The best road trip stops on the St Louis to Pittsburgh drive are Indianapolis, Dayton OH and Columbus OH. The distance from St Louis to Pittsburgh by car is 605 miles, with a 9h4m driving time.
Planning a St Louis to Pittsburgh road trip itinerary
The St Louis to Pittsburgh drive connects the Mississippi River in Missouri to eastern Pennsylvania.
5 great St Louis experiences to book
- 🌆 Take a small group tour of the Gateway Arch – including tickets to the top.
- 🚢 Combine a visit to the Gateway Arch with a river cruise.
- 📸 At the Museum of Illusions, get reels of cool social media photos.
- 👻 Discover the dark side of St Louis on an evening ghost tour.
- 🍽️ On a food and history walking tour, learn about the flavours and stories of St Louis.
St Louis is one of America’s great crossroads cities. The major landmark is the 630ft-tall Gateway Arch, which visitors can go to the top of. Other top attractions include Saint Louis Zoo, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, plus the Pulitzer Arts Foundation and Old Courthouse in the city.
Good St Louis experiences include highlight-packed trolley tours, true crime walking tours and small group tours that include going to the top of the Gateway Arch and a Mississippi River cruise.
Pittsburgh is surprisingly beautiful – take a ride up the Duquesne Incline for the best views out over the city, Point State Park and Fort Pitt. After that, check out the Warhol Museum, National Aviary or the Nationality Rooms in the gigantic Cathedral of Learning.
Pittsburgh experiences include guided whiskey-themed walks and craft beer sampling on a multi-brewery tour.
For Pittsburgh hotels with great reviews, try the Italian villa-style Priory Hotel or the often good value Drury Plaza Hotel Pittsburgh Downtown.
5 great Pittsburgh experiences worth booking
- 🏙️ Take an incredibly well-reviewed private Pittsburgh highlights tour.
- 🍽️ Go on a downtown food tour, with 6 fantastic food and drink stops.
- 👻 Hear spooky tales in the evening on a Pittsburgh ghost tour.
- 🥃 Discover Pittsburgh’s whiskey-soaked history – with two cocktails thrown in.
- 🛴 Visit Pittsburgh’s top photo stops – on a fun-packed Segway tour.
St Louis to Pittsburgh distance and driving time
By car, the distance from St Louis to Pittsburgh is 605 miles. That makes for a driving time of around nine hours and four minutes.
The best stops to add to a St Louis to Pittsburgh road trip itinerary are Indianapolis, Dayton OH and Columbus OH.
St Louis to Pittsburgh road trip attractions: Indianapolis
The capital of Indiana marries big city energy with country charm.
Top attractions in Indianapolis include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
Worthwhile Indianapolis experiences include a Fountain Square food tour and a walking tour around the city’s highlights.
St Louis to Pittsburgh drive: Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio, isn’t a massive city, but it has more than played its part in history. It was here that Orville and Wilbur Wright created the first plane capable of manned, sustained flight. The original Wright Cycle Company Shop that still stands is not where the Wright Flyer was made – that was a future incarnation of the company HQ – but it was home to their bicycle business.
In Dayton, you can also visit the SunWatch Indian Village, a recreated Native American village, and the National Museum of the US Air Force.
Best stops between St Louis and Pittsburgh: Columbus, Ohio
In Columbus, a three day attractions pass covers most of the top sights. These include the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. For other Columbus experiences, try scavenger hunts, a town tour aboard the Trolley Pub and the Legoland Discovery Center.
More Pittsburgh and St Louis road trips
- Getting to Pittsburgh from elsewhere in Pennsylvania: Where to stop on the Allentown to Pittsburgh drive or Harrisburg to Pittsburgh drive.
- Getting to Pittsburgh from interstate: The best stops on the Chicago to Pittsburgh drive, Columbus to Pittsburgh drive, Indianapolis to Pittsburgh drive and Washington DC to Pittsburgh drive.
- Road trips from Pittsburgh: The best stops on the Pittsburgh to Cleveland drive, Pittsburgh to Cincinnati drive, Pittsburgh to Louisville drive and Pittsburgh to Nashville drive.
- Getting to St Louis: The best stops on the Indianapolis to St Louis drive.
- Road trips from St Louis: The best stops on the St Louis to Cleveland drive and St Louis to Columbus drive.
