which was really nice but there were a lot of older people in our group that it was kind of dangerous with how wet the ground is with handrails only on one side in some places. I really enjoyed the riverboat tour it was a really nice way to see the river. Next time I'll make sure to bring the family and enjoy some of their other offerings. read more
Meramac Caverns. I grew up spelunking as a young person and I have always love going into caves. They are all so different, very unique. One of my favorite things is what is called cave bacon. No wonder people used to live in caves in the past because they have the same temperature here around. Do you know the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite? I do. There is so much history at this particular cavern. It is noted for one of Jesse James is hideouts, I did find some loot. TV shows and a lot of music have been performed at this location. I have been in this particular Catherine at least 11 times. Beautiful area, great to camp,they even have a zip line, and a river cruse. I WOULD RECOMMEND. read more
I was really looking forward to this cave tour, and had such high hopes of liking it. While it was neat to see the different kinds of rock formations, this felt like a very gimmicky tourist attraction...which I feel like says a lot coming from someone who lives around all the theme parks in central Florida. While I am glad I got to see it, I'm unsure if I would recommend a friend to come here. This tour is definitely geared towards families and tourists. While the story line of Jesse James was integrated into parts of the tour, we were left sort of confused as to his importance. Maybe it's because we aren't from the area, but we weren't really sure what made him a "notable" person to begin with. The tour guide seemed very well versed in knowledge and skills related to the cave. read more
1 year ago
This isn't just another hole in the ground. This is a CAVE. But it's not just a CAVE. It's a BIG CAVE with lights, and sidewalks, and natures air-conditioning, and a river, and even a big, huge (former) dance floor! It's got a log cabin, and a couple of neon signs, a video with music honoring America, and fortunately not too many stairs. I have made two trips here within the last couple of years to show some of my grandchildren a bit of the awesomeness of God's creation. They have ranged from about six years old all the way up to early teenagers. They've all loved it! All tours through the cave are led by guides. I've noticed some guides are better than others. It's just the luck of the draw. But as long as they all get you through the cave and back out again, I suppose they've done their job. There are tons of stalactites and stalagmites, and they are very adamant that you do not touch them. I don't know what will happen to you if you do, but it probably will not be pretty. So be sure to tell the children to behave themselves. Quite seriously, the cave is beautiful and I strongly recommend that you take an hour to spend in this national treasure. If you bypass the gift shop and the restaurant, it is not cost prohibitive. But it is also not free so you might want to go to the website and check that out ahead of time. There seems to be plenty of free parking. Viva la CAVE! (Be sure to tell your kids that there are bats. Not the baseball kind. The kind with wings. You may not see them, but ... they see you...) read more
Basically a "middle of the country" tourist attraction; with gift shop, restaurant, and one-hour guided cave tour that is well-maintained. You are allowed to walk about 300 feet into the cave to the main ticket entrance. The actual tour was a little over a mile. The sights were beautiful and the way that they use the colored lights made it really interesting. The water that is so pure you don't even know that it's there. Guides do a nice job of telling stories. The last leg of the caverns has a steep staircase to climb and the air is thick/hotter at the top. It's not a difficult climb, but it was enough to make my asthma flare up. Wear shoes with traction. Some areas are slick. read more
2 years ago
We did the cavern tour with Aiden as our guide. He was great! Definitely recommend. We also rented the kayaks and had an amazing time . read more
the structure of the cave is really interesting. you enter through these huge grand halls and get to see some gorgeous rock formations. the lighting in many areas creates some gorgeous optical illusions. I'd give the caves a higher rating however we were plagued by an older tour guide that mumbled the entire time. I could barley understand what he was saying. when he would start to talk coherently his speech pattern would then pick up speed and he'd rush through the information. also at the end they make you watch this religious american propaganda video. it has the notoriously racist kate smith singing god bless america accompanied by random stock footage and pictures of american monuments. it was so jarring and out of place read more
4 years ago
Came here on a weekday. Not much crowded. Tickets are $27 per person. Tour is about 1.5 hour. After the tour there is a gift shop for souvenirs. They have a snack bar section if hungry. Bathrooms are clean and keep tidy. They close around 4pm, so come early. Experience was a five star. Recommend. read more
We we have been driving by this place for years now on the road and I finally made him STOP today. He really doesn't like caverns and closes spaces but he said he would try. It was awesome and he did fine. Just a big baby... lol. We just got in and it wasn't busy seasonally yet. They said July is busy. The tour started right away which was great. We wound up and around in there. The guide stopped every so often and had commentary. Jesse James and Frank has a kewl place to hide out back in the day! The formations were awesome and they did colored lights on them and all!! So glad we came. It was a bit chilly in there ( till I climbed the 58 stairs)! Haha. So bring a light jacket. And wear shoes. Then I was hot. But after that they had a seating area with the screen ( stalactites ) and showed an America the beautiful video. It was nice to sit! After that we had an ice cream. Then we went down to the river and took the little boat tour. It was short but pretty. They had the fishing derby going on so a few speed boats were passing us by. Lol. Good fun day. read more
If you are looking for something "cool" to do on a blazing hot day...how about a cave that's 60 degrees year round? Pun intended... About a one hour drive from St. Louis, this privately owned cave takes about a 1 1/2 hours to walk through and offers some pretty amazing sights. It's pretty pricey at $22.50 for an adult, less for kids, but you'll still drop about $80 or so to get a family through it. They do have a small discount available through their FB page, so that will save you enough to grab a small snack on the way out in their on-site cafe where you can get sandwiches, pretzels, drinks, etc. The cave itself has well built pathways with good lighting which make it easy to navigate and safe to travel. It is chilly and damp (as are all caves). I was very comfortable in just shorts and a T-shirt but others in our group were happy they brought along a light jacket. The tour guides are knowledgeable, but they repeat the same information all day so it does come off as highly overly rehearsed which can make it difficult to understand at times. This was guide dependent as we encountered a number of them on our tour. The light and sound show at the end was particularly enjoyable, and I liked how family friendly the whole experience was. A must do for a day trip from St. Louis. read more
5 years ago
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2 years ago
5 years ago
The tour is definitely worth it for the price. It's about an hour and a half long and the scene is beautiful. Our tour guide Faith, was very knowledgeable and she did a great job of ensuring our large group stayed together and giving us sufficient time to take photographs. read more
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