Shawnee South sits across the street from Pauline Central School and next to the Montara neighborhood and is well-marked with signs. It is located near Forbes Field and was part of 175 acres aquired by Shawnee County in 1975 that was once used by the United States Air Force at Forbes Field.

This 60-acre park has something to offer every member of the family. Take the first entrance east of NW 43rd and Kansas Ave., and you'll find the four-diamond softball complex, soccer fields, tennis courts, sand volleyball courts and playground. You'll also find the 15,555-square-foot community center, which features meeting rooms, two preschool classrooms, an aerobics room, a weight room, a dance room, an art room and a kitchen/dining room. The community center was once the Shawnee County Poor Farm.

Shawnee County's largest and finest recreation spot, Lake Shawnee offers generous entertainment options for all. The centerpiece of the park is the lake, which stretches across 410 surface acres with about 2.75 billion gallons of water, providing a home for waterfowl and a popular destination for fishing, wind surfing, swimming and boating. The lake also can be enjoyed from picnic tables and shelters that surround the lake.

Named for former Topeka police chief Dana Hummer and his wife, Louise, Hummer Sports Park is the crown jewel of the Topeka Public School's athletic facilities. Constructed on property once belonging to the Topeka State Hospital, the six-sport facility (funded with a $17.5 million voter-approved bond issue) opened in the fall of 2003 on the north side of SW 6th between Oakley and MacVicar.

From SE 5th and Norwood, follow the sign pointing east to this park and community center site that stretches behind houses and a church. Inside Rice Community Center, you'll find a gym, game room, computer lab, universal weight system in the fitness room and classroom space. During the school year, the center is open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Fridays. During summers, its hours change to 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Garfield Park has held a special place in the hearts of North Topekans for more than 100 years. Dating back to a time when soldiers used to camp in the area along Soldier Creek (before the main channel was redirected to the north), the 32-acre park still has a lot to offer. In addition to the usual park amenities of playground equipment (swings, slides, climbing, etc.), benches, picnic tables and BBQ grills, the park features a community center, a large shelter house, a small swimming pool, a bandstand and an outdoor basketball court.

The City of Topeka's premier park, this 160-acre facility at SW 6th (to SW 10th) and Gage Blvd. offers a full range of family fun from A (Animal Land) to Z (Zoo). Named for Guilford G. Gage, whose wife, Louisa, and heirs gave the park's original 80 acres to the city in 1899 following Gage's death, the spacious park is beautifully landscaped and full of mature trees. It features the Topeka Zoological Park, the Blaisdell Family Aquatic Center, the Helen Hocker Theater, the E.F.A. Reinisch Rose Garden and the Thomas F. Doran Rock Garden.

Felker Park, named for a former mayor, features athletic fields and the showcase Kossover Tennis Center, which was named the 2008 Facility of the Year by the United States Tennis Association. Competition on the courts ranges from middle school competition to Missouri Valley USTA tournaments. In 2006, Kossover completed almost $1 million in renovations -- finishing a vision for the tennis center that went back to its start in the 1970s.

Located on the east side of Washburn Avenue from SW 22nd to Shunga Drive and east to Buchanan, Shunganunga Creek gives this large park a split personality.

On the sunny west side of the creek along Washburn is the Rip-On Skate Park for skateboarders, in-line skaters and bicyclers. This 9,310-square-foot concrete non-lighted facility features two pyramids, ramps, quarter pipes, grind rails, bank-to-bank ramps and a bowl. There's also a soccer field, some playground equipment, part of the Shunga Trail and a water fountain.

Santa Fe Park, in the Oakland area, features plenty of colorful playground equipment to keep youngsters busy while softball games are played at nearby fields. Located northeast of Division and Lime, Santa Fe Park sits near the Kansas River. The colorful play area features swings for children and toddlers, slides, climbing toys and a tire swing. There's space for picnicking and lots of shade over and near the main play areas. A smaller play area between the fields allows parents to keep watch of little ones during games.