Cathy emailed me because she is taking a trip to Kansas City and she was wondering if I had any ideas of what free outings they could do while they were here. She listed quite a few that I am excited to try out! It is funny to see how many things are in the area that you live and yet you never know. I challenge everybody to search out the free and fun things to do in their own locations. Staycations are fun for kiddos and you!
For those of you who are in the Kansas City area, this is what I recommended she could do. I think this makes a nice day for anybody!
I would start at the Hallmark Visitors Center and HERE is a coupon for a free “musical easter egg” that you can get after the tour (good through mid April 2009). You can park in the crown center parking, which is free if you spend $25 in the crown center area.
The crown center shopping area is pretty neat too (you will go through it to get to the Hallmark Visitors Center). They have a crayola store that has some activities in it (just some small ones – but pretty cool) and they have a Kaleidoscope Museum that is also free and there is a pretty “wishing well” area at the far end of the crown center so bring some pennies!
The other really neat kid thing in Crown Center is Fritz’s Railroad Restaurant. If you are going to eat out then this place is a real treat! It isn’t fancy by any means – but it is so cool for kiddos! You sit down and call your order in on a phone and then a little train comes around the restaurant and delivers it to you. It is so fun to hear the little kids go crazy everytime the train comes around! Hamburgers or chicken nuggets are $1.99 and fries are $1.69. They give all kiddos a free cardboard engineer hat too. If you get a hamburger or nuggets for each and split some fries it isn’t a bad price for the fun atmosphere – and since it is part of the crown center your receipt will count toward the $25 to get free parking.
There you have it! A full day of activities, lunch, a souvenir, and lots of memories for $25!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m wanting to take my grandson to Fritz’ Railroad. He will get a kick out of. My sister took my son a few years back.
It really is a neat restaurant for kids!
$25?? I have never spent that at Crown Center. I just ask for a validation. We took the kids to Kaleidoscope a couple of weeks ago and they validated for me – it didn’t cost me anything! 🙂 And I guess they’ve improved Fritz’s. Last time I was at the Crown Center location, they didn’t have the trains delivering. You had to go to the original location (just down the street from where I grew up!) for that. It’s been years since I’ve been to the Crown Center one, tho! And their best bet is called a Gen Dare – YUM!!!!
Cool – we have always just spent the $25, I didn’t know that you could just get it validated 🙂 The last time I was at Fritz’s there the trains were delivering (a few months ago).