Sense-sational Fall Fun
Autumn is known for its signature colors and flavors. This fall, savor the best of the season with these local outings:
Taste: Fall Flavors
Treat the kids to giant caramel apples from Sweet Caroline's (913.495.9993), one of the most decadent shops in the metro. Using large delicious apples, Sweet Caroline's serves up many flavors and combinations of coatings that are almost too pretty to eat!
You’ll find freshly popped kettle corn, hand-dipped candy apples, hot cider and cocoa and more yummy treats at local fall festivals.
See: Pumpkin Mountain and Autumn Leaves
St. Joseph, MO, is renowned for its annual lighting of Pumpkin Mountain. During their Pumpkinfest (Oct. 7-9), more than 500 hand carved pumpkins are lit in front of the Pony Express Museum at 8:00 on Friday and Saturday nights. This magical site is truly an unforgettable experience. In addition to the lighting of pumpkin mountain, the festival also offers a carnival, vendors, live entertainment and more.
Enjoy the autumn classic of a leaf peeping trip. Take a driving tour to enjoy Missouri’s most vibrant fall leaves—and don’t forget the camera! Visit MDC.mo.gov/discover-nature/outdoor-recreation/driving-tours/fall-colors for a leaf map recommending the best places for the best views.
Hear: Macabre Music and Poetry
The Coterie is bringing back Tell-Tale Electric Poe (Oct. 20-30) for another mesmerizing showing. The performance features one actor reciting some of Poe’s most notable works, “The Premature Burial” and the oft-requested “Tell-Tale Heart,” accompanied by an eerie electric guitar. The spooky show captivates audiences of all ages as they encounter Poe’s poetry in the Coterie’s signature style. TheCoterie.org
Kansas City is also home to many great concert venues. One of our favorite for families is the Midwest Trust Center. This October, they’re offering a variety of great shows: Winterlude - Vine Street Rumble (Oct. 2), Disney's Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation (Oct. 15), Soweto Gospel Choir: Hope (Oct. 16), Kansas City Jazz Orchestra/Hanover Big Band (Oct. 21) and the Four Freshmen (Oct. 28). For fans of magic, catch Piff the Magic Dragon and Puddles Pity Party: Misery Loves Company tour on Oct. 30
Touch: An Alpaca, Sheep or Cow
This fall, you’re invited to tour local farms. Kaw Valley’s Fall Farm Tour is Oct. 1-2, and Miami County Kansas’ Fall Farm Tour is Oct. 15-16. Both offer tours of many Kansas farms, including alpaca ranches and goat, sheep, pig, bison and cow farms. You also can explore farms where things grow, such as pecans, vegetables, corn and wheat. This educational outing is an incredible opportunity to learn more about where our food comes from and support local businesses.
If you’re unable to attend one of these events, you may book a “Paca Picnic” at Green Meadows Alpaca Ranch in Holden, MO. This fun farm offers great options for a day trip or even an overnight stay. You’ll get to meet and play with dozens of friendly alpacas and other farm animals. If you’re looking for a short getaway not too far from home, read our Green Meadows Alpaca Ranch getaway review.
Smell: Fall Fragrances
Host a family cooking competition. Find out which member of your family can make the best pot of chili, hearty soup or tastiest pie. Enjoy a family meal then make a night of it with games or movies. There’s nothing quite like the aroma of a kitchen full of love and laughter in the fall.
To create some of your favorite fall scents at home, select your favorite seasonal candle at the Corner Candleshop (816.361.6393) or Farm House Collection (816.656.5190). Or head to Lee’s Summit’s Embers Candle Bar (816.719.3911) where you can create your own signature candle capturing all the elements of your favorite cozy scents.
Bonus: All in One
Autumn isn’t complete without a visit to a pumpkin patch. Corn mazes, trains, play spaces, hayrides, corn cribs, carousels, zip lines, rides, concerts, ponies and pumpkins are just a few of the enticements Kansas City’s pumpkin patches have to offer visitors. You’ll find a variety of tasty treats, live entertainment and interactive experiences to enjoy at local patches. Make plans to visit more than one—you’ll find that each one is different and truly special in its own way. Check out the KC Pumpkin Patch Guide on KCParent.com to discover the best patches in town. BONUS TIP: We’ll be giving away FREE pumpkin patch tickets on KCParent.com all season long! Enter our giveaways for a chance to win.
You can also visit Worlds of Fun’s Great Pumpkin Fest (Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 17-Oct. 30) where you’ll experience all the senses at one stop. Live music, delicious fall foods, fun decorations in Planet Snoopy and fall entertainment abound. During the day, kids can enjoy family fun with special play zones, costume contests and dance parties with Snoopy and the whole Peanuts gang.
More Fall Fun for the Senses in Kansas City:
- Touch: Visit one of Kansas City’s free nature centers (all in our Going Places guide on KCParent.com under the Nature Centers and Gardens category), where children touch interactive exhibits and learn about native plants and animals. Start a nature journal and keep track of your discoveries all year long.
- Taste: Kansas City is home to more than 30 farmers markets. Use our Farmers Market Guide. They range from small markets selling exclusively organic produce to the City Market with more than 140 local vendors. You can purchase fruits, vegetables, plants, herbs, homemade soaps, baked goods and even live animals. Best of all, many vendors offer samples. Most markets are open through October.
- Sight: Discover 12 majestic waterfalls in the Midwest in our guide.
- Smell: Head to Powell Gardens or the Overland Park Arboretum, our region’s two beautiful botanical gardens where you can take in the seasonal blooms and enjoy fall color.
- Hear: Search our KCParent.com calendar for live concerts all season long!
Kristina Light truly loves fall most of all. You will find more seasonal inspiration in her online articles on KCParent.com