I値l be heading out to Kansas for a week vacation to visit friends. Can anyone recommend fun things to see and do? I値l be based in the Kansas City KS area but I知 willing to travel far for day trips and overnights. Thanks.

I've not been there, but about 90 minutes south of KC is an offroad park. You might check out their site and see if that interests you - it is Home - KS Rocks ParkKS Rocks Park.

Are you into Civil War history? I know there are a couple sites around. Fort Scott has an old frontier fort. Lexington MO has a battleground. There are others, just can't think of them off the top of my head.

If you like shipwreck museums, look into the Arabia Steamboat Museum - that's in KC. It's a steamboat that went down in the MO river in the mid 1800's. They dug it up in 1988 and have artifacts on display. That website is A Historic Kansas City Attraction | The Arabia Steamboat Museum.

Thanks for the suggestions. I won稚 have my 4R for this trip, so I won稚 hit the off-road park. But the steamboat museum and Civil War sites sound great.

Just north 20 mins or so, in Missouri you can find the Jessie James homestead and museum if one is interested in that.
https://jessejamesmuseum.org

Also a historic hotel in the same area
The Elms Hotel and Spa - Hotels near Kansas City, MO
A bit pricey, but very nice.

Day trip Abilene stop and see the small wild West town and the Eisenhower museum in the way out to dodge city. Is it worth the drive... Meh.

http://evelknievelmuseum.com

The WW1 Museum is pretty cool.

If you get real lucky there could be a car auction or show at Bartle Hall when you go.

Kansas City native, and I can tell you not a whole lot going on here.

That said, here are a few attractions that I think are worth visiting in the KC area:

-Country Club Plaza (There are fountains and a small park that run adjacent to it)
-Nelson Atkins Museum
-Definitely check out the steamboat as they are moving it out of Kansas City in a few years
-Downtown for the power and light district (bunch of degenerates ruin the scene past 10pm, but it's fun before then), also the streetcar that runs up and down Main street



I'm not sure what type of food you're into, but if you're up for BBQ, I highly implore you to hit up Joe's Kansas City. You will enjoy it. There are three locations. The 47th Street location, I believe, is the original Joe's and has an old school gas station attached. The whole place has a cool nostalgia to it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. And BBQ is definitely high on the list!

Get off I-70. Once you do that, lots of things open up. Are you a history buff?
All the major immigration routes of the 1800's run through Kansas. There are some neat reservoirs, with nice camping areas.