I was in town for a doctors appointment so I stopped by this beautiful park when I was finished so…read moreI could get some steps in. I was so impressed with the cleanliness of the place, the number of benches it offered, and the fact that there was actually drinking fountains that worked!!!

I exited the Turnpike for Lawrence but it turned out the thing I wanted to see was closed down and…read moreso I managed to get a little lost and then I landed here at South Park. Wow! A great spot for me to walk around, stretch my legs and enjoy the oldest park in Lawrence, Kansas. Well-manicured grass, lots of old growth trees, paved pathways and a very pretty bandstand. Playgrounds, picnic areas and flower gardens abound. The wading pool was crowded today and I tried to take a picture without looking creepy. A very neat spot and I'd love to spend more time here but the highway calls. [Review 11429 overall, 1207 of 2019.]

Skate 3 is an excellent game, with immersive gameplay and an endless array of tricks to perform in…read morea massive landscape. I purchased this game for $20 from Vintage Stock, and I can confidently say it has been the best $20 I ever spent. Unlike Skate XL, the newer version, Skate 3 brings a sense of nostalgia on top of the already wonderful feeling of skating around a map, free of stress, and playing with friends. I give this game a 4.9/5 and recommend it to anyone who enjoys skating and to anyone willing to try a fun older game with a layer of nostalgia.

What a hidden gem on an otherwise sleepy Sunday afternoon. Loved the hills and shady trees in…read morewalking distance to The Merc. Neat little playground for toddlers and a skate park for tweens and older. Nice grassy getaway.

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.

pretty good for kids or beginners, and also next to a basketball core to practice some flat ground…read moretricks

This place has an old decomissioned train as its distinguishing factor. Kids LOVE playing around…read moreon that old engine. Its also home to some basketball courts and a few not-super-level open spaces for frisbee or the like.

Been here almost every summer it's really awesome I heard that they do classes and things like that…read morebut 2 things to be careful of 1 you might hit your head in the insect tunnel 2 their was a snake in the playground so really careful of that idk if they got rid of it because I haven't been their since 2023 or 2022

Super strong ammonia smell inside the facility. We could not stand it. Animal Control stopped in as…read morewe were leaving so hopefully action was taken to mitigate the odor as this cannot be healthy for the animals. We did enjoy the native pollinator plants.

The manager lifeguard literally came up and said he would "bend the rules" for another child that…read morewas the same height as my child. Would not for my child when I asked after watching another parent ask. Just another Lawrence thing that's a joke rn

I'm not a beach person, but when you take them for granted and then move half a country away from…read moreany, you start to miss them! You need a fix of the sounds of splashing and screams and the smells of suntan lotion and fried foods and the sun on your...well, at the end of your towel if it must be anywhere near your person (I am a shade lover). Really, I've always been more into pools than beaches. Sand is gross and waves and jellyfish (and SHARKS!) often make swimming impossible (NB: I am just trying to make myself feel better about missing access to a coast). When I was a kid, the highlight of my summer were the daily trips to one of the county pools, where I'd spend hours swimming to the point where I'd leave with a lung ache from the chlorine. The Outdoor Aquatic Center is a lot nicer than the pools I went to growing up. I spent many an afternoon here last summer. Sometimes, I'd get lucky and grab a chair in the shade of an umbrella (hello, beach!), but if none were available, I'd spread out my towel in the shade of the trees. Really, an idyllic way to spend a summer day. The pool has very carefully sectioned off areas according to water level. As most of the time I was in the pool hanging out with a 7 and 3 year old, we'd be in the shallow area, which is very kid-friendly, with fountains and waterfalls. In the other areas there are 2 awesome slides/flumes and diving boards. I can't lie. Part of me was dying to be a kid again so I could ride down that corkscrew flume! There are lockers, as well as a snack stand that is pretty cheap. The most awesome thing? It costs $4 to get in! $3 for those under 5 and over 65, but if you know you're going regularly, a season pass will only set you back 20 bucks per 30 days (162 bucks for an annual pass that includes the Indoor Aquatic Center). Surely this isn't much more than it cost back when I was a kid (trust me, this is a very long time ago).

If you are expecting open spaces, fresh air, comfortable places to relax, and the splendor of…read morenature, then the Lawrence Rotary Arboretum is just the place. The arboretum is set in the southwest corner of the Lawrence area and nestled up against the (finally) evolving Lawrence Youth Sports Complex and the dam of Clinton Lake. A lovely pond is encircled with a wide walking path, a broad variety of native trees and grasses, and a gazebo that overlooks the water. Each different tree species is marked and identified, helping young and old to appreciate the vagary differences of the flora. There is also an area designated as a 'butterfly habitat' in conjunction with another Lawrence attraction called Monarch Watch. Who doesn't love watching the majestic and delicate beauty of butterflies? There is a sidewalk that leaves the arboretum and winds through a grassy meadow along the dam and terminates out at Clinton Lake. Pro tip: from the parking lot of the arboretum to the dam is right at 1.5 miles, so if you have an hour or so to kill, it makes for a leisurely three-mile walk. Bikers, dog walkers, and others frequent the arboretum and the path. It's really one of Lawrence's 'hidden' treasures and it will continue to evolve.

Everytime I'm in the area I go here and truly enjoy a walk. The garden and fountains and walking…read morepaths make for a wonderful sight to see.