Perfect Day in Emporia – Christina and LeLan Dains

Posted on May 4, 2021 by LeLan Dains, Director

Coming up with an all-day outing for a family of four can be daunting. My wife Christina and I have Adella (3) and Jack (11 months). Fortunately, we live in a community that makes a day out with the little ones quite easy!

We would definitely start our day with a hearty breakfast from Do B’s. I love getting the Garbage Plate and sharing it with the kiddos. With our belly’s full we would head out to Peter Pan Park. As one of our largest parks, Peter Pan boasts multiple playgrounds, a disc golf course, and a beautiful splash pad. We can easily spend the entire morning here!

There is no question where we are going for lunch. The Daily Station has become one of our favorite places to eat in town. This little food truck features Mexican and Salvadoran cuisine. Christina and I are obsessed with the Birria Tacos and Adella and Jack like to share a couple pupusas.

After lunch it’s time to move again. We love family bike rides and the Dale Greiner Nature Trail at Emporia State University is perfect for little kids. The trail is short and well maintained with a couple of nice wooden bridges that the kids love! After an activity such as cycling, it’s nice to relax a bit. Sneaking away to the Lyon County History Center is a great choice. Not only are the exhibits worthwhile, but there is a kids area that will keep the little ones entertained and give mom and dad a chance to rest! As anyone with kids knows, the attention spans can only hold for so long. After an hour we are on the move again, this time to the David Traylor Zoo. It’s hard to determine if we love the plant life or animal exhibits more. It’s all good! And the zoo is just the right size for young kids. It’s a must stop for families with young children.

After an afternoon like that it’s time to refuel one final time. Chi Em Eats is the spot for us. Chi Em is family owned and serves up traditional Vietnamese food. You truly cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. While there is more to explore after dinner time, this is more than enough for us and we are usually calling it a night at this point. We are thankful to live in a town with so much to offer!