Kansas City may be landlocked, but when it comes to summer vacations and long weekends there is no lack of fun places for families ready to hit the road! We’ve rounded up 20 vacation spots within a 5-hour drive of Kansas City as well as information about the length of the drive, things to do when you get there, and trip reports we’ve written over the years to help you make your plans.
Mom Pro Tips
- Check out our guides with 51 ways to entertain a toddler on a road trip and quick tips for road trips with kids.
- Want to go low-tech? Here’s our guide to screen-free travel to give you some ideas.
- You can find all of our road trip destinations in one place here.
Happy trails!
Kansas
Flint Hills and Manhattan
- Distance: 2 hours.
- Things to Do: Oz Museum in Wamego, K-State Gardens, Flint Hills Discovery Center, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. Check out our full guide to a trip to the Flint Hills.
Lawrence
- Distance: 30 minutes.
- Things to Do: Prairie Park Nature Center, The Toy Store, Downtown Lawrence, KU Natural History Museum, Up and Away Play. Check out our guide to a day trip to Lawrence.
Topeka
- Distance: 1 hour.
- Things to Do: Topeka Zoo, Kansas Children’s Discovery Center, Gage Park, Brown V. Board of Education National Historic Site, tour the Kansas State Capital building. We have a full guide to help you plan your visit to Topeka.
Wichita
- Distance: 2.5 hours.
- Things to Do: Sedgwick County Zoo, Botanica, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Exploration Place. Check out our most recent guide for Wichita.
Wherever you choose to go, take a peek at our guide to the top Kansas state parks to visit with kids and see what’s nearby!
Missouri
Branson
- Distance: 3.5 hours.
- Things to Do: Silver Dollar City, Dogwood Canyon, Tablerock Lake, Dolly Parton’s Stampede, Big Cedar. Check out our mom’s guide to Branson and tips for enjoying the Ozarks in the fall.
Lake of the Ozarks
- Distance: Just under 3 hours.
- Things to Do: Boating, swimming, mini-golf, Ha Ha Tonka State Park, Bridal Cave, Margaritaville Indoor Water Park.
Marceline
- Distance: 2 hours.
- Things to Do: Walt Disney Hometown Museum, Disneyland’s Midget Autopia, Disney Family Farm. Read our full guide to a day trip to Marceline for all the details.
Rocheport
- Distance: Just under 2 hours.
- Things to Do: Biking the Katy Trail, hiking, wineries, and a short drive to visit Columbia. Read our full guide and suggested itinerary for adventures in Rocheport.
Springfield
- Distance: Just under 3 hours.
- Things to Do: Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, Fantastic Caverns, Discovery Center of Springfield, Dickerson Park Zoo. Be sure to check out our full guide to a weekend in Springfield.
St. Louis
- Distance: Just under 4 hours.
- Things to Do: St. Louis Zoo (free), Magic House, St. Louis Science Center, City Museum, Missouri Botanical Garden. Check out our full guide for a road trip to St. Louis.
Wherever you choose to go, take a peek at our guide to the top Missouri state parks to visit with kids and see what’s nearby!
Nebraska
Lincoln
- Distance: 3 hours
- Things to Do: Lincoln Zoo, Lincoln Children’s Museum, Sunken Gardens. Check out our weekend guide to Lincoln.
Omaha
- Distance: 3 hours
- Things to Do: Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha Children’s Museum, Lauritzen Gardens, Kiewit Luminarium. Our family getaway guide for Omaha can help you plan your trip.
Iowa
Des Moines
- Distance: 3 hours
- Things to Do: Science Center of Iowa, Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines Botanical Garden. Check out our guide to a weekend in Des Moines.
Pella
- Distance: 3.5 hours
- Things to Do: Prime times to visit are during Tulip Time in May or for Kerstmarkt in December.
Oklahoma
Carlton Landing
- Distance: Just under 5 hours.
- Things to Do: Activities at Lake Eufala, enjoy the resort swimming pools and other amenities, lots of community events.
Tulsa
- Distance: 3.5 hours
- Things to Do: The Gathering Place, Tulsa Zoo, Discovery Lab. Be sure to check out our Mom’s Guide to a Weekend Trip to Tulsa.
Oklahoma City
- Distance: Just under 5 hours
- Things to Do: Oklahoma City Zoo, Science Museum of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. Be sure to check out our Oklahoma City Road Trip Guide for all the details.
Willing to drive a little further? Check out Broken Bow.
Arkansas
Beaver Lake
- Distance: Just under 4 hours.
- Things to Do: Boating, swimming, fishing, hiking. Read more about tips for a weekend in Northwest Arkansas.
Buffalo River/White River
- Distance: 5 hours.
- Things to Do: Hiking, fishing, zip-lining, Dry Run Creek and fish hatchery, float trip (on Buffalo River in summer). Read tips for visiting in the summer or fall in our two guides for that area.
Northwest Arkansas (Bentonville/Rogers/Fayetteville)
- Distance: 3.5 hours
- Things to Do: Amazeum, biking, Crystal Bridges Museum, hiking, Walmart museum. Check our our guide to a weekend trip to Bentonville and suggestions for a fall trip to Northwest Arkansas.
