Happy Friday, readers!
Welcome back for another weekly round of 5 to Try, where Post readers pick the best places and experiences in Johnson County for you to road test on your own.
With the weather continuing to warm up, the Post this week asked for updated recommendations for the best playgrounds in Johnson County.
This is something we asked two years ago, but some new playgrounds have come on line and others have been modified since then.
Here are some of our reader’s recommendations this go-round:
R Park (Roeland Park)
Leading off this list is one of Johnson County’ newest playgrounds, at Roeland Park’s R Park.
The opening of this new playground was delayed earlier this year as the city dealt with weather-related delays to get the surface laid. Now, it sits next to a new “traffic garden” that also opened up recently.
Located at 5535 Juniper Drive, R Park, which is on the site a former elementary school, has several amenities, including a soccer field, sun shelter, tree identification markers and a grill that can be used in tandem with the park’s picnic shelter.
“Roeland Park’s R Park has a new accessible playground right by its two tennis/pickleball courts, and its large pavilion, and its restrooms, and its setup for kids to learn to ride bikes,” Post reader Jan Grebe said.
Antioch Park (Merriam)
Another park to receive a recommendation as one of the best playgrounds in Johnson County is Antioch Park in Merriam.
Located at 6501 Antioch Road, the play area sits on the eastern side of this notable 44-acre park that also features two fishing lakes, walking paths, tennis courts, picnic shelters and a basketball court.
The playground is well known in northeast Johnson County not only for its jungle gyms and slides but also for the history-inspired Dodge Town play area that is meant to evoke an Old West street.
Antioch Park itself is Johnson County Park and Recreation’s oldest and most popular park, attracting ip to 700,000 visitors a year, according to JCPRD’s website.
Franklin Park (Prairie Village)
One of two repeats from our readers’ list from two years ago, we are now headed to Franklin Park in Prairie Village.
Located at Roe Avenue and Somerset Drive, this park’s amenities include a basketball court and soccer fields, as well as cooking grills, exercise trails, a pavilion, picnic tables and play equipment.
Franklin Park’s pavilion is available to reserve as either a whole or residents can rent the north or south end of the park, according to Prairie Village’s website.
Meadowbrook Park (Prairie Village)
The other repeat on this list has quickly grown into one of Johnson County’s must-see attractions for families: the adventure-style playground at Prairie Village’s Meadowbrook Park.
Located at 9101 Nall Ave., Meadowbrook Park is a portion of the former Meadowbrook Country Club that has been converted into a 80-acre park with a “destination” playground that has nets to climb, boulders to scale and twisting slides to descend.
Another notable fact: in 2017, local children were given the chance to help select the design for the new playground. And it remains a kid-pleaser.
West Flanders Park (Shawnee)
Our final pick for “5 to Try” this week is West Flanders Park in Shawnee.
Located at 10920 W. 55th St., the 8-acre park is one of Shawnee’s boasts one of the areas most popular playgrounds that features a castle-inspired design complete a dragon, swing set, shelters and a rose garden.
“The park is situated in a local neighborhood with a lovely garden that takes inspiration from Flanders in Belgium,” Post reader Deanne Bacco said.
Other recent “5 to Try” lists
Check out some of our other recent “5 to Try” lists of the best Johnson County has to offer, including:
