50 Fall Fun Ideas Under $5

2019 Edition

by

Enjoy the best of autumn in KC with these fun-filled free and cheap ideas!

  1. Attend a Kansas City area Fall Festival.
  2. Go apple picking (set a budget of up to $5/person which is easy to do at the u-pick price)!
  3. Take a FREE tour of the Louisburg Cider Mill and watch as cider and apple cider donuts are made on-site. For even more fun, attend Ciderfest (last weekend of September and the first weekend of October). 
  4. Attend one of Shoal Creek Living History Museum's FREE Fall events. Step back in time at this historic village where reenactors bring the past to life.
  5. Visit Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop (especially fun during their Wild West Days the Oct. 12 & 13) and discover what life was like in the mid-1800s on the Kansas Prairie.
  6. Take photos in huge fields of sunflowers at Russell Sunlower Patch or  Grinter Farms.
  7. Spend a day at Overland Park Arboretum (Admission is $3  for visitors 13 and over, $1 for visitors 6 to 12, Free for 5 and under. AND each Tuesday, admission to the Arboretum is free!). 
  8. Walk the Country Club Plaza and admire the art and fountains. 
  9. Try pumpkin spice goodies at your favorite restaurant.
  10. Take a FREE tour of The Roasterie and learn about coffee.
  11. Enjoy $1 Bowling (after 3pm on Mondays) at Aaron's Family Entertainment Center.
  12. Appreciate art at FREE first Fridays in the Crossroads. 
  13. Enjoy a picnic at one of KC's Best Picnic spots (the top of a downtown roof, near a waterfall, or at a great park).
  14. Stroll through a local Farmers Market and find one new food to try.
  15. Tour the Truman home in Independence and learn about the life of President & Mrs. Truman.
  16. Treat the kids to one of the Best Caramel Apples in Kansas City.
  17. Take a tour of Watkins Woolen Mill Historic Site the only 19th-century textile mill in the United States with its original machinery still intact.
  18. Stroll through Kauffman Memorial Gardens for free.
  19. Go fishing.
  20. Explore the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Admission is free, there is a fee for parking.
  21. Enjoy autumn wildflowers and play among the trees at the Anita Gorman Discovery Center, a free nature center near the Country Club Plaza.
  22. Visit Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead and see goats, chickens, cows, rabbits, bison, and more animals.
  23. Ride the KC Streetcar and visit the FREE KC Rail Experience at Union Station, play chess on the roof at the Central Library, and taste test a yummy treat at City Market.
  24. Learn about the Santa Fe Trail at Cave Springs Nature Center.
  25. Spend a day leaf peeping at one of KC's most scenic fall hangouts.
  26. Expore a Kansas City area waterfall.
  27. Share a Skyscraper at Winstead’s.
  28. Bring binoculars for bird watching at Burroughs Audubon Nature Center.
  29. Play “I Spy” at Lakeside Nature Center.
  30. Create a masterpiece at Kaleidoscope, KC's FREE hands-on art center for children.
  31. Marvel at modern art at the Nerman Museum, where admission is free.
  32. Visit bison and elk at the FREE Native Hoofed Animal Enclosure.
  33. Take a tour of the Kansas City, MO, City Hall and go to the roof for amazing views of downtown.
  34. Hike at Ernie Miller Nature Center.
  35. Visit the National Archives of Kansas City and explore their free exhibits.
  36. Discover a masterpiece and take a photo with the giant spider at the free Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.
  37. Stroll Downtown Lee's Summit and visit the Historical Society Museum housed in an old depot.
  38. Get free (shredded) money at the Money Museum.
  39. Discover Kansas’ most famous residents through the artwork at Legends Outlets.
  40. Bike Trolley Trail.
  41. Tour the FREE Hallmark Visitors Center.
  42. Hike the trails at the F.L. Schlagle Library and nature center in Kansas City, KS.
  43. Take a free class or explore the exhibits and trails at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center. Be sure to snap a pic with the animatronic Smoky Bear.
  44. Go Roller Skating (most local rinks offer a discounted family night).
  45. Treat the family to a slice of delicious pumpkin pie, apple pie, or a signature flavor at one of the best pie shops in town!
  46. Visit a new library. Kansas City is rich with exciting local libraries, try one beyond your neighborhood location.
  47. Eat out at one of our KC Kids Eat Free restaurants.
  48. Make a craft with inspiration from our DIY team!
  49. Watch as marbles are made right before your eyes at Moon Marble.
  50. And remember to search Free Events on our Kansas City calendar, where there are free (and cheap) things to enjoy every day. Also, check out our KC Coupon Page for savings on local attractions!