10 Best Things To Do Alone In Kansas City, Missouri - Updated 2024

Felix
Felix 
Updated
| 6 min read

It goes without saying that Kansas City, Missouri is one of the most preferred destinations by tourists from over the world. This is because the city enjoys a favourable climate, unique culture and incredible weather and the beach. Apart from the mentioned advantages, Kansas City also has amazing attractions such as The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, National WWI Museum and Memorial, Kansas City Zoo, Arabia Steamboat Museum and more. There are historic hotels in Kansas City as well. If it is your first time visiting Kansas City, it is understandable that you may run out of ideas on what to do during your stay. For that reason, check out the top 10 activities you can indulge in while you are in Kansas City.

1. Take a segway tour in the Country Club Plaza area (from USD 69.0)

You looking for ideas on things to do during your visit to Kansas City, Missouri? Why not take part in this segway tour of the Country Club Plaza Area. During this one and half hour tour, you will comfortably glide through the streets as you learn more about the sights and stories of Kansas City. You will then be given a helmet and run through basic safety and then begin your 1.5-hour tour of Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza area. As you comfortably explore quiet Kansas City streets, your guide will educate you on the culture, history and landmarks in Kansas including numerous fountains, outdoor art and Country Club Plaza. This tour is geared for visitors and locals alike.

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Kansas City Segway Tour: Art and Glide

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

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2. Catch a show at The Phoenix Jazz Club

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Are you in Kansas City and out of ideas on things to do while you are here? Worry not. You can always go and catch a show at The Phoenix Jazz Club. A Kansas City landmark located at the corner of the old Garment District, The Phoenix is downtown’s best jazz joint. If you love Old Fashioneds and Sidecar drinks, The Phoenix Jazz Club offers the best available in town, and they always offer a selection of local favourite Boulevard beers. If you come here for the music, you will not be left out of the fun. The Phoenix Jazz Club band is located right by the door and it is surrounded by seats. You can also choose to enjoy your beer and music as you relax in the porch out gives you the view of the River Market.

The Phoenix Jazz Club

Address: 302 W 8th St, Kansas City, MO 64105, USA

Website: The Phoenix Jazz Club

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 11am - 1:30am; Sat: 10am - 1:30am; Sun: 10am - 2pm (closed on Mon)

Price: 11 - 30 USD

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3. Admire the artworks at Crossroads Arts District

Street art
Source: Pixabay

You can not claim that you have fully explored Kansas City if you have not yet explored and admired the artworks at Crossroads Arts District. Over the past few years, the district has grown to become one of the trendiest art communities in the Midwest. Formerly an industrial and warehouse area, Crossroads Arts District is now where countless progressive art spots have established themselves. Using an app download from App Store and Google play store, you can take a self-guided tour of the district and discover some of the grandest and edgiest art in the district. The app will turn your device into a personal tour guide and its GPS navigation will guide you from one stop to next. Note that the app is also available offline, hence no data plan is needed when travelling abroad.

Crossroads Arts District

Address: Crossroads, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA

Website: Crossroads Arts District

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4. Buy homemade food products at the City Market

Flags fly over City Market
Source: Photo by Flickr user Roy Harryman used under CC0

Head to the City Market and buy some homemade food products. City Market lies at the centre of Kansas City’s neighbourhood and it plays a crucial role in the area’s renaissance. On Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday both locals and visitors visit the outdoor stalls which overflow with colourful local produce as well as artisan food and crafts. Despite the changes through its history, the market still remains a hub for immigrants who seek to establish lives in a new community and for those around the city to gather for great food and healthy produce at affordable prices.

City Market

Address: 20 E 5th St., Ste. 201, Kansas City, MO 64106

Website: City Market

Opening hours: 8am - 8pm (daily)

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5. Tour the scenic Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Waterfall and Flowers, OP Arboretum
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Skylar Vance used under CC BY-SA 4.0

If you are bored and have nothing to do, just head to the scenic Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. You will be captivated by the endless opportunity of great activities such as walks in the forest, marvelling in the beauty of trees and flowers, and sculptures. While you are here, you will learn about the value of trees, Native American culture, the history of the park, and much more that are not available in a classroom session. This tour will allow you to escape your everyday routine and enjoy the natural world. This is the perfect location for quiet meditation abound.

Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Address: 8909 W 179th St, Bucyrus, KS 66013, USA

Website: Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Opening hours: 8am - 7:30pm (daily)

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6. Enjoy recreation activities at Swope Park

Starlight Amphitheater in Swope Park in Kansas City, MO.
Source: Photo by Flickr user binkle_28 used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Welcome to Kansas City. In any case, should you find your self idle with nothing to do during your visit here, you can always enjoy recreation activities at Swope Park. As the largest park in Kansas City’s, Swope Park is home to Kansas City’s finest attractions and it hosts more than two million visitors annually. At Swope park, you will find hiking trails, grassy meadows, golf courses, fountains and community gardens. Within the park, there is also an outdoor amphitheatre, a theatre, and the Kansas City Zoo with over 1,000 animals. The Lakeside Nature Center at the park is the largest native species rehabilitation centre.

Swope Park

Address: 3999 Swope Pkwy & E Meyer Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64132, United States

Website: Swope Park

Opening hours: 5am - 12am (daily)

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7. Go horseback riding at Shawnee Mission Park

Horseback Riding
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Audreywilson used under CC BY-SA 4.0

Before winding up your tour to Kansas City, you should head to Shawnee Mission Park and try out horseback riding. The land where Shawnee Mission park lies was bought in 1956 by the district’s initial bond and was officially dedicated in 1964. Apart from horseback riding, Shawnee Mission Park also features a 120-acre lake with a marina, swimming beach, twelve shelters, numerous picnic areas, play areas, nature trails, an archery range, a disc golf course, a 44-acre dog off-leash area, mountain biking trails, hiking trails and equestrian trails. Shawnee Mission Park is the second largest park in the United States and the most visited park in entire Kansas.

Shawnee Mission Park

Address: 7900 Renner Rd, Lenexa, KS 66219, USA

Website: Shawnee Mission Park

Opening hours: 5am - 11pm (daily)

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8. Marvel at the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain

JC Nichols Memorial Fountain in Kansas City
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Starfire1118 used under CC BY-SA 3.0

It is a fact that the name Kansas City was derived from the outstanding number of fountains in the city. Boasting more than 200 fountains, there’s no shortage of fountains to discover during your vacation in Kansas City. Earlier in time, the purpose of these fountains was to provide water for birds, horses and dogs. However, with time, almost all of the fountains in and around Kansas City centre had more decorative purpose than intended. During your visit, you can spend your time at the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain, the most visited fountain in the city, enjoying the refreshing environment. Come and experience it all

J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain

Address: 47th J C Nichols Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA

Website: J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain

Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)

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9. Explore wide collection of artworks at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Exterior of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Yungryan07 used under CC BY-SA 4.0

As you are planning to tour Kansas City, it is always advisable to come up with a list of things to do while you are there. In that list, you should never miss exploring the wide collections of artworks at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Built in 1933, the building represents a massive display of ancient to modern art that spans over numerous cultures and centuries and offering visitors an overarching view of the history of art as a whole. The museum attracts all kinds of visitors including little kids who love the giant badminton installations or adults who normally enjoy the play of light in Caravaggio’s Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Address: 4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA

Website: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Opening hours: Sat - Mon, Wed: 10am - 5pm; Thu - Fri: 10am - 9pm (closed on Tue)

Price: Free entry

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10. Hike through Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center

Hummingbird
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Sarah Stierch used under CC BY 4.0

Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center is a 133-acre (53.8 hectares) park offering 3 miles( approximately 1.5 kilometres) of trails that are open from morning to night, and a nature centre open from Tuesday through Sunday. The park receives lots off visitors daily thanks to its features which includes an outdoor amphitheatre, a bird feeder court with colourful butterflies, large stream aquarium, hummingbird gardens and other animals including live snakes, turtles, and other amphibians. If you love birds, Ernie Miller will treat you with a view of live birds of prey including a great horned owl and red tail hawk. It is free to visit the park but certain activities may cost you a small amount.

Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center

Address: 909 North, KS-7, Olathe, KS 66061, United States

Website: Ernie Miller Park & Nature Center

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 9am - 5pm (closed on Sun)

Price: Free entry

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Explore Kansas City

If you are looking for the best ideas on how to spend your vacation in Kansas City, Missouri, look no further. Check out the above list of things to do while you are in Kansas City, Missouri. Enjoy!

Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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