Barling City Park

Very nice park with a great splash park ! My grandkids had lots of fun and there were plenty of benches covered with sun sails for shade , covered picnic tables and lots of big trees. Bring sunscreen for the kids the splash park play area is sunny. Will definitely be using this park often. Can’t wait for fall to take the grandkids to the playground area!

Absolutely amazing park! Totally updated and has a splash pad! We meet with family & had a great time! The park also includes 18 holes of disc golf!

Really cute splash pad here. It seems to get busy later on in the day, so it’s good to come early. The park is also very well kept and there are toilets nearby.

So nice!!! It's new! Everything was so nice and the padding underneath the playground is shredded tires. The play ground itself was really really good. The splash pad was great as well!! Some slick spot, but they a have a couple rubber mats, but probably could use some more. Definitely a nice place for the kids and will be going back!

Really huge park. Would be great for kids birthday parties when the weather is nice. Lots of kid friendly playground  things to climb on. Pavilions available and grills for outdoor cooking and eating. Nice and quiet first thing in the morning.

Hackett City Park

The cleanest public restrooms I've ever seen.  I was impressed.  No smell.  Stocked with soap and towels and most importantly toilet paper.  Park picnic tables very clean as well.   The grass was not tall any where in the park.  Very well maintained.

They got it all. Rollercoasters, rapids, mountain climbing. You can even go on an African Safari. Suppose to be a rocket launch to outer space in August. They got raffle tickets to see who gets a ride. You can hack it, in Hackett. Of coarse don't be out there after dark. We have vampires and water buffalo.

Buffalo Springs Campground

Although the campground has the stinkiest vault toilets, camping here was a fantastic experience. The gases from waste fermentation are really really strong despite the toilets being well ventilated and clean. The campground was well maintained and quiet at night. The host was very helpful and friendly.

Awesome little Campground! The map on the reservation site is worthless. I took a picture of the evacuation map which is much more accurate. I also posted pictures of each site so you can see your spot before you pick it. Most of the sites are too small for a truck and trailer together but there are a few that will fit. The host was nice enough to let us switch spaces to one we could fit in. There are usually a few open spaces at this campground for first come first serve but don't bet on it on a holiday weekend.  This is a quiet campground that doesn't allow lots of noise like big parties,  ATVs, or shooting so plan accordingly.  There are miles and miles of dirt roads just outside the campground that are behind a closed gate most of the year (usually open July-Sept ) so it's great for biking without worrying about vehicle traffic.

Campground was beautiful - quiet - and forestry, camp host was awesome, vault toilets were clean, and the sites were well spread out. SO many aspens at this site, we can’t wait to come back in the fall!

Great National Forest campground near Buena Vista and Breckenridge. Close to lots of amazing hikes. Site 18 is the best of the bunch by far. It's large and is the most private. Hope to get back someday soon!

Great location! We rented a cabin and loved it.  It was the perfect size for our family of 4 and our dog.  It was very clean and the staff was very friendly and helpful!

Big Joel's Safari Petting Zoo & Educational Park

This place was awesome! The staff was so friendly, and the place is big! I wasn’t expecting to see so many animals! Feeding the cows was my favorite part and my daughter loved being able to feed the parakeets. It was a great experience and not that far of a drive!

Great place a bit off the beaten path, but not too far. You could spend as little as a few hours to most of the day here. We were there about three hours which allowed plenty of time to see all the animals and let the kids play for awhile.

Prices are reasonable and the place is clean. Clean as one can expect an animal park to be that is. The staff was also friendly and willing to talk about the animals and share stories.

No food service, as they say on their site. So eat before or pack a lunch. You can eat in the parking lot area if you’re making a day of it.

We took our 2 year old granddaughter and her mom and dad. She had so much fun feeding the animals. They have set the animals up in a way that is fun and  not intimidating for the little ones. There is also lots of staff to help you and keep both the people and the animals safe. Please use the spoons they provided to feed the animals, they keep you from getting bit and also protect the animals

What a cool petting zoo! It is much larger than we imagined! There was so much for the kids to see! The spoons were a smart idea for those that may be afraid to feed the animals with their hands. Took us close to an hour and a half to go around the whole place at a leisure pace. Animals, playground, huge slide for the kids, they had a variety of things to do. Fall decorations all over when we went. Was super fun.

We had fun. I enjoyed walking around with my Grandson (age 2).
He was having fun.
Lots of very sweet animals.

Centennial Lakes Park

This is a gorgeous place to hang out in nice weather.
It's very accessible for wheelchairs. There is plenty of  handicap parking (van accessible).
I wheeled around the lake with my husband. It was a sunny, warm weekend day but there was no crowd here. It was incredibly quiet which was nice.  Benches are available along the walk for rest or just relaxing. It's fun to watch the ducks in the water and the paddle boats - you can rent those but I didn't go in that area sorry!
I think it does shift to another park at some point if you're going in the full loop as I saw a sign that said "South Park" -or that means it's the south part of this park. I'm not sure.
It was well worth going as it's hard to find outdoor locations  to wheel around without large hills.

I have this marked as a place to go back to.

We’ve been going up to the cities for years and years and years. Never knew this place existed. It is well worth the trip, absolutely beautiful, you can walk around all three lakes. I think the trail is probably a little over half a mile or 3/4 of a mile long, restaurants, great views, mini golf course.

We love to come here! There are so many nice things to do in the park: go for a walk, play mini golf (a favorite), listen do different bands that occasionally play there, paddle boat…. It’s an easy to access Park and it’s very well kept. The surroundings are great. In September it’s entertaining to check out the art fair they offer.

It was a very beautiful park. It was my first time there! I will come back in September as the paddle boats were in the sun 🌞  and way too hot 🔥 to use that day. I love ❤️ the beauty and the scenery. The swings were a nice touch. Mini golf, yes,  please!!!

I had the pleasure of checking this park out in late October! Being from Florida we don't have much color changes in our trees. Peaceful walk.

Endangered Wolf Center

Very cool experience! I went on a photographers tour, so my trip was more about getting good photos than learning, however, the staff was very knowledgeable and always willing to answer questions. The gift shop was pretty cool as well.

Nothing like it where we live. I didn’t know there were so many different kinds of wolves. The guide was very informative and covered a lot of information in a short time on the endangered tour. Our kids ages 7-14 enjoyed it. And the adults did too!

Absolutely amazing experience. We were greeted at the visitor center by the sound of the wolves howling in unison. Our guide Amira was incredibly knowledgeable and very patient with the endless list of questions from our Scout troop. We can't wait to go back!

One of the biggest hidden gems in STL for animal lovers. The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. A great place to take the kids to help them learn about animal conservation!

Visiting the EWC was a memorable experience for my granddaughter and I. We watched a brief video about the mission of the center then headed outside to view the foxes and wolves. Paige, our tour guide, was friendly and full of interesting facts about the animals and EWC.

Town Square

Came for the second Friday (May 2022) free concert featuring Wax Museum. Beautiful venue. Nice for families and it is dog friendly. Pappy’s Smokehouse food truck and Steampunk Brewery supported the event.

Took a walk from Longview Farm Park. Nice lake.

Beavers Bend Safari Park

We LOVED the safari park - it’s full of gorgeous, active animals and the drive through is gorgeous. There were rhino, zebra, bison, and a ton of deer and other exotic animals. We will definitely be back once the rest of the park opens. Brian (or Bryan), the owners father, was so kind and accommodating!

We absolutely loved the Safari Park!  We went on an overcast day when it had previously rained and it was perfect. All of the animals were out and there were hardly any other cars in the park so we didn’t feel rushed at all. There were so many animals that we’d never seen before. Make sure to buy feed for the feeding stations b/c all of the animals flock to the stations and you can roll down your window to see the animals as you drop the feed in the slot. The park was very clean, the animals looked well cared for and had heated enclosed areas to go in during bad weather. It took about an hour to drive through the park. The man at the gift shop where we bought the feed was very nice and informative!  Highly recommend!

Beavers Bend Safari Park - A Gem in the Woods

From the moment we arrived at Beavers Bend Safari Park, we knew we were in for a unique experience. Tucked away at 589 Old Hochatown Rd, Broken Bow, OK, this place truly is great for nature lovers.

Our stay at the "Blesbok Bungalow” exceeded all expectations. For a cabin nestled in the heart of the woods, it was remarkably spotless. The bungalow was not only clean but also equipped with everything one could possibly need. From silverware, a toaster, non-stick cooking pans, to even a strainer – they had thought of everything. What genuinely impressed us was the absence of bugs inside.

Each morning, we were greeted with a view of Bongos, deer, and various other animals, all visible from our living room. The serene surroundings provided the perfect backdrop for some quality time with nature, making our stay incredibly peaceful.

One of our favorite things to do in the morning was to visit the on-site gift shop and get coffee. I highly recommend getting the cold brew coffee or a frappe.

Traveling with our 10-month-old, we were initially apprehensive about how the trip would pan out. However, Beavers Bend ensured that each one of us, had an equally delightful experience. The safari drive-through was an amazing journey, with well-maintained and clean feeding stations adding to the experience.

What truly stood out to us was the night sky. Coming from the city, the view of the Milky Way and a blanket of stars was something we hadn't witnessed in a long time. Sitting outside our cabin, gazing up at the universe, was a very surreal experience.

Beavers Bend Safari Park is a destination we'll be revisiting in the not-so-distant future. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars, for it truly deserves it. For families or couples seeking a break from the hustle and bustle, looking to reconnect with nature, this place is the perfect getaway. Highly recommended!

My husband and I were visiting from TN and this was by far on of our favorite places we went!! I absolutely love animals & I enjoyed seeing the baby ostrich. All in all we spent over an hour there with driving through and walking down to see the kangaroos. I highly recommend going inside and talking to the staff inside while purchasing your ticket. They were all absolutely lovely. Already looking at coming back & possibly staying at one of their cabins!
I also recommend going to Hocha Cup Coffee inside as it was a nice, sweet sip while riding through.

Wow! As a local that avoids Hochatown due to traffic and tourists this was so worth the trip! I honestly can’t sing their praises enough. We will definitely be back. Fantastic drive thru to look at the animals.

Holidazzle

I love the idea of this and so does the rest of the city! Many people gather for all of the lights, vendors, food and free rides in the carousel and slide. My issue is there are so many people that each line at the food trucks was 20-30 people long, which is a long wait. Fireworks were great and lines for the rides went fast but they clearly need more food vendors.

Nice spacious location, beautiful and eye catching decorations and conveniently situated near the bus stop and close to downtown. It's easy to reach the place by bus too. Fireworks every Saturday are great. The stalls have a nice collection of local art and crafts which are really pretty.
A lot of food trucks with a huge variety of items to choose from. Unfortunately we couldn't meet the alpacas but they have many farm animals too.

Fun concept, better at night because of the lights and fireworks. Family and kid friendly. Parking is a pain. Lines for everything. An hour is probably all you need there

I cannot compare to last year's since I did not go. But for coming here for the first time, great place for the family. There is a play area for the kids, a movie at sundown, free skating and local vendors to shop through.

I got to Loring Park, Holidazzle's location, with the route 4 bus, so I didn't have to deal with parking my car. Great food options. Free entrance is an improvement from previous years. I had some tasty cheese/potato periogies, without bacon bits. My Dutch hubby tried the poffertjes, mini Dutch pancakes--they were okay--served the traditional way with powered sugar and melted butter. They should be lighter, but still tasted yummy. We had spiked, warm cider from Sociable Cider Werks that did not taste spiked. We had a tasty Fulton Lonely Blond in the warming tent. I saw little kiddos getting hot chocolate there too. There was a charming conversation area set up in the warming tent around the tv playing Yule Log that was very cozy. The merchant booths were very nice too. We arrived around 4 pm and it was still light outside. The blue lights in the tall trees were awesome when it got dark! The stage has a group of talented  singers, and their music was piped into the skating rink. Great interactive, giant sculptures of wolf and Moose were amazing! This location is awesome! It was a warm night, but my feet got cold due to the snow pack. Not baby-stroller friendly.

StoryBook Hill Children’s Zoo

This place is gross, we drove a hour to see basically animal neglect...first time my 18 mth old granddaughter been to see animals and we experience this. Poor sheep's where trying to eat something in there food bucket and it would not come out, rabbits in a wire cage ( one had its mouth open & sneezing weird), one goat was so skinny you could see its spine and ribs, and it smelled so bad! With all the donations they get fix this place up slowly.. Don't let kids see this!!!

100% would recommend! I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old and they loved it!! Will definitely come back!!

A nice little mini farm/zoo with some play equipment. Mostly aimed at younger kids, but we still enjoyed visiting. Free with a donation box. We didn't see any staff, but someone definitely takes care of the place. The duck had a hair do, which was awesome! Merry go round worked well and the kids enjoyed it. Lots of play equipment aimed at 3-6 year olds. They have picnic tables and this place would be epic for a 5 year olds birthday party. They have pigs, sheep, a lamma, geese, a duck, goats, chickens and cows.

We had so much fun with our 8 month old, 4 year old, and 5 year old! It is free and there is a ton to do. We brought lunch and had a picnic on their tables under a shelter. The shelter has tarps that you can pull to keep the wind out! We enjoyed seeing the animals they do have: cows, pigs, sheep, rabbits, peacocks, and chickens. There may have been more that we couldn't see.

Free mini zoo. Has several different playgrounds and a lot of shady spots for a picnic. They also have tables. There were sheep, cows, lamas, goats, pigs, bunnies, and ducks when we went.

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