The St. Louis, Missouri skyline, as viewed from the Eads Bridge in East St. Louis, Illinois on February 23, 2023.

After several trips to St. Louis, I was never happy with my pictures of the city’s skyline. The best images I had gathered were from just wandering around the Gateway Arch grounds snapping a view shots with the trees and reflecting pools in the foreground and the Arch in the distance. 

I tried across the Mississippi River, but the observation deck at the Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park has some monster power lines running through the shot (185 W Trendley Ave, East St. Louis IL 62201). Not a big deal, as most smartphones have the technology to remove them, but still less-than-ideal.

After a handful of tries, I think the best view of the St. Louis skyline is from the Eads Bridge over the Mississippi River. 

The bridge offers a commanding view of the St. Louis skyline, complete with the Mississippi River in the foreground. I was lucky enough to capture a barge heading upstream in a few of my images, as well as a lovely sunset in the background. 

To get here, aim for the Casino Queen (434 Front Street, East St. Louis, IL 62201), but park in the lot for the MetroLink station (across Bogy Avenue). Take the stairs/elevator up, and instead of going into the station, make your way out to the street, then walk to the desired spot on the bridge.  (Or, you can just take the MetroLink, but the stop was closed for renovations during my visit, so it wasn’t an option for me.)

I should note I’ve seen a handful of pictures from beneath the bridge along the banks of the river, but you’ll have to pass by a few “No Trespassing” signs to reach the spots. While fantastic images, my days of trespassing have come and gone.

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