Thrillsville: Adventures in Kansas City

Show your family a screaming good time at one of these gravity-defying adventures in KC.

The first time I went rappelling, I was 5 years old. I was scared to death… until I got to the bottom of the cliff and begged to do it again! There is something truly incredible about overcoming a fear and taking on a new challenge. So, how do you find adventures that are safe, fun and memorable? Discover these great adventures right in our own backyard where you can soar to new heights, plunge to new depths and travel at incredible speeds as your family creates some wild and unforgettable memories.

Soar to New Heights:

A Walk on the Mild Side: Hot Air Balloon Rides

If you’re looking for a thrill that is safe, serene and peaceful (yes, peaceful), then hot air ballooning is the adventure for you. Passengers float above rooftops as they enjoy a breathtaking view. Old World Balloonery (913.338.2628) and Adventure Sports (1.800.335.9257) offer rides for passengers ages 10 and up, and KC Balloon (913.649.2359) requires a minimum age of 12.

A Walk on the Wild Side: Zip Line, Rappel, and Ropes Challenge Courses

At TimberRidge Adventure Center in Olathe, groups can experience an eagle’s eye view of nature through challenge courses at the center's certified ropes course, 200-ft. zip line and the Eagle’s Nest 40-ft. climbing tower with two different sides for climbing, a dangle-duo and vertical play pen, and rappelling. At TimberRidge, you may also enjoy hiking, fishing, archery, canoeing and paddleboating. This is a great adventure for scout groups, families and even businesses. Call 913.856.8849 for information.

Make a Splash:

A Walk on the Mild Side: Water Slides

Super Splash USA (816.356.5300), an outdoor water park, offers one of the newest and most exciting waterslides in America, the Rocky Mountain Avalanche, a 35-foot tower, three-person tube ride! Best of all, there are no height or weight restrictions for this adventure. The Missouri Fury and Jackson Hole, both for guests 48” or taller, also offer big thrills. The waterslides are just the beginning for fun seekers at this family-friendly water park.

CoCo Key Water Resort (816.737.0200) is open year-round with both indoor and outdoor water park attractions. The Shark Slam, Barracuda Blast & 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, they also offer slides for those at least 36” tall so little ones can begin to enjoy the fun!

Other great local water parks with thrill rides and slides include Oceans of Fun in KCMO (816.454.4545), Schlitterbahn in KCKS (913.334.5200), Black Bob Bay in Olathe (913. 971.6263), Summit Waves in Lee’s Summit (816. 969.1545), Adventure Oasis in Independence (816. 325.7946) and Great Wolf Lodge in KCKS (913. 943.9653).

A Walk on the Wild Side: Learning Adventures Sailing and Scuba Diving

Have you ever dreamed of setting sail on the high seas? We may not have high seas in Kansas City, but we do have big lakes! Learn to sail at Lake Jacomo in Missouri with the Jacomo Sailing Club (816.678.7761) or on Lake Perry in Kansas with Clifton's Columbus School of Sail (913.220.5177). Lessons are offered for beginning sailors and can quickly become a family sport. Or, become a spectator of the sport and watch sailboat races every Sunday afternoon at 1:30 from May to October on Lake Jacomo, where boats sail from both Sailboat Cove on the east side and the marina on the west side.

We may live more than 1,000 miles from the nearest ocean, but scuba diving adventures are much closer than you may think. The Adventure Sports (913.962-2323), the KC Dive Shop (913.677.3483), Midwest Aquatics (913.402.0403) and the Frogman Dive Center (816.200.2881) offer scuba diving sessions and lessons for youngsters. They also offer excursions, including adventures at the Bonne Terre Mines and Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas lakes. For the truly adventurous, you can even embark on a Caribbean trip as well.

The Need for Speed:

A Walk on the Mild Side: Seven World Class Roller Coasters

Kansas City’s own Worlds of Fun (816.454.4545) is a roller coaster enthusiast’s dream park! Worlds of Fun is home to seven world class roller coasters, including one of the tallest, longest and fastest roller coasters in the world, the Mamba, with a first drop of 205 feet! The Patriot is a giant inverted coaster with four inversions, all 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. And for the truly daring, you can pay an extra fee to experience the Ripcord, a SkyCoaster, where riders free- fall from 180 feet in the air at speeds of up to 80 mph. in a pendulum motion.

A Walk on the Wild Side: Ride or Drive a Race Car at Kansas Speedway

The Richard Petty Driving Experience (800.237.3889) at the Kansas Speedway lets fans ride shotgun at speeds of up to 165 mph or get behind the wheel and drive a 600-horsepower NASCAR race car for 8-18 laps. And now, even teens can get in on the action! The newest program gives teens ages 14 to 19 the opportunity to receive a complimentary 3-lap high speed ride-along when accompanied by an adult.

This summer, before you wile away all your days lying peacefully on the lounge chair overlooking your favorite pool or lake, consider a break from your books and try a thrilling adventure you’ll never forget.

Tip from Kansas City Mom, Susan Gimotty:

The ultimate thrill-seeking adventure, Aquaventure Water Park at Atlantis Paradise Island Resort, can be found more than a thousand miles away in the sunny islands of the Bahamas. We had the opportunity to take the kids on a Disney cruise and this Nassau port of call was certainly our family’s favorite. The Aquaventure Water Park is a thrilling 141-acre waterscape with high-speed water slides, a mile-long river ride with rolling rapids and wave surges, a spectacular kids’ water-play fort and 11 unique and refreshing swimming pools. The most amazing thrill ride was the 5-story Mayan Temple with a 60-foot vertical drop that ends in a clear tunnel inside a shark-filled lagoon! Trust me—it’s not for the fainthearted! We also enjoyed the beautiful white sand beaches as well as the giant aquariums full of amazing sea life. Access to the Aquaventure Water Park and marine habitats at Atlantis is FREE for guests staying at the resort. Passes may be purchased by day visitors. Check out www.Atlantis.com for frequent specials Atlantis offers.

Many of Kristina Light’s favorite memories are zip lining, rappelling, hot air ballooning and riding roller coasters! She’s looking forward to many more new adventures in the future.