What to Know Before You Go
Whether the forecast is frightful or favorable, in KC there’s no shortage of fall family fun!
Active Entertainment All Around
Monkey Bizness, Olathe
Monkey Bizness features multiple bounce areas and a toddler play area. School days present quieter, ideal playtimes for little ones. Parents can play on the equipment with their children “which is actually one of the best parts about coming to our facility,” says Lori Walker, facility manager. Enjoy pizza and play on Wednesday family nights from 4:00 to 8:00.
- Socks are required (also available for purchase). While re-entry is not permitted, you can bring a homemade lunch or snacks (no fast food). Monkey Bizness also sells pizza and drinks.
- Worried about germs? Staff clean and sanitize the equipment nightly with Odo-Ban, 409 and Simple Green.
Paradise Park, Lee’s Summit
Open year-round, Paradise Park includes a rock wall, foam factory, bumper cars and the Children’s Edutainment Center, as well as go-karts, miniature golf and a maze. (Price packages vary.) Moms receive free admission on Mom’s Mondays with the purchase of a child’s admission to the Children’s Edutainment Center. Fall fun nights, Fridays and Saturdays Sept. 14 to Oct. 27, feature an old-fashioned tractor-pulled hayride, hot chocolate and a marshmallow roast.
- Socks are required in some areas (also available for purchase). Outside food isn’t permitted, but you can leave for lunch and come back. The park’s cafe also offers pizza, sandwiches and beverages.
Awarded the 2012 National Tourist Attractions & Parks Magazine’s “Best Maintained Facility,” Paradise Park prides itself on cleanliness. The ball pit in the Children’s Edutainment Center is sanitized weekly. “We also have a system where kids can put balls into our sanitizing system and watch them be cleaned and put back into the ball pit,” says Jacqueline Sharp, marketing, development and events manager.
CoCo Key Water Resort
Kansas City’s year-round water park, CoCo Key Water Resort (816.737.0200, CoCoKeyKansasCity.com), offers fun indoor attractions, making it a great place for some family recreation in the fall and winter. The Shark Slam, Barracuda Blast and Pelican Plunge are three 40-ft. thrilling body and raft water slides for adventure seekers! Guests must be 48" tall to ride down tube slides and 42" tall to ride down the body slide. At Parrot's Perch, the park also offers slides for those at least 36” tall so little ones can begin to enjoy the fun. You can play for just the day or spend the night. Ask about overnight package bundles with tickets for other local attractions, as well.
- The water park does offer showers and lockers. Bring your own towels and swim goggles and don’t forget a bit of spending money for concessions and food at the snack bar (you may not bring your own food into the water park).
Freelance writer Christa Melnyk Hines, Olathe, looks forward to exploring new places and revisiting favorite haunts with her family during the cooler fall days and nights.