Ryze Adventure Park, Maryland Heights

 

Location: 12420 Grace Church Rd., Maryland Heights, MO 63043

Website: https://ryzeadventure.com/

This is the first aerial adventure tower in the area. Their mission is to get people physically active by offering over 100 different obstacles on a 4-story tower. They have a Little Ninja course for kids aged 4-7, a youth/adult course for people aged 8 and up, and an 18-hole mini-golf course. They offer birthday parties, corp events, field trips, and more. You could easily spend hours here! They will be open year-round but obviously, it's weather dependent since it's all outdoors. The areas are color-coded (green=easy, blue=moderate, and black=skilled, red=expert). There is also a zip line and you can rappel down from the top! Make sure to wear fully enclosed shoes and bring gloves. If you don't have any you can purchase some from them. They have an observation deck and also a cafe! They are very safe and use a smart belay system which will not allow you to fully unclip until you are safe on the ground. Reservations are not required and adults don't need to participate if you just want to watch your older kids play (but kids under 8 will need a paying chaperone to accompany them on the big tower). 

Observation deck

Mini-golf & yard games

Creve Coeur Park, Maryland Heights

Location: 2143 Creve Coeur Mill Rd, St. Louis, MO 63146

Amenities: playgrounds (4), tennis courts, picnic shelters, lake, splash pad, trails, restrooms, Go Ape! Adventure Park, stocked lake for fishing, and disc golf course. 

Website: http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/CreveCoeur

Playground ground cover: Poured rubber

The website says there are 4 playgrounds located here, but one is just swings, so only 3 have play equipment. I will break down exactly where the playgrounds are because I always get lost in here! 

 

Playground #1 on the map is just swings and a sand pit for sand volleyball. To get to this area, enter the park at Marine Ave at 141 and it's down by the lake on the left.

Next on the road is a tiny area with some fitness equipment and a couple spinning things for kids. 

Playground #2 is located at the end of Streetcar Dr. off Dorsett. The playground was renovated in 2022. It has 2 regular swings, an ADA swing, and a modified expression swing. This playground also has a splash pad and is on from 10 am to 8 pm. This area is nice and shaded!

          

The larger play structure has a 3 story tube slide, a metal slide, a boulder with climbing nets attached, and a little table with 4 seats.  

The play structure for kids under 5 has a cute pretend window, some maze windows, a slide, 2 baby swings, and a little climbing wall. It also has a cute bee theme!

The splash pad is on concrete, with several pop jets and a small bucket that dumps water.

Restroom building nearby

                                               

Playground #3 is also located off Streetcar Dr and is over by the Go Ape! offices. When you see the ballfields on your right go left. There's no street sign so it's challenging to find.
This is another great playground, with a water pole but it's only on weekends and holidays.

Go Ape! Adventure ropes course in the trees

The playground has a tunnel, huge rock wall, spiderweb climber, metal slide, triple slide, pretend storefront, stepping stones (one's missing with a cone covering it), and lots of poles and bars.
This location is sunnier and has restrooms close by.

Playground #4 is at the Greensfelder Memorial Shelter. To get there from Streetcar Dr, go right out of the park onto Dorsett, make a right onto Marine, and hang a left when you see a sign for the Greensfelder Memorial Shelter.

This playground was replaced in June 2023. It has an astroturf floor. There are 2 sling swings, a baby swing, and an ADA swing. 

The climbing tower is super cool! 

 

Freestanding spinner

Maze boards

The play structure for toddlers has 2 slides, stepping stones, a spinner, a balance beam, and some climbing bars. 

This feature has ridges so you can climb up the slides!

The play structure for kids over 5 has a very tall climbing tower, a tube slide, and a spinner.

The shelter here is awesome! It was built in the '50s. I love that mid-century modern look.

  There is a lovely view of the lake up here.