Ah, the dads. They tell great jokes, cling to their cargo shorts with a passion not often seen, revel in ironic 80’s t-shirts, and relish funky brews. I am lucky enough to get to witness some great dadding on a daily basis, and I definitely do not take that for granted. The dad that I share a life and a child and a dog and a Subaru with is always worthy of a great outing on a fun day to honor him. Due to the fact that I have total FOMO on the weekends, I am always looking for a good reason to plan a day out around town. With Father’s Day coming up, I thought I would share some of my favorite ideas for celebrating around town.
- Boulevardia – Boulevardia is like the beautiful baby of a street fair, a food truck festival, a legitimate weekend-long music concert, and an amazing beer garden held in the Stockyard Area of Kansas City’s west bottoms. There are biodiesel fueled carnival rides, a huge Maker Market and, on Father’s Day, they offer an amazing BBQ and beer-themed brunch fit for a king!
- The Roasterie hosts a monthly food truck brunch under the plane in their factory cafe parking lot. A fun, kid-friendly way to support local artists, food trucks and give dad a chance to indulge in all the delicious Roasterie coffee he can handle, all in one place.
- The Kansas City Zoo – The zoo offers free admission and free soda to the “Kings of the Jungle” (dads) on Father’s Day. Plan a day learning about how animal fathers care for their babies, ride the train, feed the stingrays, and soak up some beautiful Kansas City weather.
- Worlds of Fun – break out your season pass and all the sunscreen, and take dad and the family out to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun for a day of splashing and thrill rides. The parks offer something for every member of the family, including a new BBQ restaurant and plenty of spots to cool off and relax.
- KC Parks and Rec Urban Kids Fishing Derby – Held at Spring Valley Lake Park, this is the 12th year for the free event. Pack up your poles, reels and bait and try to bring in the biggest fish to win great prizes. All kids receive a hot dog lunch and a goodie bag. And really, what says Father’s Day more than a day of fishing with dear old dad?!
- Campout with Dad at the City of Leawood’s Ironwoods Park – Spend a night under the stars with Dad in the beautiful Ironwoods Park. Bring bedding and a tent and they do the rest! Fun activities, dinner, s’mores, and breakfast are provided. A night of camping where you don’t have to do all of the work is a guaranteed good time!
- Finally, start your own traditions! We have a close group of friends, and in kind of a strange twist of fate, all of the dads are missing their own on Father’s Day. Last year we all got together in the afternoon for a pool day and pizza party. We had the most incredible experiences together. It was, as one friend put it, a “bucket filling day” and one of my most cherished memories from last summer.
Need more suggestions on ways to have fun this Father’s Day? Check out top family date ideas in the Northland, the Ultimate Guide to a Kansas City Summer or plan your own perfect Kansas City adventure. Cheers to you dads out there.
Happy Father’s Day!
