This is a wonderful park for fishing, walking enjoying a nice pleasant day. Take your children to…read morethe park to enjoy the fountains in the city. There are wonderful areas to walk along and sit to simply enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. With over 3 miles of paths to walk along with a wonderful 1/2 mile walk around Stephens Lake makes this a perfect gem for being located right next to the downtown area of Columbia. Very clean bathrooms and recreational areas make this a Great place to enjoy an afternoon, walk or have a picnic.

This is a great park for walking, jogging, and leisurely fishing. The park is a large loop with…read moremultiple views around the trails. I loved that you could walk across the lake via bridge or walk around it completely. The playground is more for kids 4-10 but with a watchful eye littles 1-3 can have a blast too. There looked like construction for the littles playground coming in the spring. Dogs are allowed on leash so let the dogs out and be sure to clean up after them. This park is very accessible but I did not check the restroom to see if they were accessibly friendly.

Recently had a chance to check this place out here with my wife and baby daughter on a fun but hot…read moreweekend stroll. We enjoyed the fact that much of the park was in the shade because of the old trees being showcased. A good mix of flowers, trees, shrubs and ground cover. Has a koi fish pond, a lily pad pond with a small bridge to cross and an enclosed section with different species of roses which was very neat. It's not really big but I liked that about the place and I think it would be a great place to have a picnic or just relax for a few hours with family. We really enjoyed it. Highly recommend.

This is the cutest garden with so much to offer. I really enjoyed my visit. The rock tree mosaic…read morewas my favorite feature. Those who get to visit often are so lucky.

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.

Great little park. Several play areas available for a variety of age levels. Swings, sandbox,…read moremultiple playgrounds and slides. Bathrooms available during open season. Shelter with picnic tables.

It's a fun park! They had a huge playground area. We'd went right after rain with a 4 and 2 year…read moreold, but will definitely be back after they grow. My kiddos played on the smaller playground for almost 3 hours before we had to leave. We also had a picnic at one of the shelters. It was well kept and felt safe.

This place is the very best. It's typically so quiet and serene, and it has such a fantastic…read moreMissouri feel. The sunsets are always incredible, no matter what season it is!

Nifong Park is a hidden gem- always quiet and serene, this park is a great stop for viewing…read morehistorical buildings, and a prime choice for family photos or an engagement shoot. In the fall, the park comes alive for Heritage Festival, which is always fun to see. Any other day of the year though, it's not uncommon to be the only person wandering the grounds. The Maplewood Barn Theater also operates out of the park- though I've never been to a show, I've heard great things and I can't imagine watching a play in the park would be anything less than delightful.

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!

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've never seen an aquatic center with no chairs or loungers for people to sit on. It's absolutely…read moreridiculous. The pictures that I saw online showed zero chairs around the pool. Also, I spoke to some female on the phone and I when I said thank you for the information she said, "yup" Unprofessional.

pool is great. really like the kids are, and the diving boards. they have. good,read more

Garth Nature area has a lot going for it. First, it is easily accessible (and so close to a lot of…read moreneighborhoods, and always seems well-maintained. There are restrooms, a drinking fountain, and plenty of parking spots for the size of the park. The dog park is a decent size and has plenty of space for even the largest dogs to run around. It also has a pond for water-loving dogs. The park is open year-round, which is such a benefit for those random warm winter days we get in the Midwest. The trails are all gravel, which is something to keep in mind. There is a nice loop through some wetlands and trees that is about 1.5 miles, or you can go on a longer jaunt and connect to Cosmo Park or Bear Creek Trail. The wetlands are not something you find in most parks, and the nature lover in me especially enjoys that aspect of Garth Nature Area. If you live nearby, definitely worth checking out.

Garth dog park has some of the most ignorant so-called dog owners that I have ever seen in my life…read more Most of them have no idea how to discipline their dog. Many treat them as they are humans with fur. My dog was playing with a female dog quite nicely. Without warning, she attacked my dog aggressively. His obese and brainless owner sat on the bench and said absolutely nothing. She didn't correct her dog, she sat there like a statue. No apology, or anything. Many ppl who go there are the exact same way. Believing that you deserve a dog when you are clueless about how to handle them, is arrogance and ego fed, rather than a show of active intelligence. The nature area is nice but don't go to the dog park, unless you want to be around zombies who deliberately put your dog in harm's way. Also: someone made the comment that not all dog owners are cognizant of their behavior. Ppl have EYES, they see their dog attack another dog, anyone with 1/2 of a brain cell knows to grab their dog if they are the aggressor!!! They not only have no business having a pet, but you should never bring that animal around other ppl's dogs!?? It's high time common sense made a comeback in the USA.

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