I get such great ideas from everyone here so figured this is a good place to start. We will be in KCMO for just a few days 11/30-12/3. We will be busy with a soccer tournament most of the time but will have all day Friday open and also Thursday night. Does anyone have any suggestions on what areas to stay in or must-do activities while we are there? I know that there are some areas to avoid due to crime but am not familiar with the city. Any help would be appreciated!
It was many years ago and I was only in KC for a two days on business - but I remember being impressed by the holiday lights (this from a New Yorker) so you need to check those out!
Depending on what kinds of things you like to do, here are a few suggestions:
National World War I Memorial/Museum
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Crown Center - including the Hallmark Visitors Center
Arabia Steamboat Museum
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library
if you have younger kids, then Science City at Union Station might be fun for them. Union Station is nice to look at for any age; they have a special exhibit about Pompeii right now.
The upscale shopping area with all the lights/fountains is called Country Club Plaza. They turn on the lights on Thanksgiving evening in a big ceremony. Horse carriage rides are available.
If you want to do shopping and want more reasonable prices, there’s a huge outlet mall complex in Kansas City, KS called Legends. Tons of restaurants there too.
Food-wise, Kansas City is known for barbecue. Tons to choose from; I like Jack Stack.
Where is your soccer tournament? You probably want your hotel to be near there. There are nice hotels at Crown Center and Country Club Plaza, but they will probably cost more and may not be convenient for soccer. The Legends complex also has several hotels, but as I mentioned, it’s in Kansas City, KS, not MO.
Many of the suburbs of Kansas City are very nice - Overland Park, Leawood, Olathe, etc. and would be fine to stay in if it’s convenient to your soccer tournament.
I just wanted to second all that @college_query suggests. With relatives in KC, I had many childhood trips and can still remember being impressed by the sites mentioned. I’ve returned as an adult to validate those memories - yes, all spots were as good as I recalled. I’ve generally stayed in the Country Club Plaza area and enjoyed it.
Take the new streetcar (free! But you may have to pay to park your car) from Union Station to City Market where the Steamship Arabia Museum is located. A steamship named Arabia on its way to deliver supplies to the western frontier sank in the Missouri River in 1856. It was dug up about 20 years ago and the cargo is being preserved and is on exhibit. Hundreds of buttons and boots and axe handles and keys that were intended for people in the West are displayed. It is fascinating and unique. If you only have one day in Kansas City the Steamship Arabia museum should be at the top of your list. (And they’re going to dig up a second steamship in 2017.)
If you’re a quilter, you’re only 1 hr 5 minutes from Missouri Star Quilt Co!
I was in KCMO a year and a half ago (many cousins in the area). We did the WWI Museum and the Arabia. The Arabia was far cooler than I expected. It’s also known as the City of Fountains – might be worth it to look some up and do a walking tour if that’s your thing.
Thanks for the great suggestions everyone! Sounds like we will have plenty to do. We don’t have younger kids- our son’s college soccer team is playing in the NCAA finals there so we are going to watch. He will be with the team the whole time- other than at the games, we may not see much of him, so it will just be my husband and myself.
@kiddie- I do love Christmas lights and will definitely be on the look-out for those. The tournament is at Swope Soccer Village. Someone mentioned that it is not in a great area but I have not confirmed that. I think we might do an airbnb instead of a hotel. I haven’t used a hotel in a while as I always find the best accommodations and prices on airbnb. Thanks all for the Steamship Arabia suggestions- sounds fascinating and my husband would enjoy that. We probably won’t do too much shopping as he does not do well for very long. @CountingDown, I actually am a beginning quilter and would love to go to the Star Quilt Co. I may drag my DH along if we have some extra time. Great ideas!!!
My father grew up in Independence, Missouri (outside KC), just down the street from the Truman house (he went to high school with Margaret, in fact)–so of course I had to visit the Truman house when I was in Kansas City last year. It’s a window into a different time and quite fascinating. I was very glad I’d made the time. (My grandparents’ house burned down and there is now a small park on the old site.)
See if there’s an Airbnb in Brookside. Nice area and only a few minutes driving from Swope Soccer Village.
There are several area with great Christmas lights, but the legendary display is at the Plaza. Don’t miss it.
To reiterate what a couple of others have said, the National World War I museum and the Arabia museum are exceptional. Kansas City is also home to the Negro League Baseball Museum. My then 11 year old son LOVED this museum and still talks about it to this day. There is also the Jazz museum and the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures is impressive and MUCH more interesting than you’d assume.
Union Station is worth a visit.
Swope Park Zoo has some great exhibits.
My first suggestion is what everyone else has said - the WWI Museum. But not necessarily the museum itself, as it may or may not fit your son’s interests. But definitely worth going just to go up in the Lincoln Memorial - best view of the city short of a helicopter.
Dinner on the Plaza is a great suggestion - there are a range of options for every budget.
The Truman library is a little out of the way in Independence, but depending on how much of a history buff you are, it’s amazing. I’ve been eight times myself, and only seven of those were field trips.
The City Market (area surrounding the Steamboat museum) can be fun to explore. Farmer’s market is only Sat/Sun mornings, and it’s definitely better in the summer, but the little shops and stands around the area can be fun to visit. If you go, Bloom Bakery is a must stop. Best scones I’ve ever had. And then that whole area - the River Market - is fun to go around. Plenty of restaurants and artisan-type shops. Plus, as others have mentioned, the streetcar runs through the area and is free.
As for accommodations, I would choose somewhere else over the Swope Park area, but it’s really personal preference. The commute into downtown and that area isn’t bad at all, so even if you stay in KC, Kansas or a suburb close and north of the city proper, it’s 30-40 minutes max.
Feel free to message me if you would like any more information! I love this city.
Country Club Plaza is worth a visit even if you don’t want to shop - lights, fountains, and lots of restaurants to choose from. Hotels in that area wouldn’t be too far from the Swope Soccer Village (about 15 minutes). Also, a drive through the nearby Mission Hills neighborhood is fun - lots of incredible houses to gawk at.
Arthur Bryant Barbecue–barbecue lovers think it’s the best. We went there years ago–it was excellent! Not upscale at all–take out.
As far as barbecue, I hate to jump in a heated debate here, but I second @Bromfield2 Arthur Bryant’s is the best. It’s where Obama ate a couple of years ago. Not upscale at all, totally agree. If you want more of an experience with your barbecue, try Gates Barbecue. Just avoid the chains and franchises, go authentic!
Q39 in Westport for barbecue.
The WWI museum is AMAZING. Smithsonian level. Profoundly moving.
I’ll third the Arthur Bryant’s recommendation. I haven’t eaten there since my last cross country trip in the 1980s though!
The Nelson-Atkins museum has a particularly fine East Asian collection. (Some absolutely stunning landscape paintings in particular.) Also I seem to remember a lot of Thomas Hart Benton’s - not my favorite painter, but my cross country companion was interested in that period of American History and Art.
@mathmom Thomas Hart Benton is from Missouri, so that’s the reason for the somewhat lopsided collection. :)) Not much comes out of Missouri, so we tend to over-emphasize what does.
OK. so now y’all are making me want to take a road trip that includes quilt stops at Missouri Star and Paducah!
Thank you everyone- it sounds like we could use more time in KC in order to see all of the sites. I’m going to have to sit down and pick and choose. The tournament is single elimination. Of course I hope they go all the way as this is the final 4 for NCAA Div. 2 teams. But in the event that is not the case, we will have an extra day to roam around!