I’ll bury the lead – we did not eat barbeque while staying for two days in Kansas City, Missouri.
We simply did not have the time. There was too much to do.
Smack dab on the border of Missouri and Kansas, this gem of a city makes for a great, central stopping point for road weary travelers headed just about anywhere. Other than Omaha, Nebraska (on I-80), KC provides the best middle America metropolitan spot to get off the road with kids (I’d say St. Louis, MO is close second).
We stayed for two days on the way northwest and we had a blast.
The Kansas City Zoo
Man oh man, this is a must-do attraction for families! My crew was provided full access to the Kansas City Zoo’s best features:
Africa Tram: a ride from the main Zoo to an Africa-themed area.
Safari Skyway: a ski lift type of ride over animal exhibits in “Africa”
Kenyan Cruise: a pontoon boat ride around a lake in “Africa”
Zoo Railroad ride: a ride around the main Zoo
Endangered Species Carousel: a fun, old school carousel fit for the little ones in the main Zoo
Note: the above attractions are a part of an upgraded ticket (around $20 per and free for children 2 and under) for $10. This is well worth the money!
The experience at the Kansas City Zoo was fabulous – not a ho-hum, ‘let’s kill two hours’ kind of a time for the family.
The grounds are impeccable, the animals appear well cared for, the shows are appropriately timed, and the value was tremendous for a day of family fun. Additionally, when we visited the Zoo, a new aquarium was being built and looks MASSIVE. The marketing surrounding the construction site had my kids begging to come back to check it out. According to the website, the aquarium will open in late 2023.
Worlds of Fun (and Worlds of Fun Village)
Growing up in the Midwest, I had been to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun before. I did not, though, remember Worlds of Fun to have as much to do as we found during our nearly 10 hours there.
As usual, I hung with my smallest, while my wife oversaw the older kids sprint from one thrill ride to the next. There is a great mix of subtle and scary rides at Worlds, ample space to roam, and decent shows to beat the heat during the summer (I was pulled on stage during our day there:).
Tickets costs us about $40 a piece online (note: gate tickets are more expensive so go online to purchase for the day you plan to attend). There are all kinds of ticket add-ons and upgrades that we declined. I found the upgrades unnecessary as lines never exceed 40 minutes (we went on a Wednesday – not sure about weekends). The value of Worlds of Fun relative to a $150 Disney ticket or $130 Universal Studios tickets was, to us, amazing!
During our time in KC, we stayed in the shadow of the theme parks at the Worlds of Fun Village. The series of tiny houses are near the RV park adjacent to the theme parks (light sleepers: you will hear the rides until the park close). The Village offers a great location and amenities you’d associate with a campground – pool, playground, laundry, small store, charcoal grill, a lake, and grounds to explore. While the per night charges (~$250/night) were more costly than a hotel or AirBnB, our large family was far more comfortable in one of the units at the Village. If you stay here, note that while guests are allowed to park at Worlds of Fun or Oceans of Fun free, those parking lots are either a very long, hot walk or short drive (or Uber) away.
No BBQ, but a GREAT Time in KC
Seeing my kids discover all that Kansas City has to offer was a highlight of our summer road trip. Having grown up just a short drive from this great Midwestern city, I already knew that my kids would love World of Fun and the Kansas City Zoo.
I did not, though, think that I would have as much fun alongside of them. There is so much to do around town that our two-day stay did not feel at all adequate. We have to come back and, when we do, a sampling of the local BBQ and draft beer scenes is non-negotiable!
