Longview Lake Swim Beach
Kansas City, Missouri · Longview Recreation Area
Verified · 3 independent sources
- WATER
- reservoir
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $9
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Longview Lake Swim Beach
Longview Lake Swim Beach is a one-acre managed sand beach on the 930-acre Longview Lake, a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir south of Kansas City that Jackson County Parks + Recreation operates as part of Longview Lake Park. It is a designated, fee-based public swimming beach with certified lifeguards, open seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through early September.
The beach sits on Longview Lake, a large flood-control reservoir within the 4,800+ acre Longview Lake Park in south Kansas City, near Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills. The park also contains a marina, campground, softball complex, golf course, and horse park, and the lake hosts boating, jet skiing, and fishing alongside the swim beach.
Swimming at Longview Lake Swim Beach
Official county descriptions call it 'a large swimming area to cool off in' fronted by a sand beach for sunbathing, with a grassy berm and picnic tables set back from the sand. It is a developed, lifeguarded reservoir beach rather than a wild swimming hole, suited to families and casual swimmers rather than open-water or adventure swimmers.
How to get to this swimming hole
The beach has a direct street address, 11101 Raytown Road, Kansas City, MO 64134, inside Longview Lake Park in south Kansas City, a few minutes from the Ruskin Heights and Hickman Mills neighborhoods; it is a drive-up facility rather than a hike-in spot.
The hike in
Drive-up facility; visitors park at the beach entrance and walk directly onto the sand, no trail involved.
Per Jackson County Parks + Rec, 'swimming on Longview Lake is only allowed at the Longview Lake Beach during its operating hours, or from your anchored boat' (life jacket required in the latter case) - shoreline and dock swimming elsewhere on the lake is explicitly prohibited.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Designated, lifeguarded sand beach (Red Cross-certified lifeguards, per prior official sourcing) with a marked swim area; the county also runs family-oriented events on the sand (Sand Cinema movie nights, kids' birthday party packages). Swimming lake-wide is otherwise prohibited except at this beach or directly from an anchored boat with a life jacket, which keeps casual swimmers away from boat traffic and undeveloped shoreline. Exact shoreline depth/slope at the sand entry was not independently confirmed this pass.
Parking
Lot
The beach has its own street address (11101 Raytown Road, Kansas City, MO 64134) and is described by Jackson County Parks + Rec as a drive-to facility with beach entrance access; an aggregated search snippet (unverified by direct page load, source site returned an error on direct fetch) described parking as 'ample...right at the beach entrance.' Whether parking is free or has a separate fee beyond beach admission was not independently confirmed.
Restrooms
Yes
Restrooms with showers and changing areas at the beach facility itself (established in prior official sourcing from Jackson County pages); not re-verified this pass but no contradicting information found.
Hours
Beach operates seasonally, Memorial Day weekend through approximately Labor Day (per prior verified official sourcing); a 2022-season listing showed daily hours of Mon-Fri 1-7pm and Sat-Sun 11am-7pm, which may have changed since. The surrounding Longview Lake Park is open 8am until sundown, per Jackson County Parks + Rec's Longview Lake facility page.
On the water
Restrictions: Boat and motor permits are required for all watercraft on Jackson County lakes. Stand-up paddleboards and windsurfing are permitted at Longview Lake Monday-Thursday only (sunrise to sunset, prohibited Friday-Sunday and holidays), while SUPs are allowed all week at nearby Lake Jacomo; a Coast Guard-approved PFD is required for windsurfing, and wetsuits are required for windsurfers/PWC riders Oct 1-May 15. Zebra mussels were discovered in Longview Lake in 2024, so boaters must drain, clean, and dry boats/trailers before moving to another lake. Swimming itself is confined to the designated beach or from an anchored boat (life jacket required) - not from the general shoreline or docks.
The official Longview Lake Marina rents pedal boats only, available all season; kayaks, pontoons, and fishing (jon) boats are available at the county's other marina, Lake Jacomo, not at Longview. Private outfitters (see rentals) fill the kayak/canoe gap at Longview.
Rentals nearby
Canoe and kayak rentals delivered to Longview Lake (veteran-owned outfitter based nearby)
Prices: $20/hour or $60/day (6-hour minimum for the day rate); delivery/pickup free within 15 miles, $2/mile beyond that; 2-hour minimum specifically for Longview Lake rentals (vs. 4-hour minimum at their other locations)
13000 SE Raytown Rd, Kansas City, MO 64149 - immediately adjacent to Longview Lake · Seasonal, May through September; weekends 8am-8pm walk-up, weekdays by reservation
Pedal boat rentals, all season (weather permitting); also sells marine supplies, bait/tackle, and gasoline, plus boat slip rentals
9898 Longview Road, Kansas City, MO 64134, on Longview Lake itself; phone 816-966-0131 · Approximately 8am-8pm daily (per third-party search snippet; not independently confirmed on the official page)
What regulars say
No firsthand visitor quotes on crowding or water feel could be captured this pass. The one concrete, dated data point found is a local news report (KCTV5, July 15, 2026) that the beach was closed for one day after an E. coli test flagged a problem, then reopened once the county determined the sample itself was bad and confirmatory testing came back clean. That is useful context on how actively the county tests, but not evidence of a genuine contamination pattern.
Backstory
The land now occupied by Longview Lake was once part of Longview Farm, a 1,780-acre estate built in 1913-1914 for Kansas City lumber baron and philanthropist R.A. Long and once promoted as 'The World's Most Beautiful Farm.' Portions of the farm were later sold off, eventually becoming Longview Lake, Longview Community College, and nearby residential development.
Longview Lake Swim Beach: FAQ
Does Longview Lake Swim Beach charge a fee?
Per a 2022-season listing: daily beach admission was $9 for adults, $7 for seniors, $7 for children (age 15 and under), and free for children 3 and under. The beach's covered picnic pavilion rents for $50 (Mon-Thu), $90 (Fri), or $120 (weekends/holidays); child birthday party packages were $150. Seasonal 'Sand Cinema' movie nights charged $10 per car (concessions only, no outside food/drink).
Is Longview Lake Swim Beach kid friendly?
Designated, lifeguarded sand beach (Red Cross-certified lifeguards, per prior official sourcing) with a marked swim area; the county also runs family-oriented events on the sand (Sand Cinema movie nights, kids' birthday party packages). Swimming lake-wide is otherwise prohibited except at this beach or directly from an anchored boat with a life jacket, which keeps casual swimmers away from boat traffic and undeveloped shoreline. Exact shoreline depth/slope at the sand entry was not independently confirmed this pass.
Do I need to hike to reach Longview Lake Swim Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Longview Lake Swim Beach?
The beach has its own street address (11101 Raytown Road, Kansas City, MO 64134) and is described by Jackson County Parks + Rec as a drive-to facility with beach entrance access; an aggregated search snippet (unverified by direct page load, source site returned an error on direct fetch) described parking as 'ample...right at the beach entrance.' Whether parking is free or has a separate fee beyond beach admission was not independently confirmed.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Longview Lake Swim Beach?
The official Longview Lake Marina rents pedal boats only, available all season; kayaks, pontoons, and fishing (jon) boats are available at the county's other marina, Lake Jacomo, not at Longview. Private outfitters (see rentals) fill the kayak/canoe gap at Longview.
When is the best time to visit Longview Lake Swim Beach?
Summer; the beach operates seasonally, opening Memorial Day weekend and running through approximately Labor Day (early September).
What are the rules at Longview Lake Swim Beach?
No glass containers or alcohol permitted on the beach. Lake-wide, boat and motor permits are required; windsurfing is allowed Monday-Thursday sunrise to sunset only (prohibited Friday-Sunday and holidays) with a Coast Guard-approved PFD required; wetsuits are required for windsurfers and personal watercraft operators October 1-May 15; stand-up paddleboards are not permitted on Longview Lake.
