Scenic Day Trips

If you’re looking for an adventure within an hour’s drive of Kansas City, multiple destinations offer both beautiful scenery and unique attractions. Here are a few ideas:

Jamesport, MO

Head northeast about an hour from Kansas City and you’ll find Jamesport, home to one of the state’s largest Amish communities. The most direct route into town from the highway, MO-6, will take you past farms and livestock, rolling hills and flat farmland, sprinkled with horse and buggy sightings all along the way. Visit one of the bakeries or restaurants downtown offering made-from-scratch breads and cinnamon rolls. Gingerich’s Dutch Pantry in particular has great breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Watch the calendar, too, because the Spillman Event Center hosts events throughout the year, like an antique auction and an Amish quilt auction. Like rural decor? Visit the Farm House Collection and Jamesport Candle Co. for some fun goodies. And don’t forget that just outside of town is an Amish creamery and a dry goods store, both of which are worth a visit.

And with Jamesport, the destination is only half the fun. On the way back, drive west on US-36 toward St. Joseph. This stretch of highway between I-29 and I-35 is in the middle of a wind corridor, and travelers will find themselves surrounded by hundreds of giant wind turbines, stretching as far as the eye can see on either side of the road. If you have extra time, also plan to hop off the highway in Osborn and visit the Shatto Milk Company.

Weston, MO

Forty-five minutes north of Kansas City is the charming town of Weston. Visitors from Kansas City have two main routes to get here: a leisurely drive on MO-45 that starts in Parkville, or a more express route that keeps you mostly on I-29. However you get there though, Weston is a gem. The town’s scenic bluffs and rolling pastures are in the middle of historic tobacco country, and the quaint downtown is home to local businesses like O’Malley’s Pub, built in 1842 and housed 60 feet underground in what was originally a brewery. Scores of other local shops and restaurants are on Main Street, should the spirit move you to go shopping or snacking. And if you venture just outside of town, you’ll find apple orchards, Green Dirt Farm Creamery, several wineries and the historic McCormick Distilling Company, founded in 1856.

Have time for a weekend getaway? There’s plenty to do in Weston that can occupy more than a day trip, and one of the several local bed and breakfast establishments is a great home base for an extended exploration of Weston and beyond.

Atchison, KS

Continuing north from Weston on MO-45 and turning west on US-59, you’ll find the college town of Atchison. The birthplace of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart, Atchison is also home to Benedictine College, which was founded on the bank of the Missouri River in 1858. Snap a picture of the Missouri and check out St. Benedict’s Abbey, where monks still reside.

Your trip back south on MO-45 offers a variety of additional stops, as well. Lewis and Clark State Park in Missouri, for instance, is named after the famed 19th-century explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who are believed to have discovered the lake that borders the park. Wine lovers can stop at Riverwood Winery, just south of the lake and located inside a former schoolhouse.

Louisburg, KS

While there’s lots to do up north, there’s plenty to do south of Kansas City, too. Louisburg, located just off of US-69, is the home of one of the most well-known apple cider producers in the region, the Louisburg Cider Mill. Although the most popular season in which to visit is the fall, the mill is open year round for a variety of events and tours.

What’s perhaps less well-known about Louisburg is that it is also home to the Cedar Cove Feline Conservation & Education Center. And these aren’t just any felines. We’re talking about “big cats”—tigers, leopards and lions.

Louisburg is located in scenic Miami County, home to the Miami County Spring Farm Tour (May 11-12 this year). You can visit more than a dozen farms within driving distance, including those specializing in produce, wine, alpacas and even bison! 

Hillsdale State Park/Paola, KS

West of Louisburg on KS-68 is the city of Paola, a charming and historic town in its own right. But after you stop into downtown Paola, make sure to visit Hillsdale State Park and spend some time enjoying the lake. Bring a fishing pole, your hiking shoes and maybe even a tent. During the summer the recreation areas are busy, but for those looking to spend some additional time in the great outdoors and having time to make the arrangements, campgrounds are available for overnight trips.

La Cygne Lake/La Cygne, KS

South of Paola and Louisburg—but closer to the Missouri border than it is to either city—is La Cygne. A French translation from the Osage language meaning “the Swan,” the city’s name is shared with nearby La Cygne Lake, which offers a recreational area of its own in Linn County Park. Like Hillsdale, fishing and other outdoor activities are popular at Linn County Park, but in a twist, this recreation area also sits at the base of the enormous La Cygne Generating Station. If both natural and industrial wonders are among your interests, La Cygne Lake may just be for you. Just head straight south on US-69 from Kansas City for about an hour; you can’t miss it.

Excelsior Springs, MO

How about healing wonders? For that, you’ll want to head northeast. Although the historical springs of Excelsior Springs may largely be gone, their reputation for restoring vitality to their patrons lives on at the Elms Hotel and Spa. After you’ve explored the city, pamper yourself with a massage and a dip in the spa’s grotto. What do you have to lose except your stress? To get there, go north on US-69.

Cooley Lake Conservation Area/Missouri City, MO

If a short, scenic drive off the beaten path is more your cup of tea, take a trip east on MO-210 and do some bird watching at the Cooley Lake Conservation Area in eastern Clay County. Note too, that while MO-210 is a popular commuting thoroughfare within Kansas City itself, you may be surprised at the quiet, rural highway it becomes the farther you get from the city limits. Throw in the lake—featuring hundreds of species of exotic and migratory birds—and you’ll be glad you made the drive. Bring binoculars if you have them!

Andrea Plunkett Ishmael loves exploring new places.