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Creative and Art-Full Day Trips

by Alexia Lang

Standing on Main Street in Parkville, Mo. and looking south, you will spy a charming, historic town that has everything for a perfect getaway – local dining, unique shops and boutiques, Airbnbs, entertainment venues and outdoor escapes. (photo courtesy Main Street Parkville Association)

Parkville, MO

White FarmHouse Flowers & Gifts is located at 113 Main Street and is open 7 days a week. (photo courtesy Main Street Parkville Association)

Historic Downtown Parkville is one of the Kansas City area’s best kept secrets.

A 15-minute drive from KC will bring you to the charming town that’s perfect for a day of dining, shopping and playing in the beautiful parks equipped with miles of walking trails set alongside the Missouri River.

Enjoy live music on Friday and Saturday nights at The Craic Irish Pub or Music on Main Street the 2nd Saturday of each month. Check out Bentley Guitar Studio located on Main Street, voted one of the best indie guitar stores in the country by Guitar Player Magazine. Or perhaps you’d like to create a unique fragrance blend for your home at The Farmacy by Farm House Collection.

Parkville is also known for its annual events and festivals – including music and beer festivals, classic car shows, a 4th of July Celebration, Parkville Days festival (Aug. 18-20), Paint Parkville (Oct. 6-14) and Christmas on the River (Dec. 1).

If you find yourself with more to do than fits in a day, check into one of the eight Airbnb suites or the Main Street Inn bed and breakfast so you can walk right out your front door, only steps away from the local eateries and shops.

Delight in great food and drinks from a variety of local eating establishments, including a French bistro, Italian dining, American fare, an Irish pub, a sports pub, a global wine boutique and more. For delicious snacks and candy, visit the local coffee shops, bakeries, gourmet popcorn and ice cream shop or the general store, all located on Main Street. (photo courtesy Main Street Parkville Association)
The beauty of limestone carved bluffs, wooded vistas and the Missouri River provide a natural backdrop for Parkville. (photo courtesy Main Street Parkville Association)
Take a stroll down Main Street to find a basket full of quaint shopping options. (photo courtesy Main Street Parkville Association)
How did Amelia fly over the ocean with no landmarks to follow? Light up the constellations that helped guide Amelia across the sky. (photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum)

Atchison, KS

At just about an hour from Kansas City, Atchison is home to five museums, more than 20 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, a cultural center, theatres and more.

The town, which was built along the Missouri River, prides in its Victorian-era architecture, a railroad heritage, art and being the hometown of world-renowned aviator Amelia Earhart.

In April, the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum celebrated its grand opening.

The 17,000-square-foot hangar facility features Art Deco design motifs that call to mind the 1920s and ’30s, formative decades in aviation history.

The museum offers a blend of historical storytelling and interactive STEM exhibits that surround the Museum’s centerpiece: Muriel — the world’s last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E. Muriel is identical to the plane Earhart flew on her final flight around the world.

“The Museum has been uniquely designed to reflect Amelia’s fearless spirit and celebrate her legacy of innovation,” said Jacque Pregont, Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation board member. “Visitors will journey through Amelia’s courageous life of defying odds, overcoming social and scientific obstacles, and ultimately using her achievements to encourage others to realize new possibilities.”

Visit www.AmeliaEarhartHangarMuseum.org for more information about the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum and visitatchison.com to find other spots to visit in Atchison.

As the centerpiece of the Museum, Muriel is the last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E aircraft in the world. Named in honor of Amelia’s sister, Muriel is identical to the airplane Amelia flew on her final flight around the world. (photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum)
Hear the roar of the 10-E’s powerful Pratt & Whitney 1340 WASP engine and compare to modern Turbofan engine and see its inner workings come to life. Swipe through Amelia’s engine maintenance log book from her Lockheed Vega 5B, the plane she flew over the Atlantic Ocean. (photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum)
Exhibits in the Museum’s mezzanine take visitors “above the clouds” to discover how Amelia and her navigator Fred Noonan flew around the globe relying on radio waves, a sextant and quick calculations to navigate the skies. (photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum)
Amelia and her navigator Fred Noonan flew around the globe relying on radio waves, a sextant and quick calculations to navigate the skies. How would you navigate? (photo courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum)
“Flair,” by Gregory Johnson of Cumming, Ga., is the latest addition to the permanent collection of public art in St. Joseph, Mo.

St. Joseph, MO

St. Joseph is original, authentic and uncommon in the best of ways.  

From its 13 museums (more per capita than Washington D.C.) to shopping, dining, outdoor activities and a lively art scene, the rich history and cultural attractions offer up something for everyone.

Experience the thriving arts and culture scene. A must-visit is the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, which houses an extensive collection of American art. The second annual AKMA Art Fair, featuring artist’ booths, food, live music and children’s activities, will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., June 3. Find more information about events and exhibits at albrecht-kemper.org.

The Allied Arts Council hosts a number of arts-related events throughout the year. The Beer Walk for Arts takes guests on a journey through the Historic Museum Hill District while enjoying live music and sampling specialty beers paired with food tastings. The Sculpture Walk is a year-long exhibit of juried, outdoor sculptures in Downtown St. Joseph, featuring works of art created by artists from across North America. The guided “First Walk” is at 6:30 p.m., June 14, beginning at the corner of 8th and Felix. Find out more information about these events and others at stjoearts.org.

Dive into history at historical spots like the Pony Express National Museum, one of the original Pony Express stations, or the Jesse James Home Museum, where the famous outlaw was assassinated.

Top off a visit to St. Joseph by exploring local, unique shops and incredible dining options.

Visit stjomo.com for more information about upcoming events and experiences in St. Joseph.

“Cherry Tree” by Dale Lewis is located on Felix between 6th and 7th streets in the Mosaic Courtyard. It’s part of the permanent collection of sculptures that appear each year in the St. Joseph Sculpture Walk.
The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art is the only nationally-accredited museum dedicated to arts education and promoting emerging artists in the four-state region (northwest Missouri, northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska and southwest Iowa). (photo courtesy Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art)
The exhibition (Women) Artists from the Collection, 1800-2022 is opening at Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art June 9 and runs through September 17, 2023. (photo courtesy Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art)
“Rocky,” by Carl Weiss of Springfield, Neb., is the winner of the 2022-23 St. Joseph Sculpture Walk People’s Choice Award. “Rocky” is made up of 560 linear feet of rebar, twisted, cut and welded to create the finished piece. Weiss created “Rocky” using his dog as a model.
“I was given a dog about a year before I went through a tough time with cancer,” Weiss said. “He has been a blessing, so I thought it only fitting to recreate him for this art show. It’s a fun piece. But ironically, my dog doesn’t like ‘Rocky’ the sculpture.”
(photo by Stephen McAlister)
The Sculpture Walk is a year-long exhibit of juried, outdoor sculptures in Downtown St. Joseph, featuring works of art created by artists from across North America. The guided “First Walk” is at 6:30 p.m., June 14, beginning at the corner of 8th and Felix. Find out more information about these events and others at stjoearts.org. (photo by Stephen McAlister)
The annual Beer Walk for the Arts in St. Joseph, Mo. is an art-venture that begins at Wyeth-Tootle Mansion and visits six additional locations, including private homes. Guests sample craft beer with food pairings and enjoy the music of local musicians all while supporting the Arts. (photo by Stephen McAlister)
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Alexia Lang

Alexia Lang is a multimedia journalist who has worked in newspapers, magazines, radio and blogs. She holds a journalism degree from UMKC and her Master’s work is in Leadership.

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