ReRoll Tavern
ReRoll Tavern in North KC: every great adventure begins in a tavern.
Viking adventures at ReRoll Tavern
“Every great adventure begins in a tavern.”
Where to go in North Kansas City for nerdy fun? ReRoll Tavern (and its sister bar Vignettes next door) are great places to find adventure.
I’m so excited to have been hosted to share about this local gem! I look forward to sharing more in the future as we continue this partnership! My show the Medieval Medicine Show will be performing at ReRoll 6/24/24.
What to do at ReRoll?
ReRoll Tavern has an extensive library of games to play onsite. Pay at the door and have access to countless board games. It’s also a great place to relax with friends or on your own.
There are tons of special activities to join. Check out their monthly calendar and social media for fun offerings like: Tuesday night ladies night (no cover), crafts, Legos, miniature painting, themed parties, cocktails and coloring, chess, knitting, trivia, music performances, ReRoll After Dark (karaoke and other after party activities), board game socials, and cosplay.
If you have a reservation at the Vignettes Pop-Up Bar next door, come in to ReRoll for some fun before or after your reservation.
It’s a great location for an ongoing game of Dungeons and Dragons or other roleplaying games. Join a party or bring your own. (Ask about their Dungeon Master incentive program).
Book their private room for your party, book club, or gaming session.
Themed Parties
I love a good costume themed party. You can expect a good crowd at a themed night with themed drinks and activities like trivia and costume contests. My husband and our friends have enjoyed dressing up for two Letterkenny Super Soft Birthday Parties. Manu, my partner from the Medieval Medicine Show, and I had a blast being hosted at their Spring Viking party in preparation for the Kickoff of Vikingfest. Other themes have included Parks and Recreation, Shrek, What we do in the Shadows, Pokémon, 90’s Cartoons, Post-Apocalyptic, Star Wars, Pajama Party, Cyberpunk, and many more!
Lindsay and Manu from Medieval Medicine Show exploring our Viking side with friends from Bluffwoods Renaissance Festival.
The Medieval Medicine Show Party and Performance
Saturday, August 24 at 4pm, be sure to catch my Renaissance Festival Show, Medieval Medicine at ReRoll Tavern! We are so excited ReRoll is bringing us in to have a big performance and party with our 75 closest friends and fans! Be sure to save the date!
Tavern Food and Drink
ReRoll Tavern has tasty fresh made pizza and other tavern snacks like nachos, soft pretzels, and burgers. No tavern is complete without drinks to quench the thirst of an adventurer. ReRoll has a signature cocktail and shot menu, specialty themed menus, beer, seltzer, and cider. At the Viking party they offered mead. The Phoenix Down is a very tasty shot. They also have soda, coffee, and juice (including a bottomless soda and coffee option).
Membership
Phoenix Down Shot
Be part of the ReRoll Community and enjoy unlimited access, free friend passes, discounts, and more. Memberships are monthly, yearly, or lifetime for individuals or families.
Looking for more nerdy adventures? Don't miss my posts about Epic Nerd Camp and the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, Bluffwoods Renaissance Festival, Central MO Renaissance Festival, and Oklahoma Renaissance Festival.
ReRoll Tavern Location
2368 Armour Road, Kansas City, MO 64116
On Armour Road/210 in up and coming North Kansas City.
Links
BRKTHROUGH
Team up for a fun time, and test yourself with 40 in-person challenge rooms.
Take a team photo to commemorate the night.
“Challenge Accepted!”
Have you ever done an escape room and found yourself bored when your team got stuck? That won’t happen here. BRKTHROUGH has a ton of fast-paced challenges that can be played in any order. You won’t be bored here.
Challenge Rooms
Explore 40 unique challenge rooms across 20,000 square feet. Test your physical, skill-based, and mental abilities in quick 3-5 minute games.
Green light, go!
How it Works
Come up with a team name. Teams can be as small as 2 people (think date night). They can accommodate parties up to 200 people. Your wrist band will give you access to the challenge rooms and track your team score. Up to 4 teammates at a time can play in each challenge room. Your team works together to figure out how to play the room. Challenges can be played in any order. If there’s a green light on the door, the room is available to play. The label will identify if it is a physical, mental, or skill challenge (or a combo). It will probably take a few tries to figure out the goal of the challenge and figure out your approach. Keep at it! If you are the competitive type, you can view your team’s progress on the leaderboard (we just played for fun).
Gotta love a self-serve drink wall
Food and Drink
Refuel with the self-pour beer and wine wall with 20 drinks on tap. Grab a snack or quick meal between games.
Tips
Wear shoes that work for for climbing and jumping
Free lockers are available, but you’ll want to be able to pay for your refreshments and take photos (pockets are a great idea).
Pre-book a 2 hour or 4 hour time slot (most people go for the 2 hour)
Try to arrive on time, so you don’t waste any of your time slot
Bigger groups are a blast for birthdays, girls night out, bachelor/bachelorette, team building, family reunion, work parties, etc.
Save time by pre-signing your waiver
Challenge room time starts when the door to the room opens
Don’t worry about getting paired up with a stranger, you’ll be paired up with your team
If no one else is waiting, you can re-enter the same room multiple times in a row to figure it out and improve your score
Gift cards are available
Over 50% of the games are wheelchair accessible
There’s a handy drink rack outside the challenge room doors
Those aged 13 or under must have their parent/guardian with them at all times
Location
6403 W. 135th St. Suite E4
Overland Park, KS 66223
BRKTHROUGH is located in Overland Park, KS on the southern part of the Kansas City metro just south of 135th between Metcalf and Nall.
Complimentary parking is readily available.
Links
J. Rieger and Co.
This distillery has it all, including a slide!
The slide is the most unique feature here!
“O! So Good”
There’s a Slide
Need I say more? The first thing you have to know about J. Rieger and Co. is that you can slide from the top floor to the main floor down a free, spiral slide! Do this as many times as you like. Taking the stairs back up to slide again balances out the calories of your food and drink, right?
Distillery Tours and Spirits Tastings
Enjoy an hour-long tour of the distillery including history and behind-the-scenes access followed by a tasting of Premium Wheat Vodka, Midwestern Dry Gin, Kansas City Whiskey, and Caffè Amaro.
An immense selection of barrels for selfies.
Bars, Restaurant, and More
The Tasting Room is where the tour ends and is a great place to grab a cocktail. Check out the J. Rieger wallpaper. Monogram Lounge is a restaurant upstairs where we shared appetizers for a meal. We made reservations. The Electric Park Garden Bar is open seasonally. The Hey! Hey! Club is an underground cocktail experience. Don’t miss the gift shop and historical exhibit.
Tips
Leave time for a cocktail and appetizers upstairs.
How do you pronounce Rieger? Ree - gur. Not Rye - gur.
Tours are currently offered 7 days a week, and advance booking is a must as tours sell out.
Any guest under the age of 21 must be accompanied by an adult 21+.
Closed-toe shoes are required for the tour.
Make sure to check in for the tour at the front desk 15 minutes early. No refunds if you are late.
Bring your Photo ID. You’ll also sign a waiver digitally using your phone.
You will be walking/standing for about 30 minutes during the tour. Fortunately, the distillery is ADA-accessible. We managed just fine with a wheelchair.
The barrel rickhouse and production floor are NOT climate controlled, and thus may be warm or cold depending on the season and the weather. We went in the winter and returned our coats to the car because it was warm enough inside even in the rickhouse. It may get quite warm in the summer. The tour will explain why those temperature changes are part of the process!
There are membership options if you can’t get enough.
There are many great locations for private events from wedding receptions to corporate events.
Location
2700 GUINOTTE AVE KANSAS CITY, MO 64120
Distillery is located in the Electric Park neighborhood of Kansas City. (NOT at 1924 Main St. the historic Rieger Hotel building.
Allow extra travel time as the location is next to active train tracks. Follow the Electric Park detour signs should you get stuck at a train crossing.
Complimentary parking is located on the west side of the building.
Did I mention the slide?
Adventure Café (now closed)
Adventure Café in Lee’s Summit has everything you need to game.
Lindsay at Adventure Café in Lee’s Summit
Update: Unfortunately this lovely cafe has closed. Check out Pawn and Pint or ReRoll Tavern.
Grab your adventuring party, fuel up with provisions, and “roll for initiative” at Adventure Café in Lee’s Summit.
Coffee, Tea, and Games
Adventure, tea, games, and good company. These are a few of my favorite things. They can all be found at the Adventure Café in Lee's Summit. This coffee shop, gaming space hybrid has everything you need to experience a world of adventures from the comfort of your seat.
The Adventure Café has a library of games with handy color-coded dots helping you find the perfect game as well as reference books. You can pay $5 per table to play the collection of games or buy a membership.
Grab a coffee and a pastry at café tables in the coffee shop area, the semi-private section with sofas, or one of three private rooms you can book (for your next campaign or book club).
In addition to enjoying a delicious café beverage (I had the understandably popular, lavender chai), you can shop their inventory of unique, nerdy merchandise. I added a stylish box set of giant, pink dice.
See you soon in Lee's Summit, MO at Adventure Café.
Looking for more nerdy adventures? Don't miss my posts about Epic Nerd Camp and the Kansas City Renaissance Festival.
Game Library with color-coded dots
Location
Adventure Café Entrance
1211 NE Rice Rd, Lee's Summit, MO 64086
Just off 291 in Lee’s Summit, MO just outside Kansas City.
Links
Sail Away Wine
“Kansas City's Self-Service Wine Bar. Taste the world one sip at a time.”
Lindsay self-serving a taste of Moscato
“Kansas City's Self-Service Wine Bar. Taste the world one sip at a time.”
Self-service Wine
Need I say more? Just in case you want more details, read on. I love customizing my experiences, and of course, I can always get behind a nautical adventure theme. At Sail Away Wine, you get to choose your own adventure.
This is the perfect place to try out wines without feeling judged if you don’t already know what you like. If you are already a wine connoisseur, you’ll find new favorites. A great place to bring friends or a date.
When you check in at the counter, you get a personal wine passport card to use and retain for future visits. The wines are organized in different glass-fronted cases of 8 different bottles in broad categories with detailed description cards above (keep the tasting card if you find a favorite).
Your personalized Wine Passport
Grab a glass (you can get a new one for each taste if you are feeling fancy or you can reuse the same one). Insert your wine passport card into the slot in the case. Pick the wine you’d like to taste and the size pour. There’s a sample size, a medium size, and a glass size. The price, which varies by wine, is listed above the buttons, so you know exactly what you are buying.
Grab your card, return to your table, and enjoy your wine. Whenever you are ready, go back for more of the same wine or move on to try a different one. Don’t forget your wine passport each time.
They also have a food menu to accompany the wines. Don’t miss the seasonal specials. We had a delicious big pretzel and a fabulous flatbread to share (which includes a gluten-free option). Spirits are also available. Check out the vintage refrigerated case for beers and non-alcoholic drinks (buy one for your designated driver). When you are all done, bring your passport to the bar to pay your balance.
Tips
Bring your passport back for your next visit. It is reusable, but if you forget, they’ll print you a new one.
Your receipt will include a list of all the wines you tasted which is handy to keep for future reference.
Make sure the spigot is properly pointing into your glass!
I adore this quote on the wall! Glorious Adventures ahead!
You can also buy bottles of your new favorite wines to enjoy at home. (If you buy a bottle to drink there though, it is quite a bit more expensive. Fortunately, the prices are well-marked.)
Check out live music and trivia nights.
Don’t forget happy hour discounts.
With all the card swiping for your samples, don’t forget to pay before you leave.
Visit again for fresh selections.
Make sure to read the inspirational quote on the wall on the way back from the restrooms: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Go forth and plan your next glorious adventure!
Location
309 Armour Road, North Kansas City, MO 64116
Exciting places to go are popping up everyday in North Kansas City. Sail Away Wine is in the heart of downtown North KC. Angled street parking is available.
Links
Lotus Hot Pot and Grill
Lotus Hot Pot and Grill an eating experience to share with friends
Lindsay and friends eating at Lotus Hot Pot and Grill
An eating adventure to share with friends.
Hot Pot
Lotus Hot Pot and Grill was my first hot pot experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't tried it before. It makes eating your meal a fun adventure. You get to pick the ingredients that go into the soup that you make in a large hot pot on your table. The soup cooking pot has a divider down the middle so you can have two different soups. They also have a barbecue option that I have not tried yet but sounds exciting.
You get to choose your broth type, your vegetables your meat, and your toppings or sauces (which can be kept separately and added per bowl for varying tastes in the group). As a picky eater, I love to customize my food.
The raw vegetables and meat come on individual plates and you cook them in hot broth. I recommend not using the same utensil to put the raw meat in the boiling soup broth you use to eat your food.
We also shared a delicious order of fried pot stickers and an order of edamame. Both the hot tea and the iced tea were good. The time I went with one other person and the time I went with two other people, we had enough food to take home leftovers in plastic soup containers. The veggie combo included a very large amount of veggies.
I haven't had to wait to be seated on either visit. This is perfect for a group of two to four people. They may have tables for larger groups, but my groups of two and three were perfect for the standard table.
I appreciate that they have a sense of humor in their decor.
Location
6591a N Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, MO 64118
There is ample parking in the lot next to the restaurant. Lotus Hot Pot and Grill is in a shopping strip called Little Saigon Plaza.
Links
Lotus Hot Pot and Grill Facebook
wikiHow to Eat and Cook Hot Pot read this for what order to cook the meat and vegetables!
The Kansas City Renaissance Festival
Huzzah and Cheers for 45 Years of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival
The entrance to the KC Renaissance Festival
I have been going to the KC Renaissance Festival since I was about 5. I was lucky my parents like to go, and we would dress up. Once I really got into it in high school, we would get season passes. I met my husband there, and I have been part of a musical comedy show, The Medieval Medicine Show for over 7 years. You probably get the picture that I enjoy the Renaissance Festival. Adults getting together and playing make-believe with costumes, food, shopping, entertainment, and the outdoors. I look forward to it every year and spend about 14 days there each fall. Read more to learn how you can make this your next glorious adventure.
Dates and Hours
7 Weekends Starting Labor Day, 10am-7pm. Special event tickets are limited, so buy them in advance. There are always deals going on for discounted entry tickets, and they are cheaper online, so check out the website (link at the bottom). If you think you’ll make multiple visits, go ahead and get a season pass.
Experience
Spend a few hours or days exploring the village of Canterbury during the Renaissance. Escape from the modern world and enjoy all the fun parts of Renaissance England. For the best experience, I encourage you to dress up (even just one costume item starts the fun, and there are plenty of places selling costumes there). Each weekend has a theme you may want to consider when planning your trip and outfit. While there are benefits to going on your own (getting to see what you want when you want), the festival really shines when shared with friends and family. If you really get into it, there are many ways to join the festival.
Knightwings: Birds of Prey is one of many shows you can watch
Shows
There are stages set throughout the festival with a constant rotation of 30-minute shows. You’ll find comedy, music, magic, combat, dance, and more. Check out the Children’s Realm for entertainment for children and the pub crawl or happy hour (special tickets needed) for 21 and over bawdy humor. A few shows that you’ll typically find from year to year include: the Jolly Rogers, Dr. Dumpe, Bob the Incredible Juggler, Robin Hood Swill Pond Show, Clearly Guilty, Misti Bernard, Gaelic Brass, Knightwings: Birds of Prey, Maxwell the Magnificent, Bonny Way, and Bawdily Harm just to mention a few. There are always new acts showing up and acts visiting from other festivals. Get a program at the gate to find out when and where to find the different acts. There’s a daily human combat chess match, and check out the Pub Sing at 5:45pm to see highlights from different music groups. There is usually a scenario featuring the Royal Court that starts at the opening gate, runs throughout the day, and ends at the closing gate. You’ll find costumed characters throughout the lanes that would love to interact with you. Ask them about their day and their life.
Entertaining shopping
Special Events
Make sure to check out the Special Events listing for things like the joust, costume contests, tasting events (special tickets needed), Queen’s Tea, and daily parade. Many ticketed special events sell out during the later part of the season, so buy tickets online in advance (see link below).
Shopping
There is no shortage of things to buy from jewelry to mugs, swords to leather, toys to costumes, scented oil to candles, pottery, and more. While many larger booths do accept credit cards, it’s a good idea to bring cash. It also helps the vendors avoid credit card processing fees. Many booths will hold your purchase for you until the end of the day (don’t forget to go back for it!) or you can run it out to your car. Just make sure to get a hand stamp to get back in.
Food and Drink
A knight reaches for a cold flagon during a joust from horseback
Eat, drink, and be merry! Don’t miss a turkey leg (big enough to share) and all the expected fried foods and foods on a stick. From kettle corn and crepes to chicken and chips or a Scotch Egg, you’ll find all your favorite festival foods. There are plenty of spots to buy adult beverages as well from beers and wine to mead, cider, seltzer, and cocktails. All of the ticketed Royal Events include food or drink (and can sell out).
Games and Rides
You’ll find swings and games of skill like axe throwing and archery throughout the festival as well as camel rides. These all have an additional cost requiring cash.
Lindsay and her mom during Lindsay’s first visit to the KC Renfest
Kids
The festival is a magical place for children. Make sure to see the King and Queen and explore the Children’s Realm and Enchanted Forest. Also, make note of the restrooms and food and give plenty of time to get through lines at the busier, later part of the season. Stay hydrated.
Weddings and Special Events
Consider this fun venue for a theme wedding, anniversary, family reunion, or corporate event.
So many great photo spots
Tips
Bring cash for actual tips. It’s customary to tip a few dollars for each show you watch. Many of the food booths also only accept cash. Bring more than you think you’ll need and avoid long ATM lines and ATM fees.
Come earlier in the season before it gets crowded. You will wait in many more lines the last 2 weekends compared to the first 5. The trade-off is hotter weather.
Dress for the weather. The festival is rain or shine. Be prepared for sun, mud, bugs, and even cold weather depending on the day.
The terrain is rough (no paved sidewalks yet in the Renaissance), so prepare for quite a bit of walking.
You can register and bring your dog, but make sure he/she can handle the extreme stimulation (costumes, kids, animals, food) and novelty and all the little pieces of turkey leg on the ground you may not want them eating. Also, prepare your pet for the weather and provide water and a chance to get away from the crowds. There is a “cannon” at the start and end of the day your pet may prefer to avoid.
Location
633 N 130th Street, Bonner Springs, KS 66012
Parking
Free parking at both the King’s Gate at the front and the Queen’s Gate at the rear. Don’t be surprised if you are parking on grass or gravel. GPS may take you to the Queen’s gate at the rear of the festival. Make note of where you parked.
The parking is shared with Sandstone Amphitheater (by whatever name it is going by from year to year).
Links to learn more
Kansas City Renaissance Festival Website
Daily Ticketed Events (Queen’s Tea, Pub Crawl, Mead Tasting, etc)
KC Renaissance Festival Facebook
KC Renaissance Festival Instagram
KC Renfest: eat, drink, and be merry!
