Cool Summer Nights in Kansas City
This summer has been a SCORCHER... but the nighttime isn't quite as hot (or maybe we're used to it by then)... so, we've been enjoying a lot of family fun in the evenings! Best of all, many of our fun outings are FREE or cheap thanks to great coupons from KC Parent Magazine! Our Favorite Ideas for Cool Summer Nights in Kansas City have been:
Kansas City Zoo: Sunset Safaris
- Kansas City Zoo hosts Sunset Safaris once a month and stay open till 8pm! (6800 Zoo Dr., KCMO. 816.513.5800)
- Why We Love It: Each Sunset Safari offers a new theme and special features. On August 26, enjoy a Sunset Safari with Captain America! A family outing, an adventurous date night or a gregarious group event; spend the evening in Africa. Enjoy exclusive Animal Keeper Chats, $5 meal specials, live entertainment, and much more! Plus, meet Captain America to kick off Super Hero Weekend at the Zoo!
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is open till 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays and admission is FREE! Regular Hours: Wed, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.; Thurs, Fri, 10 a.m.—9 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m.—5 p.m.; Sun, Noon—5 p.m. (4525 Oak, KCMO.
- Why We Love It: The Nelson is always one of our top picks for a free local outing, but this summer one of the highlights is the exhibit, Monet's Water Lilies, at the Nelson through August 7. The exhibition brings together the panels owned by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Saint Louis Art Museum and the Cleveland Museum of Art for the first time in a generation. Visitors will also enjoy permanent exhibits from around the world. This is one outing where you will discover something new upon each visit. Families will especially enjoy the all new FUN Spot, located in Bloch Lobby, where visitors and families to learn what activities are available for them that day to maximize their fun.
- Tips: Use our Nelson- Atkins Scavenger Hunt on your visit for added fun! We offer two scavenger hunts: one for tweens, teens, and adults that can be a little more challenging and fun for groups and another for young children (even pre-readers... images provided!). You can race against two teams to complete the scavenger hunt, or try to complete one as a family project. And, the hunt for young children features objects found in multiple works of art. Track how often you find any one thing or try the hunt more than once to discover there is more than one way to solve it.
Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop
- Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop offers Family Nights every Thursday through July from 6-8pm with FREE admission. Special activities like stagecoach rides are $2/person. (1200 Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS. 913.971.5111).
- Why We Love It: The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm in Olathe offers a wonderful living history of pioneer life. From farming, the blacksmithing, to home life, and of course... Stagecoaches... Mahaffie is a wonderful historic outing to remember life in the 1800s. On Family Nights, the site comes to life with free activities (for example: butter churning, planting seeds, tours of the home) and activities with a small fee (for example: Stagecoach rides, working in the Blacksmith Shop, Grinding Corn ranging from $1-2/ea.) and they vary with the theme each week. Our children were enthralled at the blacksmith shop where they made their own "S Hooks" and the stagecoach ride is a fun historic experience, but watch out for stagecoach thieves!
- Tips: Read our review of the Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop before your visit and bring your camera for some family fun. And, bring some cash for activities.
Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead
- Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is open till 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and admission is FREE (Memorial Day-Labor Day)! (13800 Switzer, Overland Park, KS. 913.897.2360). Regular Admission: Mon.- Thur., FREE; Fri. - Sun., $2/person; 1 & under free. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April 1 to Oct. 31.
- Why We Love it: Every time we ask KC Parent Readers about their favorite family attractions in Kansas City, the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead always gets a top mention. The Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead features many wonderful attractions to help children learn and appreciate animals, nature, and the outdoors. Children love the dairy barn, fishing pond, petting zoo, goat feeding, chicken coop, and miniature tractor rides. This year, the newest attractions are Alex & Emily's Ice Cream Parlor where you can purchase hand-dipped ice cream and Vic's General Store where families purchase souvenirs ranging from old fashioned candy to farmstead themed toys and treats.
- Tips: Admission is FREE (M-Th). The Farmstead is one of the metro's most popular attractions, so it is often a bit crowded, but we've come to discover that the Tuesday and Thursday evening hours offer the least crowded time of day to visit and most pleasant weather in the summer. Some attractions do charge a small fee, including: fishing, goat feeding, feeding animals in the petting zoo, and pony rides.
Cool Crest
- Cool Crest is open till midnight or 1am every night all summer! (10735 E. US Highway 40. Independence, M0. 816.358.0088).
- Why We Love It: Cool Crest features 4 miniature golf courses with mechanical hazards, water traps, and decorations ranging from the Statue of Liberty to windmills and dragons. The dragon with the opening/closing mouth was my daughter's favorite. The family fun center is also home to gokarts, arcades, a pizza parlor, and a soft play area for young children.
- Tips: Enjoy great Cool Crest coupons here, or consider buying a 10 game pass for $36... a nearly 50% savings. Other Deals include Unlimited Miniature Golf, 2 Go-Kart Rides and 10 Arcade Tokens from open - 6pm for only $10 per person on Mondays, and Friday Family Night Specials from 6-9pm... for only $19.99 plus tax enjoy Unlimited Soft Play (4 Guests), 100 Arcade Tokens, Large Pizza, and 4 Drinks. You'll discover more deals on the Cool Crest website).
PLAY at Kansas City's Spraygrounds, Parks, & Attractions
- Kansas City's Spraygrounds are open till 7 or 9pm (check the local parks & rec listings for exact times for each one) and offer a great FREE way to cool off! Tip: Read our tips for the Best Day at Crown Center.
- Enjoy one of Kansas City's indoor play places! Little Monkey Bizness (perfect for toddlers and preschoolers) offers family night from 4-8pm on Tuesdays and Fridays and Monkey Bizness (an inflatable play place for ages 2-14) is open till 8pm Mon-Sat (Bonus: Monkey Bizness Coupons). Leaping Lizards (inflatables for ages 2-14) is open till 7 or 8pm many evenings, check the Leaping Lizards Open Play Schedule for dates (Bonus: Leaping Lizards Coupon). Zonkers (an indoor amusement park) is open till 9pm M-Th, and 10pm Fr-Sat. Paradise Park offers gokarts, batting cages, arcades, rock wall climbing, and the Children's EduTainment Center and they are open evenings as well!
- Worlds of Fun is open late all summer long and Planet Snoopy is a big hit for children (Bonus: Worlds of Fun coupon)!!! And, through July 31 enjoy a FREE Oceans of Fun Pass when you purchase the Beat the Heat Deal: With temperatures expected to top 100 degrees throughout the week, Worlds of Fun will help guests keep cool with a free Oceans of Fun promotion. Through Sunday, July 31, any guest who purchases the "Beat the Heat" Worlds of Fun ticket at worldsoffun.com will also receive an Oceans of Fun admission for free. Oceans of Fun is open daily, 10 am - 7 pm (10 am - 8 pm on Saturdays), and Worlds of Fun is open daily, 10 am - 10 pm (10 am - midnight on Saturdays). The "Beat the Heat" offer is valid through Sunday, July 31. For more details on this promotion, visit worldsoffun.com.
- Enjoy bowling, gokarts, lazer tag, paintball, or more family fun! See KC Going Places for your complete guide to all of these fun attractions! (Bonus: Mission Bowl Coupon).
- Swim beaches and boating at the local lakes is great fun. Up for something simple?, We love to simply feed the fish at the Longview Marina (bring stale bread or cereal). Discover local beaches and lakes here.
- Play at the Park... a new one! Kansas City is home to many fun and unique parks and these are our TOP PICKS for the Best Parks in Kansas City.
Enjoy an Outdoor Show
- Outdoor theater at Starlight and other local theaters. Starlight is one of our FAVORITE family traditions and my girls are counting the days till Cinderella starts next week!
- Kansas City's Drive-In Movie Theaters are a fun and nostalgic way to watch a movie as a family and it's affordable too! Tip: Read these Tips for the Drive-In before you go!
- FREE Summer Concerts and FREE Summer Movies at local parks... many outdoor concerts feature our favorite kiddie rockers like Funky Mama and Dino O'Dell, and summer movies at the local parks range from animated favorites to classics!