Playground

If you want a solid spot to stretch your legs without dealing with crowds, this one delivers. The open grass field is genuinely well-kept — not the patchy, muddy mess you find at a lot of city parks — and the views overlooking Barnes Jewish Hospital give it this unexpected, almost cinematic quality. The bike track and walking path connect you straight over to the Grove, which means you can chain a whole afternoon together without getting back in your car. Dogs are welcome, and you’ll almost always see a few regulars out here doing laps with their pups. Honestly one of those spots St. Louis locals know about but don’t talk about enough.