Country Lane Estates - Kansas City, MO

Country Lane Estates traces its history to the mid-1800s with two prominent citizens who influenced the current landscape of the area. Old Red Bridge, in Minor Park, was first built by Col. George N. Todd in 1859. The current Old Red Bridge, built in 1933, serves as a romantic reminder of the area's past.

William E. Minor owned a vast stretch of land just east of Country Lane Estates that eventually became Minor Park in 1956. Before Minor owned the land, part of the Santa Fe Trail ran through the property.

No actual community events occur in the neighborhood. Annual events in Country Lane Estates revolve around students at the Catholic high school.

One restaurant exists in this mostly residential neighborhood. However, all you have to do is go a few blocks north, south, or east to find additional dining choices. A couple of bars providing entertainment late into the night sit just to the north.

Jasper's Restaurant, and the attached Italian market, offer residents a unique experience. Just a few blocks north of Country Lane Estates in the Watts Mill Plaza, Jasper's lets you eat fine pasta while purchasing your meal in a kit to take home and fix yourself. Try the grappa-infused salmon as an unforgettable appetizer served with garlic and lemon. Seven dishes of tender veal come to your table with the finest ingredients. Medallions of veal with artichoke hearts and mushrooms get bathed in garlic-scented Chianti wine sauce for a combination of subtle sweet, savory and spicy flavors. For a down-home treat, veal liver arrives soft, tender and topped with onions alongside a bit of cream sherry.

Mama Leone's is the place for great New York-style pizza. Get your fix for huge, floppy slices with the combo of Italian sausage, hamburger, black olives, green peppers, onions and pepperoni. If pizza does not suit your fancy, seven sandwiches and eight different kinds of pasta round out the menu.

Ugly Joe's has plenty in the way of entertainment, drinks and sports until 3 a.m., seven nights a week. Darts, classic video games and tons of sports keep you busy all night while you chow down on appetizers, such as quesadillas, hummus or waffle fries. Happy hour lasts five hours from 2 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, and watch for special events during televised sports programming.

Some, but not all, of the single-family residential streets have sidewalks. Bicycles work well on side streets and Red Bridge Road, but motorized vehicles rule Wornall Road. The Indian Creek Bike Trail, just to the north, allows bikes to go from Blue River Road to the east all the way into Overland Park.

Call a cab if you need to be picked up, and Uber does come down this way. Find plenty of public parking at the hospital and high school. Apartment complexes contain enough spots for residents and guests.

Take Wornall Road or State Line Road north to access I-435. Use these roads to go south to Red Bridge Road. Buses for KCATA Route 57 stop at Carondelet and State Line Road on weekdays. This route travels north on Wornall out of the neighborhood.

Minor Park, just to the southeast of Country Lane Estates on Red Bridge Road, is the largest park near the neighborhood. Hundreds of acres of trails, fields and forest beckon outdoor enthusiasts, kids and exercise-conscious individuals to this wilderness playground. Bring your leashed canine companion along for your jog.

Staff at Minor Park Golf Course give you an opportunity to improve your game, with regular lessons, deals and a practice facility. Schedule an all-day event, a playing lesson, or group or individual instruction with one of two golf professionals at this public facility.

Living costs more in Country Lane Estates, thanks to larger and newer single-family homes. A one-bedroom apartment averages $662 per month.

A day pass on KCATA buses costs just $3 to go anywhere on the transit system. Gasoline is typically priced 20 percent below the national average. A pint of beer is $2.50 for a happy-hour special at a local bar.

Three major shopping centers surround the neighborhood. Red Bridge Shopping Center sits to the east, while Watts Mill Plaza and State Line Shopping Center lie to the north. Sun Fresh Market and Price Chopper are the closest grocery stores to Country Lane Estates. Kansas City Organics sells farm-raised produce every Saturday morning from April to October.

Fritz's Meats & Superior Sausage specializes in smoked meats, sausages, bratwurst, hot dogs and chorizo. Order 20 pounds of a specialty sausage, such as elk, alligator or ostrich, and Fritz's can have it ready for you in two weeks. Sample some of the place's wares by coming in for lunch on weekdays. Fritz's is one of Kansas City's oldest smokehouses, dating back to 1927.

Royal Liquors sells beer, wine and hard liquor for any occasion. Come in for regular tasting events or to discuss your selections with a knowledgeable employee. Royal Liquors has been owned and operated by locals since 1978, and the store prides itself on a wide array of choices.