Hi, y'all! I'm headed across the country by car with a 9 y.o. and a 12 y.o. this summer. I'd love to hear from any of you who know Missouri and Kansas well, or who have found interesting places to stop or things to do along the route through.
Thanks for the suggestions! With your help, I can turn a necessary road trip all the way east into a grand adventure.
In Colby Kansas, not too far from the Colorado border is a great stop for families. It is called "The Oasis on the Plains.". There is a fenced in playground next to a parking lot and a Starbucks, Quiznos, gas, ice cream and more all at the same place. Across the street there is a water slide. We never have derived it, but may be worth looking into.
Last time I made this trip, a friend from Kansas recommended the Rolling Hills Zoo just 6 miles off the highway in Salina, KS. I was a bit skeptical, but it ended up being a really great zoo and one of the highlights of our kids entire trip. For more info, visit their website: http://www.rollinghillswildlife.com/index.html.
My kids and I made that trip last summer. We stopped in Hays, KS. They have a nice old fort that you can visit and there is a science museum that has a lot of dinosaur stuff. It's called the Sternburg museum of natural history. Also close to that is the Cathedral of the plains. It's pretty much just a big old church with really pretty statues and stain glass windows.
We also stopped in Colby to visit the Prarie Museum.
Ok... in Kansas, in Abilene, is the "Old Abilene Town" ..... an old west recreation...
http://www.abilenecityhall.com/index.aspx?nid=60
In Topeka, they have a number of things to see and do.... including the "World Famous Topeka Zoo", which is fairly close to I-70.... There is also the Kansas History Museum...
http://www.visittopeka.us/visitors/attractions.php
http://oldabilenetown.webs.com/
Check this website for possibilities near Russell... (the Oil patch museum looks interesting...)
http://www.russellks.org/attractions.html
There is also a really neat "Kansas Originals Shop" with items made by Kansas residents... it is located near Wilson, Kansas, at exit 206....
http://www.kansasoriginals.com/
Fort Riley is between Junction City (just east of Junction City) and Manhattan, and has some interesting things to see.....
Best of you do a google search. You will get a wealth of info and things to do. Also if you are a member of AAA they will do a trip tik for you.
There are interesting things in KC and St Louis but beyond that, nothing that I know of and I have made that trek many times in my life.
Kind of in the middle is Columbia, a college town. Nuff said.
Other than BBQ I know little about KC, I just put myself in my daughter's hands when we are there and we mostly eat. They do have one of those lego places I plan on taking my son to in August.
So St Louis, if you want to do a zoo you want to do our zoo. It is amazing and unlike most, it is also free. When you go though St Louis, if you cut down 40, okay 64 grrrr you will go right past the zoo and by some strangeness you end up back on 70 after the zoo. 70 is kind of loopy here.
We have a train museum here, also free but kind of off your beaten path.
This is probably just me but the arch is so not worth it unless you need bragging rights. That elevator is older than I am, completely inside the arch, duh, but just, well, you feel like it is going to fall apart and you will die. All for a view that you can get going up in any number of buildings downtown. *yawn*
Can you tell I don't have our department of tourism breaking down my door to offer me a job?
I only know Columbia and St. Louis, but I agree that
--the STL zoo is awesome--if you go, the penguin house is the best part (imo, of course).
--The Arch is boring, and it's $10/person to get to the top.... save your money.
--The City Museum (in STL) is awesome and just a few blocks off 70--but I think it's in the $13/person range.
--15 minutes east of STL is Cahokia, which was the largest city north of Mexico back in its heyday... mounds, lot of (pre)history. Educational, great museum, great place to stretch legs.... They only ask for a donation, so whatever you want to give. Really, one of the most important archaeological sites in the United States, if you're into such things. A little bit off 70, but not too bad at all. My favorite place to see in the area, but I'm biased. :)
Columbia is, as someone said, a college town. If you just need to get out to stretch legs, there are a few spraygrounds in town (the closest one to 70 being at Stephens Lake park). Really, not much worth doing around here.
Between Columbia and St. Louis are a few parks here and there. The one that comes to mind is Graham Cave SP. You can't really go far into the cave now, though, but it has a lot of history, too. And places to picnic, get out some steam (walk/hike), etc.
Also, Six Flags west of St.L.... but never been to this one.
Missouri, apparently, recently won some award for having the best trails...
There is stuff to do, but google will probably help a lot... I've lived here for 3.5 years and still find myself wanting more... :)
Safe travels!
Look into downtown St. Charles, Mo. Brick streets, a park by the Mo river where Louis and Clark set off on their journey. If you stop by the Arch in St Louis, don't miss the museam under it.
We've loved every zoo we've ever been to in Kansas. There are numerous zoos, including many private zoos off the main drag that are fantastic. Sternberg Museum is wonderful. And there's a big Children's Museum in Kansas City. We haven't been to that one, but it's on the list. Before I had kids, I thought Kansas was boring, but they've given me new eyes. Now it's the state where we pet the lemurs and saw the fossil of super-croc.
