Plan Your Fall Festivities With Our Guide From Union Station

Life slows down in the most comfortable way during a midwest autumn. Children return to their school routine and people enjoy time with family and friends as fall holidays fast approach. Leaves change color and fall, the breeze gets cooler, and gratitude is in the air.

Union Station is no stranger to the magic of fall. As a pillar of Kansas City’s cultural and recreational activities since 1914, we’ve seen all of the wonderful fall experiences KC has to offer. Here is our guide to all of the things to do in Kansas City in the fall on your own, as a family, or with friends.

Fall-themed activities and events

Louisburg Cider Mill 

From their humble beginnings as a road-side apple cider stand in 1977, the Pumpkin Patch at Louisburg Cider Mill has grown into one of the most heart-warming things to do in Kansas City in the fall. Not only can you sample delicious apple cider and donuts, you can see for yourself how they are carefully crafted with original recipes.  

The cider mill hosts many other seasonal events throughout the year, including an annual Easter egg hunt, corn maze, Ciderfest, and even a bicycle race.

Pumpkin patch

What’s a more picture-perfect thing to do in Kansas City in the fall than a pumpkin patch? Master the corn maze, meet new animal friends at the petting zoo, pick out your favorite pumpkins, and many other activities at KC Pumpkin Patch’s fall festival, including:

• Pony pasture
• Carnival games
• Chalk drawing
• Tire pyramid
• Haunted house
• Yard games
• Tractor playground
• And more!

Fall is also the last chance to catch the expansive sunflower fields in full bloom. Come see the beautiful botanical that symbolizes all things Kansas. 

Boo at the zoo

The Halloween events hosted by the Kansas City Zoo are all treats and no tricks! Come in your costumes and spend the day among the animals and even trick or treat throughout the park. Who knows, maybe some of the animals themselves will dress up too?

Hey parents, there’s something for you too! The zoo’s annual Brew at the Zoo is the perfect adults only, parents night out activity. Enjoy live music and free sampling from more than 35 local breweries and wineries, plus food trucks available to tame your belly’s roar.

Haunted house hotspot

The haunt of all Kansas City haunts, the Edge Of Hell, first set up shop in 1975 and spooks KC citizens every year since. This multi-level, story-based haunted house features all sorts of scares and phobias, including the world record longest snake alive. 

Another nationally recognized house of horrors in Kansas City is The Beast. This immersive nightmare uses an open format to allow guests to navigate their own way through this medieval time warp of voodoo danger, mythical monsters, and even a live alligator. 

If you’re ready to take your haunted house experience to the next level, visit one of KC’s scariest and most secluded attractions: Exiled. This outdoor haunted forest tour drops guests in the middle of the pitch-black woods. You must find your own way out—and beware of what creatures are lurking around you.

Fall sports in Kansas City

The Kansas City Chiefs

If you’re a Kansas City native, or even just a sports fan, you need no introduction to the Kansas City Chiefs. As the 2020 Super Bowl winners led by NFL MVP award winner Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs paint Kansas City red every fall football season.

GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium is the home of the red kingdom and the loudest fan base in the league. Plus, its massive parking lot adjacent to the Kauffman Stadium, home of the KC Royals, makes Arrowhead a premier tailgating spot!

The Red Kingdom gives back

Red Friday is one of the longest-standing Kansas City sports traditions. Every Friday during the NFL season, KC citizens come together to cheer on the Chiefs and give back to their community through charitable donations, events, and volunteer opportunities.

Red Fridays benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City, which provides housing and other resources for families facing a medical crisis. Stay up to date on upcoming opportunities to support your community while cheering on your favorite team! 

Sporting KC

Any soccer lovers in your family? Experience the electric atmosphere at the Children’s Mercy Park during a Sporting KC game. As one of the 10 charter teams of Major League Soccer, they were formerly known as the Wizards, but officially rebranded as Sporting KC in 2010.

Sporting KC also initiated a charitable organization called The Victory Project in 2013. Today, Victory unites soccer players and fans alike to celebrate their love for the game and support Kansas City youth through all of life’s challenges. If you’re looking for things to do in Kansas City in the fall that are both entertaining and charitable, Sporting is just one way to score!

Kansas City Current 

The Kansas City Current is the women’s national soccer team based out of KC. The program’s name is quite fitting; the Current is a force to be reckoned with in women’s soccer and women’s sports as a whole. Since their inception in 2020, the Current has carved their own path to success with a rushing relentless momentum.  

In 2021, the Current’s owners made a historic announcement: the team would be the first in the National Women’s Soccer League to have their own purpose-built stadium.The complex will be built on the east end of Berkley Riverfront Park and is planning to house over 11,000 fans.

The Current finishes their season championships in early October, just in time to kick off the fall sports season.

The Kansas City Blues

The Kansas City Blues are a division I men’s rugby team kicking off their season in the fall. The Blues compete both regionally and nationally and have a long history of excellence within the sport, earning several National Championship & National Final Four appearances. 

The Blues play at the Children’s Mercy Training Facility at Swope Soccer Village. Come out for a game and enjoy the nice weather, beautiful Swope Park, and competitive sporting.

KC Royals

The Kansas City Royals Major League Baseball team has been a staple of KC culture since its founding in 1969. The name “Royals” pays homage to two important pieces of KC history: the American Royal, an annual rodeo held in Kansas City since 1899, and the Kansas City Monarchs, the Negro League baseball team based in the city in the 1920s and 30s. 

Today, you can experience the novelty of a good ol’ fashioned American baseball game at the Kauffman stadium from March to October. Starting in the summer, weekend games also feature a grand fireworks display at the end of the game, especially for fall holidays. Catch a game before their season wraps up!

Other family friendly things to do in Kansas City in the fall

City Stage Theatre at Union Station

The City Stage Theatre at Union Station is Kansas City’s own live theater experience. In addition to hosting performances from local theater companies and youth programs, the City Stage is also an event space available for weddings, receptions, corporate events, and more.

The City Stage Theatre is equipped with top-of-the-line sound and lighting gear, as well as seating for 200 guests. Whether you’re looking for an event for the whole family, or maybe a date night, check the performance schedule at City Stage Theatre.

Art Westport

Every September, the Westport Regional Business League hosts the annual Art Westport festival. Taking place in the Westport neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri for over 40 years, Art Westport is the largest visual arts show exclusively showcasing juried, high quality regional artists.

From ceramics to paintings to mixed media, you can find storied pieces from artists local to the KC area in a variety of mediums. Visit the festival to observe the artwork and meet the masters responsible. If you’re an artist yourself, you can even sign up to feature your own work!

Arabia Steamboat Museum

Share a little piece of history with your children or friends when you’re looking for things to do in Kansas City in the fall. In 1856, the Steamboat Arabia sank in the Missouri River near Kansas City. Lost for 132 years, the boat was recovered in 1988 along with an impressive collection of artifacts.

Fall is the perfect time to visit the Arabia Steamboat Museum in remembrance of the anniversary of the boat sinking in September. Currently, the museum is expanding into the National Steamboat Museum dedicated to recovering and preserving memorabilia from the hundreds of steamboats lost to the Missouri River over the 1800s.

Hiking Trails

Fall weather is hiking weather, and Kansas City has no shortage of trails along its expansive park system. There are many hiking options, whether you’re looking for an easy, family friendly path or something more advanced.

The White Tail Trail at Parkville Nature sanctuary is a 2.6 mile walking path through the woods—perfect for a group or beginners. Blue River Parkway is also great for newer hikers or families at 5.6 miles through Minor Park. For something more advanced, check out Wudchuck Run Loop in Swope Park.

Taco Trail

The infamous Taco Trail is a 50-stop, flavor-filled journey through Kansas City, Kansas where you can experience culture and history through food. Featuring every type of taco from street tacos to Tex-Mex, this is a journey you won’t forget.

As if the tacos weren’t enticing enough, you can win prizes along your adventure by downloading an app and checking in at each stop. Visit all 50 stops to get your name included on the Taco Trail Wall of Fame!

WWI Museum and Memorial

Learn more about one of our nation’s most significant events through the most comprehensive collection of artifacts at the National WWI Museum and Memorial. In addition to showcasing the impactful history of the war, the history of the Liberty Memorial is quite exceptional as well.

Soon after the war ended, the people of Kansas City raised money of their own to construct a memorial to honor the soldiers who fought and sacrificed their lives. In 1921, all five supreme Allied leaders gathered for the very first time in history to dedicate the Liberty Memorial. 

Today, the memorial lawn remains a significant place to honor our nation’s history, as well as a place for families and communities to gather in celebration. 

Kaleidoscope

Exercise your imagination and explore your artistic creativity at Crown Center’s Kaleidoscope. The attraction is a vivid, workshop-style space where children of all ages can paint, sculpt, draw, write, and dream up all kinds of projects.

Some materials come straight from their manufacturing centers, some are colored and cut into shapes to add to your masterpiece. Kaleidoscope is made possible through the donation of materials from Hallmark, which is headquartered in Kansas City. 

Festival of Lights

The Festival of Lights is another family event at Powell Gardens that you won’t want to miss. Beginning in November and on display through the end of December, this festive spectacle is the perfect event to transition from fall to the holiday season.

The display of colorful, botanical-themed lights is set up around a mile-long path through the gardens and includes many photo-worthy spots along the way.

Plan your day full of fun fall things to do in Kansas City

For even more options and information, visit Union Station or check out our events calendar when planning things to do in Kansas City in the fall.