The Short List of Things to do in Kansas City
This admittedly short list of things to do and see in Kansas City leaves out most of the high profile attractions. After all, most people can find the Plaza, and figure out how to watch the Chiefs or the Royals. This list takes you to some other, less traveled, but perhaps more significant places, events, and restaurants. Most are urban experiences centered around downtown KCMO, but a few are further afield.
First Friday at the Crossroads
City Market
Strawberry Hill Museum
Crown Center
Cosentino’s Market downtown, 10 E. 13th, between Main and Walnut. Parking available on both the Main street side and the Walnut street side. Easier access to the store from the Walnut street side, and parking spots reserved for shoppers there as well.
Chinatown Market at 2nd and Grand, just north of the City Market. They stock an amazing range of groceries from around the world. They don’t limit themselves to Chinese products, but include Mexican, Indian, Indonesian, and others, as well as a huge fresh and frozen seafood department. Worth the time for a visit.
Christopher Elbow Chocolate has fabulous, inventive, and drop-dead gorgeous chocolate. Stop in on First Fridays for $1.00 samples.
Case Park, at 8th and Jefferson, has a fabulous view of the rivers, the downtown airport, the West Bottoms, and Kansas City, Kansas. The park is a great spot for watching the Air Show in the summertime.
Quality Hill
Cathedral of the Assumption
The Hotel President and the Drum Room. Check out the lobby and the Drum Room for an updated look of one of the remaining prestigious hotels from Kansas City’s wide-open days.
Bob Jones Shoes stocks over 100,000 pair of shoes. Tell the clerks your size, preferences, and price range, and they’ll bring you shoes until you run out of decisions. Excellent prices on top-tier shoes.
The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial deserves at least 2 hours, or maybe two visits, to absorb the museum’s content. Go during warm weather and take the elevator to the top of Liberty Memorial for a great view of downtown. The walls at the top are 5 feet high, making the visit comfortable for people not accustomed to heights.
The former TWA Building The former corporate headquarters of TWA now houses Barkley Advertising, the building being rehabilitated after many years of vacancy. Get a picture of the replica of the TWA Moonliner once found at Disneyland.
The Connie Museum, dedicated to propeller driven aircraft with a Kansas City emphasis. Worth a visit.
The Hair Museum, devoted to jewelry made from human hair, is a bit farther afield in Independence, Missouri.
The Steamboat Arabia Museum, located in the City Market, is devoted to the cargo of the Arabia, a Missouri River steamboat sunk close to Kansas City in 1856.
Union Cemetery, located just south of Crown Center between Grand and Gillham Road, is the burial site of many early Kansas City residents. Called Union Cemetery because it was the common cemetery of the Town of Kansas and Westport, sets next to Union Hill, one of the city’s early neighborhoods.
Elmwood Cemetery is one of the other great cemeteries in Kansas City, with twelve former mayors and over 800 Civil War veterans buried there.
Hallmark Museum is dedicated to Hallmark Cards and the history of the company.
Boulevard Brewery Tour. Now the largest brewer based in Missouri, Boulevard hosts factory tours. Make tour reservations on their web site.
Roasterie Coffee hosts a tour Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. Get a taste of Kansas City’s other home brew.
The Folly Theatre, Kansas City’s oldest historic theatre, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Barney Allis Plaza, at 13th and Wyandotte, was a park, now converted to a public space and site of the Kansas City Explorers World TeamTennis team.
Ilus Davis Park, at 10th and Oak, is a nicely landscaped park in the heart of the government district downtown. Free wifi is available.
The Old Kansas City Public Library, at 9th and Oak, is on the National Register of Historic Places.
St. Patrick’s, was renovated and opened in late 2008.
Garment District Museum, at 801 Broadway, illustrates the history of women’s clothing manufacturing in Kansas City. For many years, the garment trade was the city’s second largest employer. Call ahead to arrange a tour.
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, at 13th and Broadway, dates to 1895, and underwent renovation in 1987.
The Star building, or press pavilion, houses the printing operations for the Kansas City Star. The glass clad building, between Truman Road and 17th Street, Grand to McGee, supposedly allows passerby to see the presses in operation. I can never see anything clearly through the tinted glass on the building, so a tour is called for. Unfortunately, I can’t locate anything on the Star’s web site about building tours.
The Money Museum at the Federal Reserve lets you pick up a gold bar, see large amounts of real money moved around, and other fun things to do with filthy lucre. Check the web site for specific information.
Savoy Grill, one of Kansas City’s landmark restaurants, is worth a look. And while you’re there, check out the Savoy Hotel lobby. Ask to see one of rooms. The breakfast included with the room rate is like no other hotel breakfast you’ll find.
A walking tour of French Kansas City by the Chouteau Society is worth the time to understand the influence of the French on early Kansas City and the Santa Fe Trail trade. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to locate a web-based version of the walking tour brochure. So, look for the large brown and gold historic markers downtown.
The sculpture and fountains at the State Street building, 801 Pennsylvania, include a stream flowing from the courtyard at the main entrance, and follow a staircase down to Washington. Well worth the walk in spring and summer.
Places to eat include:
La Bodega serves tapas, great wine and sangria on Southwest Blvd. Happy hour, especially on Saturday afternoon from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. is not yet widely known. Happy hour is half off many tapas, the wine list, sangria, and beer. I’d suggest the Cline Mouvedre.
Ponak’s, on Southwest Blvd., serves Kansas City style Tex-Mex, and is a stand-out among many similar restaurants in town. Their Margaritas have many fans.
Garozzo’sat 526 Harrison, just 3 blocks from where I live, serves St. Louis style Italian.
Anthony’s, now in its third generation in the same family, and 30 years at the same location, has the best sugo in town. If you have lunch, ask for Linda and tell her I sent you. They’re at 701 Grand.
7, between 6th and 7th on Walnut, is an upscale Italian restaurant.
Al Habashi, in the City Market, has a grocery and restaurant. The gyros and falafels are excellent.
Pizza Bella, at 1810 Baltimore, has excellent wood-oven pizza, and inventive antipasti.
Cafe Sebastienne, at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art at 44th and Warwick, consistently serves inventive, high-quality dishes.
The Blue Bird, at 16th and Summit, serves eclectic food from local and organic farmers.
Happy Gillis, at Pacific and Gillis in Columbus Park, and walking distance from home, serves bistro and diner style food in a neighborhood store-front.
Fiorella’s has the best barbeque in town. And serves it with style in the Freight House district.
Cashew, at 20th and Grand, offers a two story bar and grill, overhead doors in place of windows for a wide-open feel in warm weather and a great location in the Crossroads.
Bristol, a long-time Plaza restaurant, moved to Leawood, then opened this location in the Power and Light District. Great seafood, and a Kansas City tradition.
Christopher Elbow makes incredible chocolate with a surprising and wide palette of flavors. Stop in on First Friday and buy a sample for a $1.00.
Cupini’s, at 12th and Main, serves Italian food, pizzas, and fine accompaniments.
Vietnam Cafe, at 522 Campbell, just across the street from Holy Rosary Church, serves exceptional Vietnamese food.
The American, in Crown Center, serves fabulous food in a gorgeous setting. AAA 4 diamond rated. One of the top Kansas City restaurants in the fine dining category.
Babycakes is Kansas City’s original cupcake shop. Over the top cupcakes, none of which are on anyone’s diet. They’re located in the City Market area, one half block east of Grand at Missouri. Missouri is the first cross street after crossing the Grand Street bridge into the City Market.