Sightseeing in Kansas

Most folks take their dates to a fancy restaurant or a movie theater, but DWTA Helicopters can lead couples to romance at a less conventional locale: the sky. The FAA- and DOT-certified commercial-aircraft carrier whisks guests upward on intimate flights for two, airborne tours of wintertime’s holiday light displays, and jaunts geared toward aerial photography and videography sessions. Flights launch in 30 minutes or less, and the veteran pilots chart their courses with satellite navigation and tracking systems, rather than just following the biggest and strongest seagull. Those who aspire to become pilots themselves can learn skills at the carrier’s ground school, which prepares them for the FAA pilot exam and welcomes them to the skies with an included discovery flight.

Pairing works by local artists with museum-quality framing, Prairiebrooke Arts is both a gallery and preservation studio. Canvases, sculptures, and intricately blown glass dot the studio's walls and tables, representing handsome finished works available for sale. To help decorate homes and businesses, the gallery's staff performs on-site artistic consultations wherein they discuss with clients which piece would best complement a room's color scheme or its resident stack of old magazines.

An equally discerning eye is cast on each of Prairiebrooke Arts' framing projects. Fine art consultants offer their ideas for how to best frame a photo or piece of art, whether employing gold leaf, French details, or museum-grade preservation materials. Their talents also extend into three-dimensional pieces, which stand inside shadow boxes that display objects such as colorful fishing lures and baby shoes.

Veteran reporter Johnny Rowlands is known not only for his real-time traffic reports and breaking news coverage, but also his immaculate flying record as a news-copter pilot. With more than 20,000 hours of incident-free flying under his belt, he opened KC Copters with a “flying smart” mentality that emphasizes enhanced safety. Using Johnny’s safety-oriented protocol, professional pilots lead tours, lessons, and discovery flights in Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters.

The new two-story tree house that sits amid Kansas Children’s Discovery Center’s 4.5 acres of greenery is more than a house—children can also swoop down its slide or scale its climbing wall. The multifaceted structure reflects the center’s overall complexity. On its outdoor grounds’ network of bike trails, hiking paths, and obstacle courses, youngsters can cultivate their love of nature without going off to live with a family of wolverines; meanwhile, 10 hands-on, educational exhibits in the 15,000-square-foot indoor facility fuel youthful curiosity in everything from construction projects to an interactive lemonade stand that teaches kids the basics of balancing a budget.

Kansas City Executive Transportation understands the journey is just as important as the final destination. Licensed, insured, and bonded, its professional chauffeurs ferry passengers about town in luxury cars and SUVs, each designed for both comfort and style. Larger vehicles, such as party buses and shuttles, are perfectly suited for a night out clubbing or a bachelor or bachelorette party—each equipped with two LCD TVs, a booming sound system, and mood lighting to help get the party started pre-arrival. For shorter jaunts, Cadillacs and luxury Town Cars frequently whisk travelers to the airport, conventions, and business meetings, but can also lend an elegant touch to romantic date nights or morning paper routes.

With "Comfort is just a spoonful away" as its motto, Pegah's Family Restaurant serves up classic comfort food from a kaleidoscopic menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. The kitchen cooks traditional American dishes, filling plates with the likes of homemade soup, pancakes, reubens, and chicken fried steaks. A red awning welcomes diners into the brightly lit space, so homelike that no one would judge you if you wanted to eat breakfast for lunch or lunch for dessert.