The wait to get on the pods is longer than anything else. I didn't time it but I would say that waiting, the trip up and down, and taking pictures at top about 45min to an hour. We went when it was really busy on a Friday. I would agree the pods are small but they are set for 4 people if just 2 went or 1 person by themselves I can't see size as that much of an issue. I would say if you can fly in a normal airplane seat you can take the trip. My husband and I are 72 and not little people and we fit fine.

I recommend Stadium Garage East. It's a bit of a trek to the Arch grounds but it is the most secure. Highly recommend not parking along the riverfront or at a meter.

No where. You don't canoe down the Mississippi! There are numerous crystal clear rivers in the Ozarks to canoe in and the water won't kill you!

There are many surrounding buildings that you can view the arch from. You can see it from Drury Inn hotel or the Hyatt that both stand in walking distance from the arch. You can also go to the Gateway Arch webpage where you go to purchase tickets and they have a listing of rooftop bars with photos of how close each one is like the Skybar. Or just enjoy the view directly in front of it.

The entire museum is well worth taking the time to visit (at least 2 hours). The movie is cool, and provides a good perspective of the arch, particularly if you plan to go to the top.

Nothing is “hidden” lol it’s a viewing platform. Tiny windows for you to look out of.

No, it is not yet open. Neither is the movie they usually show. The Westward Expansion Museum/Visitor Center under the Arch is open, but you need to get a time slot from their website. I was there a little over a week ago, on a weekday and it was not very busy, which was actually pretty nice. The riverboat is available and we did enjoy that.

The Arch is at the edge of the river and not far from the city center. I am not sure about any RV parking in this area.

The trip up takes less than five minutes but the whole process of checking in, hearing some information about it etc. was more like 20 to 30 minutes. You can choose to come down whenever you want, there is no assigned tram on the way down so you are free to spend as much time up there as you like. We were up for five or 10 minutes which is plenty of time to take in the scenery. We booked online ahead of time and paid $14 each for a ticket but prices vary depending on exact timing, age etc. The website is very good for those details. We really enjoyed it and it would be even better in nice weather like the spring!

Best to call the Arch directly. There are Park Rangers who may be able to help you too. Enjoy!