ST. LOUIS – Considering it’s the only place under the Arch to enjoy the end of the day on the river, Riverboats at the Gateway Arch is bringing happy hour back to the riverfront, offering cocktails and mocktails for home towners and out-of-towners wanting to enjoy the sunset before a dinner cruise on the Tom Sawyer or Becky Thatcher.

“There’s nowhere else you can drink and sit on the water and get some food,” Amber Barbeau, director of Riverboats at the Gateway Arch, said. “We have some food offerings on our menu, and you can relax and get ready for your weekend.

“You know, Thursday is like Friday’s little sister. We’ve done it before, but we’re just kind of bringing it back and what better view do you have of the river and the Arch and everything else.”


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In addition to happy hour beverages, Riverboats at the Gateway Arch will offer big pretzels, shrimp cocktails, crinkle cut fries, and cowboy caviar for those needing a snack.

The company will offer Halloween cruises and Santa sing-along cruises in December, as well, to go along with the happy hour cruises; weather permitting, of course.

“We have a dock bar that’s open. But this is kind of a new thing, just bringing the happy hour on Thursdays, before the dinner cruise. If you have dinner cruise tickets, we’d love for you to come down beforehand,” Barbeau said. “But we’re just trying to get people down here and when they get down here, they love it and they’re like, ‘Where else can I go in St. Louis to enjoy the Arch and the river?’ And yeah, it’s beautiful.”