Overland Park Area

[luzianne]

You might be able to catch a Royals game.

There's the Deanna Rose Farmstead and the Aboretum and Botanical Gardens, both in OP City of Overland Park, Kansas - Visitor Information and the Overland Park Convention Center

There is a farmer's market on Wednesdays and Saturdays in old downtown Overland Park

You should go down to the Plaza and have a drink or dinner. Lots of places have an outdoor patio and that's a good time of year to sit outside and enjoy the weather.

Harry Truman's Library in Independence.

If you like amusement parks/water parks, there is Worlds and Fun and Oceans of Fun

Lawrence is a good place to go like Samantha said, and there's also a Natural History Museum on campus that is interesting.

There will probably be something going on at Starlight theater, whether a concert or a theater performance.

Spencer Museum of Art is in Lawrence too.

If you are into history, in Osawatomie, Kansas (about an hour south of Overland Park) you can see John Brown's cabin, part of the underground railroad. There's a trap door in one of the rooms with a rug over it that was used to hide slaves. Very interesting if you're into history. Osawatomie is a big railroad town too, or at least it used to be.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by luzianne

Harry Truman's Library in Independence.

Crud, I forgot all about the Truman attractions, any history buff would enjoy his home and library. Jessie James home and a bank he robbed is in Liberty as well.

[gwander]

Oh, I bet you are coming for training at BNSF over at Johnson County Community College! You might like Weston Missouri (old riverboat town, with lots of old homes.) And Abilene Kansas (Eisenhower library and home) And Fort Scott KS (old Fort, they do re-enactments) All possible as day trips. I personally think that there is something of historic value that can be learned in just about any of our small towns. Enjoy your time here!

[rosecitywanderer]

Originally Posted by gwander

Oh, I bet you are coming for training at BNSF over at Johnson County Community College! You might like Weston Missouri (old riverboat town, with lots of old homes.) And Abilene Kansas (Eisenhower library and home) And Fort Scott KS (old Fort, they do re-enactments) All possible as day trips. I personally think that there is something of historic value that can be learned in just about any of our small towns. Enjoy your time here!

That's why I'm coming. Good guess.

I'm hoping for the best...

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rosecitywanderer

That's why I'm coming. Good guess.

I'm hoping for the best...

My brother has worked for the railroad since 1976 or so, and the railroad has been very good to him. He makes great money. Railroaders don't pay into Social Security, they have their own retirement fund that they pay into. When my brother retires, his railroad retirement will pay him 80% of his pay when he was still working (I'm assuming 80% of what he was making when he retired). That is a whole lot better than Social Security. He travels to several different states, is often gone 8 days in a row, then home 8 days, has lots of time off. If it stays like that, I'd say working for the railroad is a great choice.

Good luck!

[rosecitywanderer]

Originally Posted by luzianne

My brother has worked for the railroad since 1976 or so, and the railroad has been very good to him. He makes great money. Railroaders don't pay into Social Security, they have their own retirement fund that they pay into. When my brother retires, his railroad retirement will pay him 80% of his pay when he was still working (I'm assuming 80% of what he was making when he retired). That is a whole lot better than Social Security. He travels to several different states, is often gone 8 days in a row, then home 8 days, has lots of time off. If it stays like that, I'd say working for the railroad is a great choice.

Good luck!

Wow...I knew the bennies were good but I didn't know they were that good.

Thanks a lot. I'm really hoping this works out.

[rosecitywanderer]

One last thing: Are big hail storms a common occurrence in OP around that time of year? My car will be parked outside and I don't want it coming back looking like the surface of a golf ball.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rosecitywanderer

One last thing: Are big hail storms a common occurrence in OP around that time of year? My car will be parked outside and I don't want it coming back looking like the surface of a golf ball.

They can be, but it's hit and miss. I bought a car in 2005 and it's been parked in the driveway for almost 4 years now and no hail damage, although it HAS hailed. In fact, no hail damage on any of our vehicles. My daughter lives in Lawrence and one night there was a hailstorm and her car had dents all over it. But in all the years we've lived here, that one car has been the only one damaged by hail. We did have a tree fall on one during an ice storm, but that's another story.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by rosecitywanderer

Wow...I knew the bennies were good but I didn't know they were that good.

Thanks a lot. I'm really hoping this works out.

He also doesn't pay much for health insurance (a little over $100 a month I think - railroad pays the rest). And it covers pretty much everything and it doesn't matter if you have 1 kid or 20, the premium is the same. Maybe less if it's just a single person but I'm not sure. I am so jealous of that retirement plan; he has it made.