City: Kansas City, MO

Category: Parks & Recreation

Telephone: (816) 795-8200

Description: You bet they’re happy campers in Jackson County; they’re also happy boaters, fishing enthusiasts, swimmers, and hikers. Fleming Park, a 7,800-acre paradise just 15 minutes east of Kansas City, offers all these activities and more with two lakes, a swimming beach, picnic shelters, archery range, hiking, and camping facilities. We provide camping information in the Accommodations chapter, or call (816) 229-8980 for a free campground guide.Winding through the grounds are six trails that offer blufftop and lakefront vistas, as well as your choice of a quiet stroll or a challenging hike. The park is also where you’ll find Missouri Town 1855, an antebellum farming community of more than 25 buildings dating from 1820 to 1860. This living-history museum uses original furnishings and equipment, interpreters in period attire, and rare livestock breeds to depict the lifestyles of the mid-19th century. Take a self-guided tour or watch for annual events like Children’s Day in June, when kids can take out the earbuds and participate in a gunnysack race or pie-eating contest. Tours are given Saturdays throughout the summer, and tickets ($5 for adults, $3 for seniors and kids from 2 to 13) are available the day of the tour at Missouri Town; preregistration is not available. Call (816) 229-8980 for more information. The Kemper Outdoor Education Center is a haven for nature lovers, nestled on the east side of Lake Jacomo in the Fleming Park Nature Preserve. The center features aquariums, live displays of reptiles (go ahead, you touch it), a bird viewing area, and a display of rocks and minerals. The 40-acre site boasts butterfly gardens, ponds, beehives, wildlife-feeding stations, and a 1-mile nature trail through wetlands, tallgrass prairie, and woodlands. Kemper Gardens is a popular spot for summer weddings where the bridge over the garden pool waterfall makes a lovely altar.