Kansas City autumns are a special time. Tree leaves become a distinct collage of burnt oranges, toasty reds and golden yellows. Families travel to pumpkin patches and apple orchards for treats to be tasted and memories never to be forgotten. Football returns and seasonal sights are at their best.
Here’s everything you need to know about fall in Kansas City:
Harvest in the Heartland
One of the many benefits of being located in the middle of the country is that fall harvests are a bountiful affair. If you’re looking to carve jack-o-lanterns, pick out your pumpkin at KC Pumpkin Patch in Olathe, Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patchin Liberty or Faulkner’s Ranch in south Kansas City.
Apple picking is a tradition at Cider Hill Family Orchard, only a short drive northwest from KCK’s Village West, and Louisburg Cider Millin Louisburg, Kansas, which holds the uber-popular Ciderfest each year. Meanwhile, the Liberty Corn Mazebills itself as “the largest corn maze in Missouri,” perfect for people of all ages.
Gear Up for Gameday
It’s no secret that football is a way of life in Kansas City. Every fall, the resident NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs, delivers a new season of explosive plays and thrilling wins.
With all of Kansas City ready for another successful season, watch for murals and artwork appearing around the area as a lasting commemoration of the team’s contributions to KC.
And Kansas City’s sports fandom reaches far beyond GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Head to Children’s Mercy Park for regular competition from MLS club Sporting KC and to CPKC Stadium, the first stadium purpose-built for a women’s pro sports team, for action from the NWSL’s KC Current.
Home for Haunted Houses
Terrifying trails, eerie escape rooms and more make Kansas City a downright chilling destination for seasonal thrill seekers. Put your bravery to the test at a few of the spooky experiences that have given KC its reputation as a Halloween hotspot.
Fall Festival Daytripping
Fall festivals reign supreme in towns just outside of Kansas City, making them the perfect daytrip destinations.
Take Weston, Missouri, for instance, which is less than 45 minutes away from Downtown KC and hosts the annual Weston Applefest, a 37-year tradition that includes a parade, crafts booths, produce vendors and more. To top it off, the city’s famous apple dumplings, pies and cookies are available at local churches in the area.
A dazzling once-a-year performance takes place in September and October at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Quixotic’s Terra Luna brings a dynamic light and sound experience to one of Overland Park‘s premier natural landscapes. Weave your way through the Arboretum’s trails for new sights that sparkle and shimmer around every corner.
No Tricks, Only Treats
What could be better than trick-or-treating throughout the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium?
Break out your best costumes and spend the day out and about among the animals at Boo at the Zoo. Kids will also love Halloween-themed activities and entertainment that offers plenty of treats—no tricks or scares here!
For more animal-friendly Halloween fun, Hoots and Howlsbrings three weekends of spooky, not scary, adventures to the Zoo each October. The Zoo’s residents even join in on the celebration with pumpkin smashings scheduled at animal exhibits each weekend.
Hands-on entertainment meets the thrill of Halloween at Science City. From a virtual reality battle against ghoulish enemies to spooky science demos and creepy crawlers, the spirit of the season adds an extra flourish to Union Station’s immersive learning landscape.
Crisp Fall Colors
Take part in one of KC’s favorite fall traditions on your own time. At destinations all around KC for spotting autumn colors, fiery reds and mellow oranges deliver vibrant sights throughout the season.
