Kansas City, Missouri is a Midwestern city with a vibrant culture, world renown barbecue, and a breadth of activities to experience. I have been to Kansas City twice, and I have a major soft spot for the city. Here is a list of some of my favorite things to eat, see, and do during your trip. I suggest spending some time in Country Club Plaza and checking out some of the events on KC's packed event's calendar.
Restaurants:
Char Bar - Incredible barbecue paired with a patio full of lawn games, Char Bar deserves a place on your itinerary. Order the CBGB burger made with smoked brisket and the macaroni and cheese (pictured above) and you will not be disappointed. {Westport - 4050 Pennsylvania Ave}
Woodyard - If you want an authentic Kansas City BBQ experience, this is your place. The meat is smoked low and slow in an outdoor smoker, and the ribs fall right off the bone. {Mission - 3001 Merriam Lane}
YJ's Snack Bar - A funky cafe with coffee and top notch desserts that has been around since 1927. {Crossroads - 128 W 18th St}
Beer Kitchen: A low key gastropub with a huge beer selection and some fun beer cocktails. {Westport - 435 Westport Rd}
Ça Va: A quite restaurant where you can find oysters, croque madame and champagne with live jazz. {Westport - 4149 Pennsylvania Ave}
Shopping:
Prize - A home store with one of a kind finds, such as antique furniture with modern upholstery. {Country Club Plaza - 4725 Wyandotte}
The Better Cheddar - A cheese and wine lover's dream, I was very sad that I couldn't figure out a way to bring home some cheese. Next time we are in KC we will stop here, stock up, and have a cheese and wine feast in our hotel room. {604 West 48th St.}
Terrasi Living & Scandia Home - A locally owned boutique with a stunning selection of bedding and other smaller home decor items. {Country Club Plaza - 501 Nichols Road}
Kendra Scott - An affordable jewelry shop that is hugely popular among women in KC. I personally adore the jewelry and own a few pieces. {Country Club Plaza - 412 Nichols Road}
Normal Human - A locally owned tee shirt shop selling shirts for men and women with Kansas City pride. {Westport -827 Westport Road}
Things to Do:
Nelson - Atkins Museum - A beautiful free museum with an impassive collection of Egyptian Art. Outside, 32 sculptures decorate the museum's grounds. {Near Country Club Plaza - 4525 Oak Street}
Fountains - Kansas City is known as the city of fountains, with over 200 of them throughout the city. Kansas City is clean and walkable so I recommend going on a little self guided walking tour to see some of the many fountains. Many of the most elaborate fountains can be found in Country Club Plaza. {all over!}
KC BBQ Tour - Sign up with this local tour company to be led on a culinary journey exploring a handful of KC BBQ joints. {Various locations, check the website for details}
Getting around:
Uber is easily accessible, affordable, and likely less expensive than renting a car. Many neighborhoods are walkable, and bikes are available for rent throughout the city.
Hotels:
Sheraton Country Club Plaza - Affordable, freshly renovated, and centrally located, this hotel as the best of everything, including an indoor/outdoor pool. {Country CLub Plaza - 770 West 47th St.}
Hotel Phillips - A four-star hotel in downtown Kansas City decorated in the Art Deco style. {Downtown - 106 West 12th St.}
Events:
Plaza Art Fair - An annual event that takes place in September and brings together hundreds of artists along with restaurants and live music. {Country Club Plaza}
Kansas City Fashion Week - A flurry of fashion shows take over Union Station in late September, and tickets are sold to the public. {Union Station}
Kansas City Country Club Plaza Lights - Country Club Plaza is famous for it's Christmas lights display, which takes place the evening of Thanksgiving and kicks off the holiday season. Apparently this tradition, which is now in it's 86th year started with a couple strands of Christmas lights, and now the entire plaza is lit up. {Country Club Plaza}
Kansas City has a very active events calendar; you can find a complete listing of events on the Visit KC website. Have you been to Kansas City yet? It is not to be overlooked, it's a gorgeous clean city with so much to do. Feel free to list your favorite things to do in KC in the comments!
This post was sponsored by Visit KC, but the opinions expressed are my own.
