Summertime Fun

July 01, 2009

One great thing about living in the Ozarks is that there are so many things for families to do. Some indoors, some outdoors, some active, some relaxing—in fact there’s so much to do that we couldn’t possibly list it all here, but here are a few activities that we particularly enjoy.

  • Skate your heart out
    Whether you prefer skating on hard surfaces or icy ones, between Skateport on Glenstone, Skateland on Campbell, and the Mediacom Ice Park, there’s some kind of skating available every day of the week. And you won’t need to worry about bringing your own skates because each place has pretty reasonable rates on rentals for nearly every shoes size, from toddlers on up.

  • Catch a free flick at Founders Park
    From July 10–August 29, you can see a free movie at Founders Park every Friday and Saturday night. With a mix of recent releases and popular movies from the past couple of decades, PG- and G-rated movies are shown on Friday, and PG-13 movies are shown on Saturday. Free tickets are available at the Busch Municipal Building, Mediacom Ice Park, Chesterfield and Doling Family Centers and the Mediacom offices. (Otherwise, it’s $5 at the gate.)

  • Hit the local aquatic centers
    With 8 outdoor pools and 1 indoor, the Springfield park board makes sure that every family in Springfield has access to the deep ends, diving boards, and splash times that are an essential part of summer. Plus, with Nixa, Ozark, and Republic all boasting aquatic centers complete with large twisting slides (and even a surfable wave simulator in Republic’s case) pretty much no matter where you live in the Ozarks you can enjoy a day at the pool.

  • Float on Lake Springfield and the James River
    At the Lake Springfield Boathouse and Marina, located on the eastern edge of Lake Springfield Park, you can rent canoes and kayaks (one- or two-person) for as little as an hour or as long as a full day. After launching into Lake Springfield you can paddle the gentle water to the east all the way under 65 onto to the James. Rates are $8 per hour, $25 half day, $45 full day. For more information, call 417-891-1550 or visit www.parkboard.org.

  • Play like it’s 1984
    Located just across the street from the YMCA on Jefferson, 1984 is an arcade that offers about 60 video games from the ’80s. Including games such as Galaga, Ms. Pacman, and Joust, plus pinball machines, a soundtrack to match the environment, and only $5 for all-you-can-play, this arcade really will make you feel like you stepped back in time. For more information, visit www.1984arcade.com.

  • Go for a family bike ride on the Greenways
    With more than 60 miles of (mostly paved) trails, the Ozark Greenways offer plenty of opportunities for two-wheeled family fun. If you don’t live near a trail, there are several locations where you can park, unload the bikes, and get moving. For more information, including maps and ways to get involved, visit ozarkgreenways.org or call 417-864-2015.