If I had to choose, these would be my top five favorite activities

With winter still hanging on and spring just starting to make its appearance, I find myself looking forward to summer. I love summers in KC. There seems to be no end of fun and interesting things to do once the weather warms up a bit around here. If I had to choose, these would be my top five favorite activities, outside of spending time in my Hot Tub or grilling out in my own backyard.

1) Theater in the Park

While I might not want to admit it in public, our family is filled with closet theater buffs. You won’t catch me singing show tunes, necessarily, but I enjoy a live production. My wife has every CD ever made of hit Broadway shows, and our kids are quickly becoming addicted as well. In the summer, we all love to go to Theater in the Park. What’s better than seeing a live Broadway or off-Broadway musical while lounging in your favorite lawn chair and letting your kids sprawl out in front of you?

2) Free Movies

Drive in theaters and a few parks offer free summer movies all summer long in Kansas City. Last year, Oak Grove’s Civic Center and the Kearney Amphitheater were two of the many that offered family-friendly flicks out under the stars. Nothing is quite as relaxing as seeing a show on the big screen without the confines of the theater to hold you back, and you can’t beat the price either.

3) Free Nature Center Programs

Several of the nature centers throughout our community offer free summer programs for kids. I love coming home after a day at work to hear my son talk about crayfish and bullfrogs, knowing that he was interacting with nature and learning while I wasn’t paying a cent. Burr Oak Woods out in Blue Springs has several of these programs each summer, and kids get to learn while on one of the park’s many trails.

4) Festivals, Festivals, Festivals

Almost every city in Kansas City has some sort of festival in the summer or early fall. SantiCaliGon Days, the Lenexa Waterfest festival, and the KC Fringe Festival are just a few of these. Chances are if you are free some weekend while you are in KC, there will be a festival for you to experience.

5) Fireworks!

Ok, I have a confession to make. I am a pyromaniac. I love fire and all things that explode. That is why I love summer in Kansas City. Our Fourth of July is not to be missed, especially with the many communities surrounding KC that allow you to shoot off your own fireworks. Add to that the professional displays around town and you have a Forth of July to remember. Secretly, it is my favorite holiday.

There you have it, the five reasons that I love summer in Kansas City. In fact, I think this summer we just might plan our annual vacation as a “Staycation” so we can explore our city without the pressures of work.