Family Weekender: St. Louis

This park is a great little place for kids to stretch their legs on a sunny winter afternoon. Only 357 acres, Graham Cave has an appealing intimacy plus an expansive bluff shelter cave that may have been inhabited for at least 10,000 years — possibly even more.

A modest, user-friendly trail meanders through Missouri glades, and oak and prairie savannah. Overhead, sandstone bluffs feature overhangs that form some wonderfully scenic waterfalls in the wet season. Campgrounds and picnic areas can be found near the Loutre River bordering the park.

When the little ones tire of the trail, interject a short history lesson with the aid of park office displays or at the interpretive shelter nearby. This park is tailor made for families with a few hours to burn and the urge to see their city in the rear view mirror for a change.