Four Season of Fun in KC
Spring
Fountains, barbecue, baseball and flowers … spring celebrates some of our city’s most beloved icons.
City of Fountains
Kansas Citians know our home is the City of Fountains, but you may not know that our first fountains were not for ornamental purposes. They were rather utilitarian, to provide water for horses, dogs and birds. The city’s first fountain was built in 1904 at Fourth & Minnesota for horses and dogs. It featured a large pedestal and a granite basin, and the water spewed from the mouths of lions into a taller bowl where people could get clean water as well. Since that time, it is said we have added more fountains than Rome. Find a map to local fountains at KCFountains.com.
Farmers Markets
Kansas City is home to more than 30 farmers markets. 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. If you are new to the world of the farmers market, this simple guide will get you started: Read our Farmers Market Guide.
Barbecue
You know it’s spring in Kansas City when the aroma of barbecue fills the air. It’s hard to resist the temptation to pick up ribs at Fairway Market when driving along Ward Parkway, or a weekend stop at one of our favorite barbecue joints. Enjoying barbecue is part of our city heritage. In 1908, Kansas City’s king of barbecue, Henry Perry, sold a slab of pork ribs for 25 cents in the 18th & Vine neighborhood. Since that time, our city has created an art form, developing the best sauces and smoking the tastiest meats in the United States. According to the Kansas City Barbecue Society, we have more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States. Find your guide to the Best Barbecue in town here.
Baseball
This year, the Royals’ home opener is on April 4. Since 1969, Kansas Citians have been cheering the boys in blue who’ve won two World Series Championships. You can also catch a game with the Kansas City Monarchs (part of the American Association of Baseball), now at home in Kansas City, KS. The team, formerly the T-Bones, rebranded in a partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and celebrates part of Kansas City’s rich baseball history.
Ride a Roller Coaster
Worlds of Fun opens for the season on April 30. Worlds of Fun is home to seven world-class roller coasters, including one of the tallest, longest and fastest roller coasters in the world. This thriller is the Mamba and boasts a first drop of 205 feet! The Patriot is a giant inverted coaster with four inversions that carries riders at a top speed of 65 mph. Enjoy a thrill as the entire family rides together on the Spinning Dragons, where the cars freely rotate along the track. Or ride the classic wooden roller coaster, the Timber Wolf. Young children enjoy Planet Snoopy with great rides for kids, and the theme park boasts dozens of thrill rides and attractions for guests of all ages.
Summer
Savor summer in Kansas City with these ideas to enjoy fun in the sun!
Wild Water Fun
Splash into summer fun at Kansas City’s premier outdoor water park! With waves of fun from mild to wild, Oceans of Fun offers an amazing time for everyone in the family. Extreme water slides appeal to thrill-seekers, and kiddos love the pint-sized slides, geysers and fountains at Crocodile Isle. Float along the Caribbean Cooler lazy river and catch some waves at the fan favorite Surf City Wave Pool. One of the newest attractions is Riptide Raceway, the world’s longest mat racing waterslide. From five stories high, racers will speed down 486 feet in enclosed, winding tubes and around a 360-degree loop before an epic splashdown finish. Visitors to Oceans of Fun enjoy Worlds of Fun admission for the price of one ticket.
Animal Adventures
The Kansas City Zoo is better than ever! We're big fans of the African Sky Safari (a ski lift styled ride above Africa offering great views of the animals), the train, boat and carousel rides and the world-class animal exhibits. The Elephant Expedition, Camel Feeding Station, Discovery Barn, Australia Exhibit, Helzberg Penguin Plaza and Polar Bear Passage are just a few of our favorite attractions at the zoo. Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead is another favorite outdoor attraction. The petting zoo and farm offers fantastic educational attractions for the family. Pony rides, wagon rides, miniature tractors, an old-fashioned school, mining camp, gardens and farm animals are just part of the fun.
A Stroll Through the Garden
Flowers are blooming! Powell Gardens, Loose Park's Rose Garden, Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden and the Overland Park Arboretum are just a few of our favorite places to enjoy the blooms. Discover Kansas City's local nature centers and gardens using our interactive Going Places Guide.
Summer Festivals
From trendy boutique shopping to old-fashioned county fairs, ethnic festivals with delicious delicacies and local barbecue festivals ... there is something for everyone! Some of our favorites include Celebration at the Station, Great Balloon Glow, Strawberry Festival, Festival of Butterflies, Waterfire, Grand Carnivale at Worlds of Fun, Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, Jazzoo, Fourth of July Festivals, Missouri State Fair, Ethnic Enrichment Festival and more. Find them all in our Festival Guide on KCParent.com.
Spend a Lazy Day at the Lake
A day at the lake is a quintessential summer pasttime, and Lake Olathe is one of our favorite local lakes with a beautiful swim beach and inflatable Aqua Park. For landlocked Midwesterners, it’s great to have a place where you can build sandcastles, swim with the family and jump into the water from a giant floating playground. Lake Olathe Park visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and pedal boats at the marina. The upper lawn at the lake is surrounded by landscaping and a small stream with a water feature flowing into a waterfall before ending in a pond. A creek leading from the pond wraps around the kid-friendly sprayground before flowing into the lake. Read our Guide to Water Fun in KC.
Fall
Fall in love with fall in Kansas City with these traditions the entire family will love!
Apple Picking
Autumn and apples … the two go hand in hand, and this fall you can create family memories as you pick apples at a local orchard. Check out one of our top three favorite Missouri apple orchards: Fun Farm Pumpkin Patch in Kearney, Weston Orchard and Johnson Farms in Belton. Fun Farm Pumpkin Patch is home to a variety of animals including miniature horses. Their Keebler Village playground features terrific tree houses kids love to explore, and the patch offers jumping pillows and other attractions to enjoy, including a train ride. Weston Orchard takes families on hayrides and offers jumping pillows, a petting zoo and a variety of fun play spaces and fabulous photo ops. Johnson Farms is a beautiful agritourism site with a nice orchard and tons of fun during pumpkin season. Their pig races, goat play yard, petting zoo and variety of play spaces are always tons of fun.
Pumpkins
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. In addition to the farms listed for apple picking, we also love Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch and Louisburg Cider Mill’s pumpkin patches. Carolyn’s is one of the biggest patches in the metro and has been enjoyed by generations of families. Their famous pumpkin donuts, fabulous petting zoo, jumping pillows, train, pig races, carousel and fall fun play spaces create a carnival atmosphere the entire family loves. Check out the KC Pumpkin Patch Guide on KCParent.com to discover the best patches in town.
Autumn at the Zoo
We love visiting the Kansas City Zoo on a fall day when the air is crisp and the animals are playful. This fall, experienceGloWild and see the zoo in a whole new light with a unique and immersive nighttime experience. GloWild will illuminate the Kansas City Zoo with custom handmade lighted sculptures. Also in October enjoy Hoots and Howls at the Zoo and Boo at the Zoo. Visit KansasCityZoo.org for information.
Fall Festivals
Autumn means fall festivals in Kansas City! Enjoy food, crafts, rides, barbecue and more. Some of our favorites include Lenexa’s Spinach Festival, Missouri Town 1855’s Fall Arts and Crafts Fair, American Royal World Series of Barbecue, Shawnee Town 1929 Fall Festival, KC Zoo Run, Great Pumpkinfest, Plaza Art Fair, Louisburg Ciderfest, Lee’s Summit Oktoberfest, Kaw Valley Farm Tour, Weston Applefest, Miami County Fall Farm Tour, Enchanted Forest and more. Find them all in our Festival Guide on KCParent.com.
Ride the Rails
Enjoy an autumn-themed train excursion with the entire family. On weekends, enjoy rides aboard the Belton, Grandview & KC Railroad. Call for more information: 816.331.0630.
Winter
Ice-Skating
Enjoy skating at one of Kansas City’s outdoor rinks. The Crown Center Ice Terrace (2425 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO, 816.274.8411) is located in the heart of downtown. Enjoy an entire day of shopping and dining at Crown Center or treat the kids to Legoland or Sea Life. During the holidays, enjoy the view of the Major’s Christmas Tree illuminated in holiday splendor. The Rink at Zona Rosa (8731 N. Stoddard Ave., Kansas City, MO, 816.208.3690) is the Northland’s newest ice rink. Zona Rosa is one of the city’s premier shopping destinations. Additional outdoor rinks: Summit Ice: 120 NE Chipman Rd., Lee’s Summit, MO, 816.249.2600. Linden Square Ice Rink: 602 NE 70th St., Gladstone, MO, 816.423.4200. The Ice at Park Place: 11549 Ash St., Leawood, KS, 913.663.2070. The Rink at T.B. Hanna Station: 214 S. Washington St., Raymore, MO.
Christmas Lights
Kansas City sparkles in holiday splendor with magnificent displays across the metro! Explore some of our favorites. Legendary Christmas: Legends Outlets Kansas City (1843 Village West Pkwy., Kansas City, KS, LegendsShopping.com). Unique lighting display on a 45-foot holiday tree created by a world-renowned technology-driven holiday lights team, all synchronized to music. Winter Magic: Located at 8400 Blue River Rd., Kansas City, MO. Enjoy one of the most fantastic of drive-thru holiday events in Kansas City. Crown Center Mayor’s Christmas Tree: Crown Center Square (2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO, CrownCenter.com). The 100-foot-tall tree is adorned with 7,200 lights. Christmas in the Park: Longview Lake Park (I-470 & View High Drive, Kansas City, MO, 816.503.4800). With more than 500,000 lights, 175 animated figures and splashes of Christmas color, this is an enchanting drive-thru winter wonderland. Country Club Plaza Holiday Lights: Country Club Plaza (Info Center: 4745 Central, Kansas City, MO, CountryClubPlaza.com). Enjoy more than 80 miles of illuminated strings of bulbs. Find even more displays using our guide to the Best Christmas Lights in KC.
Living History
The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop and Farm is one of our favorite local history sites. The staff and volunteer bring history to life with annual events celebrating Christmas, teaching families how early pioneers survived winter and offering horse-drawn sled rides on snowy days!
Hit the Slopes
Head to Weston, MO, for skiing and snowboarding at Snow Creek Ski Resort (816.640.2200). In early winter, the facility offers snow skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing and lessons for beginners. The most daring experience at Snow Creek is tubing at Tornado Alley. Slide down a 700-foot-long slope and then jump onto a special conveyor carpet "twister" for a ride back up!
Celebrate the Holidays
Kansas City celebrates Christmas in style! Professional live shows, living Nativities, outdoor holiday festivals and local traditions can all be found at KCParent.com/christmas-in-kc.