As a person with a disability, I experience Kansas City a little differently. I don’t enjoy a trip to a museum or art gallery as much as other people because they’re very visual experiences, and I have a visual impairment. If you or someone you know also has a disability of some kind, let me share some tips for how you can enjoy yourself in Kansas City.
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Kansas City Streetcar Public Transportation
The KC Streetcar: Traveling Independently and Efficiently
A big thing is transportation. I can’t drive and never will be able to, but there are a lot of things to do in Kansas City that are spread all across the area. I recommend taking the streetcar that runs through most of downtown Kansas City, MO. It has stops at Union Station, River Market, the Power & Light District and everywhere in between. Inside the streetcar, you’ll find wheelchair-accessible seating, and the location of each stop is announced via an automated message over an intercom, so you can hear exactly when you need to get off. The streetcar is free, in contrast to other public transportation like a bus, and it can get you pretty much anywhere you’d need to go in the downtown KCMO area.
Science City: A Sensory Experience
When it comes to Kansas City attractions, I’ve had a great time at many places and one of these places is Science City in Union Station. Although technically geared toward kids and teens, this attraction offers something to do for all ages, from toddlers to adults. Science City is a great experience for people with disabilities because it’s very hands-on. Most of the exhibits have interesting objects you can pick up with your hands then interact with, making for a very tactile experience. Though there are some visual components, a person with low vision or high sensory needs will still have a good time.
Legoland: Hands-on Play for Kids
Along the same lines of a sensory experience, for younger kids check out Legoland near Crown Center. This fun spot features a few small carnival-like rides inside the attraction and also a play area with lots of room to climb around and play with giant, squishy Lego bricks. Some of the Lego building parts of Legoland require good fine motor skills and possibly some amount of vision, but there’s a lot someone with a disability can enjoy.
Penguin Park: Stimulating Fun
If you prefer the outdoors, the metro boasts some great, fun playgrounds that are very stimulating and have a lot to do. One of my favorites is Penguin Park in Kansas City, MO. There’s something for all ages, with lots to climb on and explore. The park has swings, merry-go-rounds and lots of jungle gyms. I love Penguin Park because I love the sensory stimulation it provides. I can swing on the swings, hang from the monkey bars and get my energy out—and my vision doesn’t affect my enjoyment.
The Kansas City Zoo: An Inclusive Adventure
The Kansas City Zoo is very inclusive and has many options for a person with any kind of disability to enjoy a visit there. One of these options is a sensory backpack you can take around with you. The backpack has headphones and weighted blankets for people who are sensitive to noise or who need sensory input from the blanket. The KC Zoo also provides a golf cart that is wheelchair-accessible and makes it easier to travel around the zoo.
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Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium at Union Station
Combining interactive astronomy education with spectacular public shows and night sky viewing opportunities, the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium continues to be one of Kansas City's greatest connections to the night sky.
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TriggerPhoto Getty Images/iStockphoto
KC Streetcar
30 W. Pershing Rd., Kansas City, MissouriThe Kansas City Streetcar is free to ride as it travels the 2 miles through the heart of downtown.
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Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Explore the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium, with nearly 10,000 animals on 202 acres, it's the most affordable family fun for kids of all ages! Travel all over the world without ever leaving Kansas City.
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LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Legoland Discovery Center Kansas City offers a fun, highly interactive and educational 2-to 3-hour indoor experience. Based on the ever-popular Lego® brick, Legoland Discovery Center provides a range of interactive play areas.
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Science City at Union Station
Kansas City’s Science Center, Science City at Union Station Kansas City, is a dynamic, hands-on science center featuring nearly 200 individual interactive exhibits and daily programming. Kids of all ages experience the amazing world of science fir...
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The KC Zoo Inclusive Playground: Fun for Every Child
The Kansas City Zoo is also home to the first all-inclusive play exhibit at any zoo in the United States. This inclusive playground allows children with special needs or wheelchair users to play along with other kids. It has many features, such as a wheelchair-accessible zip line and swings and a low-sensory area for helping calm children.
All these inclusive and accessible activities aren’t just for kids, either. No matter who you are or how old you are, you can find something to do in Kansas City—you just might experience it a little differently than someone else, and that’s okay! I face challenges in my life because of my visual impairment, but thanks to all the hands-on, fun attractions around Kansas City, I’ve experienced so many wonderful things despite it.
Lyra Thompson is a teenager with a passion for writing and journalism. She has lived in the Kansas City metro area her whole life and loves visiting amusement parks, water parks and hands-on attractions, such as Science City.