KCKidsFun

It sounded like a good idea at the time. Of course, I am slightly crazy. Which may explain why it sounded like a good idea. I took my four kids – ages 7, 6, 2 and 2 – to Omaha for a few days by myself. For fun.

“Trip to Omaha” had been on our List of Fun Things to Do This Summer since school got out. We had worked our way down the list and just a few items remained, including the trip from Kansas City to Omaha. Baseball and softball were finally over. High School Musical dance camp and golf lessons were done. All the out-of-town grandparents had come and gone. And my husband got a new job – meaning lots of long hours at the office.

So, I bit the bullet and announced to the kids that we were going on our Omaha adventure. They were beyond thrilled. And then they asked me if Omaha was in the United States, if we needed to pack silverware and “do they speak English there?” We don’t travel much. Heh. My daughter packed five bags for a two day trip.

I booked two nights at a hotel and we set off. The drive, three hours up I-29, was an easy one. I timed it to coincide with naptime for the toddlers and let the older kids watch a movie. We checked into the hotel and settled into our room. I booked a suite about 10 minutes west of downtown Omaha (Doubletree Suites on 72nd St.). I could have found someplace cheaper and closer to downtown – but I wanted a suite so that I could put my 2-year-olds to bed in the bedroom and then let the older kids watch a movie in the evenings in the living room. Everyone loved it. (There is an Embassy Suites in the Old Market area downtown but they didn’t have anything available by the time I made my reservations.)

After we got settled and checked out the room completely, we headed to Omaha’s Old Market area, parked and walked around a bit before deciding to eat dinner at Zio’s Pizzeria. The kids were each given a ball of dough to play with while we waited for our pizza to cook. They had fun and the pizza was delicious. We walked over to Maggie Moo’s for ice cream afterwards.

The Old Market area is very quaint with its brick streets and old buildings. I enjoyed it and I think the kids did too.

The next morning, we took advantage of the free breakfast buffet at our hotel, then headed out to the Henry Doorly Zoo. Thankfully, I reserved the entire day for the zoo. We spent SEVEN hours there! Admission for me and the older two kids was $27; the little two still got in free (2 and under).

We saw penguins, giraffes, rhinos, elephants, monkeys, lions, tigers, gorillas, polar bears, orangutans and more. I checked out a map of the zoo beforehand and planned to see the outdoor exhibits in the morning and the indoor exhibits in the afternoon when the sun got hot. We loved the gorilla exhibit, the monkeys and koi fish, the big cats and the giraffes.

The Scott Aquarium was not all that large but very engaging. We especially loved the penguins (great exhibit allowing you to see how they swim) and the sharks in the tunnel aquarium tank.

And we also loved the desert dome. A desert environment is perfectly replicated underneath a huge geodesic dome. A great surprise was the extensive exhibit of nocturnal animals beneath the desert display. My son LOVED the bats and snakes and alligators and beavers. My daughter was a little freaked out. My toddlers were asleep in the stroller by that point.

While at the zoo, we also took advantage of the train ride and the carousel. Which were pretty standard but still fun. So, a big thumbs up for the Henry Doorly Zoo. It was worth the trip (and we still didn’t even see all of it!)

That night, we had dinner at the hotel and swam at the indoor pool there. We capped our evening off with a hotel room showing of Monsters vs. Aliens.

The next morning, we did hotel breakfast again and checked out. We headed to the Omaha Children’s Museum, planning to spend about two hours. Three hours later, we staggered out at my insistence – the kids could have stayed all day.

The Omaha Children’s Museum reminded me quite a bit of Wonderscope here in the Kansas City area, just on a larger and newer scale. But most of the activities were very similar in nature to those offered at Wonderscope and at Science City. It was a blast and I dragged them in order to get lunch and get back on the road home.

Between the zoo, the hotel and the children’s museum, my kids were sufficiently impressed and entertained for the entire two-and-a-half day adventure. They were all very good. I was exhausted but pleased.

I recommend Omaha for a fun family getaway from Kansas City without reservation! While I splurged on the hotel room, you could definitely find cheaper digs. You can also pack your own lunch to take to the zoo to avoid the pricey concession stands. If anyone else has tips for fun things to do in Omaha with the family, please share them in the comments!!

Spring Break has come and gone…and we enjoyed our “vacation” in Lawrence, KS!!  My husband and I took our son (7) and his friend to Lawrence and checked into an inexpensive hotel for the night.  I’ve written before how much fun a hotel can be…the electronic key card alone is cause for celebration.

We changed into swimming suits and headed straight for the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Indoor Aquatic Center.  I had called ahead to check on Spring Break Week times and prices; the price was right at $3/kid.  The pool was great!  Part of the amazing Free State High School complex, the pool has spray features, a water slide, zero-depth entry, a swinging rope obstacle course and those anchored-down-toys that the kids climb on!  On the other side of the building is an enormous lap pool and diving boards.

Although the Aquatic Center itself is not any better than what you’d find at Overland Park’s own Matt Ross Community Center, it’s all about LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION–we were on vacation!  After several hours of swimming, we changed and headed over to the famed “Mass Street” for some window shopping and dinner.  If you haven’t been, Lawrence is a great family-friendly town, perfect for a day trip or even an overnight.  We wrote a series of articles “Weekend Getaways from KC” last year and even profiled Lawrence (#3:  Eastern Kansas).  Check those out for some good ideas!

Speaking of Matt Ross Community Center, my son attended a birthday party there last week and had a blast.  They had a great room available for the cake, presents, etc., and the kids enjoyed the pool on a Friday night.  The pool was still open to the community, but nobody seemed to mind a bit!  Summer is coming…but you still will need to take advantage of the city’s indoor swim facilities to get your swim on until at least June 1 when it’s a bit warmer out.  Check out our great listing of indoor pools here.

The last thing that we did over vacation week was visit the indoor batting cages.  We went to Mac N Seitz’s, at 137th Street and Holmes in South Kansas City.  It’s a great place for the kids to hit some balls and knock the rust off as they get ready for spring/summer ball!  Mac N Seitz’s features several speeds of machines…so everyone can find something, from slower-pitching softballs to major-league fast baseballs! 

For our next weekend getaway, we are heading east! East on I-70 that is, all the way to St. Louis, MO. Depending on where you’re coming from, you can expect to get to St. Louis in about 4 hours or less. Columbia provides a great bathroom/snack/stretch-the-legs stop at about the halfway mark.

I have two suggestions as far as lodging—first, you might want to consider camping! After all, it is summer…and the memories will be long lasting for sure. I found a great looking campsite adjacent to Six Flags theme park. Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park features resort cottages, cabin rentals, tent sites and RV camping. I plugged in a few weekend dates and found that a 4-6 person, air-conditioned “tent” goes for around $60/night. A steal compared to a full-service hotel! If you were more inclined to go the way of the standard hotel/motel, the suburb of Clayton on the western city limits would be a great choice. It’s safe at night, very close to the city, and has a wide range of hotel types and prices from which to choose.

Upon arriving, look for those newspaper racks that feature local magazines, like KC’s “Pitch.” St. Louis has two particularly good ones for your needs—Riverfront Times newspaper, which features upcoming concerts, events, activities and restaurant information. For strictly restaurant info., you’ll want to pick up SAUCE. Both are free publications and may even contain some special offers or coupons.

You’ll want to check out Downtown: The Riverfront, the Gateway Arch (museum and ride to the top!) Tickets to ride the tram to the top of the Arch can be purchased in advance and cost $7 for adults; kids to age 13 cost $3. It’s well worth it…a thrill your kids won’t soon forget! You’ll also want to check out the Old Courthouse (where the Dred Scott case was heard) and the Old Cathedral (oldest west of the Mississippi). The nearby City Museum is great for kids and was made of unique, found objects. It boasts old chimneys, salvaged bridges, construction cranes, and even two abandoned planes! It’s part playground, part funhouse, and all architectural marvel. You won’t want to leave downtown without going to Busch Stadium. If you’re not lucky enough to take in a Cardinals’ game, the Cardinal Baseball Museum is nearby.

Another neat part of town is the Soulard neighborhood. It’s approximately 5 minutes south of downtown on Broadway and resembles Kansas City’s Westport or Crossroads districts. You’ll want to check out the Farmer’s Market (an inexpensive way to feed the family) as well as the multitude of local bars and restaurants. The Anheuser-Busch Brewery tour is also nearby—and it’s FREE! After a long day, mom and dad can take the edge off with a beer and let the kids drink all the complimentary soda they can handle.

Next up on our tour is Forest Park. It is 500 acres larger than New York’s Central Park! Did you know that this was the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and was attended by over 20 million people? Once inside the park, follow signs to the world-class zoo, the Art Museum, the History Museum, the Botanical Garden and the Science Center. Are you sitting down? ALL OF THESE ARE FREE!!!! EVEN THE ZOO!!!

Another fun option for the kids is The Magic House/St. Louis Children’s Museum. The museum features 100s of hands-on, engaging exhibits spread over four floors. Your kids will love touching the electrically charged ball and making their hair stand on end (like yours probably is at this point in the summer!) Admission is $7.50 and this hugely entertaining and educational museum is located in Kirkwood, just off I-44 at the Lindbergh Exit. You might want to call before you go – they’re doing a lot of highway construction in St. Louis this summer and several stretches of highway are closed. You might need to find a detour – but it’s worth it!

I briefly mentioned Six Flags, if you’re looking for a full day, theme park experience. Another larger attraction is Grant’s Farm, which is situated in Affton, MO. If you are heading from Clayton-area lodging, go south on Hanley Road, which turns into Laclede Station Road. Turn left on Gravois and right on Grant Road. Anheuser Busch owns Grant’s Farm, and its most famous residents are probably the A-B Clydesdale horses. You can visit them along with the 1000+ other animals via the FREE tram tours through the reserve; ending with a petting zoo. Tram, shows, entrance– all are FREE!

Readers—any other St. Louis hot spots? Feel free to submit your ideas! Enjoy!

Check out the whole series of KC Kids Fun Weekend Getaways by clicking here.