Fun Things to do in Kansas City
If you are looking for fun things to do in Kansas City and planning a Kansas City vacation, then Kansas City Missouri/ Kansas will be one of the most surprising locations in the Midwest. It has small town vibes but big city amenities in the absolute best way, and if you are thinking about a perfect weekend getaway this is for sure an amazing option. It has some awesome food options, including the world famous BBQ that just cannot be missed.
It has great street art, and a huge free art museum with so many fun pieces, including the largest Monet I have ever seen (yet). The best coffee in Missouri, some amazing award winning breweries, and some interesting dare you to try foods that might be right up your alley. You really can’t go wrong with making this a weekend away.
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We have created the perfect packing list to get everything you need for your small town getaway into one lightweight personal item. Flights are getting more expensive, and carry-ons have become a charge for almost every flight. Getting everything you need into the perfect personal item is one of the best tricks to keep costs low.
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Fun Things to do in Kansas City
There are so many fun things to do in Kansas City, first up is The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art which is free and full of amazing art from multiple centuries. The Kansas City Public Library make sure to hit the children’s section to get the scavenger hunt and explore all the levels.
Support local at the Wise Blood Booksellers for amazing books and records, and Monarch Coffee for the best coffee in Missouri according to Food & Wine. Enjoy the impressive architecture at Union Station, and even hit up Science City for your child at heart. Round out the day with a Pig Snout Burger at Tenderloin Grill, a bit of BBQ at Q39 BBQ, and take in a flight at Boulevard Brewing.
Where is Kansas City located?
Kansas City is located on the western edge of Missouri and it crosses into Kansas as well. The Missouri River bisects the two states. The airport code for Kansas City is MCI (Mid-Continent International Airport). There are tons of carriers that use this as a destination, or even as a layover. If you are looking for flights, try Spirit and Southwest as both have flights that go direct to Kansas City.
What is Kansas City known for?
Kansas City is near the geographic center of the United States, it is known as the city of fountains, although as we went in the winter we didn’t see a single one… maybe go in the Spring/ Summer if you are looking for the fountains. It does however have these amazing hearts all over the city from different artists, and it is like a happy little scavenger hunt to find all 154 of them.
Kansas City is known for epic BBQ and you cannot go wrong with any of the amazing BBQ locations.
Kansas City also boasts the only USA based WWI Memorial, seen below, there just aren’t words to properly describe this towering structure.
What is Kansas City BBQ and where can I get some?
Kansas City BBQ is low and slow cooked meat, covered in a sweet sauce, usually with some molasses mixed in to get the signature sweetness. The BBQ is delicious and is a must hit when going to Kansas City
There are three major players in the Kansas City BBQ arena, Q39 BBQ, Gate’s Bar-B-Q, and Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que. You can’t go wrong with any of these, but as they are very popular, you may want to try to book ahead or go at off peak hours.
We went to Gate’s Bar-B-Que at 4:30pm and beat the evening rush. There were plenty of tables and plenty of food, you just have to be patient and order a little extra so you don’t have to hit that line again.
Where is the best coffee in Missouri?
The best coffee hands down is Monarch Coffee, they roast their beans in house and the latte art is on point. The environment is classy and upscale and yet casual enough to be comfortable. Its classic coffee house vibes, are accented by the gorgeous coffee and pastries you are about to ingest. Trust that this is a requirement when you visit Kansas City.
Where is the art in Kansas City?
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art is free! It is an epic art museum with 3 floors of art work and an outdoor sculpture park.
Make your way up to the Level 2 in the Nelson-Atkins Building and hit the South Asian, Chinese, and Japanese galleries. Then take a break on the beautiful Rozzelle Balcony that overlooks the cafe below.
Then meander through the Native American and American galleries. Make sure to admire some of the amazing beadwork and the pottery in the Native American gallery.
Head down the stairs and you are on the Plaza Level, here you will find the European Galleries 200 C.E. through 1950, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, English Pottery and a sculpture hall. You can also hit the Rozzelle Court Restaurant, because at this point you will probably need a break for at least a coffee.
Make your way down to the Lobby Level where you can check out the Contemporary, Photography, African, and Featured Exhibitions. On this level is also the Museum Store, which is always fun to hit and support the arts by bringing a little something back with you.
Finally, make your way outside to the 22-acre Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park. It is open year-round and is home to the nation’s largest collection of monumental bronze sculptures. There are some amazing ones, but one that is always a hit is The Thinker by Auguste Rodin. It would be hard to miss the Claes Oldenburg Coosje van Bruggen Shuttlecocks, there are 4 of them, they are huge… this is a must hit.
The Kansas City Library and why you should make this a must hit
The first step when visiting the library is to visit the parking garage… I know it sounds strange, but this is hands down the best parking garage for book lovers. It is covered with the classics and is perfect for a photo-op, but be warned these titles are larger than life.
Once you have gotten your fill of faux books, make your way into the library. It is beyond beautiful. It’s previous life was a bank, and they have turned the old vault, into a movie theater you can rent out and watch movies. The marble and chandeliers are amazing. If you hit up the childrens floor, you can grab a scavenger hunt, and find all the hidden treasures around the library.
Including, an amazing view of the city from the roof! If you are lucky, like we were, look a little lost and the amazing security guards might just take you on a little tour. Libraries are some of the last truly free places in the world, and how comforting it is that they are filled with new ideas and the best smell on earth (old books).
Kansas City Breweries
Kansas City has some awesome breweries, and Boulevard Brewing Tours & Recreation Center did not disappoint. The tour was excellent and went through the history of the brewmaster and founder, and his uphill climb to get his brews placed in local bars. Then once he did the beers really started to take off.
Although, recently sold to a bigger corporation, it still has a bit of the mom and pop feel left to it. If you like IPA’s then you will love this tour. It ends at a private tasting room, where you can try whatever they have on tap.
If you go upstairs to the beer hall, they even have a small bar that has some of their experiments. It is fun to try them and see where what the brewers are coming up with next.
They have event spaces, and a pretty awesome view of the city, if you are looking for a venue. This is for sure one of the fun things to do in Kansas City.
Kansas City WWI National Monument
This is the USA’s only public museum dedicated to WWI. It has an open park space with some amazing views of the city, unfortunately if it is snowing they might just be closed. It is still worth the drive up to see the memorial.
Kansas City Sports
Kansas City has two amazing sports teams, the NFL Kansas City Chiefs and the MLB Royals. Their stadiums are even in the same parking lot. It is a unique set up, but when you think about it, totally saves space.
If you have the time to hit up a game while you are in town, it will be epic. This city is all about the sport pride, when The Chiefs won the Superbowl they declared a holiday and kids got to take the day off of school and watch the parades. How cool is that? They take sports serious and you will have an amazing time cheering for the home team, even if this isn’t your home.
Fun Things to do in Kansas City
You really can’t go wrong in Kansas City, the food is great, the art is free and people are super friendly. Get yourself some amazing coffee and start wandering. If you want to make a roudtrip and compare the BBQ then hit up St. Louis next!
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
We have created the perfect packing list to get everything you need for your small town getaway into one lightweight personal item. Flights are getting more expensive, and carry-ons have become a charge for almost every flight. Getting everything you need into the perfect personal item is one of the best tricks to keep costs low.
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