What’s more fun than a family outing? A family outing with Grandma and Grandpa, of course! KC bustles with an array of high quality museums and star-studded attractions that are sure to appeal to everyone in your crew from oldest to youngest alike. Don’t believe me? Check these out!
Museums
Museums are a great way to stir up conversation among your party, particularly if they highlight an aspect of life that the older members of your crew experienced firsthand. The National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City, Missouri, is one such place, providing the perfect opportunity for multiple generations to bond over one very common household item: toys! As the world’s largest collection of miniatures (as well as one of the largest collections of toys), the museum allows families to ooh and ah over rare finds as well as decades of nostalgic favorites. Avid adult collectors as well as young guests will find common ground at this local attraction. Tip: Consider getting a famous Skyscraper shake or soda at Winstead’s nearby as an after-visit treat!
Another nearby gem is the World War I Museum and Memorial, the world’s most comprehensive WWI collection. Voted Trip Advisor’s No. 1 attraction in Kansas City, the museum invites guests of all ages to walk through interactive exhibits, view immersive films and observe firsthand accounts of the “war to end all wars.” Hands-On History programming on Saturdays affords even the youngest of guests the chance to handle Great War artifacts, and a highlighted attraction, “The Little War,” exposes the impact the war had on children. The experience is a masterful way to engage in meaningful conversation over an incredibly transformative period with your whole crew. Note: World War I Museum is wheelchair accessible and offers audio guide players for blind or visually impaired guests.
The crown jewel of Kansas City is the free Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. In addition to galleries featuring art from around the world in this Missouri museum, visitors enjoy the lawn’s attractions. The most iconic sculptures in the city, the Shuttlecocks adorn the museum grounds in the sculpture garden stretching 17 feet in height and weighing in at 5,000 pounds each. In the summer, you may enjoy outdoor miniature golf as well.
Hands-On Activities
There is something for everyone at a u-pick farm. Traditionally, families enjoy picking pumpkins and apples in the fall, but many local farms offer seasonal fare beyond autumn’s harvest season. Consider picking strawberries in May at Gieringers Family Farm in Edgerton, Kansas, or Wohletz Farm Fresh in Lawrence, Kansas, gather blueberries in June or July at the Berry Patch in Cleveland, Missouri, and on Labor Day weekend, pick sunflowers at Grinter Farms in Lawrence. Guests can also indulge in decadent treats like local honey, seasonal fruit baked goods or freshly made slushies. Berry bushes like blueberries or blackberries are among our personal favorites because the bush spans the heights of both toddlers and towering adults, meaning everyone can contribute without exceeding their limitations. Bring a camera, comfy shoes, sunglasses and a water bottle. For those less inclined to hit the fields, guests can also purchase pre-harvested items on-site at a u-pick farm, or they can make the trek to one of Kansas City’s myriad farmers markets instead. At farmers markets, not only do guests support the local economy, but they also get to enjoy local impromptu concerts by a variety of musicians and artisans. City Market in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Overland Park Farmers Market in Kansas are bustling with options ranging from fresh spices and grass-fed meat to honey, flowers and standard fruits and veggies. For a comprehensive listing of farmers markets throughout the city, check out KCParent.com.
If you’re artistically inclined, KC has your outing covered! Guests of all ages can make custom ceramic and fused glass creations at Ceramic Cafe in Overland Park, Kansas, pour custom-scented candles at Embers Candle Bar in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, or make artistic masterpieces out of Hallmark’s remnant materials at Kaleidoscope in Downtown KC (free but reservations are encouraged).
Entertainment Attractions
KC boasts world-class theater options for the whole family. Check out Crown Center’s Coterie Theatre in Downtown Kansas City for a line-up of professional programs geared for the youngest members of your crew, take in a high quality Broadway-style show at KC’s premier outdoor theater experience, Starlight Theatre in KCMO’s Swope Park, or pack a picnic blanket and lawn chairs for a relaxed and family-friendly Theatre in the Park show in Shawnee, Kansas.
Union Station is an entertainment powerhouse downtown: home to Science City (Kansas City’s premier science attraction with over 20 exhibits), the Gottlieb Planetarium and the Extreme Screen Theatre, making for a day or even a full weekend of family fun.
Pennway Point is adding its own new spin on the downtown KC skyline-literally! This brand new family-friendly 6-acre district is home to a 50-meter-tall Ferris wheel that provides sweeping downtown views, miniature golf course, temperature-controlled gondolas, a winter ice-skating rink, outdoor volleyball, two live performance stages and a slew of enticing restaurants. Guests can take a walk through memory lane as they observe Neon Alley, a showcase of nostalgic KC business signs. Pennway Point seeks to relish KC’s unique past while embracing its exciting future and ensures guests an incredible place to gather together to enjoy both. Better yet, Pennway Point will soon have walkable access from the Crossroads and Union Station through the upcoming Greenline trailhead.
Lauren Greenlee is a mom of four who loves nothing more than exploring her beloved KC with her extended family in tow. She writes from her Olathe, Kansas, home.