Almost. It’s less than a mile from my house to Forest Park; so close that my wife used to walk over with the children to spend the day at the Zoo. They would pack a lunch, slather sunscreen on themselves and each other and off they went, hand in hand to see the animals, ride the train and eat, eat, eat! I would come home from work to find exhausted offspring sprawled around the house and my wife cheerfully making supper.

But you don’t have to suffer the crowds in the zoo to enjoy the outdoors; anywhere in Forest Park is a great place to spend your Sunday afternoon! Whether you are picking blackberries in the Kennedy Forest, wading through a sea of coneflowers in the savannah or sitting by one of the many waterways in the park, there is always something going on. Boaters, lovers, battle droids (it turned out they were humans on Segways, but they gave me a start), and all sorts of flora and fauna are there waiting for you. Here, see for yourself!