Winter Fun in KC

Winter doesn't have to be boring! We have great ideas for every budget this winter Kansas City:

FREE Winter Fun in Kansas City

Tip: Check our KC Coupon Page for great savings on local attractions!

• Create a masterpiece at Kaleidoscope, the FREE hands-on art center for kids. Then, head next door and tour the FREE Hallmark Visitors Center.
• Explore the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, admission is free. There is a nominal fee for parking.
• Get free money on a visit to the always-free-admission Money Museum.
• Take a tour of the Kansas City, MO, City Hall and go to the roof for amazing views of downtown.
• Watch model trains at the FREE KC Rail Experience at Union Station.
• Photograph friends in front of one of Kansas City’s 200 fountains.
• Watch fish in the aquariums at Cabela’s (10300 Cabela Dr., KCKS, 913.328.0322) or Bass Pro (Olathe: 12051 Bass Pro Dr., 913.254.5200 and Independence: 18001 Bass Pro Dr., 816.795.4300). 
• Take a FREE tour of The Roasterie and learn about coffee.
• Ride the KC Streetcar and participate in our Streetcar Scavenger Hunt on KCParent.com.
• Appreciate art at FREE first Fridays in the Crossroads. 
• Weather permitting - take the family sledding! Click here for a list of Sledding Hills in Kansas City! 
• Visit the animals inside at the FREE Lakeside Nature Center.
• Marvel at modern art at the Nerman Museum, where admission is free.
• Walk the Country Club Plaza and admire the lights on display through mid-January.
• Take a winter hike at Ernie Miller Nature Center.
• Visit bison and elk at the Native Hoofed Animal Enclosure.
• Watch as marbles are made at Moon Marble.
• Visit the free National Archives of Kansas City and explore their free exhibits.
• Explore the Overland Park Arboretum on Tuesdays, when admission is free.
• Build a free project at Home Depot during a free workshop on select Saturdays.
• Discover a masterpiece at the free Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
• Learn about nature at the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary.
• Explore the Central Branch of the Kansas City Library, because any library with a parking garage painted with classic books has to be cool.
• Take a free class at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center.
• Check out the views from the Town of Kansas Observation Deck (East end of Main Street, Kansas City, MO, from the end of Main Street follow the Riverfront Heritage Trail toward the Missouri River). The entire trail is 15 miles long, the observatory is less than a 5-minute walk from this starting point. This outlook is a great place to enjoy a view of the Missouri River, and you might even see some birds on the river.
• And remember to search Free Events on our Kansas City calendar, where there are free (and cheap) things to enjoy every day.

AFFORDABLE Winter Fun in Kansas City

Tip: Check our KC Coupon Page for great savings on local attractions!

• Ice Skate at Crown Center Ice Terrace on 2-for-1 Tuesday! Discover more local rinks with our guide to Winter Sports in KC.
• Visit the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. Kids love to explore each room to discover toys their parents and grandparents enjoyed. 
• Visit Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop (especially fun on snowy Saturdays when horse-drawn sleigh rides are offered - weather permitting)!]
• Zoo visits are great on a cold winter's day. Attendance is lower and you can enjoy the penguin, polar bear, stingray, Tropics, and Discovery Barn exhibits of the Kansas City Zoo.
• Tour the Truman home in Independence.
• Share a Skyscraper at Winstead’s.
• Enjoy a movie at the Union Station Extreme Screen for $3-5.
• Discover Kansas’ most famous residents through the artwork at Legends Outlets.
• Imagine and play at KidScape at the Johnson County Museum.
• Visit Lee’s Summit Railroad Museum and explore Downtown Lee’s Summit.
• Nose-to-nose views of historical U.S. aircraft include the first Lockheed Constellation ever restored, a Martin 404, a DC-3 and a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar at the Airline History Museum.
• Swim at the indoor pool at Blue Valley Rec's Aquatics Center during open swim.
• Go Roller Skating (most local rinks offer a discounted family night).
• Create your own custom donut at Donutology in Westport.
• Spend a Saturday in the West Bottoms is the perfect excursion to get creative juices flowing and exercise your decorating instincts. With antique shops, boutiques and retailers selling repurposed and refinished furniture and home décor, model trains and clothing, the shopping district has rightfully earned its place on the map for locals looking for that one-of-a-kind finishing touch for the perfect room, outfit or collection.
• Eat out at a local restaurant using our Kids Eat Free Guide.

SPLURGE Winter Fun in Kansas City

Tip: Check our KC Coupon Page for great savings on local attractions!

• Enjoy a night out at Main Event Olathe, Main Event Independence, or Main Event North KC.  With state-of-the-art bowling, multi-level laser tag, more than 100 games topped with handcrafted food and a full bar under one roof, Main Event is THE destination for FUN. 
• Attend a show at the Sprint Center. Our Top Picks are: Monster Jam - Jan. 17-19: The most action-packed motorsports experience for families in the world today returns to Kansas City for another high-octane weekend featuring the ultimate mix of high-flying action and four-wheel excitement with the Monster Jam Triple Threat Series^®, featuring six different racing, freestyle and skill competitions on three different Monster Jam vehicles. Winter Jam on Jan. 24: Christian music’s premiere multi-artist annual outing, the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular, steps into a new decade with a fan-favorite headliner, GRAMMY®-nominated singer/songwriter Crowder. And, Disney on Ice Mar. 26-29: Hit the road with Mickey Mouse and his pals for a high-octane ride in Disney On Ice presents Road Trip Adventures. Exciting twists and turns await as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy—and you—embark on a wild ride to your favorite Disney destinations. 
• Catch a show at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. Sesame Street Live: Make Your Magic! on Jan. 30: When magician extraordinaire Justin visits Sesame Street to put on a magic show for the whole neighborhood, Elmo wants to be a part of the big event. But there’s one problem…Elmo can’t do magic! Harlem Globetrotters on Feb. 8 & 9: The world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, featuring larger than life entertainers, will bring their ALL-NEW show, “Pushing the Limits” to Silverstein Eye Centers Arena! 
• Enjoy a family-friendly escape room at Paradise Park. The venue offers 45-minute escape experiences where you unravel the mystery of Sasquatch or solve a puzzle as a cyber sleuth. Check our KC Coupon Page for deals at Paradise Park.
• Have a blast at Sky Zone Shawnee or Sky Zone Lee's Summit bringing the unmatched, out-of-this-world, and high-flyin' FUN of the world's first all-trampoline, walled playing court to the KC area. Check our KC Coupon Page for deals at Sky Zone.
• Explore Sea Life Aquarium where you will get you up close and face-to-face with amazing underwater creatures such as sharks, octopus, our green sea turtle named Gertrude, stingrays, sea stars, seahorses, jellyfish and thousands of colorful fish! A favorite attraction is the Interactive Rockpool Experience, where you are able to touch animals like sea stars and sea urchins with the help of a Sea Life Educator! Check our KC Coupon Page for deals at Sea Life.
• Build an “earthquake proof” Lego tower at Legoland Discovery Center, where you can play with the world’s biggest box of Legos, watch a film in the Lego Studios 4D cinema, enjoy rides and explore a miniature Kansas City in Lego Miniland. Check our KC Coupon Page for deals at Legoland.
• Dine at Fritz’s restaurant (multiple locations across the metro), where trains deliver food straight to your table.
• Jump to new heights through the Warrior Obstacle Course or Slam Dunk Zone at Urban Air Lenexa or Urban Air Overland Park - the ultimate indoor trampoline park.
• Oscar-winning films, holiday classics, current and retro films are shown at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, where your movie-watching experience is unforgettable. Catch a movie party where favorite films are celebrated with games, delicious food and drink and fun.
• Fly through the air at iFly, an indoor sky diving adventure where instructors will give you the adventure of a lifetime.
• Cheer for KC Mavericks and Chiefs as a fan of our city’s sports teams.