I-70 Adventures for the Family

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From east to west, these are the vacays we love the best!

Kansas City, Missouri

You can experience a fabulous staycation right in your backyard.

A Night on the Wild Side

The Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium offers both indoor and outdoor overnights for the public. On the overnights, you learn about amazing animals, enjoy educational activities and spend the night at the zoo. Experience an indoor overnight with the penguins or polar bears or an outdoor overnight learning about the African savanna or the Australian Outback. Additionally, the zoo offers overnights for your own group of friends or family in the Penguin Plaza or Sobela Aquarium. Each overnight includes STEM activities, animal experiences and a basic breakfast.  More information at KansasCityZoo.org.

A Family Campout

You can enjoy a family campout close to home. These are our favorite local sites:

Lake Jacomo

9200 Beach Rd., Lee’s Summit, 816.503.4805, MakeYourDayHere.com

This Lee’s Summit campground site offers both tent and RV camping. The marina at Lake Jacomo offers pontoon, canoe, pedal boat (including charming rubber duck boats), fishing boat and kayak rentals. Fleming Park is also home to other attractions: the Native Hooved Animal Enclosure where you can see elk and bison; Missouri Town Living History Museum, a historic village where re-enactors bring Jackson County history to life; an RC flying field where you may watch hobbyists fly remote-controlled aircraft or fly your own (with permit); and numerous hiking and paved bike trails.

Watkins Mill State Park

26600 Park Rd. N., Lawson, Mo., 816.580.3387, MoStateParks.com

One of the most scenic campgrounds in the region, Watkins Mill State Park is home to 96 campsites, 74 with electric hookups. The park also offers fishing, a swim beach, biking, hiking and equestrian trails (bring your own ride). A visit to the park is not complete without touring the Watkins Woolen Mill Historic Site. Watkins Mill is the only 19th-century textile mill in the United States with its original machinery still intact. The site hosts many living history events throughout the year as well.

Lake Perry

5441 W. Lake Rd., Ozawkie, Kan., 785.246.3449, KSOutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/Perry

Within a short drive from KC, Lake Perry is a scenic campground with electric and primitive tent sites. They also offer four rental cabins if you’d like a roof over your head and don’t own an RV. The campground offers 15 miles of mountain bike trails, 25 miles of horse trails and a 1-mile nature trail. The marina offers pontoon and ski boat rental, and you may fish the lake.

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an excellent family weekend getaway your entire family will love!

Lodging: St. Louis Historic Union Station

For a luxurious and stylish stay, you can’t beat St. Louis’s Union Station Hotel. This historic hotel offers comfortable rooms, a gym, restaurants and an unforgettable Grand Hall. The Grand Hall features elegant historic touches including a “whispering arch,” one of our girls’ favorite hotel features. Every evening, enjoy magnificent laser light shows choreographed to music on the hour from 5:00 to 10:00 during the Grand Hall Light Show. More information at StLouisUnionStation.com.

Gateway Arch

No trip to St. Louis is complete without a visit to the city’s most iconic landmark, the Gateway Arch. Great monuments inspire you to explore new heights. Precious few take you there. The unique tram will lift you 630 feet up to the top of the tallest monument in the United States. At the free Museum at the Gateway Arch, trace the story of the Native Americans, explorers, pioneers and rebels who made America possible. More information at GatewayArch.com.

City Museum

If there was ever an Olympics for unique attractions, the City Museum would take gold! City Museum is one of our family’s favorite vacation attractions—a sentiment we share with St. Louis natives and visitors alike. This is the most interactive museum you will ever experience, with every nook and cranny waiting to be explored. Look closely because hidden tunnels and surprises are waiting where you’d least expect them. Admission to the museum grants you access to 11 stories of fun and, for an additional fee, you can explore the rooftop as well. More information at CityMuseum.org.

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House

Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House in St. Louis is an exquisite and “icky” (in a fun, educational, great-for-kids way) stop. You’ll see a variety of insects on exhibit, including spiders, scorpions and other arachnids. My oldest daughter, who is especially crazy about butterflies, found her favorite exhibit in the Grand Hall: the Butterflies of the World display that showcases butterflies from around the globe. The conservatory flutters with hundreds of beautiful butterflies in a botanical oasis. More information at MissouriBotanicalGarden.org/plan-your-visit/family-of-attractions/butterfly-house

Grant’s Farm  

A visit to Grant’s Farm begins with a tram ride through Deer Park, where you can see a variety of bovine and other four-legged friends. Then, you’ll be dropped off at the Tier Garten where you can enjoy the petting zoo area—featuring the famous baby goat bottle-feeding—carousel rides, food and vending in the Bauernhof Courtyard, and of course, free beer tasting. More information at GrantsFarm.com.

St. Louis Wheel

Located in the railyard at Union Station, the St. Louis Wheel is a 200-foot-high observation Ferris wheel that is 49 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty and has 42 fully enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas seating up to eight riders each.  More information at TheStLouisWheel.com.

St. Louis Zoo  

The St. Louis Zoo always offers free admission. Guests pay to park and purchase special admission for rides aboard the train and carousel and animal feeding opportunities. Plan to spend an entire day at this zoo, where you can see animals up close and personal. The bear exhibits are favorites for our family. More information at StLZoo.org.

Missouri Botanical Garden

Founded in 1859, the Missouri Botanical Garden is the nation’s oldest botanical garden in continuous operation and a National Historic Landmark. The garden offers 79 acres of beautiful horticultural display, including a 14-acre Japanese strolling garden, historic architecture and one of the world’s largest collections of rare and endangered flora. More information at MissouriBotanicalGarden.org.

Amp Up Action Park

Amp Up Action Park is a great place to enjoy a bit of leisure and fun in the evening. This attraction offers a variety of action-packed fun and dining, including kart racing (our favorite), axe throwing, laser tag, virtual reality, a high-ropes ninja course, arcades and more. More information at AmpUpActionPark.com.  

You’ll find even more tips for these attractions, including what to “know before you go,” as well as favorite restaurants when you search “St. Louis” on KCParent.com.

Kristina Light’s family loves making memories in their home state. She writes year-round on KCParent.com.