Full Disclosure: I have been compensated for this post, however, the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. 

My family could be (more like should be) classified as dreamers. We like to look out on our backyard and think about the possibility of a massive deck with a fire pit, big enough to entertain and enjoy our backyard. We like to think about our next family car. We (ok maybe just me) have one already picked out with a third row and the extra cargo capacity would be beneficial to our growing family and our busy lifestyle.

But a car that size would also help tow the family boat to the lake. Yeah, I said it, the family boat. I said we are a bunch of dreamers, didn’t I? 

While we might not be a boating family, mostly because the lakes here in Kansas City are limited AND the added cost of storing one or finding a dock for it put it JUST out of our reach. But again, we are dreamers, and visiting the Progressive Kansas City Boat and Sport Show is always a highlight with my family because we can do exactly that, dream. 

Walking up and down the aisles of the boat show, I always look at one of the Tige speedboats and say, “what if…” trailing off as I remember, it isn’t for us. Then there is the yacht with three bedrooms and a full bathroom, equipped with a stove, fridge, blender, AND wine fridge and I think to myself that there would no need to leave the water. 

Come on kids, yes it’s fun, and we would have to sell our house to live on the water, but what would you do for school?”

“But dad, you could home school us!” says my nine-year-old.

Now you can see that my family loves to dream. But when we attended our first boat show, there were three things that we were not prepared for that we are ready for each and every year we attend the Kansas City Boat Show. 

Be Prepared To Get On EVERY Boat

For many who will attend a boat show with their kids, every single boat your kids will want to step foot on. There will be boats with beds on them, boats with bathrooms, speed boats, bass boats, pontoon boats, yachts. There will be boats, much like my kids, that they will say, we can just move in on this boat. 

The moment you walk into the convention center it will all feel overwhelming. The nearly 300 boats at the Progressive Kansas City Boat and Sport Show made for an interesting journey through the show. But this year, our youngest (2 years old), was only interested in getting in the driver’s seat and then made is way off the boat and onto the next. 

While it might have been difficult to keep up with him, it was quickly evident that we were going to have to check out every boat in the show. 

Wear Shoes That Come On and Off Easily

Like many who want shoes to be taken off when you enter their house, many of the resellers at the show ask that you take your shoes off before you board any of the boats that they have on display. The first year that we went we made the mistake of taking shoes that were difficult to get on and off without realizing just how often we would be taking them on and off. 

This year, learning from our mistakes, we wore shoes to the boat show that both kids could get on and off again easily. At some point throughout the show, we decided that we just weren’t going to put them on anymore and stuffed them away in our stroller, and walked around the boat show in just our socks. 

The 5 seconds it took us to take our shoes off sometimes meant the difference of watching our boys climb on a boat and looking for them on another boat that caught there interest. 

The Boat Show Isn’t All About Boats!

It might seem odd that smack dab in the middle of the midwest, where finding a body of water big enough to support some of these boats there would be a boat show. But yet there we were attending the Kansas City Boat Show, not even intending on the remote possibility of ever owning a boat.

The moment we walked into the convention hall, we saw that it was about much more than boats. There are many family-friendly activities to encourage you and your kids to get outdoors. Just to name a few of the activities that you can experience at the Kansas City Boat Show there is a paddle sports pool to test your feet on a new kayak and a trout pond to go try your hand at fishing.  In years past there have been dog jumping competitions, fishing tutorials, and even archery! 

Your local boat show is something that you will not want to miss. 

---

The 2020 Progressive Insurance Kansas City Boat & Sportshow will highlight a paddle sports pool, a career day on Friday, Jan 10th., The Show Me Stage, The Hawg Trough, KC Food Truck Mafia, and the Willow Creek Trout Pond.

The show will be open Thursday to Sunday and I have your ticket to the show. I have 4 tickets to giveaway, check out my instagram for all the details. You can also buy your tickets using the code BOATGP5 for buy one get one tickets.