2024 Best Sights Around Kansas City Missouri

Intro

If you are anything like me when trying to plan to Kansas City, Kansas, you maybe unfamiliar with the fact that Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri border each other. When I was booking my flights for a work trip to KC, I kept typing in Kansas City, Kansas and the Kansas City, Missouri airport kept coming up. I got frustrated but then finally looked at a map and realized that the Missouri airport was only only 20 minutes from my downtown Kansas City, Kansas hotel I was staying in. Crisis averted. With Kansas City getting world wide attention from the romance between Travis Kelci and Taylor Swift's (along with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs back-to-back Super Bowl wins), I figured it was time for me to share my experience spending a week around the Heart of the America city and toggling between Kansas and Missouri.

City History

The City of Kansas was established by French fur traders on June 1st, 1850 for ease of access to the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. Kansas City has become the largest city by mass and population in the state of Missouri. The Kansas City Chiefs (NFL) were established in 1960, the Kansas City Royals (MLB) in 1969, and Sporting Kansas City and Kansas City Current (Soccer) in 1996 and 2020 respectively. Kansas City has quite a few sporting and concert venues, including Arrowhead Stadium, Kauffman Center, Kansas City Soccer Dome, T-Mobile Center, and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

My Story

I spent about a week working around the Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri area several years ago. I was fortunate to be sent to so many places domestically with work where I had to do my job but also had a decent amount of time to explore. I went to quite a few different offices around Kansas City and down to Overland Park, Kansas. I was fortunate enough to catch the symphony at the Kauffman Center of the Performing Arts Center. I unfortunately wasn't able to catch a Chiefs or Royals game but I did indulge in quite a diverse variety of cuisine around the city. I love Asian food so I explored several restaurants such as Japanese, Thai, and Chinese, among other cuisines. I'll deep dive some restaurants I stopped at below as well as recommendations around the city.

Planning the Trip

When I was planning my trip to Kansas City, I was traveling there for work. So while there was a budget I needed to keep within, it was not exactly the same considerations I would be taking for my own person travel. I was also getting my travel assignments within a week or two, so it was understood some travel expenses were inflated a bit due to booking last minute. My advice when traveling, especially on your own dime, time is your friend. Usually the earlier you book, the better for cost friendly tickets. I have noticed sometimes hotels will drop the price slightly when within a few days of arrival in hopes of filling the room but I have not noticed the same as much for flights.

For flying into Kansas City, the Kansas City Airport is your best bet. St. Louis has a slightly bigger airport with a few more flight options and possibly can be more cost effective. With that said, St. Louis is about 3.5 hours from Kansas City, so it's a bit of a drive if not taking a road trip or if you have limited time. If you are driving into Kansas City, i-70 is the major interstate into the city. If you need a rental car, the city has most of the major rental car companies (Hertz, Avis, Enterprise).

I always like to look at websites like Kayak or Trip.com to get a general sense of pricing for hotels, flights, and/or rental cars. I then either go to the most convenient or economical provider for the services I am using or I will go directly to the companies I have accounts with for the points. If you haven't already done so, most companies have loyalty rewards programs so even if you are not a frequent traveler, the points still add up over time and some places points don't expire.

This post will be filled with all tips Kansas City. Whether you are coming for a weekend getaway from St. Louis, live in one of the surrounding small towns and are taking a day trip to the city, or if you want to explore more of the midwest, Kansas City is the perfect place to experience a little bit of everything.

Hotels in Kansas City

At the time of my trip to Kansas City, I had stayed at all Marriott's. I primarily was in the select service brands (i.e. Courtyard, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, TownPlace Suites). These brands are staples and often have quite a few locations in and around the city as well as off of many highway exits. They are more economical than the luxury options yet still dependable. Also, these brands offer breakfast (sometimes continental, sometimes buffet) included in the rate.

With all of that said, there is a wide variety of hotel options in downtown Kansas City and the surrounding areas. Including motels, boutiques, upscale, and other hotel chains like Wyndham, IHG, Hilton.

Sights Visited in Kansas City

Like I mentioned a bit above, this little city that is nestled between the Kansas and Missouri Rivers, is filled with sights, attractions, and entertainment venues that make it feel like there is a great place on every corner. My Grandparents even came all the way from New York to go on a river cruise just a short drive from Kansas City, on the Mississippi River. That I will touch on in a bit, some of the best road trips around Kansas City like to St. Louis or Oklahoma City. But for right now, if you love nature and are staying in Kansas City, this area houses countless parks with hiking and biking trails and even the Powell Botanical Garden, which is a great spot for a walk, seeing some plants and wild animals. Speaking of wildlife, within a 3-hour drive of Kansas City, there are over ten zoos, including the Kansas City Zoo and Aquarium as well as the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium just north of KC in Omaha.

If a city museum is your thing, check out Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, or the American Jazz Museum. This city is crawling with rich history and culture making it very easy to find live music and a good time. Even the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library is housed in Kansas City. This great city is not that big so many of the sights are within a close proximity, making you take a long scenic drive only if you want to. This city is also one of the best vacation spots for music lovers and is the birth place of such musicians as Janelle Monae and Melissa Etheridge.

If you have a rental car and are looking for weekend trips from KC, you have come to the right place for an outdoor adventure. Check out the beautiful scenery around the Lake of the Ozarks which are nestled in the Ozark Mountains between Kansas City and St Louis. If you are in that region, the Ha Ha Tonka State Park is pretty close by. For more hiking adventures around the state, the Roaring River State Park and the Buffalo National River are near the Missouri / Arkansas state line. The great outdoors in this region could take you an entire weekend, if not longer. The outdoor activities in Missouri seem endless, with their miles of trails for hikes or mountain biking, and a good old school water park within a few minutes of historic downtown Kansas City.

List of the Best Things to Do & See Near Kansas City

State Parks & Historic Sites Near Kansas City

Lakes in Kansas City

Some of the Cutest Towns Around Kansas City

Some of the Best Colleges in Kansas City

Some of the Best Restaurants in Kansas City

When you go to Kansas City, it seems like the entire town is filled with amazing food. A neighborhood coffee shop, new restaurants popping up, or a local favorite. The good news is Kansas City has a ton of restaurant options. From hip and trendy American fare to diverse cultural cuisines and even a plethora of Vegan and Gluten Free options. This amazing little city is amazing enough to bring the likes of Anthony Bourdain there multiple times over the course of his career to visit some of the cities great attractions and some of the best spots to grab a meal in the Kansas City metro area.

Restaurants With Gluten Free Options

Restaurants Anthony Bourdain Stopped at Near Kansas City

Conclusion

I could keep going on about how much Kansas City has to offer. A lot of times when people think of Missouri, they think of St Louis or central Missouri where the Ozark's are. Hopefully this blog has outlined even a sliver of everything Kansas City has to offer other than Travis Kelci and Taylor Swift sightings. With that said, I am rooting for Kansas City to win 3 straight Super Bowls!

Quote

“Whenever I’m in Kansas City, I think back to all the jazz-blues greats who played the blues here — like Count Basie, Charlie Parker and Jay McShann.” — B. B. King

Next Up On The Blog

Thinking of road-tripping next summer with your furry friends? Checkout my blog on a Road Trip With Pets.

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