St. Louis just picked up some serious bragging rights. Forest Park has been voted the nation’s top city park in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice awards, a fresh national nod arriving right as the park celebrates its 150th anniversary. The roughly 1,300‑acre green space, home to free museums, the Muny outdoor theater and the Saint Louis Zoo, draws millions of visitors each year, and locals are treating the recognition as both a civic victory and fuel for the next wave of upgrades already in motion across the park.
The USA TODAY 10Best results, announced April 15, 2026, placed Forest Park at No. 1, with Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland, Florida, and Tulsa's Gathering Place following in the top three, according to First Alert 4. The outlet noted it is Forest Park's third No. 1 finish in five years, part of a multi‑year run of national recognition. Park stewards have credited a combination of ongoing restoration work and deep community involvement for keeping Forest Park in the national conversation.
As detailed by Forest Park Forever, the park spans about 1,300 acres and welcomes roughly 15.5 million visitors a year. It offers boating, biking, several playgrounds and free entry to five major cultural institutions. Its sweeping restoration efforts recently drew national praise from the American Society of Landscape Architects, which highlighted both the historical character of the work and its benefits for everyday park users. Those long‑term investments are often cited as a key reason Forest Park keeps landing at the top of readers' polls.
Steinberg Makeover Aims To Build All‑Season Hub
Park leaders are now banking on a major overhaul at Steinberg Rink, rebranded as the Glade, to turn 22.5 acres on the park's eastern side into an all‑season hub. Plans call for rooftop dining, a flexible rink for ice skating and roller events, splash features and new lawns and gathering spaces, according to Forest Park Forever. The organization said the goal is “to reimagine the Steinberg area as a place for all‑season fun that is equitably, environmentally, and economically sustainable.” The City of St. Louis has closed Steinberg for the 2025–26 skating season while construction moves ahead, and officials say the site is slated to reopen in fall 2026, per the City of St. Louis.
Regulars say the No. 1 ranking tracks with their daily experience. “I like going to the Muny,” Parker Gliedt told FOX 2, while nearby resident Nicholas Gliedt called the news “incredible” and pointed to Forest Park’s size in comparison with New York’s Central Park. Other visitors described the park as a key stress reliever and an easy place to spend unhurried time outdoors with family and friends, according to local coverage.
City officials and park advocates say the USA TODAY recognition underscores how years of fundraising, capital work and programming are reshaping Forest Park just as it enters its sesquicentennial year. They hope the national spotlight will keep momentum going for future improvements and for efforts to maintain equitable access to the park’s many free amenities and award‑winning landscapes. First Alert 4 also noted the award’s timing alongside the park’s 150th anniversary.
