Summer of 2025 – Staycation

By Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD

I won’t be traveling this summer for many reasons, and I thought it would be fun to research some ideas for a Staycation.

Here is part of the list I came up with!

Eat at a Fancy Restaurant

Eat at a fancy restaurant that you’ve never been to or an ethnic restaurant that you have always wanted to try. I love trying restaurants in parts of town that I wouldn’t normally spend time in, like Strawberry Hill.

Go for a Hike – Urban Hikes

Check out a company called Urban Hikes – they mix the fun of hiking with the city you love. Their hikes are 3-5 miles long, filled with nuggets of Kansas City history and off the beaten path places.

Simply Unplug

Unplug for a weekend – no TV, phone or computer. We all have so much stress right now, so it’s nice to walk away from the news for a while and just read a book in the backyard.

Go for a Bike Ride

We have portable bikes that can just be tossed in the back of the car, and we love to go to faraway parks and ride, then have lunch or a picnic in a spot we haven’t been before.

Visit a Museum

Everyone knows that I love art, and we have some great museums right here – The Kemper and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. We are also planning to drive to Bentonville to visit Crystal Bridges – one of my favorite museums for Modern art. The walking and biking trails are also incredible.

Visit Arrow Rock, Missouri

Another favorite place for a day trip is Arrow Rock – it’s about an hour west from Kansas City on I-70. The entire village is part of the National Historic Landmark Arrow Rock Historic District, designated by the Department of the Interior. They also have a great fried chicken dinner restaurant, served family style.

Go to the Zoo

If you haven’t been to the new aquarium at the Kansas City Zoo, it’s world-class and for a bonus, they have a baby giraffe this summer. He is just the cutest!

Visit Local Distilleries and Wineries

We also love checking out our client’s distilleries and wineries. They support us, so it is important for us to support them. We’ve had some fun outings with our staff, and I have learned that day drinking is not my thing.

Watch a Game or Show

Catch a game at the Kauffman or see a show at one of the many theaters here in town. I recently went to the Funny Bone Comedy Club with a bunch of women, and we had a blast.

Visit a Farmer’s Market

I love going to the Farmer’s Markets in the summer – so much healthier for us and fun to see all the vendors. I also love buying native plants for my garden and I always have a large herb pot going all summer.