Category Archives: Things To Do

Things To Do In Kansas City, Kansas City Events, Kansas City Entertainment

If You’re Hungry Or Need A Nap Then Head To Kansas City’s Powell Gardens

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With more than 100,000 visitors each year, Powell Gardens is a popular day trip within the Kansas City area. Calling Powell Gardens simply a botanical garden wouldn’t be doing it justice.  Yes, Powell Gardens has garden displays for scientific and educational purposes but it’s much more than simply a botanical garden. These are exotic gardens on display within four major independent gardens and many smaller ones. Many of the presentations incorporate our own native plants throughout the acreages rolling hills, including the wildflower meadow.

Powell Gardens In Kansas City

Powell Gardens In Kansas City

Powell Gardens offers visitors year round educational opportunities, walking trails, classes, special events, a chapel and an indoor display conservatory.  Powell Gardens apparently doesn’t have a big problem with transients because they also welcome visitors to take a nap on of the many benches spread throughout the gardens.

Some of the major garden areas include the $9 million Harvest Garden, the Kaufmann Memorial Garden, a perennial garden, a waterfall garden, a wildflower garden and an island garden.  The Harvest Garden opened this year and includes a huge area of edible landscaping! Powell Gardens sits on more than 900 acres in Kingsville Missouri, which is just about 15 minutes west of Lee’s Summit MO.

Powell Gardens

Powell Gardens

Posted by Jason A. Brown
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Heritage Park In Olathe Kansas Is One Of Kansas City’s Great Recreation Destinations

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Heritage Park in Olathe Kansas is one of Kansas City’s largest and best parks. Located in southern Johnson County Kansas, Heritage Park is a 1,200+ acre park.  The park is a destination spot for locals looking for playgrounds, picnic areas and trails. Heritage Park also has stables, an off-leash area for dogs, a 40-acre lake with a marina, while also boasting the 18-hole Heritage Park championship golf course on the west side of the park.

Heritage Park In Olathe Kansas

Heritage Park In Olathe Kansas

Heritage Park is part of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District and the park has been a major recreation destination since 1981. The park also has many activity fields including softball fields close to the center of the park, soccer fields on the far southwest portion of the park and football fields to the northeast. I played football on these fields as an 8th grader in 1984. Now, 25 years later, my son is getting the same enjoyment playing football on these fields.

The park is located just south of 159th and Pflumm Road in Olathe and can also be accessed on the west side of the park just south of 159th and Blackbob (Lackman Road).  From the trails to the lake, you can view nature at its finest at Heritage Park. Here’s a Heritage Park map to show you the vast recreation options at the park and be sure to note the main trail around the park with many smaller off-shoot trails as well.

Posted by Jason A. Brown

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Research Some Of Kansas City’s Great Golf Course Home Communities

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 If having a home on one of Kansas City’s great golf courses is important, then the following information should assist Kansas City home buyers with narrowing down the home search. I’ve noted many times that Kansas City has a ton of outstanding public and private golf courses. I listed many of those metro golf courses   here previously.  Several of these Kansas City golf courses are also popular for the housing options that adjoin the golf course.

Kansas City Golf Course Communities

The subdivisions surrounding many of our local golf courses make up some of the most popular home communities in Kansas City, Johnson County Kansas and the surrounding area. Many include upper bracket homes and I thought the best way to show the pricing and styles of homes was to include a direct link to the homes for sale in each community. I’m sure I’ll overlook a few subdivisions, but the list below shows many of the home communities that are popular  with avid golfers and homebuyers who simply want to be near a golf course setting.

In the following list you can click on the subdivision to view homes for sale in that area or  you  can click on the golf course to be taken straight to the golf course’s own web site…

Cedar Creek homes for sale near Shadow Glen Golf Club
Deer Creek homes for sale near   Deer Creek Golf Club
Estates of Iron Horse homes for sale near Iron Horse Golf Club
Falcon Ridge homes for sale near Falcon Ridge Golf Course
Hallbrook homes for sale near Hallbrook Country Club
Lakewood homes for sale near Lakewood Oaks Golf Club
Links At Lionsgate homes near Nicklaus Golf Club At Lionsgate
Loch Lloyd homes for sale near The Golf Course At Loch Lloyd
Nottingham By The Green homes near Overland Park Golf Club
Reserve At Prairie Highlands near Prairie Highlands Golf Course
Staley Farms homes for sale near Staley Farms Golf Club
The National homes for sale near The National Golf Club Of K.C.
Tiffany Greens homes for sale near Tiffany Greens Golf Course
Westbrook At Creekmoor homes for sale near Creekmore Golf Club

Keep in mind that only a fraction of the homes in the above communities will actually be on the golf course.  Some may still have a golf course view and many others will be within the community but across the street or down the street from the golf course. If you’d like me to send you JUST the homes that are on the golf course in any of these home communities, please email me to request the information. I can probably get that information to you the same day.

Posted by Jason A. Brown

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Youth Sports Options In The Kansas City And Johnson County KS Areas

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A common question I get from relocation buyers is “where can we sign our kids up for youth sports?”. The Kansas City metro area has many options when it comes to youth sports, leagues and facilities. From baseball, football and basketball to cheerleading, soccer and swimming, options abound from individual opportunities to large programs, from in-door sports to out-door sports, from summer sports to winter sports. Kansas City’s diverse season’s and weather changes makes just about any sport a possibility.

Kansas City Youth Sports

Kansas City Youth Sports

For instance, my 8 year old son plays Upward Basketball in the winter, 3&2 Baseball in the spring/summer and tackle football through the Football & Cheerleading Club of Johnson County in the fall. To get you started on locating youth sports in the Kansas City, Johnson County KS and surrounding areas, I’ve put together the following list of local youth sports organizations, events, camps and more. I’ve only included sites that had an online presence with links for you to go and visit their sites — so there are certainly other options as well that aren’t listed here. I’ve organized the following list into two groups: Kansas and Missouri.

Kansas
3&2 Baseball (Johnson County KS)
All American Cheer and Stunt (Overland Park KS)
All American Indoor Soccer (Lenexa KS)
ATA Black Belt Academy (Lenexa KS)
Blue Valley Karate (south Kansas City MO)
Blue Valley Recreation Commission (Johnson County KS)
Blue Valley Soccer Club (Johnson County KS)
Elite Aquatics (Lenexa, KS)
First Tee of Greater K.C. (Overland Park KS)
Heartland Soccer (Johnson County KS)
Ice Sports KC (Shawnee KS)
Football & Chearleeding Club (Johnson County KS)
Gardner Park and Recreation (Gardner KS)
Johnson County Parks and Recreation (Johnson County KS)
Kansas Gymnastics and Cheer (Olathe KS)
Kansas City Athletic Cheer (Overland Park KS)
Kansas City Blazers Swimming (Shawnee, KS)
Kansas City Kansas Soccer (Kansas City KS)
Leawood Aquatic Center (Leawood, KS)
Leawood Parks and Recreation (Leawood KS)
Lenexa Parks and Recreation (Lenexa KS)
Merriam Aquatic Center (Merriam, KS)
Midwest Aquatics (Overland Park, KS)
Olathe Parks and Recreation (Olathe KS)
Overland Park Parks and Recreation (Overland Park KS)
Overland Park Soccer Club (Overland Park KS)
Pepsi Ice Midwest (Overland Park KS)
Prairie Village Parks and Recreation (Prairie Village KS)
Roeland Park Aquatic Center (Roeland Park, KS)
St. Thomas Aquinas Camps (Overland Park KS)
Smiley’s Golf Course (Lenexa KS)
Stilwell Baseball (Overland Park KS)
Sylvester Powell Community Center (Mission KS)
Wyandotte County Baseball (Kansas City KS)
YMCA Kansas Side
 
Missouri
Aikido Martial Arts (Kansas City MO)
Karate USA (Kansas City, Independence & Gladstone, MO)
Allied Soccer (Jackson County MO)
Barstow School Camps (south Kansas City MO)
Gladstone Parks and Recreation (Gladstone MO)
Great Plains Diving (Kansas City MO)
Heart of America Junior Golf (Kansas City MO)
Henley Aquatic Center (Independence MO)
Independence Parks and Recreation (Independence MO)
Kansas City Missouri Parks and Recreation (Kansas City MO)
Kansas City Suburban Soccer League (South Kansas City)
Karate USA (Overland Park & Olathe KS)
Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation (Lee’s Summit MO)
Liberty Parks and Recreation (Liberty MO)
Line Creek Community Center (North Kansas City)
NKCA Baseball (North Kansas City MO)
North Kansas City Parks and Recreation (North Kansas City MO)
Pembroke Hill Camps (Kansas City MO)
Raytown Soccer Club (Raytown MO)
R & R Stables (Lee’s Summit MO)
Sports City Indoor Sports (Blue Springs MO)
Starlight Stables (Liberty MO)
Tsunami Swim Team (Independence MO)
Western Missouri Soccer League (Gladstone MO)
YMCA Missouri Side
Posted by Jason A. Brown

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Bubba Would Have Loved The Farmer’s Markets In Kansas City

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If you’re looking for the best locations to purchase fresh produce, there are several great Farmer’s Market spread across Kansas City. If you want big, then you should start by getting out this weekend to Kansas City’s own City Market downtown. I remember going there as a kid and my parents buying shrimp. Lots of shrimp. We had shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried shrimp, deep fried shrimp, stir fried shrimp, pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, cocounut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and patatoes, shrimp burgers, shrimp sandwiches… or maybe I just remember all that from Forrest Gump.

The city of Kansas City also has a great option in the Zona Rosa Farmer’s Market.  There are tons of other options as well across the Kansas City metro and several Farmer’s Markets in Johnson County Kansas alone — Overland Park Farmers Market, Shawnee Farmer’s Market and the Olathe Farmer’s Market.  If you’re looking for a Farmer’s Market in another area of Kansas City check out the Brookside Farmer’s Market, Parkville Farmer’s Market, Blue Springs Farmers Market or Liberty Farmer’s Market.

It’s also important to remember the little guy, so be sure to occasionally stop and support the small local stands you’ll see popping up across the city. Some of the best watermelon I’ve ever purchased was from the little produce stand set up in southern Leawood near 151st Street. If you’d like, you can check out this statewide list of Kansas and Missouri Farmers Market.

Posted by Jason A. Brown

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The Kansas City Zoo Celebrates It’s 100th Anniversary This Year

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All facets of the Kansas City Zoo are now open for 2009 and this year the zoo is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary. The zoo’s centenial anniversary includes the grand opening of a new tropical rainforest.  This should be a great time to get out and visit and support our local zoo!

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Intrepid Traveler’s Magazine ranked the Kansas City Zoo one of “America’s Best Zoos in 2008”. As the nation’s 10th largest zoo, the celebration continues on Mother’s Day with free admission and ice cream for all the moms.  On Friday June 5th Jazoo 2009 will take place, providing an evening of unlimited entertainment, music, food and drink. Jazzoo is a benefit for the Kansas City Zoo, Kansas City Zootennial and the Kansas City Zoo Learning Fund. Ticket prices for the Jazoo benefit start at $200 – did I mention free complimentary alcoholic beverages are included?  

Posted by Jason A. Brown

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Ernie Miller Nature Center Is One Of The Excellent Parks Located In Johnson County Kansas

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The Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe Kansas is one of the great local parks in Kansas City. Located in southeastern Johnson County KS, the nature park offers area residents the enjoyment of nature trails, environmental education programs, camping opportunities, a place for birthday parties and much more!

Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe KS

Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe KS

Some of the intriguing aspects of the Ernie Miller Nature Center are the park’s amphitheater programs, summer camps and the Timber Ridge Adventure Center. Twice in April and once in May there are Preschool Spring Time programs and on April 25th there’s the La Grande Birding Fiesta. The park is part of the Johnson County Parks and Recreation District and there’s many, many other events scheduled at the park this year. So be sure to check out the nature center’s calendar and you can click the Google map below for directions to the Ernie Miller Nature Center.  Get out and enjoy the events, birds, flowers and nature at its best!

Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe KS

Ernie Miller Nature Center in Olathe KS

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March Madness Is Here For The Kansas Jayhawks & Missouri Tigers

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March Madness is here and our local Kansas Jayhawks, Missouri Tigers and Kansas State Wildcats have all earned the right to move on to post-season tournaments in 2009.  Frank Martin may not be pleased that his Wildcats had their NCAA tournament hopes burst but I have a feeling the Wildcats will be fired up to play in that tournament.

Both the Missouri Tigers and my beloved Jayhawks take #3 seeds into the tournament with high hopes. In two of the three tournament brackets I’m doing, I have both Missouri and Kansas in the final four. Crazy? Maybe and I’m counting on both teams making a deep run in the tournament. Without a doubt this is one of my favorite times of the year. Enjoy the tournaments Jayhawk, Tiger and Wildcat fans in Kansas City!   

Posted by Jason A. Brown

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Priorities Of The Johnson County KS Home Search… Schools, Home Prices… Golfing

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Many homebuyers are interested in limiting their home search to an area within close proximity to their favorite area golf course. Some relocation buyers want to know FIRST about the area golf courses before they start looking in a particular area. This past year I had a relocation buyer email me their search parameters: (1) located in the Blue Valley School District, (2) $400,000 to $500,000 price range & (3) within 10 minutes of Deer Creek Golf Club. There was no mention of style of home, bedrooms, baths, etc. I’m just saying…

Every golfer I know has a favorite course and the reasons may be chalked up to location of the course, cost to play a round, difficulty level of the course or ability to get a tee time. Certainly some area courses are expensive while others are much cheaper. Golfers can choose from a multitude of private or public courses, course that have open fairways or others that will eat your buddies $5 golf balls while also padding your wallet. Really there are a ton of great golf courses to be found in the metro Kansas City area. In Johnson County Kansas alone there are 20+ golf courses from which to choose…

Brookridge Golf and Country Club
Private 18 hole;  Phone 913-648-1600
8223 W. 103rd Street, Overland Park KS 66212

Deer Creek Golf Club
Public 18 hole par 72; Phone (913) 681-3100
7000 W. 133rd Street, Overland Park Kansas 66209

Falcon Ridge Golf Course
Public 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-393-4653
20200 Prairie Star Parkway, Lenexa KS 66220

Falcon Valley Golf Course
Public 9 hole par 36; Phone 913-780-5976
9801 Falcon Valley Drive, Lenexa Kansas 66220

Gardner Golf Course*
Public 18 hole par 71; Phone 913-856-8858
15810 S. Gardner West Road, Gardner KS 66030

Hallbrook Golf Club
Private 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-345-1011
11300 Overbrook Road, Leawood KS 66211

Heritage Park Golf Course
Public 18 hole par 71; Phone 913-829-4653
16445 S Lackman Road, Olathe KS 66062

Indian Hills Country Club
Private 18 hole par 70; Phone 913-362-6204
6847 Tomahawk Road, Mission Hills KS 66208

Ironhorse Golf Club
Public 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-685-4653
15400 Mission Road, Leawood Kansas 66224

Kansas City Country Club*
Private 18 hole par par 70; Phone 913-236-2122
6200 Indian Lane, Mission Hills Kansas 66208

Lake Quivira Country Club
Private 18 hole par 71; Phone 913-631-7577
100 Crescent Boulevard, Lake Quivira KS 66217

Leawood South Country Club
Private 18 hole par 71; Phone 913-469-4172
12700 Overbrook Road, Leawood KS 66209

Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club*
Private 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-642-3161
9101 Nall Avenue, Prairie Village KS 66207

Milburn Golf and Country Club
Private 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-432-0490
7501 W. 69th Street, Overland Park Kansas 66204

Mission Hills Country Club
Private 18 hole par 70; Phone 913-722-1085
5400 Mission Drive, Mission Hills KS 66208

Nicklaus Golf Club At LionsGate
Private 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-402-1000
14225 Dearborn Street, Overland Park KS 66223

Oak Country Golf Course
Public 18 hole par 66; Phone
8800 Scott Drive, DeSoto Kansas 66018

Overland Park Golf Club
Public 27 holes (3 par 35 9-hole courses); Phone 913-897-3809
12501 Quivira Road, Overland Park Kansas 66213

Prairie Highlands Golf Course
Public 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-856-7235
14695 Inverness Street, Olathe KS 66061

St. Andrews Golf Course
Public 18 hole par 70; Phone 913-897-3804
11099 W. 135th Street, Overland Park Kansas 66221

Shadow Glen Golf Club
Private 18 hole par 72; Phone 913-764-4536
26000 Shadow Glen Drive, Olathe Kansas 66061

Shawnee Golf & Country Club
Public 27 holes (3 9-hole courses); Phone 913-422-8357
6404 Hedge Lane Terrace, Shawnee KS 66226

Smiley’s Golf Complex

Public 18 hole par 60; Phone 913-782-1323
10195 Monticello Terrace, Lenexa Kansas 66227

Tomahawk Hills Golf Course
Public 18 hole par 70; Phone 913-631-8000
17501 Midland Drive, Shawnee KS 66217

Posted by Jason A. Brown

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Looking For Something To Do This Weekend in Kansas City? Check Out The Kansas City Auto Show

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The  Greater Kansas City International Auto Show is in town this weekend and features over 500 domestic and import vehicles. I suspect that future government regulations of the auto industry will include in-depth requirements for fuel economy, safety and emissions. No doubt, the down-turn we’ve seen in the economy will have a lot of people thinking more about a vehicles true value than they have in past years. With so many vehicles on display, the auto show should give visitors plenty of insight about where the auto industry is headed.

 

Expect to see all types of cars, trucks, vans and concept vehicles and if you’re thinking about attending, be sure to check your local Price Chopper grocery store for discount coupons. I saw them available at the customer service counter last week. Show times are 10 AM to 10 PM (until 7 PM on Sunday) and the show’s at Bartle Hall. You can visit The Greater Kansas City International Auto Show site for additional show information.  

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