Winter has officially arrived in the Midwest, bringing crisp air and chilly temperatures. But, that doesn't mean you have to be stuck at home! Venture on over to Overland Park where there are enough indoor adventures to keep the fun going, no matter how cold it gets outside.
Put your mental and physical skills to the test at BRKTHROUGH! Here, teams of 2-4 have the chance to compete in over 40 game rooms with unique challenges using advanced technology. You probably won’t know what to do the first time you enter, but figuring it out is part of the game. All ages are welcome, but children 10 and under need an adult on each team to participate. Admission starts at $29.99 per person for 2 hours. Reservations can be made online.
Inject a little art into your routine with a trip to this internationally acclaimed Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, located on the Johnson County Community College campus. Home to an impressive collection of sculptures, paintings, textiles, and ceramics, the museum showcases both innovative and timeless works. Designed by renowned Korean architect Kyu Sung Woo – who also created Seoul’s 1988 Olympic Village – the building itself is a work of art. Best of all, admission is free!
At The New Theatre & Restaurant, experience a 5-star American meal followed by a Broadway comedy or musical featuring stars from the stage, film and TV. Recognized in the Wall Street Journal as “the best dinner theatre in the country,” The New Theatre & Restaurant is the largest and most successful theater restaurant in the United States. The theater is a 617-seat, state-of-the-art facility with a revolving stage and over 4,000,000 LED lights. Tickets range in price from $47.75 to $73.75 and can be purchased online.
If you're brave enough to spend the day outside, then head to Chicken N Pickle for ice skating! The rink is open for as long as the weather allows. You can bring your own pair of skates or rent them, and every Friday night they have a DJ on the ice! It costs $4 to rent skates and $11 for a skate pass. Once you get too cold, head inside for indoor pickleball and some delicious food and drink.
Johnson County Museum is one of the best places to explore the region's history, including a 1950s All-Electric House that demonstrates a post-war vision of the future. Once you get through the museum's exhibits, let your kids immerse themselves in historical settings at KidScape. This educational playground features classic staples of Americana come to life. Kids can tend to toy animals and collect eggs in a 19th-century farmhouse, serve burgers and fries at a 1950’s-style diner or teach class in a one-room schoolhouse. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $4 for children ages 1 through 17.
Get ready to battle it out via tabletop games at Cardboard Corner Cafe! Whether you're an avid gamer, a newbie or simply looking for a delicious meal and drink, everyone is sure to have a great time at this gaming cafe. Find a table and choose from over 1,000 board games which are all free to play. After that, place your food and drink order – choose from coffee, cocktails and a full food menu that specializes in waffles – and get to gaming!
Get ready to enter a real-life video game where you become the player! At Activate, you can jump, climb, problem-solve, and laugh as you and your friends move between challenges. Each dynamic game room is filled with interactive technology that reacts in real time, ensuring an adrenaline-filled adventure. Your electronic wristband tracks your progress so that you can rack up points, advance through levels, earn prizes, and gain the reputation as the best in your group. Pricing starts at $19.99 per person and can be booked online.
Bring your little ones to the Museum at Prairiefire for an afternoon of exploration. They're sure to be impressed by merely standing outside and looking up at the colorful dichroic glass, which is used by NASA to protect astronauts and spacecraft from radiation and sunlight. Walk inside and you'll be met with the first ever complete T-Rex ever assembled! Then, head to the Discovery Room for hands-on learning where you can dig up fossils and experience what the moon smells like. Admission to the museum is $5 for adults, children and seniors and can be purchased online.
What was once a buggy barn in the historic Downtown Overland Park is now a beautifully renovated culinary mecca with two state-of-the-art cooking studios in a homey environment. The Culinary Center of Kansas City hosts over 600 cooking classes each year and many classes are specialized for kids. Led by experienced culinary instructors, these classes cover a range of dishes and techniques: knife skills, homemade pasta, bread making, plus hundreds more. Classes are typically between $50 and $100 and can be scheduled online.
Burn off some energy at one of the region’s largest arcades: Dave & Buster's. They have familiar favorites like Pac-Man, Skee-Ball and Pop-A-Shot, as well as modern hits like Candy Crush Saga and virtual reality games. Beyond the arcade, you’ll find billiards tables and a full-service restaurant and bar, perfect for refueling between rounds. Games are accessed through a Power Card, which can be reloaded with your desired amount online or in-store.
Although it's cold outside, you'll warm up quickly after a few games at Pinstripes Bowling Bocce Bistro. They have two levels of entertainment, offering both bocce courts and bowling lanes. Win or lose, refueling is critical so we suggest ordering from their full made-from-scratch, Italian-American lunch and dinner menus. If you time it right, you can take advantage of their popular bottomless weekend brunch buffet! Playing bocce is free. Prices for bowling range between $12 and $19 per game and can be reserved online.
