As temperatures drop and evenings get darker, many people want something cozy and a break from routine. When a big vacation feels too costly or too much trouble, a staycation or short trip nearby can offer a welcome reset. KCUR's Adventure newsletter has gathered a set of fall ideas around the Kansas City metro.
For a spa day, Kla Sanctuary in the West Bottoms offers a spa of more than 4,000 square feet. It has soaking baths at various temperatures, a mineral bath, a steam room, a salt altar, an infrared sauna and treatment rooms for massages and wraps. Afterward, guests can have tea at Selah, the on-site tea house. Tian Tea House in the Columbus Park neighborhood serves loose-leaf teas, matcha and snacks, and becomes the cocktail-focused Moon Bar in the evenings. Those willing to leave the city can try The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, which has poolside fire pits, spa treatments and a paranormal tour. Its seasonal Halloween-themed Black Lantern Lounge, open to guests 18 and older, is available only before Nov. 1.
Weston, Missouri, a historic town about 45 minutes from Kansas City by car, is another option, especially while the leaves are changing. Visitors can stay at The Saint George Hotel or choose from places such as Weston Steamboat Inn and Hatchery House Bed & Breakfast. Coffee is available at Weston Coffee Roasterie or The Cozy Hollow, and Main Street has shops selling art, clothing, antiques, books and home goods. Tin Can serves slow-smoked meats, and O'Malley's Pub, set in cellars built in 1842, offers live music and beer from Weston Brewing Company. Green Dirt Farm, a sheep's milk dairy, runs tours on Thursdays and Sundays. The $25 ticket includes a tasting of its award-winning cheeses.
Those who want to rediscover the city itself can book a room at The Raphael Hotel, across from the Country Club Plaza and near Loose Park, or at Crossroads Hotel, where a queen bunkroom and pizza from the lobby bar XR offer a sleepover feel. The Kansas City Gangster Tour runs Saturdays at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., with tickets at $35 per person. Visitors can then head to the 18th & Vine neighborhood to see the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum or the American Jazz Museum, and catch live jazz at venues such as The Blue Room, Lonnie's Reno Club, The Phoenix or Black Dolphin.
Art lovers can stay at The Truitt or its sister property, AIDA Hotel, in the art district. The Arterie pathway winds past the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the Kansas City Art Institute and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and its 22-acre sculpture park. The park's ginkgo trees usually turn bright yellow in early to mid-November. Visitors can eat at Oil on Linen in the Kemper atrium, then take the Kansas City Streetcar from the Art Museums stop at 45th Street and Main Street to Crossroads galleries such as Blue Gallery, Leedy-Voulkos Art Center and Jones Gallery. No Vacancy in the Crossroads is suggested for the night. Epic Arts in Strawberry Hill and the newly opened KC Clay Guild studio in midtown offer pottery workshops and classes.
For a budget-friendly outdoor trip, Jackson County Parks + Rec runs campgrounds at Lake Jacomo, Longview Lake and Blue Springs. Sites start at $31 per night and can be reserved online year-round. Other choices include Wallace State Park in Cameron, Watkins Mill State Park near Lawson and Clinton State Park near Lawrence, Kansas, which also has six climate-controlled cabins with beds, linens, full kitchens and bathrooms.
Local libraries can help with gear. The Kansas City Public Library's Irene H. Ruiz branch lends stargazing, bird-watching and hiking kits for up to three weeks. Mid-Continent Public Library lends fishing poles and tackle boxes for up to seven days at its Antioch, Blue Springs South, Smithville and Withers branches. For campfire meals, the newsletter suggests Broadway Butcher Shop and The Better Cheddar for burgers, cheese and charcuterie, and a reminder not to forget the s'mores.
