The Crown Center District is one of Kansas City's favorite destinations for summer fun for tourists and locals alike. With a variety of attractions for the family at the Crown Center Square, and more accessible with a walk across The Link (the enclosed walkway connecting Crown Center to Union Station), or a short walk or drive for a few blocks... there is much to see in the district.
Crown Center is home to a variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions including Sea Life, Legoland Discovery Center, Kaleidoscope, and Coterie. Union Station is home to Science City, the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, the Extreme Screen, and traveling exhibits. This summer, you can see the exhibit Stonehenge. Both attractions are connected via The Link and easily accessible for a day-long or weekend-long adventure.
Crown Center also offers two world-class hotels if you want to make it a getaway!
So, what are our tips to make the most of the day?
- Crown Center offers 3 hours free parking on weekdays and free parking on weekends. If you attend a show (Coterie, MTH, etc), they give more time. You may have all day free parking with a purchase of $25 or more. Be sure to get your parking validated before you leave the lot. They do offer more than 1,000 electric charging stations as well.
- Bringing a stroller or wheelchair? Each level with an A in the name (2A, 3A, etc) offers handicapped-accessible spaces and direct entry into the shopping center without the use of stairs. In my stroller days, I always made certain to park on a level with handicapped spots - 2A for instance, so I would not have to work with stairs to enter the shops with little ones.
- You can visit all of the Crown Center and Union Station attractions on rainy days without going outside... simply use The Link connecting the buildings. For tips on how to navigate The Link if you're unfamiliar, Guest Services at Crown Center is always glad to help.
- Bring a tote bag for Kaleidoscope bags (they give each child a paper sack to keep their art projects, one tote bag for mom to contain all art bags is helpful. Also, if planning to spend an entire day in the district, water bottles are handy if you'll be walking a lot.
- Lunch at Crown Center offers many great choices. Kids always love Fritz's, the restaurant where toy trains deliver food straight to your table. They serve a variety of diner-style burgers and sandwiches. Another crowd pleaser is d'Bronx where you can order New York style pizza and delicatessen sandwiches. I'm partial to Unforked, where the tacos and burgers are made using local ingredients. The Tilapia Tango taco is my favorite, but my husband and kids also love their burgers. And, everyone loves a treat at Sheridan's for frozen custard. There are other great options as well including Barbecue, Mexican, and sandwiches on level 1 of Crown Center shops.
- You can bring lunch and eat at "Lunchland" near Kaleidoscope or at a table in the food court section of level 1.
- There are often special things happening at Crown Center. For instance, on Saturdays from Noon-2pm, Function Junction, the kitchen and cooking shop, offers cooking classes and demonstrations. Chip's Chocolate Factory offers fudge making demonstrations. Local groups perform live music or puppet shows on the Level 1 stage, and festivals happen often. Check the calendar for information.
- Take pictures of your great day!
- Check the listings below for coupons and savings on your adventures!
These are our favorite attractions to enjoy with kids in the area:
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Crown Center Shops & Special Events
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MissouriThis summer, Crown Center offers free summer entertainment with its summer WeekEnder series, outdoors under the evening skies in Crown Center Square. The series kicks off in July and continues for the next four Fridays, each one featuring a different local band or musician and a classic movie on a larger-than-life 40-foot screen.
Crown Center Square. Cap off your work week with top local bands and favorite food trucks. Finish the evening with a famous flick under the stars. Festivities begin at 6 p.m., with the movie starting at approximately 9 p.m. FREE admission. (Please note pets are not permitted at the event.) 816-274-8444.
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Coterie Theatre
The Coterie Theatre, named "One of the Five Best Theaters for Young Audiences" in the U.S. by TIME magazine, provides unique theatre experiences for families and young audiences.
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LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Crown Center
Next door to Sea Life you’ll find LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Crown Center (2475 Grand Boulevard, KCMO. 816.471.4386), is a larger-than-life attraction! Begin your journey on a ride into the unknown on laser chariots. Play with the world’s biggest box of LEGOS®. Watch a film in the LEGO® Studios 4D cinema and explore a miniature Kansas City that highlights 10 of our most popular local attractions in LEGO® MINILAND®. Tip: Click the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center in Crown Center title for a coupon!
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Sea Life Kansas City
Check out Sea Life at 2475 Grand Blvd, KCMO. 816.471.4386. At Sea Life your family will be transported into an amazing underwater world with up-close views of more than 5,000 sea creatures! Come nose to nose with sharks in the walk-through underwater tunnel, experience the touch pool where you can hold a crab or touch a starfish, participate in educational demonstrations, watch animal feedings and explore this state-of-the-art home for many of the ocean’s most majestic creatures! Tip: Click the Sea Life Kansas City title for a coupon!
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FREE Fun at Hallmark's Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope is one of the best FREE attractions in Kansas City. Check out one of their FREE Walk-In Sessions for ALL Ages (perfect if you have multiple children with a span of ages as we do), and we’ve learned that they tend to have the smallest crowds at the earliest sessions. If the sessions aren't crowded, they'll let you walk in a few minutes late or early and they won't require you to leave at the end of the session (this depends on the size of the crowd). Children love Kaleidoscope where creativity and imagination play in Kaleidoscope's magical hands-on world where children create masterpieces with super cool, super fun supplies, in a super amazing atmosphere all thanks to Hallmark. This is truly one of Kansas City's BEST family-friendly attractions! PLUS it is indoors... making it perfect for rainy days or days when you just need to "stay in the a/c"!
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FREE Hallmark Visitor's Center
Visit the Hallmark Visitor's Center next door to Kaleidoscope, another FREE attraction and one of our favorite "Watch it Made in KC" attractions. Children are given a scavenger hunt to follow as they learn the history of Hallmark, artists demonstrate their craft (we recently watched as an engraver prepared designs for greeting cards and watched the machines that assemble the cards), kids make their own bows with the press of a button, and the self-guided walk through tour almost always ends with a gift (frequently these are the music playing cards for the upcoming holiday, but we have even been excited to receive FREE recordable books for gifts). The Visitor's Center is especially nice if you are visiting with multiple generations (it is a favorite when grandparents are in town visiting) and you're able to enjoy it at your own pace.
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Stonehenge at Union Station
thru Sept. 28, 2019: Stonehenge at Union Station. Stonehenge, celebrated by scholars, writers and artists for countless generations comes to life in this large-scale exhibition, suitable for all ages and featuring multiple hands-on interactives to amplify key elements of the monument's mysteries. So much more than a massive marvel of ancient engineering, Stonehenge and it's immense stones have captured our imaginations and dared us to explore and explain prehistoric unknowns like never before. Join as we dig into these ancient mysteries and present the latest in modern discoveries. This must-see exhibition is here for a very limited time.
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Roy Inman
Extreme Screen at Union Station
The Extreme Screen at Union Station is one if the city's most affordable theaters showing family feature films and education productions. The theater seats 400 for 2D movies and 330 for 3D movies.
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Science City
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 first-hand through fun and engaging exhibits and programs. In addition to changing monthly themes and daily programs/activities open to all guests, the science center offers onsite curriculum-based programs to school groups (K-12), outreach programs and an onsite 8-week science summer camp. STEM education is at the core of everything in the science enter, be it exhibits, demonstrations, classes, shows, presentations or special events and programs. Annually, 200,000+ guests visit Science City.
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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 at Union Station offers incredible shows and experiences.
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National World War I Museum and Memorial
The National World War I Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. Interactive displays, thought-provoking films, and eyewitness testimonies help guide visitors through one of the largest collections of WWI artifacts in the world.
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