Neighborhood playgrounds are excellent, but otherwise lacking for a park. Kids will have fun or…read moreeat and watch kids play plus use the nice amenities for a restrooms. But don't come for hiking if any other adult activities.

While on a family reunion we had downtime and needed a cheap/free activity for the kiddos. This…read morepark was AWESOME. It is built very smartly. There are shaded overwatch towers for parents to watch their kids in any part of the park, there is a splash park and multiple playground areas dependent on your child's size. We stayed for over two hours and the kids did not want to leave. Our kids ages range from 10-4 and everyone had a good time. My mother in law walked the trail several times. The other parents/kids were very friendly too, great park, great atmosphere. The only downside, which isn't even bad, it's expected, is that the bathrooms were not that clean, but it was manageable for what was needed for the kiddos to pee and go back to playing. When I'm St Louis again, we would come back!!

Many pass by or stop here without even realizing this is a St. Charles City park right in the busy…read morehistoric district. This pleasant mini-park (less than 1/2 acre) is shaded with mature trees and has benches for rest breaks from strolling Main Street. A gazebo offers more seating. Below it are restrooms--possibly the most-used amenity the park offers. The restrooms are open year round.

This park is beautiful. Many scenic areas and a lot of photo opportunities. Area was very clean and…read moreclear of litter. A nice place to exercise, walk, yoga or just ppl watch. Will make this my zen place for sure.

My first time biking Bangert I was alternately delighted and frustrated. A bicycle allowed me to…read morecover the entire island, something I've never done on foot. Every time I came to a path fork I took the trail heading away from the interior. So, it was a delight to cover the perimeter and finally explore areas I hadn't been in before. However, the lack of trail markers--even at the forks--meant much of the time I had little idea where I was. The trail map was no help and only by checking the sun's position and knowing where the river was did I have an idea of the general direction I was headed. That was frustrating. I kept thinking how a walker wouldn't know where they were, nor how far they were from the next fork that could take them back to Bangert's entrance. Beyond that, the island's trails are fairly easy. Paths nearest the River Road and along the north are solid and mostly flat. Trails along the river are sandy with frequent dips and switchbacks. I began by heading north toward Interstate 70 and its traffic roar. Once I made the turn south and biked further from the bridge the noise subsided and the ride became more serene. However, the trail also got narrower. Trees close in and it's easy to snag a handlebar or pedal. There were a few small tree trunks across the trail--part of the fun of mountain biking--but most were level with the ground. A few trunks showed recent evidence of large trees having been cut to allow the path to run between the sections. Carey in what you need: There are no facilities of any sort here.

Would love to give this a 5 star review, but went on the Slough Loop Trail and got about a mile…read moreinto the "loop" and hit a dead end with lots of downed trees and heavy brush covering the trail, with no real way to get around. Had to backtrack and try another trail. That trail was open with no dead ends. Hopefully St. Charles County parks will clear the downed trees this winter and open all the trails once again for Spring 2022. Anyway, nice overlook of the Missouri River just south of the I-70 Blanchette Bridge. The trails are mostly wooded with several spots that have views of the river.

This garden in the middle of Blanchette Park provides a serene environment all year round with the…read morechanging floral blooms and leaf colors. A paved path meanders through the garden with benches located at appropriate distances for rest or meditation. The Angel of Hope statue pays tribute to parents who have suffered the loss of a child. Each December a candlelight service here provides comfort to parents. Rau Garden can be enjoyed around your other Blanchette Park activities, or be a destination unto itself.

A very nice aquatic facility! I was invited by a friend who is a St. Charles resident. This pool is…read morefairly strict about non-resident passes, which I do understand and it is their right. It makes the pools less crowded, and I'm sure is easier on the lifeguards and maintenance staff. I have no complaints about my time actually poolside. However, I am knocking a star for their terrible online ticketing website. It appears they limit non-resident passes to twenty a day, which makes getting put into a que and then taken to another page, which was finicky, to pay with credit card quite annoying and also nervemaking, as I worried we had driven out for nothing as the number of tickets left went down... Anyway, I was impressed overall. Not sure I'll be back out before it closes for the season (mid-August, which seems early), but I was happy to invited once!

Blanchette Park was acquired by St. Charles in 1914, making it the oldest in the city's park…read moresystem. However, the updated park stands up well to newer parks. Its 44 acres include an outdoor aquatic center, baseball/softball diamonds, large playground (with rubberized surface), tennis/pickleball courts, horseshoe pits, football field, Ben Rau floral garden, picnic pavilions, and hiking trail. In winter, a park hill provides snow sledding. A serene spot in the park is set aside for the Angel of Hope statue, a memorial to all parents who have experienced the death of a child. Each December 6 an evening candlelight memorial service is held here.

Drove by this hidden gem for many years before I finally visited and I'm so happy I did. This is a…read morevery clean , quiet park with picnic pavilions a playground , fire pit and a center for small events. They have a few trails around and the Katy trail and St Charles riverfront are close by.

This city park includes an all ages playground, picnic pavilion, and community building…read more A gravel trail connects Webster to nearby Heatherbrook Park. Webster, located off Arena Parkway, is peaceful and nestled among woods. Its amenities make it useful for a family outing or large group gathering. The community building can be rented for an indoor party or business meeting. Outside are dining tables and seating around a fire pit.

We decided to go to the lake. It was serene. It has a very peaceful vibe. People are kayaking,…read more walking and riding bikes. The lake is beautiful. Unfortunately I didn't feel like taking a stroll. Therefore I sat and watch people. There were some interesting people and families.

I come here often. Sometimes for solitude, sometimes to get active with friends. My only issue was…read morethat the restrooms were not available -- likely because it was out of season when I went. Love how BIG it is.. and I can get my steps in with one lap! If you go when it's cold, the portion of the trail not blocked by trees is very cold! Dress warm!

If you weren't paying attention you might not notice this park tucked in between the Rec-Plex and…read moreCity Hall. It's got a little bit of everything. Trails, athletic fields, pond and a pavilion to eat lunch at.

Interesting park to explore…read more Seems to be an afterthought from city hall & Rec Center being built here. Take little kids to the far West entrance for the playground & pavilion. The lake with fountain is nice & calm for a date. The walking trail isn't very long & goes by parking lots & buildings too much. The ball fields are OK, but few. However, the Lutheran schools have more just East of the park.

Beautiful trail with great access and not crowded in early May. Many birds (including a turkey.)…read moreRent bikes right on the trail in St Charles from the Bike Stop Cafe.

For my thousandth review, I had to pick somewhere special and to me, there's nowhere more special…read morein the state of Missouri than the Katy Trail. My friend and I rode this trail in its entirety; just over 240 total miles of trail spanning Clinton, MO to Machens, MO east to west, and the three and a half days out here were paradise. The trees recently bloomed (mid-May) and formed a shaded tunnel for several miles along the ride. Aside from the occasional rural highway to cross, you'll ride free of cars in peace on this classic rails-to-trail state park. I don't know if it's the constant endorphins from riding, the unique sights and smells of nature, or just the unknown adventure of heading across the state by bike, but this equated to one of my favorite trips I've ever taken in my life. For the next trip, we're taking Amtrak straight to Sedalia so we don't have to get dropped off, plus, who doesn't love traveling by train? I want to break it down day by day below, as well as shout out to some great local spots that we found along the way. But first, trail details if you're planning a trip: It's crushed limestone, which can be dry and dusty some years, or a bit sloshy during others. I have a road bike but opted to take a cross bike for this one with 35 mm tires. While the trail packs down very well and is ridable from nearly any bike, I highly recommend at least 30 mm or wider tires. No need for mountain bike tires, but at least something wide enough to be more comfortable as you log miles. Day 1: We were dropped off at Clinton and had a destination of Boonville; all told it was around 78 miles with a break halfway in Sedalia. The Clinton stretch is a bit boring compared to the rest, with looser gravel and not a ton of scenery. Sedalia was a nice change of pace and we broke from the trail to find Kehde's BBQ in an old MKT train car, along with Ozark Coffee which is by far the best cup of coffee in Sedalia. There's a stretch after Sedalia with no trailheads, no water, no nothing, so plan accordingly. We finished our first day by staying in the historic Hotel Frederick in Boonville, ready to set out and get river views for day 2. Day 2: By far the most epic day. The bluffs as you approach Rocheport are towering and unlike most of Missouri's somewhat limited scenery. The Rocheport tunnel is amazing and you've got to get a photo there, and then shortly after you'll find Meriweather Cafe... the best spot along our trip. Not too far after that is the landing with music, Thai food (Chim's) and scenery. We dodged some thunderstorms in mid-May, but were able to get into our hotel at Jeff City right before the skies opened up. Day 3: Jeff City is not my fav, so we waited out storms and headed through a workmanlike, dodgy part of the trail. It got better as we got further away from Jeff City, and the sun popped out and the trail met the river again. Scenery slowly changes as you approach Hermann, MO, famous for all their wineries and festivals. Crashed at an AirBNB in the middle of nowhere that night, and got up before the sun to finish the trail on the final day. Day 4: My friend and I were up and out by 5:45 a.m. so we could make our train back to KC. Beautiful early morning ride through the country, then into Weldon Spring and a nature preserve just outside St. Louis. This was a beautiful stretch, but it starts to feel more suburban the closer in you get which feels weird after nothing but nature. We made it to St. Charles, took photos with the Lewis & Clark statues, and crushed some food at Bike Stop Cafe. All that was left is a somewhat odd 13 miles of loose track out to Machens, a total map dot. Not sure why the trail goes here, but we had to finish it all so we did it just this once. It would be a much more natural ending, or beginning, to situate in St. Charles as there are tons of places to stay and eat, plus a classic river landing. We got picked up from a scheduled shuttle with Bike Stop Cafe and they took us out to the Kirkwood Amtrak, about 45 minutes away for $80. We hopped aboard the train (only an extra $10 per person for bikes, but they can only accommodate 4 per train so make reservations) and took it back to Union Station back home in KC. This place is a win-win-win: A major win for cyclists/hikers/nature enthusiasts, a win for cars who hate cyclists on the road (c'mon man), and a win for Missouri as it showcases the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the entire US. They take good care of it overall, but I'd love to see some more water stops along the way as you really need to ration it at times. The Katy really is a special place, and whether you set out to do the whole thing, ride a day with friends to a winery/brewery, or take the fam to explore, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Typically when I take trips, I want to get AWAY from the state I live in, but having this one in my back yard makes for an unforgettable trip and one I'm hoping to make into an annual tradition.

This city of St. Charles park offers the usual neighborhood park amenities in its 25 acres. There's…read morea new playground, several ball fields, seasonally open restrooms, paved walkways, half court basketball, and two picnic pavilions. A storybook walk provides a children's book story along its short paved course.