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 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.
Bietigheim-Bissingen Park
Bietigheim Bissingen Park, also known as Bi Bi Park, celebrates Overland Park’s sister city relationship with Bietigheim Bissingen, Germany.
Its bilingual playground features English and German panels, images of both cities, large slides and an interactive light up game, while a hands on water table recreates the German city’s historic center.
Visitors can also explore musical instruments, bocce ball courts, a nature boardwalk and a quarter mile loop trail.
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.
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.
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.
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.
South Lake Park
South Lake Park is a community park centered around a scenic fishing lake with two docks, floating wetlands and a loop trail lined with fitness stations.
Kids can explore a modern playground filled with slides, rope climbing structures, swings and interactive equipment set on turf.
The park also offers basketball courts, a picnic shelter, restrooms and plenty of shaded space to relax.
Shannon Valley Park
Shannon Valley Park is an 18 acre neighborhood park featuring a colorful playground, picnic shelter and access to the Indian Creek Bike and Hike Trail.
Visitors can also play a match on the park’s tennis and pickleball courts or enjoy plenty of open green space. It is an easy spot for an active afternoon outdoors.
Sapling Grove Park
Sapling Grove Park is a 20 acre neighborhood park featuring a playground with a double tower, climbing net, balance beam, basket swing and other adventurous play elements.
Kids can cool off at the splash pad, while families can gather beneath the reservable shelter or explore the park’s historical panels.
Walking paths, picnic tables and restrooms make it easy to spend an afternoon here.
Oak Park
Oak Park is a 16.8 acre neighborhood park featuring wooded areas, open green space and a colorful playground.
The play structure includes slides, climbing features and activity panels that give kids several ways to explore and play.
Its mix of shady trees and wide open space makes it a great spot for an outdoor afternoon.
Quivira Park
Quivira Park is a 44 acre community park set beside Indian Creek and its bike and hike trail.
Kids can enjoy the shaded playground, while visitors can play sand volleyball, picnic beneath a reservable shelter or explore the surrounding green space.
Restrooms, parking and trail access make it an easy spot for a full afternoon outdoors.
Switzer Park
Switzer Park is a 16 acre recreation hub with lighted tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, plus a skate park.
Kids can explore two playground structures, swings and a shaded picnic area surrounded by mature trees.
The park also connects visitors to nearby bike and hike trails, Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead and the Scheels Overland Park Soccer Complex.
Creekside Park
Creekside Park is a nearly 20 acre neighborhood park in South OP featuring a colorful playground where kids can climb, slide and explore.
The park also includes open green space and bike and hike trail connectivity. It is a convenient spot for playtime, a walk or a family afternoon outdoors.
Cherokee Park
Cherokee Park features a playground with slides, climbing structures and swings.
Kids can also make their own music on the outdoor instruments, while families enjoy the renovated picnic shelter and basketball court.
A nearby trail connects the park to Meadowbrook Park for an easy walk or bike ride.
Maple Hills Park
Maple Hills Park features a newly renovated playground with a race car themed play area for younger children, a larger jungle gym, a net swing and a spinner.
The 9.2 acre park also includes two pickleball courts, a loop trail, open green space and a solar powered shelter.
Turf surfacing and nearby shade make the playground a comfortable spot for families to stay and play.
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.
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