Watkins Mill State Park

If you're a fan of historical sites, pristine lakes, and bike paths, Watkins Mill State Park has your name on it. And Watkins’, obviously. This old family farm and homestead made it onto the National Historic Landmark list for its three-story woolen mill that features original textile machinery. If that’s not cool, we don’t know what is! And being that this park is only a short day trip from Kansas City, it’s the perfect all-year-'round destination for outdoor fun. Fish for bass in Williams Creek Lake, boat on its calm, quiet waters, take your horse for a ride on the Equestrian Trail System, and take part in the main attraction, the paved bicycle trail that circles the entire 100-acre lake. Whew! If you’re not beat at the end of the day, consider going for an evening swim, busting out the binoculars to catch a wild turkey sighting, or getting the campfire roaring for well-done marshmallows. Block off some weekends on your calendar now because you’ll want to keep coming back here for more.