Go See Kansas City

GO SEE KC

Visit Swope Park, Kansas City’s gem of a green space that is even larger than New York’s Central Park. Meet exotic animals at the Kansas City Zoo at Swope Park, where you can enjoy the new alligator exhibit opening this year. Be sure also to visit the camel feeding deck, touch stingrays, visit Berlin the polar bear and explore the Helzberg Penguin Plaza, Billy Goats Gruff, Sumatran tiger exhibit, Australia and the world-class Africa exhibit. The adventurous can spend a day at Go Ape, a two- to three-hour obstacle course that includes 40 crossings featuring rope bridges, five zip lines, Tarzan swings and net bridges. Kansas City Zoo

National Museum of Toys and Miniatures The Country Club Plaza, the first shopping district designed for shoppers traveling by automobile, is the pride of Kansas City. Throughout the year, this district along Brush Creek is home to several festivals and fairs, including Illuminated Waters over Memorial Day Weekend, the Dragon Boat Festival in June and the Plaza Art Fair in September. With shops, restaurants, amazing architecture, numerous fountains and amazing art, this is a favorite attraction for locals and visitors alike. Nearby, visit the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. The museum houses a charming world of toys with interactive exhibits that take visitors on a stroll down memory lane.

Kansas City boasts many remarkable art galleries, with three of her finest open to the public for free! The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, one of the largest galleries in the United States, maintains a permanent collection representing art from throughout history and around the world. The Sculpture Garden on the lawn is a favorite place for outdoor photos and a walk through art history. For modern art enthusiasts, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art exhibits permanent and temporary collections with special events and workshops for families.

Visit Crown Center for many attractions, great shops and restaurants. Families enjoy skating at the Ice Terrace, the city’s original outdoor rink, throughout the winter. The Coterie produces professional children’s theater year-round. Kaleidoscope is a free kid-friendly art center where imaginations know no limits as kids create their own masterpieces. Sea Life features a walk-through underwater tunnel and an enthralling journey from the fresh waters of the Missouri River to the saltwater of the Atlantic Ocean. The Legoland Discovery Center provides a range of interactive play areas, including a 4D cinema, classes, an exciting Lego ride and one-of-akind Lego exhibits.

Crown Center

Jack Stack At Union Station, you may board the KC Streetcar for a free ride from Union Station to City Market with many stops along the way. Nearby, visit the National Archives of Kansas City with free history exhibits and staff on hand to assist with research projects. Enjoy lunch at a variety of restaurants nearby. For barbecue, enjoy Jack Stack, for Italian eat at Lidia’s and if you’re dining with kids, enjoy Fritz’s where trains deliver food to your table. Wanting to eat locally grown food? Try Unforked or, for steak, try Pierpont’s. These are just a few favorite restaurants in the area.

Spend a day at the National World War I Museum and Memorial, exploring the interactive displays, thought-provoking films and eyewitness testimonies that help guide visitors through one of the largest collections of WWI artifacts in the world. Then take a tour to the top of this iconic landmark, where you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of the city’s skyline. One of the most notable landmarks you’ll see is Union Station, home to Kansas City’s Science City with great hands-on science exhibits for children and the Gottlieb Planetarium, one of the largest 360-degree domed screens in the Midwest. Nearby, make a stop at the Money Museum, a free museum where visitors leave with a souvenir bag of shredded cash.

GO SEE KC

One of Kansas City’s most famous historic neighborhoods is 18th & Vine. Two museums in the district celebrate the city’s past. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum showcases the history of American baseball from the African-American perspective, beginning in 1863, and acquaints you with many famous local baseball stars. Measure up against the life-size bronze statues of players in mid-game on the baseball diamond. Visitors can experience Kansas City jazz and celebrate our finest musicians at the American Jazz Museum and enjoy a live concert at the Gem or the Blue Room.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Arabia Steamboat Museum Kansas City’s arts, antiques and dining districts roll out the red carpet all month long with special hours, sales and events on weekends. You’ll find a complete schedule of events on KCParent.com when you search “Weekend Guide.” Top picks include First Fridays in the Crossroads, enjoyed by more than 10,000 people who head to the cultural arts district for free peeks at galleries and studios, delicious treats from food trucks and restaurants and entertainment from street performers. On a tour of the Arabia Steamboat Museum, in the River Market, learn about the excavation of the 1850s steamboat and her treasure on display at the 25,000-square-foot museum.

Board the KC Streetcar for a free ride through downtown. Stop in the Power & Light District to enjoy a local restaurant or live theater. Stop into Cosentino’s for fresh food or a local souvenir and take their elevator to the rooftop park to enjoy a stroll on green grass. For another great view, head to the top of KCMO’s City Hall for 360-degree views of downtown (Mon.-Fri. 9:00-3:00). Also explore the Central Library with its famous painted bookshelf parking garage, and the River Market District where you can enjoy many tasty restaurants and fun shopping experiences.

Independence is rich with history as the starting point of the Oregon, California and Santa Fe trails and home of President Harry S. Truman. You can learn about his humble lifestyle at the Truman Home in Independence and visit the newly renovated Truman Presidential Library. Visit other historic sites including Vaile Mansion, the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, the Jail Museum and the National Frontier Trails Museum, all hosting events throughout the year and specially decorated for the holidays. Another favorite for history buffs is a ride aboard Pioneer Trails Adventures where you can take a horse-drawn wagon ride through the historic square while hearing stories of the city’s history. Truman Presidential Library

Burr Oak Woods Nature Center Nature lovers enjoy a visit to Powell Gardens, home to a beautiful island garden, rock wall garden, conservatory, Heartland Harvest Garden and acres of trails with magnificent flowers, plants and prairie. In the fall, enjoy scarecrows in the gardens, Glow: A Jack-o’-Lantern Festival and cooking demos by local chefs. During the holiday season, enjoy the Festival of Lights, a magical holiday event. On your way, stop at Cockrell’s Mercantile, a quaint mini village of boutique shops where you’ll find special items for the home and kitchen. For a free outing, visit Burr Oak Woods Nature Center where you can walk miles of trails.

Downtown Lee’s Summit is home to shops and boutiques, including bookstores, hobby shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, cooking stores and more. Their quaint weekend farmers market is a favorite for locals. Visit Sky Zone in Lee’s Summit (additional locations available across the metro), a trampoline park with obstacle courses and games. Or, entertain the gang at Main Event in Independence, where you can enjoy arcades, bowling, billiards, laser tag, obstacle courses and more family fun. Independence Community Ice is an indoor ice-skating rink open year-round.

GO SEE KC

Shawnee Town 1929 Living history museums are a favorite local attraction, with several historic sites telling the area’s history through reenactments and hands-on education. Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm in Johnson County brings 1850s farming to life with tours and programs all year, including stagecoach rides, family programs and a working blacksmith shop. On snowy Saturdays, enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides on the property. Shawnee Town 1929 is a slightly more modern village where families explore living history firsthand. Families also enjoy Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead. The 12-acre park is home to more than 200 farm animals, gardens, a dairy barn, pony rides and much more.

The Johnson County Museum is one of the metro’s best resources for local history. With award-winning long-term exhibits featuring local history, including the beloved 1950s electric house and displays remembering local businesses, as well as changing exhibits, the museum is a great place to spend a day. Little ones love the hands-on play space at KidScape where they can play and imagine they are grown up in a pintsized village. This is a top pick for visitors who have come to town for an event at the Overland Park Convention Center. Nearby, be sure to spend an evening at Topgolf, an entertainment complex for golf enthusiasts.

Johnson County Museum

Adventure lovers enjoy iFly KC, an indoor skydiving facility. The indoor skydiving is a simulation of true freefall conditions in a vertical wind tunnel. Urban Air Overland Park (additional locations) is a favorite indoor trampoline park, with an indoor playground and fun for all ages with obstacle courses and games. Create family keepsakes at Ceramics Cafe and other paint-your-own pottery shops. Patrons select and paint their own ceramic masterpieces—anything from piggy banks to plates, mugs to picture frames. They offer glass fusing workshops as well. Explore textile arts at Harper’s Quilts or The Studio. Or, head to Dream Dinners where you can build freezer meals from scratch to enjoy with the family all month long.

Legends Outlets Head west to Legends Outlets for a day of shopping and local attractions. The shopping center features tributes to local celebrities with banners, statues and artwork. Catch a movie at the theater or listen to a concert on the Lawn. Then, visit Nebraska Furniture Mart, the largest furniture retailer in the region, and Cabela’s, an outdoor store with an amazing aquarium and animal exhibits. Top it all off with a Monarchs baseball game! Sunday Fundays in the summer are a great time to enjoy a game. Families love the day at the ballpark with inflatables, carnival games and player meet-and-greets.

The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson is one of the state’s finest museums. The museum is home to the largest combined collection of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world. The exhibits take visitors through the history of the Cold War and up through the modern era and include both the history and science of the space program. The museum houses Sputnik I and II, space suits, rockets, a moon rock and more than 100 artifacts. Strataca is a one-of-akind experience through an underground salt mine museum. Visitors are taken on a 650-foot journey underground to the 68-degree mine (bring a light jacket), where they discover the history of salt mining in Kansas.

Cosmosphere

Have you ever wanted to swim with penguins? Pet a sloth? Hold a lemur? Believe it or not, there is a magical zoo right in the heart of Kansas (near Wichita) where you can do all that and more! Tanganyika Wildlife Park is unlike any other zoo we’ve visited—this privately owned zoo is small and intimate, but every exhibit is beautiful, immaculate, and spacious and offers the most natural habitat possible for the animals. Visitors customize their park experience with the activities they book. You may elect to participate in all their “Wildly Different Experiences” or purchase the opportunities a la carte.

GO SEE KC

Enjoy both Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun for the price of one ticket. Worlds of Fun boasts seven world-class roller coasters, including the Patriot, Mamba and Timberwolf, classic carnival rides and water rides like Fury of the Nile and Viking Voyager. Kids love Planet Snoopy where they enjoy more than 20 familyfriendly rides and attractions. In addition to great rides, visitors enjoy live shows and meetand-greets with the Peanuts Gang. Oceans of Fun offers fantastic attractions, including Aruba Tuba, Surf City Wave Pool, Buccaneer Bay, Coconut Cove and Splash Island, a 4,200-square-foot interactive water attraction! Worlds of Fun

Jesse James Bank Museum Historic downtown Liberty, MO, is home to the Jesse James Bank Museum, site of the first recorded daytime bank robbery. On the square, enjoy local cafes, boutiques and shops, including Blanc Palette, a paint-yourown masterpiece studio where pet paintings are a favorite project. On the fourth Friday of the month from 6:00 to 8:00, meet local artists at the Artisan Market where you can browse and shop more than 500 pieces of original art. Check out new art events every fourth Friday. For entertainment, catch a live show at the Corbin Theatre, where you can enjoy musical theater, live music and stage shows. Throughout the year, catch a performance with the Liberty Symphony.

Couples enjoy getaways in the Northland where they experience Mystery Dinner Theater at Belvoir Winery in Liberty, MO, a beautiful inn, winery and garden with special events throughout the year. Or stay at the historic Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs, hosting everyone from politicians to gangsters. Experience the area’s history on a weekend retreat. Weston, MO, is another great spot to spend the weekend. The town is home to numerous bed and breakfasts, local restaurants, shops, wineries, breweries and orchards. Another local favorite is Parkville, MO, with beautiful riverfront views, a historic main street with a variety of boutiques and restaurants, and local attractions.

Johnson Farms Johnson Farms in Belton, MO, is a beautiful agritourism attraction where you can shop the gorgeous nursery, pick apples in the late summer and veggies and pumpkins in the fall. Also in Belton, visitors love riding aboard the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad, an excursion train offering a 5-mile, 45-minute round trip ride aboard a 1920s-era passenger coach, open-air excursion car or 1950s diesel locomotive through Old Towne Belton on weekends. Throughout the summer they offer theme rides, including hot dog, ice cream and holiday specials. Enjoy lunch at one of the local cafes or restaurants in the historic district.

Sip freshly made cider at Louisburg Cider Mill, where visitors watch as cider is pressed and cider donuts are made. Cedar Cove in Louisburg, KS, is an animal refuge for endangered or rescued big cats, including leopards, cougars, wolves, bobcats, a white tiger, black leopards and caracals. On Saturdays through October, visit Powell Observatory for a public stargazing session through one of the largest telescopes in the region. Every spring Miami County hosts a farm tour (May 11-12) where visitors are invited to tour 14 local farms and agricultural sites. Visit a pecan farm, bison ranch, alpaca farm, Hereford farm, goat farms, wineries and more.

Cedar Cove

The Overland Park Arboretum is a 300acre botanical garden offering a beautiful outdoor oasis. Explore the Children’s Garden’s whimsical garden trains, wooded paths and the beloved Monet Garden. This is one of the region’s most scenic and relaxing attractions. Enjoy special events including Enchanted Faire (June 1), Stems: A Garden Soiree (June 22) and Whirlwind: Art in Motion tours throughout the summer. The gardens are always affordable, but admission is free on Tuesdays. A few miles from the gardens, head to Rye Studio in Stilwell, KS, where you can take a photo with the You Have My Heart art wall. This is just one art wall in the metro—you’ll find directions to many more on KCParent.com.