Kansas City is an easy four-hour drive down I-70, making it a great weekend destination from St. Louis. There’s much more to do than you can fit in a weekend, but we’re highlighting two areas of town plus a list of additional can’t miss attractions!
Kansas City Attractions
Crown Center + Union Station
With a variety of attractions and local restaurants connected to The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, it makes for a very easy family-fun weekend!
At Crown Center, you can start with the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City. Make sure to buy your tickets ahead of time online and get the combo pass with SEA LIFE for the best deal. In the Creative Workshop area, you can build to your heart’s content and race your Lego creations down tracks to see how they perform against others. Catch a 4-D movie and walk through the Mini Village to see Kansas City landmarks and The Wizard of Oz in tiny brick form! Make sure the kiddos bring their piggy bank money as the LEGO Store has plenty of souvenirs.
SEA LIFE is right next door to LEGOLAND, so after your underwater adventure, head outside to Crown Center Square to catch the dancing fountains. Be sure to check out Fritz’s for dinner— you can’t beat burgers, fries, and milkshakes delivered to your table by an overhead electric train.
On your second day, walk across the street to Union Station and grab breakfast at Harvey’s, where the chocolate chips pancakes are ooey-gooey, and one order is plenty for the kids to share. You can also grab some quick to-go options with a cappuccino from Parisi Coffee. Head downstairs to Science City for some STEM fun. We love the new train area and outdoor playground. For older kids, don’t miss the Amazing Brain exhibit. You could wander Union Station for hours with its stunning architecture, model train exhibit, Planetarium, and Xtreme Screen, so spend as much time as your family wants or head back to Crown Center Shops to browse more stores.
Be sure not to miss Spin Pizza and Unforked for your other meals!
Overland Park Attractions
Another area of town to visit is Kansas City’s largest suburb — Overland Park, a 25-minute drive from downtown Kansas City. Check out a Johnson County itinerary for additional ideas.
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead is the perfect place to learn, grow, and have fun. Visit more than 250 animals and birds, learn about growing flowers and vegetables, experience a Kanza Indian encampment or a one-room schoolhouse, and take a stroll through main street to the fishing pond. There are so many hidden gems but for sure, don’t miss feeding the cute baby goats with bottles of milk! The farm is open April 1 – October each year.
The Museum at Prairiefire
Towering over you immediately in the Great Hall is a Tyrannosaurus rex which takes the breath away of any dino-loving kid. Go to the dino computers where kids (or adults) can design and name their own species of dinos and then virtually set them free into the Great Hall, where on video, it looks as if they roam amongst us. Make your way upstairs to the Discovery Room to explore the natural history of the Midwest, check out some fun animals, and learn all about our solar system! Don’t miss the scavenger hunt in the big tree!
Overland Park Arboretum
Get outdoors and soak up some sunshine at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. The paved and woodchipped trails are the perfect places to explore and run off some steam with the kids. Don’t miss the model train garden (amazing for train lovers and adults alike), the natural playground, and the koi fish.
Find time to also visit DOP Donuts, Joe’s Barbecue KC, and Chicken n Pickle (pickleball, yard games, and good food!).
Other Hot Spots
National World War I Museum and Memorial
For additional Kansas City itineraries based on your family’s ages, interests, and the weather, click here.
This post is one in a series of Road Trip posts compiled with our neighboring sister sites. We extend a big thank you to Kansas City Mom Collective for sharing their favorite family friendly attractions and eateries with us!
