Best of KC 2026: Birds are(?) real at our lakes

Shawnee Mission Park Lake // Photo by Sarah Sipple

Earlier this month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can take a peek at the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some local people, places, and things that we think make 2026 KC life feel like a winner. We’ll be publishing these online throughout June and July.

Lake Jacomo, or any of the metro’s recreational lakes, makes for a lovely evening of floating down easy street.

Take your pick between Shawnee Mission Park Lake, Wyandotte County Lake, or even the mighty Missouri River if you’re brave enough. If you rent a kayak or paddleboard, look to the sky for the real treat: in the diversity of its songbirds lives the heart of America.

Am I getting old, or are the birds just getting cooler? At Lake Jacomo, it doesn’t matter because I just saw an indigo bunting’s nest. And be prepared for your fair share of turkey vultures and brown-headed cowbirds—they need love too.