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Four Seasons of Fun in KC

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Spring


Fountains, barbecue, baseball and flowers €¦ spring celebrates some of our city’s most beloved icons. 

City of Fountains


Kansas Citians know that we are the City of Fountains, but you may not know that our first fountains were not for ornamental purposes. They were rather utilitarian, providing water for horses, dogs and birds. The city’s first fountain, at Fourth & Minnesota, was built for just that purpose. It featured a large pedestal and a granite basin, and the water spewed from the mouths of lions into a taller bowl where people could get clean water as well. Since that time, it is said we have added more fountains than Rome boasts. Find a map to local fountains at KCFountains.com.

Farmers Markets


Kansas City is home to more than 30 farmers markets. They range from small markets selling exclusively organic produce to the City Market in Kansas City, Missouri, with more than 140 local vendors. You can purchase fruits, vegetables, plants, herbs, homemade soaps, baked goods and even live animals. If you are new to the world of the farmers market, our simple guide will get you started-check out the Farmers Market Guide on KC Parent.com.

Barbecue


You know it’s spring in Kansas City when the aroma of barbecue fills the air. It’s hard to resist the temptation to pick up ribs at Fareway Meat Market when driving along Ward Parkway (other locations too), or make a weekend stop at one of our favorite barbecue joints. Enjoying barbecue is part of our city’s heritage. In 1908, Kansas City’s “king of barbecue,” Henry Perry, sold a slab of pork ribs for 25 cents in the 18th & Vine neighborhood. Since that time, our city has created an art form, developing the best sauces and smoking the tastiest meats in the United States. According to the Kansas City Barbecue Society, we have more barbecue restaurants per capita than any other city in the nation. Find your guide to the best barbecue in town on KCParent.com.

Baseball


Since 1969, Kansas Citians have been cheering the boys in blue who’ve won two World Series championships. This year, the Royals‘ home opener is April 4. You also can catch a game with the Kansas City Monarchs, part of the American Association of Baseball, now at home in Kansas City, Kansas. The team formerly known as the T-Bones rebranded in a partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and now celebrates part of Kansas City’s rich baseball history.

Ride a Roller Coaster

Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, opens for the season on May 4. The theme park is home to eight world-class roller coasters, including one of the tallest, longest and fastest roller coasters in the world. This thriller is the Mamba and boasts a first drop of 205 feet! New last year, the Zambezi Zinger, one of the park’s original rides, made a comeback as a reimagined wooden coaster. The Patriot is a giant coaster with four inversions and carries riders at a top speed of 65 mph. Enjoy a thrill as the entire family rides together on the Spinning Dragons, where the cars freely rotate as they speed along the track. Young children will enjoy Planet Snoopy with great rides for little ones. Worlds of Fun boasts dozens of other thrill rides and attractions for guests of all ages.

Summer


Savor summer in Kansas City with these ideas for enjoying fun in the sun.

Wild Water Fun


Splash into summer fun at Kansas City’s premier outdoor water park. With waves from mild to wild, Oceans of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, offers amazing fun for everyone in the family. Extreme waterslides appeal to thrill-seekers, and kiddos love the pint-sized slides, geysers and fountains at Crocodile Isle. Float along on the Caribbean Cooler lazy river and catch some waves at fan favorite Surf City Wave Pool. One of the newest attractions is Riptide Raceway, the world’s longest mat racing waterslide. From five stories high, racers speed down 486 feet in enclosed, winding tubes and around a 360-degree loop before an epic splashdown finish. Visitors to Oceans of Fun enjoy Worlds of Fun admission for the price of one ticket.

Animal Adventures


The newest attraction at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium is the world-class Sobela aquarium with thousands of animals including Tortellini, the sea turtle. You’ll also see sharks, stingrays, octopus, shrimp, lobsters and thousands of fish. During your visit, be sure to ride the African Sky Safari, a ski-lift styled ride above Africa offering great views of the animals. Hop aboard the train, boat and carousel for even more fun. The Elephant Expedition, camel feeding station, Discovery Barn, Australia exhibit, Helzberg Penguin Plaza and Polar Bear Passage are just a few of our favorite attractions at the zoo. Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead is another favorite outdoor attraction. The combination petting zoo and farm offers fantastic educational attractions for the family. Pony rides, wagon rides, miniature tractors, an old-fashioned school, mining camp, gardens and farm animals are just part of the fun.

A Stroll Through the Garden


Flowers are blooming! Powell Gardens, the Loose Park Rose Garden, Kauffman Memorial Gardens and the Overland Park Arboretum are just a few of our favorite places to enjoy the blooms. Discover Kansas City’s local nature centers and gardens using our interactive Going Places Guide to Kansas City on KCParent.com.

Summer Festivals


From trendy boutique shopping to old-fashioned county fairs, ethnic festivals with delicious delicacies and local barbecue festivals … the metro area offers something for everyone. Some of our favorites include Celebration at the Station, Great Balloon Glow, Strawberry Festival, Festival of Butterflies, Waterfire, KC Nights at Worlds of Fun, Great Lenexa BBQ Battle, Jazzoo, Independence Day festivals, Missouri State Fair, Ethnic Enrichment Festival and more. Find them all in our Festival Guide on KCParent.com.

Spend a Lazy Day at the Lake


Summertime at the lake-there’s not a more quintessential way to savor the season. Lake Olathe in Kansas is one of our favorite local lakes and boasts a beautiful swim beach and inflatable aqua park. For landlocked Midwesterners, it’s great to have a place where you can build sandcastles, swim with the family and jump into the water from a giant floating playground. Lake Olathe Park visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, paddle boards and pedal boats at the marina. The upper lawn at the lake is surrounded by landscaping and a small stream with a water feature that flows into a waterfall before ending in a pond. A creek leading from the pond wraps around the kid-friendly sprayground before flowing into the lake. Lake Jacomo rents pontoons, paddle boats (including the rubber duck boat), and offers camping and fishing. Search “Beaches and Boating” on KCParent.com for a complete guide to local lakes.

Fall


Fall in love with fall in Kansas City with these traditions the entire family will love!

Apple Picking


Autumn and apples €¦ the two go hand in hand, and this fall you can create family memories as you pick apples at a local orchard. Check out one of our top three favorite Missouri apple orchards: Historic Weston Orchard & Vineyard, the Fun Farm in Kearney and Johnson Farms Plants & Pumpkins in Belton. The Fun Farm is home to a variety of animals, including miniature horses. Their Keebler Village playground features terrific tree houses kids love to explore, and the farm offers jumping pillows and other attractions to enjoy, including a train ride. Historic Weston Orchard & Vineyard takes families on hayrides and offers jumping pillows, a petting zoo and a variety of fun play spaces and fabulous photo ops. Johnson Farms Plants & Pumpkins is a beautiful agritourism site with a nice orchard and tons of fun during pumpkin season. Their pig races, goat play yard, petting zoo and variety of play spaces are always favorites with the kids.

Pumpkins


Pumpkin patches in the metro offer many wonderful family attractions. Corn mazes, trains, play spaces, hayrides, corn cribs, carousels, zip lines, rides, concerts, ponies and pumpkins are just a few of the enticements Kansas City’s pumpkin patches have to offer visitors. In addition to the farms listed for apple picking, we also love Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch in Liberty, Missouri, and Louisburg Cider Mill’s pumpkin patches in Louisburg, Kansas. Carolyn’s is one of the biggest patches in the metro and enjoyed by generations of families. Their famous pumpkin donuts, fabulous petting zoo, jumping pillows, train, pig races, carousel and fall fun play spaces create a carnival atmosphere the entire family loves. Check out the KC Pumpkin Patch Guide on KCParent.com to discover the best patches in town. 

Hoots and Howls at the Zoo


We love visiting the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium on a fall day when the air is crisp and the animals are playful. The first four weekends in October at the Kansas City Zoo are filled with zoo spooky fun that includes the annual Hoots and Howls weekend, as well as Boo at the Zoo on Halloween weekend. Come in costume and celebrate with the entire family. Enjoy fall decorations, enrichment for the animals and fun for all. Visit KansasCityZoo.org for information.

Fall Festivals


Autumn means fall festivals in Kansas City. Enjoy food, crafts, rides, barbecue and more. Some of our favorites include Lenexa’s Spinach Festival in Lenexa, Kansas; Missouri Town Living History Museum’s Fall Festival of Arts, Crafts & Music in Lee’s Summit, Missouri; the American Royal World Series of Barbecue in Kansas City, Missouri; Shawnee Town 1929’s Arts & Crafts Fair & Fall Festival in Kansas; Kansas City Zoo Run in Kansas City, Missouri; the Great Pumpkin Fest at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri; the Plaza Art Fair in KCMO; Louisburg Ciderfest in Kansas; Lee’s Summit Oktoberfest; Kaw Valley Farm Tour in Kansas; Weston Applefest in Missouri; Miami County, Kansas, Fall Farm Tour; and the Enchanted Forest at Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park in Lenexa, Kansas. Find these and more in our Festival Guide on KCParent.com.

Ride the Rails


Enjoy an autumn-themed train ride with the entire family. On weekends, climb aboard the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad in Missouri. Call for more information: 816.331.0630.

Winter


Ice-Skating


Enjoy skating at one of Kansas City’s outdoor rinks. The Crown Center Ice Terrace (2425 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., 816.274.8411) is located in the heart of downtown. Enjoy an entire day of shopping and dining there at Crown Center, or treat the kids to Legoland or Sea Life Aquarium. During the holidays, take in the view of the mayor’s Christmas tree lit in holiday splendor. The Rink at Zona Rosa (8731 N. Stoddard Ave., Kansas City, Mo., 816.208.3690) is the Northland’s newest ice rink. Zona Rosa is one of the city’s premier shopping destinations. Additional outdoor rinks: Summit Ice, 120 NE Chipman Rd., Lee’s Summit, Mo., 816.249.2600. Linden Square Ice Rink, 602 NE 70th St., Gladstone, Mo., 816.423.4200. The Ice at Park Place, 11549 Ash St., Leawood, Kan., 913.663.2070. The Rink at T.B. Hanna Station, 214 S. Washington St., Raymore, Mo.

Christmas Lights


Kansas City sparkles in holiday splendor with magnificent displays across the metro. Here are some of our favorites: Enchant Christmas (1800 Village West Pkwy., Kansas City, Kan., EnchantChristmas.com) features a giant walk-through holiday light maze and ice-skating trail. The mayor’s Christmas tree at Crown Center Square (2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., CrownCenter.com) towers 100 feet high and is adorned with 7,200 lights. Christmas in the Park at Longview Lake Park (I-470 & View High Drive, Kansas City, Mo., 816.503.4800) features more than 500,000 lights, 175 animated figures and splashes of Christmas color, making an enchanting drive-thru winter wonderland. Legendary Christmas at Legends Outlets Kansas City (1843 Village West Pkwy., Kansas City, Kan., LegendsShopping.com) is a unique lighting display on a 45-foot holiday tree created by a world-renowned, technology-driven holiday lights team, all synchronized to music. Winter Magic in North Kansas City is an amazing drive-thru experience along historic Cliff Drive. The Country Club Plaza holiday lights (Info Center: 4745 Central, Kansas City, Mo., CountryClubPlaza.com) enchants with more than 80 miles of illuminated strings of bulbs. Find even more displays using our guide to the Best Christmas Lights in KC on KCParent.com.

Living History


The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm in Olathe, Kansas, is one of our favorite local history sites. The staff and volunteers bring history to life with annual events celebrating Christmas and teaching families how early pioneers survived winter. On snowy days, take a horse-drawn sleigh ride!

Hit the Slopes


Head to Weston, Missouri, for skiing and snowboarding at Snow Creek, a Midwestern ski resort (816.640.2200). Early winter, the facility offers snow skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing, as well as lessons for beginners. The most daring experience at Snow Creek is tubing at Tornado Alley. Slide down a 700-foot-long slope and then jump onto a special conveyor carpet “twister” for a ride back up!

Celebrate the Holidays


Kansas City celebrates the holidays in style! Professional live shows, living Nativities, outdoor holiday festivals and local traditions can all be found at kcparent.com/christmas-in-kc.

Go Explore the Country

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Johnson Farms Plants & Pumpkins in Belton, Missouri, is a beautiful agritourism attraction where you can shop the beautiful nursery and pick apples in the late summer and veggies and pumpkins in the fall. Also in Belton, visitors love riding aboard the Belton, Grandview and Kansas City Railroad, an excursion train offering a 5-mile, 45-minute round trip ride aboard a 1920s-era passenger coach, open-air excursion car or 1950s diesel locomotive through Old Towne Belton on weekends. Throughout the summer, you can also select from theme rides including hot dog, ice cream and holiday specials. Enjoy lunch at one of the local cafes or restaurants in the historic district.

Enjoy fresh-made cider at Louisburg Cider Mill in the Kansas countryside. Visitors watch as cider is pressed and cider donuts are made. Cedar Cove in Louisburg is an animal refuge for endangered or rescued big cats including leopards, cougars, wolves, bobcats, a white tiger, black leopards and caracals. On Saturdays through October, visit Powell Observatory for a public stargazing session through one of the largest telescopes in the region. Every spring Miami County, Kansas, hosts a farm tour (May 11-12, 2024). Visitors are invited to tour 14 local farms and agricultural sites. Explore a pecan farm, bison ranch, alpaca farm, Hereford farm, goat farms, wineries and more.

The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is a 300-acre botanical garden offering a beautiful outdoor oasis in the southern part of Johnson County, Kansas. Explore the Children’s Garden’s whimsical trains, the grounds’ wooded paths and the beloved Monet Garden. This is one of the region’s most scenic and relaxing attractions. Enjoy special events including “Stems: A Garden Soiree” on June 22, “Terra Luna” on select September weekends and the annual Luminary Walk throughout the holidays. The gardens are always affordable, but admission is free on the first Tuesday of the month.

KC’s Water Fun Guide

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Olivia Bock updated this article on 6/8/25 to include the newly opened splash pad at Ashland Square Park.

From free spraygrounds for young children to daring water rides for teens and adults to classes and programs, pools and waterparks, and everything in between – Kansas City has it all. Dive into fun this summer!

Tip: Most of these attractions are open Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend.

Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission.

Kansas City Area Waterparks:

Oceans of Fun

Splash into SUMMER FUN at Kansas City’s premier outdoor water park! With waves of fun from mild to wild, Oceans of Fun offers AMAZING for everyone in the family. Extreme water slides appeal to thrill-seekers and kiddos love our pint-sized slides, geysers, and foundations at Crocodile Isle. Float along on our Caribbean Cooler lazy river and catch some waves at fan favorite, Surf City Wave Pool. Riptide Raceway, the world’s longest mat racing waterslide. From five stories high, racers will speed down 486 feet in enclosed, winding tubes and around a 360-degree loop before an epic, splashdown finish.

Enjoy season-long access and free parking to Worlds of Fun with a Gold Season Pass, including seasonal events Grand Carnivale and Halloween Haunt.

Outdoor Waterparks:

    • Adventure Oasis: (2100 S. Hub Dr. Independence, MO) From 700 exhilarating feet of water slides to a peaceful 900-foot lazy river, there’s so much to do at Adventure Oasis! Splash & play in the family pool, take a dip in the lap pool, or visit the Oasis Grill. Your adventure awaits!
    • Bay Water Park: (7101 Longview Road, Kansas City, MO. 816.965.9218)  Water attractions to satisfy all ages and thrill-seeking levels.
    • Blue Surf Bay: (425 N.E. Mock Ave, Blue Springs, MO.) This waterpark features a 40-foot slide tower with multiple slides. Additionally, the outdoor space includes a lazy river with a special action channel, a wave-ball pool with an attached activity pool and a zero-depth entry pool with play structure for younger children. One of the main attractions of the waterpark is a double surf simulator that allows visitors to try knee boarding or stand-up surfing.
    • Blackbob Bay: (14570 W. 151st St., Olathe, KS. 913.971.5345). Features: Raft water slides, Lazy River, Shallow water play structures, Family changing room, Shade areas for party rentals, Dive well including two 1-meter diving boards and two 3-meter diving boards, 50-meter pool, and Baby pool.
    • Bonner Springs Aquatic Park: (1200 S. 134th St., Bonner Springs, KS. 913.422.7011) The aquatic park features a zero-depth entry pool, 2.5-meter lap pool, floatable pods, water playground, diving boards, water slides, and basketball goal.
    • Gardner Aquatic Center: (215 N. Center, Gardner, KS. 913.856.0962) Special amenities include zero-depth entry, an active in-water play area, lazy river, multiple water slides, floatable walk, climbing nets, spray grounds, and a tot pool.
    • Thomas A. Soetaert Aquatic Center: (13805 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS.913.631.0054) Features 2 slides, a lazy river, diving boards, lap lanes, an AquaClimb, a full enclosed baby pool area with water playground and a Wibit interactive play feature.
    • Sar-Ko-Par Aquatic Center: (8801 Greenway Ln, Lenexa, KS.) The aquatic center features a blend of excitement and relaxation. Amenities include:  Zero-depth entry pool with interactive features for younger children, Climbable play feature with dump bucket, Lazy river with a variety of flow currents and features, 25-yard competition/lap pool, Deep-water alcove and diving boards, Inner tube slide and speed slide, New shade features, and New family restrooms and open-air admissions area.
    • Splash Cove is located at 5800 King Avenue, Shawnee, KS 66203. Splash Cove is a unique water park as it is designed and geared towards kids 9 and under. It has a large slide, but also a multi-feature play structure and a wave pool. The entire facility gets no deeper than 4 feet.
    • The Springs Aquatic Center: (9400 N. Congress Ave., Kansas City, MO. 816.350.2628) Whether you’re lounging in the leisure pool, racing in the competition pool, or romping on the spray ground, The Springs is for you.
    • Summit Waves: (120 SW Blue Pkwy., Lee’s Summit, MO. 816.969.1545) Features a 904-foot action river, body slide, tube slide, 6-lane lap pool with diving boards, a water playground area featuring mini-slides, dump buckets, and more.

Indoor Waterpark:

    • Kansas City’s indoor water resort, Great Wolf Lodge (10401 Cabela Dr, Kansas City, KS, 855.826.8062), is an 84-degree indoor water park that boasts more than 38,000 square feet of water-packed excitement, including jaw-dropping slides for thrill-seekers and zero-depth entry areas for little ones.

Learn to Wakeboard at KC Watersports

KC Watersports is the best wakeboarding destination in the midwest. For beginners, they offer day camps and lessons to perfect your skills. For our experts, you won’t find a more challenging set of rails, ramps, and sliders anywhere in the US. For the family, they have a beach, with shade, where you can relax and watch the kids ride, with the Snack Shack to keep you going throughout the day. The Pro Shop is well stocked with the best gear in the industry, with rental equipment also available. All skill levels are encouraged, so head out to KCW this summer and enjoy some fun in the sun!

Swim at the Beach

Lake Olathe  Lake Olathe Park features a 170-acre lake surrounded by a 258-acre community park. The Swim Beach features locker rooms, outdoor showers, vending machines, and a floating obstacle course ‘ The Aqua Park. Lake Olathe Park visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats at the Marina. Coolers with food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome along with beach chairs and umbrellas. Additional renovations to Lake Olathe now offer an upper event lawn surrounded by landscaping and a small stream. The water feature flows into a waterfall before ending in a pond. A creek leading from the pond wraps around the newly built Spray Ground before flowing into the lake. An amphitheater, featuring event seating for 1,500 and Lake Olathe as its backdrop, is a great spot to relax and enjoy nature’s elements. This lake also recently improved its accessibility! Variety Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City offers a water wheelchair at Lake Olathe that is free to check out! The lake also offers accessible parking and access to the water!

Additional Swim Beaches:

    • BONUS: Enjoy Beach Volleyball at these venues: Volleyball Beach (13105 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, MO, 816.942.2820), Shawnee Mission Volleyball Beach (19800 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS, 913.422.4070) or Centerline Beach Volleyball (1910 US 40 Hwy., Blue Springs, MO, 816.224.4455).

Boat Rental at Kansas City area Lakes:

    • Jackson County, MO, offers boat rental at Blue Springs Lake, Longview Lake, and Lake Jacomo (816.503.4870). All three lakes offer pontoon, bass boat, and fishing boat rental. Lake Jacomo also features pedal boat and canoe rental.
    • Legacy Park Legacy Park in Lee’s Summit offers canoe, stand-up board, and bicycle rentals (816.969.1550).
    • Lake Olathe Visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and pedal boats at the Marina (913.971.8973).

Great Fishing Spots in Missouri and Kansas:

    • Kill Creek Park (Olathe, KS)
    • Shawnee Mission Park (Lenexa, KS)
    • Antioch Park (Olathe, KS)
    • Heritage Park (Olathe, KS)
    • Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead (Overland Park, KS)
    • Englewood Lake (Kansas City North, MO)
    • Lake of the Woods in Swope Park (Kansas City, MO)
    • Blue Springs Lake (Lee’s Summit, MO)
    • Lake Jacomo (Blue Springs, MO)
    • Longview Lake (Kansas City, MO)

A Few of our Favorite Pools

    • Summit Waves in Lee’s Summit: A family aquatic center featuring a 904-ft Action River! The outdoor water park also features one body slide and one tube slide, a six-lane lap pool with diving boards, a water playground area featuring mini-slides, dump buckets, and more. When taking a break enjoy the concession stand with healthy items, snacks, drinks, and more.
    • Memorial Park Outdoor Water Park in Belton: Enjoy the action river, and plunge more than two stories down the Speed Slide, or hop on an inner tube and swirl down the Tornado Slide into the pool below. Float over to Cargo Crossing, where you can challenge your balancing skills and try to stay dry as you traverse across floating lily pads while clinging to the palm tree-supported cargo net above. Grab a tube and float around the water park in the 82,000-gallon Action River, or get a little exercise walking against the 4 mph current.
    • Overland Park Swimming Pools: The City of Overland Park has multiple outdoor pools.  Tomahawk Ridge Aquatic Center: At TRAC, the city’s largest overall pool facility, visitors can enjoy lots of shade and grassy areas for laying out or relaxing. Stonegate Pool: Originally, the city’s smallest pool, Stonegate Pool was rebuilt in 2009 after more than 40 years of summertime fun. Young’s Pool: One of the city’s largest pools, Young’s makes its mark with a 31-foot-tall water slide that dares guests to take the plunge down the drop slide. The indoor pools at Matt Ross Community Center are open year-round.
    • Black Bob Bay in Olathe: This waterpark features Raft Water Slides, Lazy River, Shallow Water Play Structures, Family Changing Room, Shade Areas for Party Rentals, Dive well (2 1-meter diving boards and 2 3-meter diving boards), 50-Meter Pool and Baby Pool.
    • Lenexa Swimming Pools: The city of Lenexa offers several outdoor pools. Indian Trails Aquatic Center: Eight 50-meter lanes, ¾-meter diving board, in-deck spray feature, AquaClimb rock wall, and two large water slides. Flat Rock Pool: Zero-depth entry, on-deck and in-water shade structures, in-water benches, interactive mushroom water feature, three 25-yard lap lanes, 1-meter diving board, in-deck spray feature, basketball goal, and AquaClimb rock wall.
    • Gladstone Municipal Pool: Amenities include a water slide, concession area and deck, shade structures, deck furniture, and play features

Kansas City Area Spraygrounds:

Kansas City is home to many wonderful Spraygrounds! Spraygrounds are water playgrounds where children can run and play through sprinklers and sprays on a safe surface. This is a fantastic, fun, FREE way to cool off on a hot Summer Day. Spraygrounds are open Memorial Day-Labor Day across the Metro!

Tip: Remember to bring water shoes, beach towels, water bottles (to drink), sun screen, and snacks when you visit a splash pad or sprayground. 

Note: As a rule, spraygrounds only operate on days that are 75 degrees or warmer, and they will not be operating during thunder or lightning storms. Check the weather before you plan your outing. 

Missouri Spraygrounds & Splash Pads:

Blue Springs, Missouri Sprayground:

    • Burrus Old Mill Park: 112 NW Woods Chapel Rd, Blue Springs, MO

Grandview Missouri Spraygrounds:

    • John Anderson Park: 4701 E. 135th Street (Note: This one features a fun pirate theme!)
    • The View Splash Park: 13500 Byars Rd. (this sprayground features water slides in addition to spray features)

Kansas City Missouri Spraygrounds: 

    • Ashland Square Park: Elmwood Ave. and East 23rd St., Kansas City, Missouri 64127
    • Blue Valley Park: 23rd St. & Topping
    • Central Park: Linwood Blvd & Bales Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Dagg Park: 701 E 21st Ave
    • Douglas Playground at Grace Williams Nicholl Park: 2632 Jarboe St. Kansas City, MO
    • Garrison Square: E. 4th St. & Forest Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Gillham Park: 3915 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO
    • Golden Oaks Park: N.E. 46th Street & N. Antioch Rd. Kansas City, MO
    • Harmony Park: E. 10th St & Agnes Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Longview Tract: 7107 Longview Rd. Kansas City, MO
    • Loose Park: W. 52nd Terrace & Summit Ave. Kansas City, MO (Closed Wednesdays.)
    • Lykins Square: E. 8th Street and Myrtle Avenue
    • Nelson C. Crews Park: E. 27th St & Michigan Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Parade Park: 1600 John Buck O’Neil Way, Kansas City, MO
    • Seven Oaks Park: E. 39th St. & Kensington Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Spring Valley Park: East 27th and Woodland Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Sunnyside Park: W. 83rd St. & Summit Ave. Kansas City, MO
    • Swope Park Pool: 6700 Lewis Rd., Kansas City, MO
    • Zona Rosa: I-29 and Barry Rd. Kansas City MO

Kearney Missouri Spraygrounds:

    • Lions Park: 340 S Jefferson St.

Independence Missouri Spraygrounds:

    • McCoy Park: 24 Highway & N. Delaware
    • Rotary Park: 24th & Hardy

Lee’s Summit Missouri Sprayground:

    • Howard Park: 3498 NE Independence Ave
    • Miller J. Fields Park: 1301 SE 3rd Terr
    • Lea McKeighan:  125 NE Chipman Rd

Liberty Missouri Spraygrounds:

    • City Park: 970 S. Highway 291
    • Ruth Moore Park: 401 N. Morse

Raymore Missouri Spraygrounds:

    • T.B. Hanna Station: 214 S. Washington St.

Kansas Spraygrounds & Splash Pads:

Kansas City Kansas Spraygrounds:

    • Eisenhower Park: 2901 N. 72nd St.
    • Heathwood Park: 10th & Parallel Pkwy
    • Pierson Park: 1800 S 55th St.

Olathe Kansas Spraygrounds:

    • Olathe Lake Spray Pad: 221 S Beaver Shelter Ln

Overland Park Kansas Spraygrounds:

    • Roe Park: 10400 Roe Ave
    • Sapling Grove Park: 82nd & Grant Ave
    • Thompson Park: 8045 Santa Fe Dr

Shawnee Kansas Spraygrounds:

    • Wilder Bluff Park: 24200 W. 55th St.
    • Erfurt Park: 24135 W 71st St.

Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission.

Go Explore the Northland

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Enjoy both Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri, for the price of one ticket. Worlds of Fun boasts eight world-class roller coasters, including the Zambezi Zinger, Patriot, Mamba and Timberwolf, classic carnival rides and water rides like Fury of the Nile and Viking Voyager. Kids love Planet Snoopy where they enjoy more than 20 family-friendly rides and attractions. In addition to great rides, visitors enjoy live shows and meet-and-greets with the Peanuts gang. Oceans of Fun offers fantastic attractions, including Aruba Tuba, Surf City Wave Pool, Buccaneer Bay, Coconut Cove and Splash Island, a 4,200-square-foot interactive water attraction.

The Kansas City Museum, offering free admission, features four floors of spectacular local exhibits. The museum pays homage to the legacy of the Long family, telling the story of Robert Alexander Long, a wealthy lumber baron and developer, who built the four story mansion in 1907. Following Long’s death in 1934, Corinthian Hall remained empty until 1939 when the Long family donated it to the Kansas City Museum Association. The museum exhibits take visitors on a journey telling the history of Kansas City, beginning with the Lewis and Clark Expedition and continuing Kansas City Museum through the modern era.

Historic Downtown Liberty, Missouri, is home to the Jesse James Bank Museum, the site of the first recorded daytime bank robbery. On the square, enjoy local cafes, boutiques and shops. Liberty also hosts First Thursdays, a chance to enjoy late-night shopping and themed events in the historic district. For entertainment, catch a live show at the Corbin Theatre, where you can enjoy musical theater, live music and stage shows. Throughout the year, catch a performance with the Liberty Symphony. For more fun, try axe throwing at WoodChux, perfect your golf swing at T-Shotz, play pickleball at Chicken N Pickle, or enjoy fun at PowerPlay where you can enjoy sand volleyball, arcades and more.

Go Explore Kansas

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Head west to Legends Outlets in Kansas City, Kansas, for a day of shopping and local attractions. The shopping center features tributes to local celebrities with banners, statues and artwork. You even can walk the Yellow Brick Road, a tribute to Kansas’ literary fame in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Catch a movie at the theater or listen to a concert on The Lawn. Nearby, you can enjoy a soccer game at Sporting KC, a race at Kansas Speedway or a Monarchs baseball game at Legends field. Over the holidays, the baseball field is bedazzled in lights during Enchant Christmas, an epic holiday experience with a light maze, ice-skating trail and entertainment.

Have you ever wanted to swim with penguins? Pet a sloth? Hold a lemur? Believe it or not, there is a magical zoo right in the heart of Kansas (near Wichita) where you can do all that and more! Tanganyika Wildlife Park is a unique zoo-privately owned and small and intimate, but every exhibit is spacious, beautiful and immaculate and offers the most natural habitat possible for the animals. Visitors customize their park experience with the activities they book. You may elect to participate in all the “Wildly Different Experiences” or purchase the opportunities a la carte.

Head to Lawrence, Kansas, home to the University of Kansas and the famous Massachusetts Street, affectionately called Mass Street, where shoppers love to browse for antiques, clothes, toys, candles, books and European groceries. Children love Prairie Park Nature Center, home to reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals, as well as hands-on exhibits. The KU Natural History Museum is filled with fascinating exhibits and artifacts. The most famous feature of the museum is the extensive collection of fossils, including the mosasaur, the largest known lizard to have lived. Throughout the year, enjoy eclectic festivals, including Art Tougeau, food truck festivals, the Lawrence Busker Festival and an old-fashioned Christmas parade.

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