WyCo Lake is the perfect place for a casual — and scenic — woodland stroll. | Photo by the KCtoday Team.
Lace up your boots, because we’ve compiled a hiking guide for the KC area with 12 routes and trails to help you plan your next adventure.
Note: While parks and trails may be listed as open, we recommend checking Urban Trail Co. before visiting for current trail conditions. Swope Park, Kansas City, MO
Difficulty: 🥾🥾🥾
Length: 20 miles
Wheelchair accessible: No
Pet friendly: Yes, leash required
Some trails like Rancho D’Lux are moderate, but the rocky + challenging Wudchuk Run trail will make you feel like you’re in the mountains — without the elevation.
The pups and kiddos love to splash around in the Blue River.
The Blue River Greenway Trail is a 5.5-mile paved pathway, and the dirt trail system explores 26 miles of rock features, native plant life, river access points, and ridges.
Follow the Recipe | Thursday, Aug. 7-Friday, Aug. 29 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Linda Hall Library | Free | From military manuals to school lunches and homecooked Sunday dinners, take a nostalgic dive into the classic cookbooks that graced American tables and shaped our communities.
Art Course Mini Golf | Thursday, Aug. 7-Monday, Sept. 1 | Times vary | The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art | $18 | This artist-designed mini golf experience within the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park offers nine creative interpretations of a work of art in the museum’s collection, with sips + snacks nearby.
Teacher Appreciation Day | Thursday, Aug. 7 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Kansas City Bier Company | Free | Whether you’re teaching over the summer or just enjoying your break, educators and school district personnel can score 10% off their tab with a school ID.
Friday, Aug. 8
Swiss Cheese Kokedama Workshop | 6 p.m. | 244 E Broadway St., Excelsior Springs | $55 | Get your hands dirty as you learn the art of Japanese moss ball planting by creating your very own Swiss Cheese Plant kokedama, with a mini game matching your vibes with a rare plant to win a prize.
Wheel Throwing Date Night | Friday, Aug. 8-Saturday, Aug. 30 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Belger Arts | $100 | Give the pottery wheel a spin while making a small bowl or vase with your significant other... just don’t expect to look back and see Patrick Swayze sitting behind you. That costs extra.
Saturday, Aug. 9
Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour | 7:30 p.m. | Azura Amphitheater, Bonner Springs, KS | $54+ | Catch this ’80s icon in her element, belting out timeless tracks like “Time After Time” for her farewell tour.
Sunday, Aug. 10
India Fest 2025 | 11 a.m.-6 p.m. | Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, KS | Free | Get a glimpse of India by experiencing the tastes, sounds, and sights of the subcontinent with live music, dance, food, and entertainment.
Hot off the press. Forbes recently published an article on the Crossroads Arts District. Included in the feature: the Crossroads Hotel, First Fridays, and Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.
Transit
Several RideKC buses will soon be equipped with AI-powered cameras intended to help detect possible security threats — with capabilities like evaluating rider movement, recognizing faces of missing people, and automatically alerting authorities. The cameras are part of a two-year pilot program and support increased safety efforts in preparation for the World Cup. (KCUR)
Civic
An ordinance will go before City Council next week that would lift the current height mandate impacting the former Nordstrom site on the Country Club Plaza property. The current ordinance, implemented in 2016, requires buildings to be between 3-10 stories tall. The height limit became a point of interest as The Village Collection, which owns the Plaza, pursues a master planned development submission for the center. (The Kansas City Star)
Concert
If you entered the lottery to buy Chappell Roan concert tickets, check your inbox — notifications about the lottery results started going out on Tuesday, and fans who were not selected should receive an email notification today. The “Good Luck, Babe!” singer is coming to the Museum and Memorial Park on October 3 + 4. (Fox 4)
Try This
Screaming.Scream Club Kansas City is a new group in town, organized after a video of hundreds of participants in a Scream Club in Chicago went viral. The premise is simple: gather, scream as a way to blow off steam, and build community. Join the group — the next scream sesh will be held at Berkley Riverfront Park on Sunday. (Axios Kansas City)
Pets
Dog days indeed. Now’s your chance to bring your four-legged friend to a local pool to cool off — in the coming weeks several Johnson County pools will close for the sesason, but open for a limited time for local pooches. (The Kansas City Star)
“Everything Changes with a Dream” has arrived at Green Street. This 500-pound stainless steel sculpture of a maple seed by artist Heath Satow is one of several art installations that will adorn the outdoor gathering space.
See it for yourself at the free Grand Opening Weekend, Friday, Aug. 15-Sunday, Aug. 17 — which will include a farmers market, food trucks, kids activities, street performers, live music, and more.
A great maxi wrap dress that can see you through the transition from summer into fall. Choose your favorite print or floral and enjoy the airy, comfortable feel and flattering ruffle hem.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Netflix culinary shows are my comfort food, so I was particularly excited to see Phil Rosenthal of “Somebody Feed Phil” (and executive producer of “Everbody Loves Raymond”) will be at the Uptown Theater next Saturday, Aug. 16, for a conversation and Q+A.
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