The Parks and Playgrounds Guide to Overland Park
Overland Park takes play seriously. The city is home to 83 parks, offering plenty of space for families, athletes, and nature lovers to enjoy the outdoors.
Shaded playgrounds, splash pads, ball fields, trails, and wide-open green space create endless opportunities to explore. This guide highlights the best playgrounds, outdoor escapes, and recreational spots in Overland Park to make planning your next adventure simple.
Strang Park
Strang Park is the city’s first inclusive playground. Kids can scale a 30-foot tower, race down the slide, bounce on in-ground trampolines, or climb through a sensory tunnel, while a separate toddler area offers Farmers’ Market-themed play structures and a nature play space.
It also has practical touches like restrooms, shaded plazas, and plenty of greenspace, along with cornhole and lawn chess, new tennis and basketball courts, and a loop trail. The park also highlights community and creativity through a colorful mural by local artist Phil “Sike Style” Shafer and inspiring words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Roe Park
Roe Park covers about 40 acres and offers something for everybody. It includes sports fields, lighted tennis courts, a large playground with a splash pad, restrooms, picnic shelters, and connections to Overland Park’s bike/hike trail system. A loop trail circles much of the park, and there are open fields for free play along with reservable shelters. The splash pad operates May through September, and courts are lit for evening play.
Thomas M. Stoll Memorial Park
Thomas S. Stoll Memorial Park gives dogs plenty of room to run with a seven-acre off-leash area, making it a favorite stop for pet owners. The 80-acre park also has a playground, picnic areas, and a shelter for gatherings. Visitors can enjoy a scenic walking trail, seven athletic fields, and a small pond stocked with fish like bass, bluegill, and catfish.
Summercrest Park
Summercrest Park is a quiet, 13-acre neighborhood park that feels like a break from the city. The park offers a loop trail ideal for walking, a playground with swings, picnic tables, and a small shelter to gather under. There’s a pond where people can fish, and open grassy fields where kids can run or play. If you visit in winter, sledding is possible; in spring and fall, shaded trails make it especially pleasant.
Thompson Park
Thompson Park is a 4.8-acre urban retreat tucked into the heart of Downtown Overland Park. The park features new restrooms, two open-air shelters, a performance stage, and seating areas including an outdoor workspace with Wi-Fi and power, making it one of the few parks where you can mix play, work, and relaxation in one stop. A playground includes swings, a crawl tunnel, a spinner, musical instruments, a climbing structure, and a splash pad that runs from May through September.
Start your exploration with these highlights, then branch out to the many other parks and playgrounds across the city. Don’t miss larger destinations like the 300-acre Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens or the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, both perfect additions to a spring or summer filled with outdoor adventures.
You May Also Like
An Outdoor Lover’s Weekend in Overland Park
Ready to turn your weekend into an unforgettable adventure? We hit the road from Omaha and explored Overland Park, Kansas – just three hours away but packed with a surprising mix of experiences.
5 Perfect Picnic Areas in Overland Park
If there’s one thing I miss about being a kid, it’s how often I was able to eat outside.
Coffee & Playgrounds: Perfect Playdate Pairings in OP
What could be better than a perfect playground day in Overland Park with friends? Here's an idea: a delicious coffee to perk up that playdate!
Related Content:
