The BEST outfitter we've dealt with! Knowledgeable! Friendly! AND reasonable prices!!!…read more Perfect... Big River's not a fast river, but we had an AWESOME time!

I LOVE Washington State Park. I haven't been in quite some time so my boyfriend and I packed up our…read more4 kids and stayed in the cabins for a few days. From the minute we arrived to the moment we left we were met with hospitality, kindness, helpfulness and all done with a SMILE. I believe the man that runs the place is named Earl. Earl... YOU ROCK. The lifeguards at the pool were wonderful with one of my kids who was scared to go down the water slide. The lifeguard volunteered to go down it with her until she was comfortable with it. MO FUN PARKS and the people who run it truly enjoy their jobs. My family and I can't WAIT to go back and are already planning a fall season trip to the cabins!! See you all soon!!

It's a good deal for the price with lots of variety and seating. The lockers were also a good deal…read moreallowing multiple entries. Bathroom floor and nearby were dangerous slippery. A lady fell and left in an ambulance. Slide height requirement was 48". My youngest was given a bracelet to show he had been checked and passed, but he was checked 2 more times and sent back down the stairs once. I don't really believe it was a safety thing as much as the exit pool depth so that was frustrating. There was also a lack of good signage. Several kids were turned away from the top of the slides because they were wearing vests. Signs on the stairs explained 3 lines but there were 4 slides.

Decent community water park. Not too expensive ($11-$12, depending on age). Ok variety of…read moreattractions, including a kid area and lazy river. The height restrictions on slides are a bit much, though. I'd recommend Cape Splash over River Rapids.

Crystal City Pool in Crystal City is sort of a hidden gem. Not many know about…read more Nestled in the heart of Crystal City, they offer a kid splash pad, & in the main pool you'll find a large water slide & diving board. This pool is great for just one person to get the tan on or bring your family! They offer season tickets which are more than affordable & if you live in Crystal, the passes are discounted. For $6 a day as an adult, this will get you in! 65+ years old will get you in for FREE! They offer adult swims in the morning which you can pop into if you don't want to listen to kids. The life guards were on it. They make sure you can swim & do a swim test before letting you on the diving board & the deep end. Definitely recommend!

Great neighborhood pool. We get a family pass every year. The guards are super and the slide is…read morejust fine for the littles.

My kids and I loved the hike! My husband alMost had a heart attack ;) it is pretty wicked going up,…read moreneed hiking boots, some water and a few snacks. The view was breath taking! So worth it. Just know the beginning going up is more like an uphill dry creek bed with 4-8" rocks that your climbing. It was definitely doable but it was a workout.

Easily one the best hikes in Missouri. Hughes Mountain is one of the highest points in Missouri…read more Unlike Taum Sauk, the top of this mountain is not covered with trees. Instead, it's covered with some of the oldest exposed rock in the U.S. It's a rhyolite formation, which kind of looks like a bunch of bricks or pavers were dumped onto the top of the mountain. It's often referred to as the "Devils Honeycomb." This type of rock formation only appears in a couple of places in the United States. Because it's one of the highest points and there aren't trees on top, this is probably the best view in the state. Between the rocks and the view, It's just an amazing place and a must see for hikers. The only facility at Hughes Mountain is a parking lot, no picnic areas or bathrooms. I've been twice, both times on beautiful days. Also both times I (we) climbed to the top and back with no one else ever showing up. It's an easy hike for kids and they'll love limbing on the rocks, but it's kind of a long hike if they're under 5 or so. The parking lot is off Hwy M, which hits Hwy 21 south of Potosi and north of Caledonia.

We had a fantastic time on this trail! We had no idea what to expect just based on pictures. I can…read moresay it exceeded our expectations. The trail itself was well-designated. However, it wasn't totally developed, nor was it paved, and that made this trail feel way more natural and rustic. It was exactly what we wanted. The trail is moderately-difficult in some places, but I would still put it on the easy end of things. The views were great, especially the rock formations. However, it was rather dry, so there wasn't much of a spring, but that no big deal. This was a great day trip, and we will be back!

This was one of three trails our group hiked today. This place is such a good place to see all the…read morerock formations. The hiking trail here was about two miles that we hiked. The view of the leaves changing colors was so pretty and the phone camera does not capture the natural beauty of this place as it should. Seeing this place at this time is quite awesome. The double arch rock formations was a must to see for us today.

Located about 40 minutes from St. Louis City, you will find Kress Farm Garden Preserve. The drive…read moreis easy and fast (since it's all highway driving). There are a few signs when you turnoff the highway to let you know you are going the correct direction. The entrance is marked with an iron gate. When the gate is open, they are open. No dogs allowed since this is a Nature Preserve. When you drive through the compound, you will pass a pavilion and then reach the parking lot. There are several accessible parking spots first, then parking spots for additional vehicles. One of the employees (possible owner) greeted us in the parking lot, offered directions to the trailhead, and asked how we heard about their place. Very welcoming! Visitors can borrow walking sticks from the pavilion and return before leaving the property. They have several hiking trails that all begin at the same point. We hiked their Blue Trail since we wanted to see the caves on the property. The paths are all very well marked with colored plaques on the trees. The paths are cleared of excess grass, roots, weeds, which makes for a very pleasant hike. This trail went through a cypress forest, which smells like Christmas. After about half mile hike though the woods, there's an offshoot from the main path down to the cliff caves. There are 3 shallow caves to explore. The offshoot to the caves it a bit strenuous. Leave your stroller at the top of the hill. The offshoot added another .2 miles to the hike. They also have plant and vegetable sales on the weekends. Be sure to check out their Instagram @kressfarmgardenpreserve and website for up to date events. Bluebird trail: 2 miles Yellow trail: 3/4 mile Red trail: 1.2 miles White Trail 2.0 miles Blue Trail 1.0 miles

Not gunna lie kinda of sad that I'm writing this review, because it's such an unknown gem. Its not…read moreover flowing with hikers. This place is spacious when it comes to human contact. The trails are all well marked along all pathways, and color coded to the chosen trail. Benches to rest along the way on, or read.... as this bookworm did. It preserved by its keepers. Who manage it very diligently. They have gardens, nurseries, a cute little shop with bird houses and jellies and jams to purchase. They provide walking sticks for the trails as well. This place is truly grand. Thank you for a wonderful day.

Ste. Genevieve National Historic Park loosely reminds me of Harpers Ferry, in the sense that it's…read morenot just one spot - it's an entire town where you can completely surround yourself in the history of the era by strolling the streets and looking at the historic buildings. It is the oldest permanent settlement in Missouri, originally French-owned post-Colonial contact, and it became part of the US as a portion of the Louisiana Purchase. There is some unique architecture to be seen, via a mix of National Park Service, local services, and some privately held properties. The Welcome Center is a must stop when you get into town, as this is the combined location where both the representatives of the National Park Service and local tourism are situated. They can answer questions and get you situated. It's also where you can watch the park film, see some exhibits, including a large and impressive diorama of the town in 1832, and find the gift shop and clean restrooms. The rangers also pointed us towards the location of a fun hands-on boat building activity with a ranger on the porch of one of the historic buildings that the NPS administers. It also has a nice parking lot available.

Disclaimer: This is more of a review of the fantastic people who staff the NPS and represent Ste…read more Genevieve, but contains good info for any interested in visiting or watching the Parked at Home talks about this national park. I'm a Providence transplant but after 25 years living in RI, I figured I knew a decent amount of the history around town and neighboring cities. I did not expect to learn so much about our own little Ocean State when tuning in to listen to a chat about what we have in common with a national park all the way out in Missouri. Before we get into any details, the hosts deserve so much credit for doing this, and they do a fantastic job presenting material that might be an educational lesson but felt more laid back. Although I didn't actually hear "Hey! we think this is neat, you probably will too", that's the atmosphere I feel. When people are passionate about something, it shows through in the energy they use when they get to share the things they care about. Our first host, Andrew, sets up the Blackstone river / Slatersville / Woonsocket history of New England mill life and Claire from Ste. Genevieve slides in to share history, parallels, and modern perspectives from out in Missouri. Andrew then jumps back in to connect a few more of the similarities with Rhode Island's immigrant roots and how they shaped modern institutions and the people they influenced. For being 1000 miles apart, the farming and mining lives of these early Americans were remarkably similar. A warning about a tough topic for kids, slavery is touched upon in a couple of spots. As critical and important as it is for me to hear and discuss with my own kiddo, it may be best for other parents to be prepared if making this a family listening experience. One thing I don't think I ever really visualized was the shifting nature of territories during this history. Claire offers a couple of maps that really gives a sense of how different influences shaped these regions and how it carries over into modern settlements. One of the things that I thought could have made the presentation a little more rich would be more images. Both hosts do offer shots of people and historic buildings, but with little info identifying them or their significance, I had hoped to see more in detail. We live in an age where we can explore any place from our couch, so to be fair, I suppose this is why they want us to get off the couch and go visit! Sort of related, for any of you Rhode Islanders out there with French Canadian roots, I definitely recommend checking out the Woonsocket museum Andrew references. And an inside tip from a food guy: Head to Ye Old English for lunch after, fish and chips is what they do. All told, good listen and unexpectedly entertaining, worth checking out others in the series if you are a history buff or scouting the next place to take the family for summer vacation. Blackstone NPS has its own YouTube channel with past parked at home talks, all about the same hour in length, and you can find this one here. I'll be tuned in to hear next week's live one on Thursday, can't ask questions from a pre-recorded video! Get an easy link from their socials or head to https://www.nps.gov/nature/parkedathomeseries.htm to sign up and learn more.

This is actually Crowne Pointe Golf Course. Typically the course is in good shape. Lately the…read moregreens are better than they once were a year ago. They were all redone due to a huge mix up while watering. That's tough to come back from but i think they did a pretty good job. This course lacks trees, but does not lack WIND. Boy oh boy does it blow lol. Fairways are always in great shape and the rough is always dangerous. As far as service goes, I've not always been a fan. The club pro has made me, and others I've talked to, feel like they didn't want us there. Awfully condescending for a club pro and doesn't not exactly promote you becoming a member. Several people there treat you "less than" and it's a bit troubling when you spend your money to play there, only to feel uncomfortable. This isn't the kind of experience I enjoy, and neither do others. It's unfortunate but unavoidable at some places. All in all, I do recommend playing here, but I don't know that I would choose this club over others in the area. I've had much better experiences at other courses.