Kansas City, KS
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A Getaway with Uncle Matt

Family time makes memories in Kansas City, KS

By Erin Barnes

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Somewhere like Kansas City, KS, where we could have a blast and visit my brother-in-law, the boys’ beloved Uncle Matt.

Every summer, the long sunny days create this frenzy in my home—a sort of cabin fever. We’ve made plenty of visits to the neighborhood pool, the video games have all been played and it’s time to shake things up. A quick, budget-friendly getaway is just what we need to keep 7-year-old Ethan and 10-year-old Greyson entertained. Somewhere like Kansas City, KS, where we could have a blast and visit my brother-in-law, the boys’ beloved Uncle Matt.

So when Ethan sighed, “I want to go somewhere really fun,” one day, I thought he had the right idea.

I did some research, called my husband, Mike, and asked what he thought about visiting Kansas City, KS, convincing him with phrases such as “here are all the details: we get to visit your brother and I’m under budget.” I booked a room at a hotel near Matt’s house that offered free breakfast—perfect for an easy start in the mornings—and we quickly packed our bags.

Baseball, dollar dogs and a winning throw

As the older brother, Matt has some great stories about my husband growing up!
As the older brother, Matt has some great stories about my husband growing up!

We took off for Kansas City, KS, just as soon as Mike pulled into the garage. We were in a hurry to catch the 7:05 p.m. T-Bones baseball game, and we arrived just in time to stop by the T-Bones promotions table to sign up for the in-between innings contests. From there, we met up with Uncle Matt, a native Kansas Citian, to watch the game. The boys launched themselves into his open arms, and chatted eagerly about the game as we found our seats.

After the second inning, we were off to the concessions for sodas and dollar hot dogs (my inner budget gal was doing a victory lap). But that was certainly not the highlight of the game. We were pleasantly surprised (okay, seriously excited) when Greyson was asked to participate in an in-between innings contest. He was so nervous to go out onto the field and be in the spotlight, but it was sweet to see him announce to no one in particular, “I am so nervous” as we walked toward the field.

After an encouraging smile, I stood on the baseline and watched as Greyson threw a baseball farther than the kid he competed with. It was a silly contest, but he was all smiles as he accepted his prize: a signed baseball. Watching him on the field was so much fun, and I grinned when Ethan greeted his big brother with a high five as we got back to our seats. We spent the remaining innings lounging, listening as Matt entertained us with stories of his and Mike’s childhood, and especially their shared love of baseball. As the older brother, Matt has some great stories about my husband growing up! I felt happy knowing that Mike and I were passing along our family’s love of baseball to our sons, and we left the game relaxed and ready for some ice cream.

Making a splash

We slept comfortably in our suite and polished off warm waffles and pastries for breakfast before heading out to meet Uncle Matt for a day at Schlitterbahn Waterpark. The sun shone brightly and the vast blue sky seemed to go on forever—perfect. After applying sunscreen, we rented a cabana near the Kristal River (one of THE best spots, with a no-wait path on the lazy river to each end of the park). We brought a cooler with a picnic lunch and used the cabana to keep our belongings while we were off having fun.

We carried inner tubes to the top of the 42-foot-tall, red-diamond-rated Black Knight, which Matt took a pass on, wanting to greet the boys at the end as they splashed down. Greyson and Ethan were on one raft; Mike and I on another. After getting our bodies arranged on the float, we were off, Greyson and Ethan zooming down just after us. The ride was fully enclosed so we hurtled through it in darkness with no visual sense of speed. We felt a rush of adrenaline and soon I was laughing in glee. Mike and I crashed into the landing pool and came up laughing, dazed by the sudden light and splash of water. Ethan and Greyson zipped out right after, with Ethan looking a little wide-eyed. Mike asked Ethan about his experience. “It was awesome!” he answered enthusiastically, while “No!” was his immediate response when Mike asked if he wanted to ride this one again. He was brave, he did it, but he wasn’t going to do it again.

Next, the five of us floated the Torrent River, anxiously awaiting the massive tidal waves that would carry us up and down again in endless droves. Greyson and Ethan shrieked with laughter as our inner tubes bobbed wildly in the waves, and the huge grin on Matt’s face as he played with his nephews filled me with joy.

After a day in the sun, we pondered going out to eat at one of the many restaurants close by, but instead settled on burgers and custard at the park. We filled our sun-kissed bellies before saying goodnight to Uncle Matt and heading back to the hotel to crash for a good night’s rest. (I love it when my kids are worn out!) We put on some aloe vera before slipping in between the crisp white sheets on our last night in warm, sunny Kansas City.

Bear hugs from Uncle Matt

We’ve travelled all around the world, but some of our most memorable moments are closest to home on short family getaways.

Uncle Matt met us at the hotel for breakfast the next morning to say goodbye, and gave the boys bear hugs as Mike and I packed up the car. I got my own hug before getting into the car, and Matt whispered “Thank you so much for making the trip. I love seeing everyone!” I hugged him once more and promised that we’d make it happen as much as possible.

We’ve travelled all around the world, but some of our most memorable moments are closest to home on short family getaways. Spending time with Uncle Matt is the best getaway I can think of. We left a piece of our heart in Kansas City, KS, as always, but returned with unforgettable summer memories that will last a lifetime for all of us.

Make memories with your own family fun in Kansas City, KS.