4 FUN WEEKEND GETAWAYS NEAR KANSAS CITY
If you want a great weekend vacation near Kansas City, without driving too far—look no further than these 4 amazing local destinations, with plenty of activities for singles, couples, or families.
MIAMI COUNTY, KANSAS—TRAILS, LAKES, AND GOLF
Cruise south on 69 Highway for just 30 minutes—and you’ll discover Miami County, a quiet gem of wooded rural area packed with weekend activities. With 12 lakes, 50 miles of trails, and 10 sites on the National Register of Historic Places—plus Sycamore Ridge, rated the #1 Public Golf Course in Kansas by Zagat—there is truly something fun for everyone. Stay at the historic Country Vintage Inn, with 24 themed antique rooms; or tour the John Brown Battlefield Historic Site and Memorial Park. Visit the lions at the 11-acre Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory, then try the county’s “Best Fried Chicken” at Miss B’s Café. For the more adventurous, there’s wakeboarding and waterskiing at KC Watersports, which also offers lessons.
WESTON, MISSOURI—WINERIES AND ANTIQUES
Tour the wineries and toast a mug of O’Malley’s Irish Cream Ale in Weston, Missouri, a romantic getaway only 45 minutes north of Kansas City. You’ll enjoy browsing Main St. for its old-time architecture, antiques, museums, and great delis serving classic sandwiches and homemade pie—or hiking the historic trails of the nearby 1,133-acre Weston Bend State Park. If you visit in winter, be sure to ski at Snow Creek, which also has a 700 ft. tubing park—or buy a ticket for the superb Christmas Candlelight Homes Tour, showing off the local pre-Civil War architecture for 35 years running.
BRANSON, MISSOURI—THEATRES, CAMPING, FISHING
Located in southern Missouri, you can easily reach this friendly vacation destination in 3.5 hours from downtown Kansas City. The 76 Country Blvd. is the “main strip,” filled with theatres, shows, and delicious places to eat—while Silver Dollar City is a popular family amusement park with a retro Ozarks theme. Nearby Table Rock State Park offers boating, camping, fishing, scuba diving, and even parasailing, while White Water Branson is the “go to” tropical-themed water park. Check out Dolly Parton’s Wild West-style Dixie Stampede dinner theater, or visit the Titanic Museum, the world’s largest Titanic museum attraction, with more than 400 artifacts directly from the wreckage.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS—ART, SPORTS, BREWERIES
Drive 45 minutes west of Kansas City on K-10 Highway for Lawrence, the 6th largest city in the state of Kansas—and the home of the University of Kansas. Explore the fossils, snakes, and insects at the Natural History Museum, or view the 36,000 art pieces at the Spencer Museum of Art. Stroll down Massachusetts St. to see the many local shops, restaurants, and even breweries—like the famous Free State Brewing Company. If you’re hungry, sample the home-baked focaccia bread and fresh-brewed lattes at Wheatfields Bakery, one of the town’s favorite lunch stops.
Have any questions? Please feel free to contact me!