From Dred Scott's Courthouse to the Old Cathedral, on Foot
A local guide walks you past Kiener Plaza, the Old Courthouse and the Old Cathedral, starting with the Dred Scott story.
See Sight Tours USA runs this walk through downtown St. Louis, and the listing names three stops: Kiener Plaza, the Old Courthouse and the Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, also known as the Old Cathedral. Along the way the guide covers the Dred Scott case and the city's rise as the Gateway to the West.
Every stop on the listing is a pass-by. The guide talks outside each building. Going in is up to you, on your own time.
As of early October 2026, the booking calendar shows no departures before December 31, 2026, and from then on the 10:00 AM start is the only one on sale. The listing gives the walk two hours; the operator now lists it at 90 minutes.
The listing prices it at USD 89 per adult (13 and older), USD 59 for ages 5 to 12 and USD 20 for children 4 and under. Tips are optional and not included. Booking closes four hours before departure, confirmation is instant, and the ticket can be shown on a phone or on paper. A full refund needs at least 24 hours' notice; cancel later than that and nothing comes back. Across 110 reviews the tour averages 4.6 stars.
St Louis Small Group TourGuided small-group walking tour of downtown St. Louis for up to 10 travelers, passing Kiener Plaza, the Old Courthouse and the Old Cathedral.www.viator.comThe Courthouse Where Dred and Harriet Scott Sued
In 1846 Dred and Harriet Scott, both enslaved, came to this courthouse to sue for their freedom. Their first two trials were held here, in 1847 and 1850, and in the second a jury decided the family should be free. Even so, the family did not win their freedom in court, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott in 1857. The National Park Service notes that 300 other enslaved people also came to this building seeking freedom.
The listing has the guide tell this story at Kiener Plaza, just behind the courthouse. The room itself is gone: an 1855 renovation split the Scotts' courtroom in two. Entry to the Old Courthouse is free, daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with four museum galleries, two restored courtrooms and a ranger talk every day at 2:15 PM.
Across the Arch Grounds to the River
From the courthouse the route crosses the Arch grounds, a park called the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial until it was renamed Gateway Arch National Park in 2018. The listing has the guide talk about westward expansion here, then follow the riverfront with the Mississippi in view.
The walk does not include a ride up the Arch. No tram ticket appears in the listing's inclusions, even though the booking link still mentions an entrance ticket and many earlier reviewers rode to the top. To add it, book a timed Tram Ride to the Top through the park. Adult tickets run USD 15 to 19 depending on the day, ages 3 to 15 start at USD 11, and the park says to allow 45 to 60 minutes. The museum under the Arch is free.
A Parish That Dates to 1764
The third named stop is the Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, on Walnut Street. Its parish history starts in 1764, when the city's founders, Pierre Laclede and Auguste Chouteau, deeded a tract of land to the people of St. Louis and a one-room log church went up as the town's first Catholic church. The present church was finished in 1834 and became a basilica in 1961.
It is a pass-by on the listing as well. St. Louis has a second, larger cathedral on Lindell Boulevard, dedicated in 1914. The Old Cathedral is the one on Walnut Street downtown.
Where to Stand at the Start
Most reviews read warmly, and many name the guide. One reviewer singled out a guide's "insight into the urban planning and civil engineering around the tour stops." The complaints that repeat are about the start, from travelers who waited at the meeting spot and never found their guide.
The listing says to meet near the Old Cathedral, while most of the operator's own instructions send guests to the Runner statue in Kiener Plaza, 500 Chestnut St, at least 10 minutes early. Follow whichever spot the operator's booking messages name. One reviewer said that contact started shortly after booking and the instructions were "exceptionally clear."
- Fitness: the listing asks for a moderate level; the operator describes more than a mile of walking and does not recommend the tour for guests with limited mobility
- Weather: the tour runs rain or shine
- Strollers and service animals: the listing marks both as allowed; the operator does not mention either
📍 The listing's meeting point is near the Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, 209 Walnut St, St. Louis, MO 63102. Look for a guide in a white polo shirt with the company logo. The tour ends back at the same spot, and the listing notes public transport nearby.
Afterward, walk back into the Old Courthouse and look up: Carl Wimar painted the rotunda's oval murals in 1862.