Our highest quality family time is often away from the house. When we leave homework, the dishes, and the television behind and go somewhere as a family, we usually have better conversations and share more laughter. There are fewer distractions, and we focus more on each other. We often seek out local parks and playgrounds when we only have an hour or two together. The natural playground at the Louisville Nature Center in Louisville, Kentucky, is a tried and true family favorite. We hadn’t been to the nature center in over a year but recently revisited it. We fell in love with it all over again.

We visited on a cloudy early fall day, just after days of rainfall. After being cooped up inside, we were craving fresh air. The kids ran immediately for the natural playground. It’s simple and made of mostly natural elements, but its simplicity inspired so much creativity! The kids created a kitchen on a wooden platform, climbed on massive black tires, and made music on the hanging xylophone-like metal pieces. There was a small sand pit with toy vehicles for hands-on fun. We also checked out the free little library nearby.

After playing for a while, we explored the other parts of the nature center. There was a beautiful garden out front, with enough plants and features for a whole sensory experience. There were large planter boxes full of vibrantly colored flowers and a small pond that delivered sounds of gently running water.

A rain garden was in the back of the nature center, with an accompanying interpretive sign about its function. The sign explained that rain gardens capture rainwater and keep it out of storm sewers, preventing overflow and reducing flow into water infrastructure.

After meandering through the gardens, we stopped in the nature center’s bird blind, a small building with lots of seating where bird lovers can watch birds while remaining hidden. The glass inside the bird blind allows bird watchers to see out but keeps the birds from seeing in, so they feel more comfortable coming closer. I love birds, and couldn’t get enough of the feathered flyers that stopped by the many bird feeders outside of the bird blind.

Although we didn’t have time for a full hike, we checked out hiking options at the nature center. A sign marked the 1.5-mile White Oak Trail and the 0.75-mile Red Maple Trail. These shorter trails are the perfect length for our family, and we plan to return to explore them. They create fantastic opportunities for locals and tourists to enjoy nature in the city.

For more information, visit the Louisville Nature Center’s website and the center's Facebook page.

Louisville has an array of fantastic parks and nature centers. Cherokee Park and E.P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park are great places to enjoy the outdoors.

Before you tackle your next hike in Kentucky, peruse our list of must-have hiking items, including hiking backpacks, water bottles, and snacks. With more than 75 items on the list, you're sure to find some awesome accessories that will make your hike more enjoyable.