Autumn Day Trips and Fantastic Fall Festivals

Everything wonderful and iconic about autumn is part of our favorite day trips, from homemade apple cider to fresh pumpkin pies, scenic views and old-fashioned country parades. These charming day trips offer terrific off-the-beaten-path sites to explore and fall festivals brimming with fun and memories of a simpler time.

Apple Cider, Star Gazing and Big Cats in Louisburg!

What is fall without delicious apple cider? Mouthwatering made-from-scratch cider is enjoyed every autumn at the Louisburg Cider Mill (14730 Hwy. 68, 913.837.5202,  www.LouisburgCiderMill.com) during the annual Louisburg Ciderfest (Sept. 29 & 30; Oct. 6 & 7).  The highlight of the day, just like on any autumn day at the cider mill, is watching as apples are freshly pressed into 100 percent pure apple cider — from initial washing to the actual pressing. Our favorite treats are the made-from-scratch-right-before-your-eyes cider donuts! The festival offers more classic foods from barbecue to my personal favorite, fried pickles. Live music, crafts and a pumpkin patch, where kids of all ages can ride the hay wagon, experience a 10-acre corn maze, visit with farm animals, play on the straw castle and enjoy inflatables and activities, are just part of the fun.

Also, visit Cedar Cove Feline Sanctuary (3783 K-68 Hwy., 913.837.5515. Admission charged.). Cedar Cove is a refuge for big cats, including leopards, cougars, wolves, bobcats, a white tiger, black leopards and caracals. Every Saturday at 4:00 through the end of October, Cedar Cove hosts public feedings of the cats and remains open until 5:00, weather permitting.

Then, stay after dark for a view of the celestial sky. Louisburg is just far enough from the bright lights of the city to facilitate a fantastic stargazing opportunity at Powell Observatory (in Lewis-Young Park, 913.438.3825. Admission charged.). On Saturday evenings, you can enjoy a spectacular night view through a 30-inch telescope, one of the largest available for public viewing in the United States.

Autumn in the 1850s: Horses, Oxen, Music and Fun at Missouri Town 1855!

A visit to Missouri Town 1855 (pictured above) is always fun, but our favorite time of year to visit is during the Festival of Arts, Crafts and Music (Saturday, Oct. 6, 10:00-5:00 & Sunday, Oct. 7, 11:00-5:00, at Missouri Town 1855, 8010 E. Park Rd. , Blue Springs, MO, 816.503.4860. $10/vehicle). Hot spiced cider, 1850s music and dance, children’s games, period arts and crafts, horse-drawn buggy rides and fun-filled hayrides make this a special weekend event.

The village truly comes to life. Children love Moses, the gentle ox who loved eating straw straight from our hands. Highlights include watching the Missouri Town dancers, visiting the blacksmith shop where the men were busily making tools for the farm, attending school in the one-room schoolhouse and visiting the buildings (colonel's house, schoolhouse, smokehouse, tavern, chicken coop, blacksmith shop, hog shed, church, law office, livery stable).

Before you head home, visit the Native Hoofed Animal Enclosure (also in Fleming Park, across from Missouri Town), a 110-acre fenced home to bison, elk and white-tailed deer, where visitors watch the majestic animals roam the prairie.

Pumpkins, Fall Foliage and Apples in Weston!

A fun festival is the Weston Applefest (Saturday, Oct. 6, 10:00-6:00 & Sunday, Oct. 7, 11:00-5:00 in Weston, MO, www.WestonMO.com). Be sure to watch the parade down Main Street at 10:00 Saturday morning. Celebrate time-honored techniques of a Missouri family’s demonstrating the “lost arts” of candle and soap making, wood turning and carving, leather tanning and basket weaving. In addition to enjoying the variety of other arts and craft booths along downtown’s Main Street, you’re also invited to browse the many unique Weston shops during your visit.

While you’re in Weston, take a break from Main Street to visit some of the beautiful attractions in the country. The Weston Red Barn Farm (16300 Wilkerson Dr., 816.386.5437) sits atop a picturesque hill overlooking farmland and forest. The farm is also home to farm animals, including ponies, goats, turkeys, chickens, pigs, cows, ducks, geese and sheep.On weekends, enjoy a tractor- or horse-drawn hayride, the corn maze or a pony ride.

Then, take in the view at Weston Bend State Park (16600 Hwy. 45 N., 816.640.5443), a site of the Lewis and Clark expedition, featuring paved, chipped and wood trails, picnic areas, playgrounds and campgrounds and a beautiful scenic overlook with a magnificent view of autumn color over the Missouri River.

Our favorite place for lunch also happens to be home to the world’s largest ball of string… it’s not every day you can claim to see a supersized wonder. In the 1950s, Finley Stephens opened a museum in Weston. One of the many artifacts was a ball of string weighing more than 3,700 pounds and measuring 19 feet in diameter. Stephens asked local postmasters to save string for him and he used it to create the ball. You can now see it at O’Malley’s 1842 Irish Pub (500 Welt St., 816.640.5235), where they serve delicious authentic Irish fare in an Irish-American pub complete with Irish music. 

Pioneers, Quilts and Harvest at Shoal Creek!

Step back in time at the Shoal Creek Harvest Festival (Oct. 13, 10:00-4:30; admission: $5/person, 5 and under free; 7000 NE Barry Rd., Kansas City, MO, 816.792.2655)

The old-fashioned county fair offers baked goods, handcrafts and demonstrations on lost skills in a unique historic setting. With more than 20 historic buildings on 80 acres of rolling hills in northern Kansas City, Shoal Creek brings the 1800s to life. Visit the one-room school where kids are sure to spot the dunce cap in the corner, the cobbler’s shop with shoe making tools in every size, the doctor’s office and the local jail where the town marshal based his peace-keeping in the town. You may purchase souvenirs at the mercantile, watch blacksmith demonstrations and visit homes in the village ranging from upper to working class residences. The mill, however, is my favorite building at Shoal Creek... it is the only working grist mill in the area, and your family will enjoy viewing the water wheel against the rolling hills of the frontier village.

Missouri’s Own Historic Treasure… Arrow Rock!

Arrow Rock (www.ArrowRock.org) holds the distinction of being a National Historic Landmark. The village is charming with numerous period shops on its main street, known by locals as “the Boardwalk.” Every fall, the town celebrates 19th century craftsmanship with demonstrations by artisans and historic activities and fun during the Heritage Craft Festival in Arrow Rock (Oct. 13 & 14, 10:00-5:00 each day, Arrow Rock, MO, www.ArrowRockArts.org; admission: $1/ea.) One of the highlights of the festival is the old-time worship service at 8:45 Sunday morning in the historic Christian Church.

Along “the Boardwalk,” you will find a variety of boutiques and shops, including the Mercantile, where you may purchase period wares and gourmet candies. Arrow Rock also boasts the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi, J. Huston Tavern, having served travelers on the Santa Fe Trail since 1834.

Tour the George Caleb Bingham home and learn about the Missouri artist who is well known for art depicting Jackson County and statewide events of the 1850s, and visit the local museum and visitor’s center.

If you choose to stay in town, you’ll find many local bed and breakfasts and nearby campsites for travelers.

Kristina Light looks forward to homemade apple dumplings in Weston and to Louisburg’s cider donuts every year.