Your Ultimate Summer Guide to Kansas City Area Adventures with Teens & Family

Molly Wichman, personal trainer in Lee's Summit, shares health and wellness tips for fitness & health. Todays tip is Your Ultimate Summer Guide to Kansas City Area Adventures with Teens & Family. A great adventure is the key to health and happiness!

Summer in the Kansas City metro offers an incredible blend of urban excitement and outdoor adventure, all within easy reach of each other. Whether you're a local looking to rediscover your backyard or a visitor seeking authentic Midwest experiences, this guide will help you make the most of the season's warmest months. If you are looking for an adventure in Kansas City metro area or reaching for a fun day trip, below are a few great ideas to try something new. This is my personal wrap up for Summer 2025 for myself and my teenage son. Hope it helps you enjoy a great adventure, family time, or just see some new local sights. Get out...explore...see new sights...create new memories!

Start Your Saturday Right: Overland Park Morning

Starting early in the day with a visit to Shawnee Mission Lake. It is a great location for an

early morning hike, bike, or dip your paddle in the water from your canoe, kayak, or SUP.

The park offers well-maintained hiking trails that range from easy nature walks to more substantial hikes through varied terrain. For cyclists, the area provides both paved paths perfect for family rides and road cycling routes that extend into the surrounding neighborhoods and parks. The lake's boat ramp, marina, and calm waters create excellent conditions with rental options available.

After an early morning park adventure, stop by the Overland Park Farmers Market. Located in the heart of downtown Overland Park, this vibrant community gathering has been bringing together local growers, artisans, and food lovers for years. The market typically runs Saturday mornings, offering everything fresh and local.

The atmosphere is infectious – families strolling with reusable bags, dogs on leashes greeting each other, and the gentle hum of conversation mixing with live acoustic music.

After you've filled your market bag with weekend treasures, take a short walk through downtown Overland Park's charming streets. The area has transformed into a walkable destination with tree-lined sidewalks, boutique shops, and several excellent coffee spots perfect for savoring your morning brew while people-watching. Homer's Coffee House was a perfect stop for a coffee and pastry. Perfect way to end the morning!

Tip: If you are not an early bird, flip the day around so you start at the Farmer's Market, then visit the park!

Make Waves at Truman Lake

When the summer heat kicks in, there's no better escape than Truman Lake, one of Missouri's "Water Playgrounds." Just a scenic 1.5 hour drive southeast of Kansas City, this massive reservoir offers acres of pristine water perfect for every type of water recreation imaginable.

Renting a wave runner from Long Shoal Marina at Truman Lake in Warsaw, MO is an

exhilarating way to experience the lake's vastness. A two hour rental was perfect for a thrilling freedom of skimming across the water. The wind in your hair and endless blue stretching in every direction.

The lake's size means you'll rarely feel crowded, even on busy summer weekends. You can explore quiet coves, beach your watercraft on secluded shores. Massive tree lined bluffs spread as far as the eye can see leave limitless possibilities in Missouri's natural beauty of the lake.

Bonus, Long Shoal Marina Restaurant is great to to fuel up after your lake adventure. The burger is a great option! This was one of my teenage son's top summer activities!

If you want to hang around longer, stop by Truman Lake State Park for hiking, swim beach, and more outdoor fun. Or stop into the Harry S. Truman Visitor Center for a great history of Truman Lake and the surrounding area, great nature trails, and historic buildings.

Explore Kansas City's Trail Networks and Local Lakes

Kansas City's extensive trail system and beautiful local lakes offer endless opportunities for

hiking, biking, and paddling adventures right in your backyard. The metro area has invested heavily in creating connected greenway systems that wind through forests, alongside creeks, and around pristine lakes.

Longview Lake: A Hidden Gem

Longview Lake in south Kansas City might just be the area's best-kept secret, but it is basically in my backyard, so I may be a little biased. This lake offers a perfect 7.5-mile paved trail, 10 mile paved bike lane around the lake, various nature trails, which making it ideal for both leisurely walks and cycling sessions. The trails provides constantly changing scenery – from wooded sections, nature view, to open areas with stunning lake vistas.

For paddlers, Longview Lake's calm waters and multiple access points make it perfect for kayaking or canoeing.

Lake Jacomo: Where Adventure Meets Serenity

Located in Fleming Park, Lake Jacomo offers a more rugged outdoor experience. The lake

features excellent hiking trails that wind through mature forests and prairie grasslands. The terrain varies from easy lakeside paths to more challenging hill climbs that reward hikers with panoramic views of the water below.

Mountain bikers particularly love Lake Jacomo's trail system, which includes both beginner-friendly routes and technical single-track sections for more experienced riders. The park's trail network connects to the larger Fleming Park system, potentially extending your ride for miles through diverse Missouri landscapes. These trails are great for hiking as well.

Kayakers and canoeists will find Lake Jacomo's larger size and varied shoreline create more dynamic paddling conditions. The lake's numerous coves and inlets are perfect for exploration. One of my favorite spots to paddle is Sailboat Cove.

Rock Island Trail

Start your Rock Island Trail adventure at Hartman Park in Lee's Summit, with easy access

toward Kansas City's sports stadiums or eastward into Jefferson Street in Lee's Summit. There's a short gap between Lee's Summit and Pleasant Hill, personally hoping this gap gets closed and the trail will be connected in the near future.

But once you reach Pleasant Hill, you can take the trail to Windsor, MO where it connects to the Katy Trail. Then you could continue onto eastern Missouri through farmlands, river bluff views and more.

Now, the western section offers suburban convenience and stadium access, while the eastern portion delivers classic Missouri scenery – rolling hills, creek crossings, and small-town charm. Perfect for quick stadium rides, family outings, or longer countryside adventures. A great ride or walk can start at any section of the trail!

Pack water for the longer stretches and explore Pleasant Hill's quaint downtown before continuing into Missouri's beautiful heartland.

Unity Village Nature Trail: A Hidden Gem

Escape to nature just minutes from Kansas City on the Unity Village Carl Chinnery Nature Trail, a peaceful 2.4-mile limestone loop. While shade is limited, the trail offers diverse scenery including tranquil water views, a charming natural tunnel, and expansive prairie vistas.

The well-maintained surface makes for easy walking. Perfect for a quick nature escape or family outing, this hidden gem proves you don't need to venture far for peaceful moments and natural beauty.

Coming Soon: Green Street Lee's Summit Farmers Market

Mark your calendars for August 15-17, when Lee's Summit will debut its exciting new Green Street Farmers Market. This highly anticipated addition to the local farmers market scene

promises to bring fresh energy to the area's already thriving food and community culture.

Friday, August 15 Opening Block Party 6:00pm-10:00pm

Saturday, August 16 Opening Family Fun Day 8:00am-10:00pm

Sunday, August 17 Opening Wellness Day 9:00am-4:00pm

Stop by for Personal Training Fitness Classes by Elite Personal Training and Molly Wichman ,Yoga and other classes with Megan's Yoga Tribe

After the grand opening weekend, be sure to stop back by for the weekly Farmer's Market, each Wednesday and Saturday April-October, and stroll through Downtown Lee's Summit, collection of great community events and more.   I am personally excited to see all of the upcoming events and new opportunities at the Green Street Market, Lawn, and Grove, the possibilities are limitless. Explore the wonderful suburb!

Some of my favorite Downtown Lee's Summit finds are below:

Whistle Stop Coffee for amazing coffee and breakfast

TruKC Boutique for the best Kansas City attire and cute clothing finds

Xpressions Boutique for customized makeup and cute clothing finds

Embers Candle Bar to pour a custom scented candle

Third Street Social for great Happy Hour, drinks and food

Drive an ATV in an Amazing Network of Trails

Heartland Lodge in Pleasant Hill, IL has amazing ATV rentals and trails. It is a little further

from the Kansas City metro, but a good day or weekend getaway for some trail fun.

Heartland Lodge has trails for every skill level, so whether you're a beginner or think you're the next ATV champion, there's something for everyone. The staff was great, the equipment was solid, and honestly, it was worth every penny just to see that huge grin on my teens face.

Already planning our next trip back. Sometimes the best parenting moments happen when you're both just having fun, unplugged, and forgetting about everything else for a few hours. This was definitely one of the highlights of our summer. We actually had the trails almost to ourselves, amazing time.

Pro tip: Bring extra clothes. The mud is real, and it gets EVERYWHERE. 😂

If you want to stay longer, check out their amazing cabins and housing options.

Discover Historic Lexington on Second Sundays

Just 45 minutes east of Kansas City lies the charming river town of Lexington, Missouri –

perfect for a delightful day trip! Perfect for history buffs, families, or anyone seeking a unique weekend adventure. Lexington's Second Sunday trolley tours offer an easy escape from city life with a generous helping of Missouri heritage. Advanced reservations recommended – this popular tour often sells out! Oh, and don't miss the Civil War cannonball in the courthouse column. There is so much history in this small town.

I personally did the Marvelous Mansion tour, it was amazing to see inside some of the beautiful historic homes and hear the history of the town. Great little trolley tour! And then found some local fare at the Farmer's Market, and ate lunch at Ten Twelve Main, a restaurant in an old bank building. Definitely a fun day in a small town vibe town.

If you have extra time, visit the Battle of Lexington State Historic Site for a great history stop.

Planning Your Perfect Summer Day, Embrace the Season

Summer in greater Kansas City is about more than just activities – it's about embracing a pace of life that values community connections, outdoor adventures, and the simple pleasure of fresh, local food. Whether you're selecting produce from a local farmer, sharing coffee with friends, or feeling the spray of lake water on a perfect afternoon, these experiences create the memories that define a great summer.

So grab your reusable market bag, charge your phone for lake photos, and get ready to discover why so many people are falling in love with the Kansas City area's unique blend of urban sophistication and Midwest authenticity. Don't forget the many great daytrips Missouri has to offer. Your summer adventure starts now, get out and explore!

In Good Health,

Molly Wichman

Personal Trainer Lee's Summit