Fall is here! Grab some friends, put on your coziest sweater and take a day trip from Jewell. Below are some options in Liberty, Kansas City and the surrounding area for fun fall activities that are COVID-19 friendly. All are within an hour drive from Jewell, so they are perfect for weekend trips.
Kansas City has some of the best haunted houses in the country. Edge of Hell and The Beast are the best of the best, both costing $27 for tickets. For a haunted house experience like no other, take a 40 minute trip to Bonner Springs, Ks., for the only haunted forest tour around. This one-mile hike through a pitch black forest is called Exiled Trail of Terror and costs $40-50.
For those who aren’t into getting scared, visit a pumpkin patch. There are many close by, but the Fun Farm Pumpkin Patch in Kearney is just a 15 minute drive from campus. Tickets cost $12-16 and include a pumpkin patch, orchard, giant slide, lake, corn maze and hayrides. Don’t forget to take cute pictures with your friends.
Shop ‘til you drop at Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza. With shops of all kinds, you are sure to find exactly what you are looking for, and it is just 30 minutes away. Grab a bite to eat at Buca Di Beppo, The Capital Grille, Gram & Dun, Kona Grill, McCormick & Schmick’s or other restaurants in the area. Don’t forget dessert at Cold Stone Creamery, Cupcakes A La Mode or The Cheesecake Factory.
Farmer’s markets are the perfect day trip because there are so many in the area. The City Market in the historic River Market district is the region’s largest farmer’s markets with over 150 vendors weekly. They are open Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Make sure to check out the Vintage Sale on Sundays, too. Look online for more information about the farmer’s markets in Liberty, Blue Springs, Gladstone, Grandview, Independence and Lee’s Summit.
For nightlife options, the Kansas City Power & Light District is the place to go. This eight block district is 25 minutes from campus and is full of entertainment, bars, restaurants, boutiques, retail stores and more. KC Live! is one of the largest entertainment places in the area with a concert stage for live performers and two stories of restaurants and bars. Please make sure to wear a mask and socially distance at all times.
Other day trips could include TopGolf in Overland Park, Ks., The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, sunflower fields at Johnson Farms Plants & Pumpkins in Belton, the Kansas City Zoo and Union Station. All of these are around 30 minutes from campus.