To endure June, July, and August and the (mostly!) 90-degree temperatures is to survive another blistering midwest summer. For locals, the heat comes every summer, but it doesn’t mean each summer gets easier! Therefore, the coolness of September’s pre-fall weather is welcomed by anyone ready to walk outside and not start sweating immediately. This is the reality of those living in Kansas City, and we’re grateful for the high-quality air conditioning at St. Anthony’s that got us through those “dog days” of summer. Now we can look forward to a new season on the horizon. In our humble opinion, Kansas City is one of the best places in America to experience autumn. In addition to cooler temps and a BEAUTIFUL change of nature’s scenery, fall offers a plethora of family fun activities in the area—many events our senior living residents look forward to each year!
There are a few activities that stick out in particular, but we’ll preface and say if YOU have any favorite ideas, please let us know your recommendations! Contact us today — our senior living facility is located in a beautiful neighborhood in itself, but many of our residents love exploring Kansas City in all its splendor.
So grab a fall-flavored drink and turn up that thermostat. You made it through the first half of 2021, yet the back half of this year has plenty in store. Our goal is to get your creative juices flowing about all this city has to offer. Senior living offers some of the most enjoyable years of life, and we think they should be some of the most fun as well.
Family Fun as a Senior Living Community
One of the best parts about the St. Anthony’s senior living community is the extended community we get to be a part of. In other words, it’s often the families of the residents that bring our staff and residents so much joy. The smiling faces of visitors lift our spirits each day and remind us how lucky we are to have the jobs we do. In fact, we rarely consider the role we’re in as a job but more so a calling from God: to love and serve our neighbor well. The fact we are employed to do so is a blessing and something we don’t take for granted!
As far as where our families visit throughout the city is another component of senior living we love—to hear about their adventures in and around town! Below are some of the top destinations for anyone perusing Kansas City in the fall. You might be familiar with some of these options, and some might be new to you. Either way, you can’t go wrong when visiting Paris of the Plains!
- • Louisburg Cider Mill. Starting with the obvious and one of Kansas City’s top fall destinations—this cider mill in Louisburg, Kansas provides hot apple cider, warm sugary donuts, and all kinds of activities on their sprawling farmland about 30 miles south of St. Anthony’s. A reasonable drive to create lifelong memories with family and friends!
- • The City Market (Downtown Kansas City): In a previous post on top spots to eat at in Kansas City, we mentioned the City Market downtown (also referred to as “The River Market”) which has year-round eating options and activities for families. But one of our favorite fall options is the open-air farmer’s market. Through October, the farmer’s market is open Saturdays (from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Sundays (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
- • Picnics and Pickleball: If you live in Kansas City, you might have noticed a big rise in the number of people playing pickleball. (Say that three times fast). And for good reason! Pickleball is a blast, and many of our senior living residents enjoy playing this middle ground between tennis and ping pong. There are some wonderful parks to play pickleball around town—many options that are also perfect for a post-game picnic! But at the top of the list? You can’t go wrong with Loose Park, which is just down the street from St. Anthony’s!
- • Bop Around Brookside: Another option close to home. We are so lucky that St. Anthony’s is planted in one of Kansas City’s most desirable neighborhoods: Brookside. Simply walking up and down the street in the fall—taking in crisp weather and colorful trees—is worth enough to clear one’s mind and bask in the beauty of God’s creation. Additionally, Brookside’s outdoor shopping center (also just down the street) contains wonderful options for coffee and eating with family.
Local Art Fairs in Kansas City
We thought this last recommendation needed a section to itself. A single bullet point just wouldn’t do it justice! So many of our senior living residents are in a season of life to slow down and, like previously mentioned, enjoy the beauty of what God has created for us to enjoy. At the top of that list is fine art—the work inspired by the minds and hearts of artists around the globe. Lucky for St. Anthony’s residents, Kansas City plays host to a few of the most renowned local art fairs in the country.
- • The Plaza Art Fair | September 24th-26th. And in the case of The Plaza Fair, this is a global occasion where artists and enthusiasts travel from all over the world to partake. The Plaza outdoor shopping center is a stone’s throw from St. Anthony’s, and the event is typically packed with individuals walking up and down the art booths. It’s a fun occasion we’d say everyone needs to take advantage of at some point.
- • Art Westport | September 10th-12th. For a smaller but still impressive art fair, Westport hosts this event each fall and it’s another great option in the city! One of the benefits of this event is that it displays more local artists than other art fairs might, and it’s in a fun and historic part of town.
- • Brookside Art Fair | September 17th-19th. Again, how could we not highlight our next-door neighbors and this wonderful art fair event! You can’t go wrong with the Brookside Art Fair, and because of its location, is one of the most pragmatic local art fairs our residents could visit each year.
Chiefs Football in the Fall
Last but not least, we’d be remiss not to mention our hometown team. With great ownership in place, alongside an MVP quarterback, it’s a great time to be a Kansas City Chiefs fan!
If you walk down any St. Anthony’s hallway on a cool Sunday afternoon, there’s a good chance many of our residents will have the boys in red on their TV. Chiefs games present a wonderful time for community and camaraderie on our campus—our residents love when we win and pick each other up when we lose.
Thankfully, there’s plenty in Kansas City to lift one’s spirits should the Chiefs lose. (Which is unlikely, of course). Hopefully, your mind is spinning with new ideas of how to enjoy Kansas City this fall—and you have a few dates on your calendar marked. If we missed anything, let us know! Again, senior living is such a sweet season of life. Paired with a wonderful autumn season, there might not be a better place to be in Kansas City than St. Anthony’s.
