I’m not even joking. The beach. In Kansas City. I swear!
Airlines are now charging to check baggage. Gas costs about the same as tuition at KU and MU. So why not stick close to home and cool off at a local beach? Yes, we have them!
Blue Springs Lake at Fleming Park (which is in Lee’s Summit, not in Blue Springs - go figure…) has a one acre beach and a marina if boating is more your style. This lake is Lake Jacomo’s little sister (also in Fleming Park) but Jacomo doesn’t have a beach. You can rent a variety of styles of boats at each marina.
Longview Lake is in Kansas City, snuggled between Raytown and Lee’s Summit and just a stone’s throw from Grandview. Longview has a one acre swimming beach and a full service marina. Boat rental is available at the marina.
These two Jackson County MO beaches have lifeguards on duty and shower/restroom facilities. They are open from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on weekdays; 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on weekends and holidays. Admission is $3/child or senior; $5/adult. Season passes are available.
Shawnee Mission Park Beach is in western Johnson County at 79th and Renner Road. The beach is open most days from 12 pm to 6 pm. Open until 7:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Daily rates are: $3/day for kids 12 and under and seniors; $5/day for the over 12 set. Shawnee Mission Park also has a marina where you can rent canoes, fishing boats, two person sailboats and pedal boats!
DON’T STOP READING! CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT MORE K.C. BEACHES!
Kill Creek Park Beach is located in Olathe, KS in the newest park in the Johnson County Parks & Rec system. The swimming beach is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm. Prices are the same as at Shawnee Mission Park Beach and the Kill Creek Park marina offers similar boat rentals.
Smithville Lake, just north of the metro area, offers boating, swimming beaches, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, hiking trails and more. Pack a cooler and go! The Army Corps of Engineers is in charge up there and they require a $1/swimmer fee. You can’t really beat that price!
Also up north is the Watkins Woolen Mill State Park with a swimming beach at Williams Creek Lake. The Park is outside of Lawson, Missouri – just north of Excelsior Springs and east of Kearney. Camping, biking and fishing are also available here.
Head the opposite direction (south for those of you not paying attention…) and you’ll find Hillsdale Lake in Miami County, Kansas. That’s the county just south of Johnson County. It’s really not that far. Two beaches with bathroom facilities are open from sunrise to sunset. The lake is surrounded by a beautiful Kansas State Park. Fishing, camping and boating are some of the other popular activities at Hillsdale.
Clinton Lake just outside of Lawrence, Kansas also has a popular swimming beach. Consider making this trip a whole weekend – camping, fishing (even a small children’s fishing pond), boating, trails, archery, disc golf courses, four playgrounds and sand volleyball courts!
So, there you have it! Real sandy beaches right here in the heartland. If you’ve never been, give it a try! Get some sand between your toes this summer without even leaving town!
A lake is NOT a beach. C’mon. Let’s not insult the audience. Just say the lake is filled with algae and who-knows-what on the bottom.
Also, I live near Clinton Lake and you’d be foolish to swim there.
Hey Rich! I agree that the lake isn’t generally what I think about when I think about the beach. But…the local lakes do actually have spots they call swimming beaches and people actually go there! We’re just trying to let people know about different things to do around town with their kids – and this might be something that some folks would want to try.
But I appreciate your opinion! Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for the great info on beaches in Kansas City! We like to lay out in the sun and enjoy the nice scenery. The kids like the water and could care less if it isn’t as clear as the ocean off the coast of Jamaica. As said above, get some sand between your toes this summer without leaving town!
My kids have swam in beaches all over the world but still LOVE to head up to Smithville Lake and spend a day “on the beach”. Thanks for giving us some other places to visit!
We go to Longview Lake every year and have a BLAST! No, lakes aren’t the first thing to come to mind, but the sand and swimming IS a beach and it’s a lot of fun when you can’t afford an oceanview vacation.
I grew up in southern MO; and if you were going swimming, more than likely you were going to the lake or the river. We have been to a few lakes this year and my kids love it! Yeah, the like the pools too, with the slides and stuff, but water is water, and fun is fun. For all of you who have not been swimming in the lake or walked barefoot on the river or in a small creek, try it you might like it. And more than likely, your kids are going to remember that day at the lake longer than they will the Atlantic.
Hi there! Does anybody know if there are free beaches or simply places where you can swim in KC? River or lake does not matter. Curious if there are still places you can be one on one with the nature :).
Thanks for the great article.
Lighten up Rich. Ocean’s don’t hold a monopoly on the word “beach”. A beach can be on a pond, lake, ocean, river – anywhere there’s water and a shoreline you’ll find a beach, regardless of whether it’s suitable for swimming. This is a site dedicated to finding fun things for kids to do. Not every lake is an algae-laden swamp as you seem to characterize them. I’m thankful for this side and opportunities to enjoy the outdoor activities that are available in the KC area.
Alex,
There are many places you can swim around here that are not official Beaches. I take my kids to Blue river at Minor Park( follow Red bridge road East from Holmes). There are Trails along the river there and the water in the river is deep enough for an enjoyable swim. The Kids have a blast! I went there with friends sometimes even before the Kids. There is even some small cliff jumping available a little south of there(upriver). The current is not to strong.. It’s great.
Relax Rich… Why are people so aggro when they post on comment sections?
I love Smithville. I took my dog up to Clinton lake for a camping trip and she had a blast. I am from California and I know that a lake beach is not the ocean, but not everyone likes that, and we’re landlocked here, so we will take what we can get. I used to go on lake trips in CA all the time, and its always fun to spend a day at the beach here in kc!