I love this paved trail fora quick easy hike. It is maintained and has a wonderful nature center…read more The staff is helpful and so kind!

Our family truly loves spending time at the Runge! It is a great place to visit and teach our kiddo…read moreabout nature. I do wish there were some new displays though. Not a whole lot has changed in the last 20 years.

We had such a great time at Stark Caverns! Brielly was a great tour guide and made the whole…read moreexperience fun and educational. The caves were beautiful and we got some really great pictures. We learned a lot throughout the tour and it was a great experience for the whole family. We especially loved the complete darkness experience and the black light portion of the tour. Those were definitely some of our favorite parts. Overall, it was a really fun tour and we are so glad we went. I would definitely recommend Stark Caverns for families!

Genuinely cool cave. There are algae fossils in there from when Missouri was underwater millions of…read moreyears ago, which is a wild thing to stand next to. Sadly our guide Macy was less "passionate cave enthusiast" and more "reciting a script she's said a thousand times and stopped listening to herself." I still don't know how this part of Missouri used to be an ocean based on the tour. She gave the exact same intro four separate times. Not because groups were bumping into each other, just straight up robot mode, probably from also trying to work in the photo package pitch every single time. Ask a follow up question and you'd get a shrug dressed up as an answer. A kid asked about a mineral and got a confident "nope, not that" immediately followed by "I'm not really a gem expert," which, ma'am, pick one. Nobody could tell us where all the clay that used to be in the cave went (there's a lot of water now after the excavation), how the bootleggers pulled off their operation, or whether the cave's ever taken earthquake damage. Also they sell alcohol at the gift shop right before you head into a dark cave, which feels like a liability seminar waiting to happen. What indigenous tribe did the skeleton remains belong to? How did you know it was an indigenous person(s)? What is the difference between an arrowhead and a spear, and when did those relics be given to be on display? She said the stairs were built by child labor because there are child sized handprints in the concrete, but provided no evidence of truth or why. Was it his 18 kids? No one knows. At least it was cool inside while the weather was hot outside. The cave has a story to tell. Macy just wasn't the one telling it. Would recommend the cave, would not recommend Macy. She already told us she's had a bad Yelp review, and I'm sad to say I understand why.

We went further down where the water park is located. My kids love this place and today will be the…read morethird time there this week, there is a lot for them to do and most importantly my 4 yr old is so entertained!! Plus they do have little life jackets for the kids so you don't have to lug around so much stuff. The only thing that bothers me about this place is the lifeguards! It's like every single one has a freaking attitude! Can you at least try to pretend to like that you work there? You don't do much but watch out for the kids... I'm here visiting so if I knew a better place with better attitudes I'd be there in a heartbeat!!

Drove here from Columbia to help with the annual "Kickoff for Kids" sponsored by numerous outreach…read moreprograms and the United Way. We helped the Food Bank with their bubble booth. Great park!

Just north/west of the intersection of US-54 and US-63, I found the Katy Trail State Park where I…read morewas hoping to find a power outlet and did but it wasn't operational. Instead, I took the opportunity to use the spot as my third office of the day as there was very cool cellular coverage. After some emails, I did some walking along the trail to clear my head. The park is built on the former corridor of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. It turns out that it's the longest developed rail-trail in the country at 240 miles long with 26 trailheads and four fully restored railroad depots along the way. This spot in North Jefferson City / Holts Summit has the restored railroad depot with a public toilet. Lots of nature, lots of recreation and lots of opportunity to get away from too much of it all. Parking here is a dirt lot and there are a couple of picnic tables and some shade. A large structure with trail information and sights is here. I enjoyed my time and if I was more of a bicyclist, I would be all over this. I hope you check it out. [Review 19741 overall - 218 in Missouri - 713 of 2023.]

Hiking the Katy trail is always a great time and this trail head is fantastic. Plenty of parking,…read morecovered tables and uncovered. Restrooms as well. Highly recommend using the North Jefferson City trail head. Terrific for meeting folks or using as a place to park and take a bike.

Rock Bridge State Park is one of my favorite Missouri trials because of the views and…read moreaccessibility. This park is wonderful for people of all ages; especially for families! We love exploring the Devil's Icebox Cave and the Sinkhole short trail. There are parts on the trail that are easily accessible by following the wood-planked walkway, but there are also "off the beaten path" trails and spots to ride your bike. Rock Bridge State Park is absolutely beautiful and is a "Must Visit" outdoor spot in Columbia, MO!

I take my granddaughters here every chance I get. Love playing in the water in the caves. And they…read morelove the pathways and steps. I usually end up carrying one or both back out as they are exhausted. Afterwards a nice nap had by all!

Located adjacent to the Capitol Complex, this garden has flowers, pools and walkways. It is…read morecommonly used for graduation photographs, according to my friend who brought us here. And yes, a few folks were taking pictures in caps and gowns today. After the death of Governor Carnahan, the Garden was renamed as a memorial to his work. There is street parking and the garden can be reserved through the Missouri Office of Administration. [Review 19753 overall - 230 in Missouri - 725 of 2023.]

Beautiful lake, with a nice concrete trail around the whole lake. It's okay for kayaking, not much…read moreto it unless you're going to fish. There's some good fish in there. Good place to take your dogs for a walk! It can get pretty busy because it's located along new student housing and apartments but for Columbia it's cool!

Great place to get a wick run. One lap around the lake equates to a mile and a quarter.read more

From Jefferson City, take Highway 54 east across the Missouri River, take the Route W exit and turn…read morenorth (left) on Route W (Cedar City Drive); then 4th Street west (left), then Cottonwood Drive south (left). At the end of the road, you'll find this peaceful spot that has a boat launch into the Missouri River and there is a fantastic view of the Jefferson City Bridge. There are several picnic tables too. Walk down the ramp to the riverside and stack some stones. Or just sit on one of the benches and enjoy the peace. There is a low hum from the vehicles crossing the bridge. Being near the open water - the Missouri is the longest river in the United States - is calming. Plenty of people around during daylight hours but I did not see any security. [Review 19750 overall - 227 in Missouri - 722 of 2023.]