Stock Up at the Downtown Farmers Market

The Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon, April through October. More than 70 vendors fill the halls at the Green Street Market building at 209 SE Green Street, about three miles from The Donovan.

Vendors bring produce, eggs, meat, honey, fresh-cut bouquets, handmade pasta, baked goods, and other locally made items. Come early, around 8 a.m., to get the freshest items before they sell out.

The market is enclosed, so it keeps going rain or shine. Outside, the playground is open year-round, and a turfed lawn holds Adirondack chairs where visitors can sit with a coffee. The outdoor area is also pet-friendly.

There’s free covered parking a block away, off Second and Green Street, and the drive from The Donovan takes about 7 minutes down Blue Parkway. You can grab all your local produce and head back to your apartment before the morning is over.

Walk the Historic Downtown Square

Downtown Lee's Summit covers a few blocks of brick-paved streets along Douglas, Third, and Main streets. The district is a Great American Main Street built on locally owned specialty shops and an eclectic mix of casual and fine dining. Shops fill most of the ground floors, bars sit at the far end of Douglas, and restaurants run from Third up to Main.

Specialty shops downtown carry clothing, accessories, home furnishings, and gifts. Smith Hat Co. on Douglas has a hat bar where you pick the style, material, color, and band. Local Foundery works like a general store, with candles, vintage signs, and Kansas City apparel from makers who live in the area. Messner Bee Farm sits a few doors down with honey and beeswax from its own hives.

The bars start further along Douglas. Arcade Alley has a full bar in the same room as its pinball and skeeball machines, and the games run on all-day play rather than per-credit. Next door, the Pink Elephant is a small neighborhood bar with a signature cocktail of the same name. Both stay open past midnight on weekends.

Restaurants pick up around the corner on Third. Third Street Social serves Korean steak tacos and smoked salmon dip, and its patio fills as soon as the weather turns. Konrads Kitchen and Tap House sits at the Main Street end with the Loin King, a lightly breaded tenderloin, and brings in live music on weekends.

Eat and Shop at Summit Fair Shopping Center

The Summit Fair Shopping Center is a quarter-mile from The Donovan, across NW Blue Parkway. Opened in 2009, it covers 500,000 square feet along one main street, with landscaping and walkways. It features approximately 50 shops, mainly selling clothing and home goods, and 9 restaurants offering meals from breakfast to dinner.

As a local Lee’s Summit staple, Made in Kansas City Marketplace brings together works from over 200 area artists, designers, and creators, making it a convenient local destination for gifts and home decor.

Shack Breakfast & Lunch opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 2 p.m. seven days a week, so you can enjoy a meal before stores open. The from-scratch menu has breakfast burritos, chicken and waffles, and boozy shakes.

Other food spots include Chick-fil-A, McAlister's Deli, Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster. The short trip from The Donovan means you can head over for a shopping trip or spend a whole afternoon there.

Hike to the Waterfall at Hartman Memorial Park

Living in Lee’s Summit also means you are near stunning waterfalls. Charles David Hartman Memorial Park is at 700 SW Pryor Road, about eight minutes south of The Donovan. Cedar Creek cuts through the park under limestone bluffs 50 feet high, with small waterfalls along the way. A paved path from the parking lot leads toward the falls, and wood-chip trails continue into the adjacent nature area.

The paved path begins by the baseball fields and reaches Cedar Creek in a few minutes. Follow it and the bluffs come into view, with water spilling over rock ledges below them. Mornings before the parking lot fills up are the quietest time to see them.

The trails continue into the Winterset Nature Area, another nature preserve directly connected to Charles David Hartman Park. The trail system goes about a mile along the creek and the bluffs across both parks.

Make These Stops Part of Life at The Donovan

Lee’s Summit, MO is easier to explore once you know where to eat, shop, and spend time outdoors. Saturday mornings can start at Green Street and end at the waterfalls on Cedar Creek. Summit Fair is a short drive away for a quick coffee, while the historic square makes a great destination for dinner and live music. Living at The Donovan means every one of these places is part of your ordinary week in Lee's Summit.

Make these local favorites part of your weekly routine. Schedule your tour at The Donovan today and find your perfect apartment.

The post Getting to Know Lee’s Summit, MO From Your Apartment at The Donovan appeared first on The Donovan Blog.

Three questions can help guide most rent-or-buy decisions: what it costs, how much of your time it takes, and how long you plan to stay. Each one deserves an honest look before you sign anything. The best answer depends on your circumstances and priorities.
 

What Buying Actually Costs

The purchase itself costs money before you move a box. Closing costs, agent fees, inspections, and other upfront costs can add up quickly. The down payment ties up your cash too, limiting how much remains available for savings and other goals. Owners do build equity over time, which renters do not, and that belongs in the comparison too.

With renting, the math stays simple. At The Donovan, your rent covers your apartment, while the maintenance team handles covered repair needs and is available around the clock for maintenance emergencies. Our studio, one-, and two-bedroom floor plans let you pay for the space you actually use, with no closing costs or responsibility for major homeowner repair bills.
 

The Weekends You Get Back 

Owning a house comes with steady upkeep. Mowing, cleaning gutters, changing filters, touching up paint, and the constant hardware store runs fill the same weekend hours you set aside to rest. When you rent, your weekend hours are your own again.

In Lee's Summit, that free time is easy to spend well. The Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market runs Wednesday and Saturday mornings from April through October, with more than 70 vendors inside the Green Street Market building. You will find locally owned restaurants, shops, and free events downtown for the rest of the day, all a few minutes from home, and an Amtrak station puts Kansas City within reach without a car.

Closer to home, your weekend stays just as full. A morning at The Donovan can start with sunrise yoga on our waterfront deck and end with a slow soak in the grotto. Best of all, none of it leaves a chore list behind.
 

When Buying Makes Sense

Buying may make more financial sense when you expect to remain in one place long enough to offset the costs of purchasing and eventually selling the home. The timing varies based on the market, financing, maintenance costs, and the property itself, so there is no universal break-even point.

A new job, changing household needs, or a change of plans is far easier to manage when you can give 60 days of notice than when you have to list a house, stage it, and wait on a closing date. If you're still exploring the next few years, renting leaves you free to move, and plenty of people choose it for that reason alone.
 

Renting Somewhere You Actually Want to Be

The rent-or-buy debate skips a third choice: renting a place that already gives you many of the features buyers are chasing. People may value space, comfort, a sense of community, and a few good extras, not only a deed. A well-built apartment community can offer many of those benefits with no down payment and no closing costs.

The Donovan is designed for residents who want the whole package without a mortgage. Our amenities include the Grotto Spa with wet and dry saunas, a fitness center with a climbing wall, and a cabana-lined, resort-style pool with lap lanes. Residents can enjoy these spaces without being personally responsible for maintaining them.

You can read about our amenities, but a tour is the only way to feel the difference. Schedule a tour of The Donovan and see it all for yourself.

The post Rent or Buy and Keep Your Options Open at The Donovan appeared first on The Donovan Blog.