We all know how much we love our local nature, but have you really explored it to its fullest? Get out there with the family, and take a day to explore the outdoors. Kansas City is home to a number of parks and trails to help you get out there, but this discovery park is by far the best place to be with family. Come take a look!
Welcome to the Lakeside Nature Center, a great place to bring the family for a day out of the house.
They offer regular guided hikes and scavenger hunts, as well as all sorts of programs for homeschooled kids. You'll find they also love celebrating Earth Day, Groundhog Day, and "Magic Woods" in October with their volunteers. Maybe you should be part of them this year?
The facility is home to a number of rehabilitated wild animals that are released when possible or kept for educational purposes if they can no longer survive in the wild.
Their volunteers clean up the park and the Blue River every year, ensuring that it's a habitable place for animals to live where they should naturally.
The three main hiking trails nearby are open to the public during daylight hours, so don't be afraid to explore one yourself if you're ready for a little adventure with your family.
The Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and Sunday from 11am to 3pm.
You'll find the Lakeside Nature Center at 4701 E Gregory Boulevard, in Kansas City. Or, use the handy map below to help you find where you're going. Happy travels!
Any trip out with family isn't complete without lunch, so we think you might love this list of the best taco places in Kansas City.
Rising like a pink Phoenix above a strip mall in a seedy section of the Denver suburb of Lakewood, Casa Bonita stands as a rosy beacon that draws throngs of visitors – folks who come more for the experience than the food, really – to its doors. Shiny and new, this Colorado attraction experienced a literal rebirth in 2023 after a much-lamented demise.
Casa Bonita first opened its doors in 1974, and over the next almost half-century, it became a beloved institution to Front Rangers and visitors alike. Its position as a cultural icon was cemented in a 2003 episode of South Park, in which it was dubbed the "Disneyland of Mexican restaurants." Known for famously bad food – with the exception of its beloved sopapillas (we'll get to them later) – and increasingly threadbare kitsch, Fortuna spun down on Casa Bonita, and in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic cast its pall over the country, the restaurant entered bankruptcy and was shuttered.
The Power of Nostalgia
Casa Bonita's salvation came in the form of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, who held a deep-seated nostalgia for the restaurant. They purchased Casa Bonita for $3.1 million in September 2021, and prior to reopening in 2023, the duo had reportedly spent another $40 million renovating the eatery, including updates to the exterior and the addition of four new bars. It's one thing to have the means to undertake such a project, but it's a whole other thing to put so much into what is, essentially, a labor of love. But, I guess nostalgia is a powerful thing.
In fact, research demonstrates that periods of adversity – like the pandemic or increasingly divisive times – increase humans' desire to experience places, things, and even media that they enjoyed when they were younger. Although there's certainly some anticipation that they'll be able to recoup at least some of their expenditures, nostalgia is clearly a big part of what drove Parker and Stone to revive Casa Bonita – their 2024 documentary about the process, ¡Casa Bonita Mi Amor!, says as much.
Casa Bonita Redux
I didn't grow up in Colorado and had never visited Casa Bonita v1, so I don't share in the nostalgia that motivated Parker and Stone to sink a sizable chunk of their fortunes into the spot and that drove Denverites to queue up in... well, droves. But the hype around the reborn icon caught my attention, and my daughter happened to live in Lakewood, so as soon as the reservation books opened, we both started trying to get on the list.
After months of waiting (and frankly, kinda forgetting about it), we got an email inviting us to make a reservation at some point during an upcoming two-week window. As luck would have it, the window included a trip to Denver that I had already planned and coincided with my daughter's birthday. My Dad heart leapt, because (1) I finally had a chance to visit Casa Bonita with mi Hija Bonita, and (2) I no longer had to figure out what to do for her birthday (score!).
We left my nearby Lakewood hotel – the Fairfield Inn and Suites – and rolled into the parking lot on a Saturday night: It was packed. We eventually found a spot and then joined the check-in line for our time slot, which snaked around the fountain out front. And waited. It took 20 minutes or so until we were finally ushered through the security checkpoint (they're serious – be sure to read the fine print about what you can and can't bring in with you) and put in a snaking indoor line to place our food orders and be led to our seats.
Dinner and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price of admission ($40 per person when we visited). You choose from a half-dozen or so entrée combos, then place your order in a buffet-style line and wait for a host to grab your tray of food and lead you to your table.
We followed our tray-laden host down a hallway and then out into the heart of Casa Bonita, a dark, cavernous room lined with faux cave walls, past a mariachi band, and around the edge of the palm-tree-lined pool where the "cliff" divers perform throughout the night, dodging other guests as we went. The experience felt less Disneyland and more like a mariachi-infused Midsummer Night's Dream, with the darkness, feasting, and dizzying cacophony of entertainment and decor in a labyrinthine space with no clear way out.
Once seated, a server took our drink orders, and we sat back to soak in the experience. In the interest of improving Casa Bonita's culinary reputation, Parker and Stone hired James Beard Award-nominee Dana Rodriguez to spiff up the menu. Our table of three had each ordered a different meal option. I had the beef suadero with green chiles; my daughter, carnitas tacos; and her friend, chicken mole. All came with rice and beans, a cabbage salad, and chips and salsa for the table. Although we had no baseline to say whether it had improved or not, my two companions and I thought the food was pretty good (especially given the volumes in which it had to be prepared for each nightly seating), with generous portions and a reasonable price point, if you consider the overall experience.
We had an excellent view of the action from our seats, and after our server brought us our much-anticipated sopapillas - deep-fried sweet dough sprinkled with sugar and drizzled with honey (no, we didn't raise the flag for more) – we grabbed our drinks and set out to explore. The first item on our agenda was to find a front-and-center spot for the next diving performance, which happens approximately every 20 minutes. It was definitely a spectacle and lived up to the expectation.
From the diving pool, we roamed from grotto to grotto, through ersatz caves and mine shafts, past bars, puppet shows, and more musicians. There's a game room—the Root Beer Cantina—for those so inclined, but we were mostly interested in the place itself and our fellow customers.
We also picked out a few nods to South Park, such as a roaming ManBearPig – whose hoofprint, is embedded in a cave floor and a glimpse of whom we just missed catching – as well as Eric Cartman's table. I'm sure we missed others, but by the time we'd had our fill of exploring, things were starting to shut down, and it was time to make our exit – through the gift shop, El Mercado, of course.
While I don't share the same nostalgia for Casa Bonita that Parker and Stone – and, presumably, a large number of their fellow Coloradans – do, there's something special here. Letting go of reality for a little bit and just enjoying an otherworldly adventure was certainly a treat, and maybe that sparked a little nostalgia in my middle-aged mind.
What really made the moment special for me was watching my twenty-something-year-old daughter revel in the experience, eyes wide and a smile on her face, like she was a young girl again. As a dad, sharing that kind of moment with my adult daughter definitely made me feel nostalgic for when she and her brother were little. So, I do kind of get the whole Casa Bonita thing after all.
New York City. The Big Apple. The City that Never Sleeps. From the countless movies and television shows set in this city, it is a destination that has always mesmerized me and has sat on my bucket list for years. But, it is also a place that I never prioritized visiting because it put me way out of my comfort zone. The thought of visiting created inside me a long list of fears and worries, but when I had the perfect opportunity to go, I couldn't pass it up.
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My Small-Town Roots
You see, I’m a small-town girl, born and raised in the West. While growing up, I moved often, but spent most of my childhood in a remote town in southern Utah with a population of approximately 1,500 people. We had zero stoplights, one grocery store, and dozens of outdoor activities (including two national parks) within minutes of my front door. Several times each month, my family would make a two-hour, round-trip drive to the nearest city for essential household items and groceries. My family knew everyone in town, and everyone knew us.
Not only is the small-town vibe what I know, it is what I love. As you drive down the road, you wave to everyone you pass – even if you don’t know them. Shopping takes hours because you see multiple neighbors and friends. The slower pace of daily life is comfortable, enjoyable, and less stressful.
An Opportunity to Step Out of My Comfort Zone
I love to travel and explore, but I primarily stick to the West Coast, Hawaii, and the Midwest. I have explored very little of the East Coast. However, when the opportunity came to visit New York City with two of my sisters, I knew I had to go. My wanderlust was strong.
The flights were booked. The hotel room was reserved. Our itinerary was starting to fill up with attraction after attraction. But now, my fears of the city began to play through my mind. I began to worry about the fast pace of the city, figuring out the subway, how to prevent pickpocketers, and even the stress of dealing with rude people. I pictured NYC filled with execs and celebrities — a very different demographic than the many agricultural towns I have called home over the years.
However, as soon as the skyline came into my view as our taxi drove closer to the heart of the city, I knew it was love at first sight, and each activity, attraction, and bagel made me even more smitten.
What I Found
We spent four days exploring as much of the city as possible. Of course, we explored many popular tourist attractions like Central Park, Rockefeller Square, the Empire State Building, and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. We enjoyed a Broadway show, sat on the stairs of the Met, and enjoyed a sunset from an observation deck. My sisters and I were on the go from the early morning until the stars came out. I wanted to take it all in.
As we explored, I found absolute beauty. It was not the natural beauty I grew up admiring at Utah’s national parks. Rather, it was a beauty found only in this concrete jungle. I was not only enchanted by the unique architecture of the skyscrapers and homes but also by the parks and green spaces all throughout the city. Central Park was breathtaking, with hidden gems everywhere you look. And as a runner, I was even a little jealous of the countless individuals I saw jogging around the park.
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I was very nervous about the people I’d meet as New Yorkers are often depicted as unfriendly and cold, opposite of the communities I’ve known throughout my life. However, I found that to be completely false. Whenever we felt a little lost, had questions, or even wondered where we could find the best pizza nearby, someone was always ready to give a hand and recommendation. Our taxi drivers were kind and willing to do whatever was necessary to get us to our destination on time. Even people on the subway were helpful when mechanical issues forced everyone off the train somewhere in Queens.
The talents of people in NYC were unforgettable. From watching a Broadway show to listening to a lone man play the piano in Washington Square, I was constantly impressed. As we walked along Wall Street, near the United Nations, and in many other areas around the city, I’d see people dressed to the nines or in various work uniforms, and I wanted to know their stories — who they were, what they did for a living, what their family life was like. In small towns, you know a lot about people but here, there was so much diversity that the journalistic side of me was just begging to be unleashed. Questions continually popped into my head as I explored.
However, I did fully unleash one unique side of me — my foodie side. In small towns, the mom-and-pop cafes and restaurants feel like sitting at your grandma's table, but the options are limited. Here, I ate bagels the size of my head, pizza perfectly baked and with astounding flavors, and cheesecake that I'm pretty sure came from heaven. My taste buds were in overdrive throughout my entire visit.
As I flew across the country at the end of my trip, I realized that while small towns will always have a piece of my heart, there’s now a small corner filled with a love of something new — something completely unlike the places I’ve called home. Fear kept me back all of these years from crossing off one of the most fascinating places on my bucket list. It kept me from finding beauty I had never seen before and flavors that I find myself still craving. I sure love my small towns, but I’m forever grateful I stepped out of my comfort zone to explore. NYC was certainly not what I expected — it was better.
Has your travels ever caused you to step out of your comfort zone? What did you find along the way? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
