Sea Life Aquarium at Crown Center

The Sea Life Aquarium is a new attraction for Kansas City. It is located in the Crown Center at 2475 Grand Boulevard and is open 7 days a week. This place is designed for kids, although who doesn't love a good aquarium??

What I love about this place:
The "under the sea" ambience is really cool. Low lighting and beautifully decorated aquariums make it a really neat walk-thru experience.  It is kid-friendly. They have a touch station where children (and grown-ups!) get to explore a mini sea ecosystem with their hands and glass walls that go all the way to the floor so the little ones get a good view. Other kid-friendly notables is a "just my size" aquarium tunnel, "bubbles" that let kids put their heads inside a few of the tanks, and a colorful play area. You can also get your hand stamped at the end to go through again if you want.

What will you see? Several different tanks featuring sea life from different parts of the ocean as well as some freshwater fish. You'll see a few sharks, although they are small (don't expect to see Jaws!), seahorses, jellyfish, and a turtle exhibit. They have a large variety of brightly colored reef fish and some eels too.

Things to consider before packing up the kids:
Sure, you can bring a stroller. I brought mine and it worked okay, but it wasn't very crowded that day. This is NOT a huge aquarium, and some of the walkways are pretty narrow. On a busy day, strollers would really crowd it up!

The bathrooms are towards the beginning of the aquarium. If you think you'll need to go during your visit don't walk past them. I didn't see any other bathrooms, so you'll have to backtrack.

They do allow photography, but not flash photography, so the low-light makes it difficult to get good pictures. They do an optional "souvenir photo" at the entrance before you enter the aquarium that they will sell to you for $11.

Okay, so this place sounds neat, why wouldn't I want to go?
We went during homeschool week, which is important to note because we got deeply discounted tickets. Tickets are expensive to this attraction. A family of four (assuming your children are between ages 3 and 12) would have a walk up price of $68! The aquarium only takes 1 to 2 hours at most to wander through, so this seems steep to me. They do offer an online discount if you plan ahead, dropping that price to $52. This discounted price is still more expensive than the Kansas City Zoo, which is an all day affair, and is pretty stiff competition now that they have penguins and polar bears! We are also just a couple hours away from the aquarium located in Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, which is larger and houses some much bigger sharks!

A new option they offer is the 1 parent/1 toddler combo ticket for $20. If you have just one child between 3 and 5, this isn't a bad deal. Additional tickets are $10 if parent #2 wants to join you.

Kansas City Saint Andrew's Highland Dance Association

 I have to take a moment to promote the Kansas City Saint Andrew's Highland Dance Association. If you're interested in learning a traditional dance form from the hills of Scotland without leaving the metro, these are the people to get in contact with! Beyond learning the technical skills of dancing, the association offers an opportunity to make friends and learn the value of teamwork. They make time for fun (like our recent tie-dye session!), and perform at several annual events in the area, as well as a few that are a short drive away. If you're already a fan of the KC Highland Games or Renaissance Festival, or you look good in a kilt, then this might be just the thing! Check it out!

Alldredge Orchards

We've discovered a gem in Platte City, MO. Alldredge Orchards is now our go to place for getting our annual fall pumpkins. My husband and I struggled each year after our first child was born to find a great place to get pumpkins that wasn't an overly commercialized, paid admission "experience." Some of these pumpkin "amusement parks" are expensive and take away from the agricultural opportunity we wanted to have with our kids.

Alldredge Orchards is a bit out of town, but that's part of the allure for us. It is a small farm, with an apple orchard and pumpkin patch. They offer a simple hayride back to the pumpkins where you can pick your own. It's a legitimate pumpkin patch--not pumpkins strewn in decorative piles. It's a short walk if you're not interested in the hay ride.

You purchase your pumpkins in a nearby barn. They have pre-picked pumpkins there if you don't want to go out to the patch, and apples from the orchard for sale. Sometimes they have u-pick apples, but not always. They also sell mums, which look so pretty lined up beside the barn! Outside there are chickens wandering around and a few other penned animals to look at. They have a small play area for the kids, but the real draw is the simplicity of it all. There is no admission fee to pick out a pumpkin. There are bathrooms available and a small gravel parking lot with plenty of room to park.

Arrowhead Stadium and the KC Chiefs

Arrowhead Stadium is home to our local professional football team, the Kansas City Chiefs. Just like Kauffman Stadium, Arrowhead has gone through some renovations and is looking pretty nice these days. I haven't been here as often as I have the Royals stadium next door, mostly because it is vastly more expensive.

Since my goal on this blog is to write from the perspective of a parent, I must say that I did not bring my children here.

I'll start with what I like about this place:
1. The atmosphere is alive. People are breathing excitement (at least at the beginning of the game!!)
2. The stadium is fun to walk through. There is a Hall of Fame section with memorabilia and information about all the great Chiefs players throughout the years.
3. Tailgating isn't just some hotdogs on a portable grill--it's high end stuff. Some people pay to park just to tailgate and don't even go in to watch the game. They bring portable TV sets with them and watch it in the parking lot.

So why wouldn't I recommend this place for kids? 
1. It is impossible to maneuver a stroller here and keeping track of little ones on foot when everyone is wearing the same color would be difficult. The stadium is very crowded, so if you don't have aisle seats, emergency potty breaks would be rather inconvenient.
2. It is incredibly loud.
3. Alcohol. I'm okay with alcohol in moderation. I don't even mind if you want to go to a party and get drunk off your backside, but I do mind if you do it in front of my kids. A lot of people choose to make these games an excuse to party in an adult(?) way. Which brings me to my next point:
4. Language. Be prepared to hear lots of cursing.
5. It is very crowded. I touched on this with point 1, but this is really the reason behind all my points. Because it is so crowded you will undoubtedly be in earshot of at least one drunk, at least one person with a foul-mouth, and at least one person who takes a missed catch on the field personally.
6. You can't bring in a diaper bag. If you've got really little ones this could be a deal breaker. You can't even bring in your own purse. Everything has to be in a small clear bag. So yeah, tampons are going to be awesome to tote around.

And Lastly...it is ridiculously expensive. The Parking fee is $27! This price-gouging exists because there are few options within walking distance for you to park elsewhere. Tickets are also expensive. The cheapest seats are around $35, but paying over $100 for seats is really common. For my family, the best case scenario to park and go to the game (buying nothing at the stadium) would cost nearly $200.

Would I go again as an adult? Probably. I've gone a couple times, but always when given tickets. Would I take my kids? No. Maybe to a preseason game when I could get discounted tickets. Are there people who regularly take children? Yes. There are kids there, and they do have a children's area.


You can take a tour if you're interested with the behind the scenes workings of the stadium. I think this might be a better way of celebrating your love of football and your hometown team with your young kids than going to an actual game. It's cheaper too!

The Kansas City Zoo

I can't discuss kids in Kansas City without mentioning the Kansas City Zoo. The zoo has improved in recent years and now includes a polar bear exhibit and a sky safari with plans to add penguins soon. It is broken into continents with sections for Asia, Australia, and Africa. Besides the Polar Bears, the highlights of the zoo for me are the river otters at the front entrance and the elephants. The lions (if they are in view) and the gorillas are also pretty neat, but I adore the hippos! I'm a sucker for a good view of a hippo I guess.

Parking: Parking is free and generally there is plenty of it, but you may have to walk a bit. On weekdays parking is pretty easy.

Strollers: The zoo accommodates strollers for the most part. There are a few areas that are difficult to maneuver through with them (specifically the walk-thru aviaries). If you have little ones strollers are a must because this zoo demands a lot of walking. (They do have places for you to stow away strollers on the train, tram, and boat--but not the sky safari--more about those below.)

Walking, walking, and more walking: This zoo was designed to give the appearance of being in nature with the animals. In order to do this they created a central open area in the Africa section to replicate the African plains. You have to walk around this to get the full zoo experience. If you do this, as well as Australia and the other zoo exhibits, you better have your walking shoes on. Just getting to Africa is a hike, let alone exploring it.


So what if you're not much of a walker? The zoo does offer tram rides out there, for a fee, as well as sky safari rides. There is also a fun kid-friendly train you can ride and a boat tour that allows you to see Africa from the water. My kids love the train and enjoyed the boat, but you aren't guaranteed to actually see any animals on these, so be warned. The sky safari allowed us more views of the animals and was a fun experience for older kids. They do offer ticket packages that include these rides for a discount.

There are animals obviously, but anything else worth mentioning? The zoo has a carousel that my kids adore (this is for a fee), as well as a petting zoo and a couple playgrounds to enjoy. They do seal shows and have various nature chats you can take part in, many of which are hands on. There is also an attached IMAX theater and gift shop.

The zoo is a great way to spend a day, especially if you live in the "zoological district." It isn't as awesome as Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, but it's a little cheaper, and not as far of a drive (assuming you live near Kansas City of course!).

Hours:
Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Weekdays and 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends (now until Labor Day 2013)
Admission: 
$11.50 Adults ages 12 & above; $10.50 Seniors;
$8.50 Children ages 3 -11; ages 2 and under are free 
Zoological District (residents of Jackson and Clay Counties, MO) admission prices are:
$5 Adults; $4.50 Seniors; $4 Children
Tram $1.50; Train $2.50; Carousel $2; African Sky Safari $4; Boat $2

Location:
6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64132 (in the heart of Swope Park) 

The City Market in Kansas City's River Market

I love the City Market. We try to go several times during the growing season. Kansas City's largest farmers market is located in the River Market area downtown. During it's most active period you can expect to see several vendors hocking everything from the expected fruits and vegetables to locally raised meat, honey, baked goods, and flowers. There are also booths with handmade soaps, and other arts and crafts. If you go on a Sunday (from 9 am to 3 pm) you never know what you might find browsing the "community yard sale." I recommend bringing your own shopping bags, although most of the vendors have plastic bags you can use if you need to.

Parking is occasionally a challenge. There are a few lots around the market, with the largest being on the Northeast side. This is where we usually park and I have always been able to find a space, but you might have to walk farther than you expect at first! But hey, at least the parking is free.

Strollers: Absolutely! Not only are they handy for your kids, if you're like us and have a hard time saying no to fresh veggies, they work well as a grocery buggy for your overloaded bags.

Are there restrooms??? Yes. There are public restrooms in the breezeway of the shopping center on the East side of the market. They aren't awesome, but they work.

Your kids will not be bored here! There is plenty to see with all the bright colors and happy faces. There is a train ride available and sometimes other kids activities too. Often there are live musicians performing, and many of the shops that surround the market are fun to browse through. My kiddos love to help us pick out our fruits and veggies and hand the money to the vendors. Last Fall we got to take a free hayride around the block and see some of the city up close, so it's worth checking out their website to see what activities might be going on the weekend you choose to attend!

Farmers' Market Schedule

March - October

Saturday 6:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

November - February

Saturday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Longview Lake Beach

Kansas City's Longview Lake Beach is a fun way to spend an afternoon! We've been here several times over the past few years, and for a beach in the Kansas City area, this one is pretty nice. A lot of lake beaches are, in my opinion, "meh" at best, but this one has a smooth sandy bottom and lots of beach space for your kids to play. The water is shallow with a gentle slope so my daughter could go out pretty far and still only be in water waist deep.



The sand is HOT! You'll want to wear sandals on a hot day (or even a mild day as I learned this year) or you could burn the bottom of your feet trying to get to the water. Obviously there is no shade on the beach so an umbrella and some sunscreen are good ideas. You can bring all the inflatables you want, but hang on to them! We've done our fair share of swimming trying to chase down loose beachballs and innertubes. They do not have concessions like you might be used to at public swimming pools, so bring a water bottle and snacks if you think you'll get hungry.


We packed a picnic and had a birthday party there this year. They have picnic tables on the grass by the trees, but they are a decent walk from the water. There are also showerhouses/bathrooms so you can change at the beach and rinse your feet off before you leave.

Lifeguards are on duty. We had the scary experience of seeing a lifeguard go after a little girl, and I have to say, he was amazing. It was good to know just how attentive and prepared they are.

Location
11101 Raytown Road
Kansas City, MO 64134

Admission
Adults: $5.00
Children: $3.00 (15 & Under)
3 & Under are free

The Berry Patch

The Berry Patch was a new adventure for us this summer. It is located in Cleveland, MO (South of Kansas City on State Line Road), which isn't too far out of town, but it's a fair drive if you're coming from the middle of the metro. We went to pick blueberries and found that there were plenty. The picking was easy and we soon found ourselves buying 9lbs of them!

This place is definitely kid-friendly. I don't recommend strollers unless you have one with large wheels because you have to walk a lot and nothing is paved. The blueberry and blackberry bushes are separated by mowed grass lanes to walk on, although the best picking is generally the furthest bushes to walk to. I took my newborn with me and wore her on my chest in a sling. This was a lot easier for me than dealing with a stroller. My two year-old and six year-old had a good time picking berries. My son did find that the long rows of tall bushes were great for running off and getting "lost" in so be prepared to keep a close eye on your toddlers!

The blackberry crop wasn't developed enough the day we went but we drove down and checked it out anyways. I probably wouldn't take a toddler blackberry picking if I didn't have to since they have the native thorned variety of bushes. You'll want to wear long sleeves and pants and bring work gloves if you want to pick more than just a handful of those. You'll also want to keep an eye out for poison ivy.

You'll need to check their website often during the growing season to see how the picking is and what their hours are. I recommend following them on Facebook to get current updates.

Other things I would consider if I went back would be to bring a picnic, if you plan to spend awhile there. I would also bring sunscreen because there is no shade in berry patches, and bottled water. They do sell bottled water, for a reasonable price, but it's cheaper yet to bring your own!

On a side note: When you first drive into The Berry Patch you'll see this dinosaur. My kids love dinosaurs, as most do, so they ran up to it and enjoyed looking at it. The owners of this place are creationists and display information to that effect, so be warned. They also use their website to promote the belief that "evolution is a myth." This "science" lesson caught me off guard.

Kauffman Stadium (The "K") and the KC Royals

Kauffman Stadium, or "the K" as many people call it, is home to the major league baseball team the Kansas City Royals. My husband is a baseball fan so we head out to the stadium every year at least once. It has recently added some new attractions to entertain the kiddos, including a playground, but most of these attractions are for an additional fee. Despite this, if you want to see a professional sports team in Kansas City, baseball is still far cheaper than football.

 Reasons to take your kids to the "K"
1. It doesn't usually get too crowded...maybe this means the baseball isn't that great...but you don't have to be smashed in with strangers.
2. They do have some fun stuff for the kids to see, besides the baseball game that is! This includes a carousel and playground, as well as a batting cage and a chance to see how you compare to the big leaguers in a speed test. They call these activities the "Outfield Experience."
3. Fireworks Fridays and Buck Nights. The fireworks shows on Friday nights are the best in town. They put community 4th of July displays to shame. Buck Nights are when hotdogs and small (very small!) sodas are just $1. If you can catch a Buck Night on a Friday, it's a win-win!
4. A beautiful ball park. Kauffman Stadium is home to a fountain and waterfall display, making it unique amongst baseball stadiums.

Reasons not to take your kids to the "K"
1. Strollers are pretty much impossible for most ticket holders. They do have elevators available if you need them, but just getting to your level isn't the end of your climb. Unless you have handicapped seats, you're almost certainly going to find yourself going up stairs (a lot of which are steep). Plan on carrying the little ones!


2. Tickets start at $14, and go as high as around $250. $14 a seat isn't cheap for a large family, and that's for the worst seats there, but as I said earlier, it doesn't usually get that crowded and often you can sit just about anywhere in the upper levels. They also offer ticket deals from time to time and lap babies and toddlers do not need a ticket.

3. Parking is $10. This is another additional expense to consider. The stadium is located in an area that makes it difficult to park elsewhere.

4. Lines. There are often long lines at the kids activities, and on Buck Nights or other popular promotion nights there can be long lines at the concessions too. The concession staff isn't always well-trained and the prices are ridiculous.

5. Bag Checks. Yes, they will go through your bags before you enter the ballpark. This isn't by itself a big deal, but it makes it so you can't bring in any outside drinks. They even made me dump out water in a baby bottle. My advice--locate the water fountains.

Other things I've learned along the way...
We have found signing our daughter up for Slugger's Blue Crew to be a good investment. It's $25 (as of 2013) and includes a jersey, tickets for the "outfield experience" activities, and some other goodies that change each year, plus two ticket vouchers. The tickets alone are worth the $25, and every year  we've signed up so far we've been sent another set of ticket vouchers in the Fall. This isn't promised or mentioned on website, it just has always happened. Sure these tickets aren't for the best games, but for us a day at the ballpark is less about the baseball and more about the family time!

The stadium has tours available if you're interested, although I feel that I've seen all I need to as a spectator there. If you go on a Sunday they have a "Fun Run" where they allow the kids to run around the bases on the field. (Blue Crew members get to cut to the head of the line for this--sometimes the line is pretty long, but it moves fairly quick)

Is it your kids first time at Kauffman Stadium? Run them by the office to get their free personalized "Official Royals Fan" certificate!

Coco Key Water Resort

I was lucky enough to be invited to visit the Coco Key Water Resort, located inside a Holiday Inn, here in Kansas City. It's close to Kauffman stadium, right off I-70, but don't miss your exit because it's hard to get turned back around!

My daughter had a blast. The waterpark has several kid-friendly slides and spray areas of varying depths, but if you're wanting to actually swim, this isn't really the place. It's more of a splash and be splashed kind of place! The day we went was a home school day with discounted admission ($5!), so there were lots of kids and since it's inside, it was very loud. The lazy river was closed for some reason, but otherwise we got to try everything out. There are two large slides for those who are more adventurous, and a "hot tub" area that seats lots of people, but otherwise, this is a kids zone.

You can get food at the resort, but we didn't, and honestly, I wouldn't want to eat there. It smells of chlorine and doesn't feel very appetizing. This isn't to speak ill of it though--for our discounted admission it was tons of fun! I've been to another of these "hotel water parks" and this one was better despite the lazy river being closed. I don't recommend bringing a toddler unless you want to sit in 1ft of water the entire time. I left mine with Grandma so me and my 6 year old could explore everything there was to play on!
Parking: There is plenty of free parking at the hotel.

Admission: $10 for a day pass. There are different rates if you actually stay in the hotel, and occasionally a discounted ticket day comes up, such as when we went. $10 isn't bad, but there are a lot of options for water fun that are less than that if not free.  The hours vary a lot so call ahead or check their calendar before going out.

Lockers? There are locker rooms and lockers to store your stuff. They were clean the day we went and spacious to boot.



Where? 
Holiday Inn SE Hotel - CoCo Key Water Resort
9103 E. 39th Street
Kansas City, MO 64133
1-877-425-2746

Kansas City's Science City

Science City is a kid-friendly science museum located in Kansas City's Union Station. I remember going as a kid and having a blast, so I was excited to take my daughter for their Halloween event. It hasn't changed much over the years. My daughter really enjoyed herself although I wasn't 100% impressed.

Admission: Adults $13.50 and kids are $11.50. I'm not sure why adults are charged more since this is a place for kids. For an average family it would cost $50 to get in, which I think is pretty steep.

When we went the exhibits showed their age and the abuse of the thousands of children that have ran through this place. This doesn't mean they don't have some cool stuff to see and do though. It's all in how you look at it. A few activities were shut down or broken as well. My favorite things are the "mind-bending" illusions and the sets that play with your sense of reality. My daughter loved the dino-dig area and pretty much anything she could climb and play on.

The staff seemed young and not altogether that interested in the kids running around. More like the staff at an amusement park than the staff at a museum...although Science City feels more like an amusement park than a museum. They do have some live animals to see and occasionally host a new exhibit, but if you've done it once, you probably don't need to do it again for a few years since it hasn't changed much since I was a kid!

Some pros to this place is that it is housed in Union Station so you can also explore the KC Rail Experience and the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. The KC Rail Experience is included in your Science City admission, but the planetarium is not. Sometimes they run deals that include the planetarium, but otherwise it's an additional $6. My daughter loved the planetarium, so I think it's worth the price. If you're on a budget, you can just do the planetarium without doing Science City as well. Science City and Untion Station are also right next door to Crown Center, (and connected via a walkway) which is a fun shopping center.

Parking: Parking is free for 30 minutes, then $1 for every 30 minutes after that for a max of $10. For us, if you are doing just Science City, 2 hours should do it ($3-$4 to park), but parking is free at Crown Center with validation and that's just a short walk away, so plan accordingly!