Great place to meet somebody and walk around…read more.. Very central location if you're coming from the south or from the north Biggest recommendation is figure out where you're gonna meet ahead of time so you're not driving around going as it near the tennis courts or the front or the rose garden that type of thing because it is about a mile around so there's lots of different areas to park

If I were recommending a place to visit on a beautiful Kansas City day, then Loose Park would be at…read morethe top of my list. The open greenspace, the beauty of the paths, or even the rose garden in season makes for a sensational day at the park. There are photo op spots at virtually every corner of the park. If the fountain is going in the rose garden, then it is a popular place for a bushel of pics. The swale in the middle of the park, lined with bald cypress trees, offers many shady, comfortable spots for a picnic or just a rest. String yourself up your own hammock between trees and catch a cozy nap or a comfortable spot to read. Check out the raised placards for a memorial of the Battle of Westport, emphasizing Kansas City's part during the Civil War. Everyone loves a little history, and to do so looking to the west and learning about that conflict 160+ years ago, you can actually see it in your mind's eye. To place that memorial with beautiful green space is a nod to how Kansas City makes the most of its public real estate. Park in any number of lots or even find a spot on one of the side streets. Restrooms are open in nice weather, and there's plenty of spots in which to reserve a pavilion. Outstanding Kansas City landmark!

Such great pickup, drop-off, conversation, and just great people! Thank you for the experience!read more

The staff is very helpful in helping you get ready to navigate the MO River. It was fun to see the…read moresights from Parkville and through downtown. Super cool local adventure!

Johnson County has been working hard at turning its western edge into a wilderness oasis. Mill…read moreCreek Streamway Park is a striking example of how that hard work is paying off. This little slice of heaven will transport you away from the surrounding suburban sprawl and into an outdoor playground that provides an up close and personal look at what an undisturbed Kansas countryside would look like. I usually park on the east side of the park, around Mill Creek Parkway and Ridgeview, and walk the nearby trail. It's about a two-ish mile loop that you'll share with other walkers, joggers and some bikers. It takes you through a wooded stream area, then through swamp and finally through a field of native grasses. You also get to walk through a tunnel that will take you underneath a local railway. If you're lucky, you'll get to see some local wildlife. Pets are welcome, as long as they're well behaved and on a leash. If you're biking, the trail does extend both to the north and to the south. I haven't partaken either way, so I'm not much help, however I have heard that the northern trail will take you close to Shawnee Mission Park. You might want to double check this, but it sounds like like fun. Regardless, my biking friends say this is one of their favorite places to ride. I highly recommend for walkers and bikers of all ages, especially when the Kansas City weather is right.

This trail is fantastic. Free of cars, enshrouded in nature and especially beautiful in the warmer…read moremonths, this is one of my happy places around the metro. I've taken my family there just to walk/hike around the paved trails which are seemingly endless with a dog and toddler. When I go on my own or with friends to bike, you'll find the end a lot faster, but it's still 17 miles or so of wonderful trail along the creek. On countless trips here, we've seen deer, heard coyotes, saw a sneaky copperhead snake, a beaver scurrying back to the water, owls and hawks, and the most memorable, an open field with more fireflies flickering than I've ever seen in my life. You'll also find big Kansas sunsets out here year round, along with more hills than one might expect. I'll say this, if you're a cyclist, it's enjoyable to fly around here but be aware this is primarily a walking/jogging path for everyone else so throw a little bell on, slow down a bit when approaching people and or call out as you come around. Most do, but some don't and it's kind of jarring especially when we're out with our almost-two-year-old toddling around. (Side note, I got a bike trailer for my daughter and this is the perfect, safe place to try it out.) In warmer months you'll find enough water and bathroom stations around, but as expected it can be difficult to find on those winter warm up days. Shoutout to the Parks & Rec team of years past, along with Gary Haller who shares the name of this popular trail for his dedication to making it a reality. I feel like nature is often forgotten and overlooked in our world, but a simple, beautiful trail like this has people eager to be out exploring their peaceful surroundings.

I thoroughly love the Merriam Community Center. From the moment you walk in, the front desk staff…read moreis friendly and helpful. I love their upper level track and the basketball court. Typically in my experience neither is too busy and there is a good amount of space, which makes for a calming experience to me. Their workout area is not extremely large, but it still has a lot to offer with its array of free weights, workout machines, treadmills, etc. One thing I enjoy while utilizing the track is checking out all of the events they offer that you can see advertised on their screens. Their pool area seems pretty great as well, though I haven't used it myself.

Never a bad experience here me and some of my friends meet up there and we always have a great time.read more

Great trail around the lake. Half is paved and the other half is chipped but very walkable terrain…read more In between, you cross the dam, which has a very 'sculptural' design. We stopped at a group of people watching a beaver resting on the spillway. A couple of nice picnic pavilions and (remarkably) clean restrooms have shaded playgrounds for kids. The real treat is a professional-grade Disc Golf course. For the less adventurous or for practice is a second, small course. All in all, a gem of a Lenexa park!

Yesterday I brought my grandkids here to try out this park. We were unable to try out all of it,…read morebut the areas that we did investigate we really enjoyed. I appreciate it that the play areas we went to had partial shade from the alcove of trees. There was a variety of play sets spread out with natural features of tree stumps and such for the kids to climb on. They had a lot of nice walking plaques to explain the walking trail. The golfing disc course was nice because a lot ofit was shaded. We will definitely go back to check out more of it when it is less hot.

An urban/suburban crushed limestone trail that hits some of the most scenic, beautiful…read moreneighborhoods in KC. I don't know what to call the Trolley Trail other than a freaking gem. If you like walking and jogging, this is the spot at any time of the year with the obvious peaks being late spring and fall. If you like cycling on trails, read on. Cyclists: This ain't always the best trail for you, and I say that as someone who likes biking trails like this. It's often so full of pedestrians that wall up the path that it makes it difficult to ride through. Throw a bike bell on there if you're going to be riding this on a weekend to give folks a heads up, and I wouldn't expect to fly on this one like you can on other trails outside the city. I'd recommend riding occasionally or off-peak hours. The reason I stripped a star off this trail is simple: The city of KCMO crapped the bed by breaking up the Trolley Trail at 63rd and Meyer. At least 63rd attempts to have a crosswalk (though no cars pay attention to it) but the Meyer crossing is a serious accident waiting to happen. Cars turning every which way, going fast, and really no real crossing for trail users. I'd say it's easier to cross a random back highway than this. But at the end of the day, one quarter-mile stretch that's tough to navigate out of the handful of other miles isn't what you'll remember. You'll notice the beautiful homes, the big trees, UMKC and the Plaza on the north end, Waldo and KC Bier right off the path near the south.. It's really a pretty special trail and one that I'd love to see more neighborhoods copy as we aim to shed our car-centric KC nature.

Hello, Pleasantville! I now know you…read more At the idyllic Trolley Track Trail, bikers, walkers and dogs share a path without any conflict. Yesterday I almost had to pinch myself because that whole "why can't we all just get along" nonsense that I always thought was just a myth really came into play. I was with some dogs and some friends and for a split second, or a half hour, everything was practically zen. No kidding. It's a comfortable path and full of grass for the pups to roll around in and do their business in (baggies are conveniently available). And the bikers coming up behind you are prone to being kind enough to announce, "on your left." I love such etiquette! And dog owners all talk to each other. That always cracks me up, because I'm a cat person and cat people have to "relate" on cat forums and through dorky photos on our Iphones. For a serene and enjoyable late summer/early fall day, I can't think of a better place to stroll. Yes, I can appreciate zen with the best of them.

my child went to the before and after school program. I don't recommend sending your child there!…read moreno communication and registration says my child was all set to attend Monday-Friday then the people on site tell me he can't attend the rest of the week because I didn't sign up where I never received a link and by the time they told me about the link they were already full! basically I paid $115 for a day and a half instead of the whole week! I definitely won't send my child here again!!!!!

The parks are fine. Before and after school care is mismanaged. Being divorced and the other half…read moredoes not want to co-parent appropriately has left me being told "tough luck" by jcprd staff. All I ask for is information. They say the app emails the one email on file, and that is it. So I miss out on so many things I should know. Not knowing your child is on a field trip when you are supposed to pick up should never happen. I found out today that every registration deletes emergency contacts from the system. No one told me that prior to checking out of the blue today. Imagine if I have an emergency and the other parent is out if town, we are stuck with my sibling being told they cannot pick up. Thank God that didn't happen, but it could have. The catch22 is you have to email the director your emergency contacts for every registration, and while they only send to one email the contact info or name of the director, so I have no clue who to tell. They have an app to do things, but still rely on email. Also the cell phone usually goes to voicemail when I call to pick up. Nothing says safety like an employee who things the cell phone is too much of a hassle to keep powered on. Moral of the story is pick the other parent of your child better but definitely don't trust jcprd to do anything helpful. They have already withheld an exchange in favor of the other parent, only due to the saying "I'll see you tonight" by that parent on drop off. I was refused a drop off because my child said he missed his mom and did not want to walk to the door in Kindergarten. I was not allowed in the building to talk to my son about it. They had zero legal reason to treat me as anything other than a parent and I did not feel like barging in, but they do not know how to be daycare.

A little escape in the middle of the city. With a large lake with fishing , boat rental, swim beach…read moreand more (even scuba diving with permit) Hiking and biking trails. Disc Golf and a dog park. There is plenty of stuff for everyone. Rent a shelter and have a party, take the kids to one of the many playgrounds. Catch one of the Theater in the Park shows or go sky gazing. This park has a lot to offer.

I absolutely adore Shawnee Mission Park! It's huge- 1.6k acres and has a 120 acre lake. There is…read moreplenty of walking paths and places to park. A wonderful place to catch a gorgeous Kansas sunset, go on a walk, play sports, I've even attended a wedding rehearsal here. There's so much to do year round and it's perfect for so many occasions.