North Esplanade Park is a beautiful and peaceful park on the bluffs of the muddy Missouri River…read morefeaturing a grassy overlook and 14 historic residences as part of the North Esplanade Historic District. It is also the very first park in the entire state of Kansas (established in 1854). The park stretches four blocks along North Esplanade Street (between Ottawa St. and Seneca St). On the west side, you'll find a row of large (especially for the time) homes built prior to 1900. This is the street where the upper class of Leavenworth used to live back when it was called Main Street. The homes, yards, and park are remarkably well-maintained making this a favorite photo spot in Leavenworth. In the distance, you'll have a fantastic view Centennial Bridget connecting Leavenworth, KS with Platte County, MO. Whether you come for some memorable photos, a picnic, or to marvel at history, North Esplanade Park is a free and relaxing tourist excursion open 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

I was most recently here for the Parkville Microbrew Festival but I've been here numerous times. I…read moremost often come for the off leash dog park. They have it divided into small and large dog with lots of open space and even a water pump when the weather is warm. They always have plenty of parking and there's portable toilets throughout the park. I also enjoy the trail that runs along the river. It's paved, pretty flat, and maybe 3 ish miles so it's great for everyone. They have a few other trails that are less paved and go through more of the wooded area if you want a little more ruggedness. They also have playgrounds and shelters. Plus they do various festivals and activities throughout the year. Definitely stop by and bring a pup!

This is by far my favorite park i've ever been to. over the years, they have updated this park and…read moremade it more community friendly! If you go on a warm day, the park will be flooded with families, dogs, and members of the community. It is always a bright and fun place to be. They have a pickleball court, a huge playground, volleyball court, a long and short trail, water views, baseball area, open grass area, bathrooms, and lots of parking. what more could you ask for?? One of my favorite things to do at this park is sit under the trees with my boyfriend and have a picnic. This park offers many shaded areas as well. After being at the park, it is within walking distance of park university and many restaurants/coffee shops, and shopping areas. All around, it is worth a drive to visit!! This is a good solo park or family park,

I can't believe I've lived in KC for so long, and I just found Wyandotte County Lake…read more This is a 12 minute drive from where we live in Parkville MO, so we can be paddling or hiking within 10 minutes from leaving our house. A few things to know: 1. Kayaking or Paddleboarding- you must have a permit (sticker) displayed on your craft. You purchase this at the marina office - and they are closed Tuesday/ Wednesday. It's $60- season. We hear they are strict about enforcing this. The launch spot is very close to the marina office- and is amazing. The launch point is zero entry and it has a parking lot- so you don't have to drag your craft very far. It's great! We kayaked on a Saturday and only saw a couple of boats. We love the calm quiet water and the beautiful nature experience. 2. Hiking- there are over 10 miles of hiking trails around the lake. They are maintained by Urban Trail Co- and their site is where they post trail closings (they are closed after big rains). The trails are pretty hilly-and we have been using them for Colorado Backpacking training. It's perfect! Bring bug spray- and I wouldn't recommend going alone since they are very isolated in the woods. There don't seem to be clearly marked trail heads- we parked at the spillway parking lot or the shelters seem to trail entry points as well. Go get outside! Enjoy! ‍

I went there to hike the West Dam and Vulture Ridge Trail so that's what I'll be reviewing…read morespecifically. The trail is about a 5 mile loop. It's not well marked and there's spots where it's not maintained very well. I would suggest a trail app that you can download a map from because cell service is also spotty in areas along the trail. We went off trail several times due to those two reasons. It was also difficult to find the trail head. The trail itself has lots of shade. It's not the most difficult trail but you do have to watch your step due to rocks and uneven ground. There are lots of bugs, highly recommend bug spray because the mosquitoes are plentiful. There were quite a few mountain bikers and a few trail runners. There were also a couple of pups and children. If you bring a pup, make sure to keep an eye on the ground. It seems there's quite a few inconsiderate individuals who leave trash everywhere that frequent the park. So that's disappointing. Overall it was an ok trail. I'll return in the fall because I'm sure the leaves look pretty. But it's not a trail I'm super eager to return to.

I've stayed at this campground twice while doing a two day float trip down the Missouri River and…read moreit is perfect for our needs. It is right on the side of the river (great views!) and just about 100 yards from the boat ramp. The bathrooms are what I would describe as prison issue with cement floors, cinder block walls, and stainless steel plumbing, but they are so clean! A clean shower and toilet at the end of a long day paddling is great! They are locked to keep non-guests out. And the best part of this campground is the manager Charlie. Both times he took good care of us to make sure we had what we needed, gave us a good camping spot, and made sure we knew to call him if we had questions or needed something else. Some campsites have electricity. Usually there are picnic tables, but not this year. They had closed down for a while and then had limited sites available due to COVID 19. Only two of the 4 bathrooms were open. Make sure you call to make a reservation and see what's available. Perhaps the one downside is the campground is very close to a train track and trains rumbled through, whistles and all, all night long. It's an easy walk to Sonic to fill your belly with ice cream, breakfast burritos, and tots. All in all, still a great place to stay if you are paddling on the river.

Nice little campsite and boat dock. Beautiful views of the Missouri River. This area is historic…read moreas it was one of the places Lewis and Clark stoped on their exploration of the west. The historic sign is located at the entrance just down from the boat ramp. At the end of a camping area is a small half mile trail through the woods and meanders along side the muddy water of the Missouri. The has views nice and worth the easy walk. There is a restroom here and it has showers of your thinking of camping.

My husband and I Roeland Park, this nature sanctuary the day before Mother's Day. We had a heck of…read morea time finding it because the address was listed incorrectly. The nature sanctuary is on 12th St. and the connecting street is East St. Once we figured out where it was, we took our time on one of the trails I believe there are four trail options and the longest is 1.6 mile loop and the second is a 1 mile loop and the other ones are less than that. But it is a beautiful nature sanctuary with lots of greenery, woods, streams, water falls, and benches to enjoy the scenery. No pets are allowed since it is a nature sanctuary. There is a covered area off of one of the hikes that we went to that leads to some picnic tables. There's also several picnic tables by the parking lot. There are also bathrooms near the parking lot. The parking lot is next to the track and field belonging to the college. We really enjoyed our slow, meandering walk/hike and will definitely go back.

Hidden right by the bustle of downtown parkville, the parkville nature sanctuary has become one of…read moremy favorite places to do an easy hike. The trails are well maintained, and while there are some inclines at certain points, the trail is easy to follow and not strenuous. I love the various view points where you can stop and really appreciate natural beauty, like the waterfall or the butterfly pass. It feels like this is in its own little world despite being so close to the city. Be aware that the parking lot is pretty small so at peak times it may be hard to park.

I stopped by this quiet park on the way home so my grandson could try out the playground. This park…read moreis inside a residential area so there is no actual parking lot. But parking can be done on the street near the curb of the park. It's a quiet park with a small playground with newer equipment. There is a variety of regular swings, and also the larger swings for several kids. There is a walking trail that appears to be a loop. It's a small park, but it's nice and peaceful.

Catch us at a park all year long! Quail Creek Park has been in our rotation of parks and it is such…read morea great, little park! This park is tucked away in a neighborhood. There's no dedicated parking lot, but plenty of street parking. They have swings (2 baby ones, 2 normal ones, and two round tire type swings). The playground equipment is kind of advanced, but there are definitely things for younger littles. The ground is rubber material, so great for crawlers/ kiddos who are starting to walk! They also have a little creek and walking paths behind the park!

It was closed. The waterfall was a homeless porta potty, there have been multiple fires started…read morethat have destroyed the beautiful landscape that was there. Plus it has become unsafe and a dump where everyone dumps their trash! Yet if you go on their website it saids it's open and shows all the beauty that it used to be. Do not waste your time visiting' it's a huge disappointment! If I could choose no stars I would, but it's making me choose at least one.

This beautiful and scenic area exudes a real nature and woodsy forest feel. It used to be open for…read morescenic drives, but now it's blocked off to vehicles and has transformed into a stunning stretch for biking, jogging, running, or dog walking. If you know where to look, there are numerous off-road walking trails through the trees and brush. During the Christmas season, they reopen it for a drive-through Christmas lights exhibit. Personally, I find it nostalgic and beautiful, maybe even romantic, to walk through the fall or winter evening with a friend. It offers some of the most fantastic views in Kansas City. My favorite spot is to sneak to the top of the water fountain and light up a blunt!

This park has probably 5 or 6 acres of space, there is a climbing structure for kids, a full…read morebasketball court, a single tennis court, two volleyball nets with sand, plumbed restrooms, a large field with kids soccer net frames, a reservable picnic shelter with ten tables and two charcoal grills. There is abundant parking and a number of convenient trash cans. The play structure is on bark chips I stead of sand which I prefer as I don't get shoes full of sand at home care of my child.