Summer Staycation: Crown Center
Whether you're local to Kansas City looking for a great weekend staycation, or visiting from out of town and want to enjoy Kansas City with kids, Crown Center is one of our top picks for family fun! Note that with the Streetcar, and short walking distances, you can enjoy all the attractions below without driving!
Recently, our family enjoyed an incredible Crown Center Staycation at the Sheraton Crown Center - - this wasn't your typical hotel getaway. For city kids who want to camp, with parents who want air conditioning and a comfy mattress, the Sheraton now offers a Great Indoors package. Upon arrival, kids discover a kid sized tent, sleeping bag, sunglasses and director's chair (all three they may take home to enjoy) and a S'mores cupcake dessert!
Our girls were thrilled when they opened the door to our room to discover the tent and towel animals shown above.
We stayed in two adjoining King Suites with comfy beds and pillows, each room had a television, mini fridge and coffeepot. The rooms were spacious, spotless, and comfy.
The view from the windows on the 22nd floor (where we stayed):
The girls enjoyed swimming in the salt water pool on the roof. We had views of the city, including Union Station.
The fountain at the Westin Crown Center. The Westin and Sheraton are sister hotels and the Westin Kids Club offers a great space with free crafts and fun for kids. We spent some time playing there and the girls had their faces painted. This is FREE during your stay at the Sheraton or Westin (ask for current hours) and it offers a nice break during the day.
"From coloring books and paints to teepees and an Xbox, The Westin Kid's Club offers multiple creative outlets through which children can explore, create, and grow. Open from 10am to 5pm Fridays and Saturdays, and 9am to 12pm Sundays."
In addition to staying at the hotel, we packed the weekend with fun!
Friday evening, we ordered carry out from Jack Stack at Union Station (because we are from Kansas City and that means we love barbeque) and took a walk to Union Station via the Link, picked up our food, and enjoyed it back at the room. Of course, you can eat at the restaurant (or many nearby restaurants), but summer seemed like a fun time for a walk!
On Friday Nights, through August 5, Crown Center is offering Weekender Movies & Music. Enjoy a free outdoor concert and movie. This was a short walk from our hotel. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets and some snacks, or purchase food from the local food trucks on site.
We also spent some time at Crown Center playing at the FREE The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD®. This free exhibit is on the first floor of Crown Center through Labor Day Weekend. Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sat, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"An exciting hands-on traveling exhibit created by the Betty Brinn Children's Museum in collaboration with Hasbro. The exhibit features MR. POTATO HEAD, the much-loved silly character, who becomes an explorer, scientist, and adventurer with a change of his "parts." In addition to building a variety of essential academic skills, the exhibit encourages children to welcome new experiences with confidence, curiosity and humor, to think about all they can be and do, and to always respect themselves and others."
Saturday morning, we took a ride on the FREE KC Streetcar and visited City Market for a bit of shopping and taste testing (many of the vendors offers samples of their food so you can try the delicious goat cheese or buffalo meat before you buy it).
Tip: We were on a schedule and unable to take too many stops of the Streetcar during our visit, but a few of our favorite stops along the way, in addition to Union Station and Crown Center include:
- Kansas City Power & Light District. On the 2nd Saturday of the month (thru Oct) enjoy FREE Sprint Family Fun Days. And, any time catch a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (check ahead for age restrictions). Or, buy lunch at Consentino's and take the elevator to the top for the Rooftop Park above market where you can enjoy a picnic.
- National World War I Museum and Memorial. The world-class museum is one of our favorite Kansas City attractions. Visitors should plan to spend at least 4 hours or more on a visit to the museum with wonderful interactive exhibits, films, and displays telling the story of World War I.
- National Archives of Kansas City. Immediately west of the Union Station Park Lot (pull into the same driveway), you'll find this free attraction. They offer free exhibits on local history. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
- Money Museum. A short walk up the hill (across from Liberty Memorial), this free museum is another local favorite. Learn all about the Federal Reserve Bank and the U.S. monetary system through interactive exhibits and tours. Hours: M-F 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- City Market. Home to a lot of delicious restaurants, including the kid-friendly Minsky's, Cascone's, and Beignet's. Also, visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum. And, be sure to buy fresh produce and spices from local vendors. We never visit City Market without stocking up on our favorite seasonings at Planter's.
- Central Library Kansas City. The crown jewel in the Kansas City Public Library system, the Central Library is beautiful and magnificent. The children's department is magical as you walk through the pages of a book to enter. The parking garage painted to look like a bookcase is a local landmark. And, no visit to the library is complete without a game of rooftop chess.
- Kansas City City Hall Observation Deck. City Hall is the third tallest building in Kansas City. It offers amazing views of the city, and the observation deck is free. Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For lunch on Saturday, we headed to Fritz's at Crown Center where model trains deliver food to your table.
Union Station
Then, we headed to Union Station to check out the model trains at the KC Rail Experience and we watched The Secret Life of Pets on the Extreme Screen (matinees are only $5/person and Science City Members get free popcorn!). You may also want to visit Science City while you're at Union Station. Science City is Kansas City's hands-on science museum for kids. Or, catch a show at the Gottlieb Planetarium.
We didn't have time to explore all Crown Center has to offer during our one-night getaway, but we have enjoyed all of these attractions throughout the summer and recommend these additional Crown Center attractions on your Kansas City visit.
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center!
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Crown Center (2475 Grand Boulevard, KCMO. 816.471.4386). www.LEGOLandDiscoveryCenter.com, is a larger-than-life attraction! Begin your journey on a ride into the unknown on laser chariots. Play with the world’s biggest box of LEGOS®. Watch a film in the LEGO® Studios 4D cinema and explore a miniature Kansas City that highlights 10 of our most popular local attractions in LEGO® MINILAND®. Your imagination will run wild in this new family favorite! Get the inside scoop on this attraction with our Review of LEGOLAND!
Sea Life Kansas City
Next door to LEGOLAND, you'll find Sea Life at 2475 Grand Blvd, KCMO. 816.471.4386. At Sea Life your family will be transported into an amazing underwater world with up-close views of more than 5,000 sea creatures! Come nose to nose with sharks in the walk-through underwater tunnel, experience the touch pool where you can hold a crab or touch a starfish, participate in educational demonstrations, watch animal feedings and explore this state-of-the-art home for many of the ocean’s most majestic creatures! www.Facebook.com/SeaLifeKansasCity
Kaleidoscope
Plan on attending the earliest session at Kaleidoscope possible. In the summer, we're all tempted to enjoy lazy mornings, so Kaleidoscope's FREE Walk-In Sessions for ALL Ages (perfect if you have multiple children with a span of ages as we do), tend to have the smallest crowds at the earliest sessions. If the sessions aren't crowded, they'll let you walk in a few minutes late or early and they won't require you to leave at the end of the session (this depends on the size of the crowd). Children love Kaleidoscope where creativity and imagination play in Kaleidoscope's magical hands-on world where children create masterpieces with super cool, super fun supplies, in a super amazing atmosphere all thanks to Hallmark. This is truly one of Kansas City's BEST family-friendly attractions! PLUS it is indoors... making it perfect for rainy days or days when you just need to "stay in the a/c"! Find the complete Kaleidoscope Calendar.
Hallmark Visitor's Center
Visit the Hallmark Visitor's Center next door to Kaleidoscope, another FREE attraction and one of our favorite "Watch it Made in KC" attractions. Children are given a scavenger hunt to follow as they learn the history of Hallmark, artists demonstrate their craft (we recently watched as an engraver prepared designs for greeting cards and watched the machines that assemble the cards), kids make their own bows with the press of a button, and the self-guided walk through tour almost always ends with a gift (frequently these are the music playing cards for the upcoming holiday, but we have even been excited to receive FREE recordable books for gifts). The Visitor's Center is especially nice if you are visiting with multiple generations (it is a favorite when grandparents are in town visiting) and you're able to enjoy it at your own pace.
This is Just the Beginning...
ALWAYS Check the Crown Center Calendar. Throughout the summer, Crown Center offers many terrific events for families including FREE Puppet Shows, Concerts, Movies, and festivals. Through August 7, Coterie Children's Theatre is showing Madagascar: A Musical Adventure. Read our review of the show. And, check the Crown Center Calendar before you head out to make the most of your fun!