10 Things To Do In Kansas City, Missouri

things to do in kansas city
Louise
Louise 
Updated
| 5 min read

Famous for its jazz heritage, Kansas City is an amazing city in Missouri that boasts fascinating history, a vibrant culture, and interesting tourist destinations. It is a lovely outgoing city that attracts tourists from everywhere. Its cityscape is superb, cuisines are top notch, and people are warm and friendly. Exploring the whole city and getting ideas as to where to try the best food or immerse in the local art and music scene or places to shop and buy souvenirs from can all be very overwhelming. That’s where this list of exciting things to do in Kansas City, Missouri comes in. Take a few tips from this article and enjoy the rest of the Kansas experience. Feel free to check it out below.

1. Stuff yourself with mouthwatering food at Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue


One of the many things Kansas City is famous for is its barbecue, and if you wanna know why, have a taste of it in Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue and see for yourself. Both locals and tourists alike fancy this food joint that serves authentic Kansas barbecue recipes. At the present time, they have three different restaurants located in different areas in Kansas but serving the same mouthwatering food. While at Joe’s, make sure to try their best sellers such as The Contest In a Box, Ribs, Briskets & Burnt Ends, Slaughterhouse Five, and more!

Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue

Address: 3002 W 47th St, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA

Website: Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue

Opening hours: Mon - Thu: 11am - 9pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 10pm

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2. Shop till you drop at Country Club Plaza


Country Club Plaza is a popular destination for tourists who are in the mood for some luxury shopping and top-notch cuisine. Located in Broadway Blvd, you can find your favorite brands in this establishment from the Coach New York to Apple to Kendra Scott to Eileen Fisher and many more. In addition, a wide selection of fancy restaurants showcasing various recipes are also present in Country Club Plaza. Bo Ling’s, Brio Tuscan Grille, Chaz On The Plaza, and Chuy’s Mexican Food are just a few of them.

Country Club Plaza

Address: 4706 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64112, USA

Website: Country Club Plaza

Opening hours: Mon - Wed, Fri - Sat: 10am - 7pm; Thu: 10am - 9pm; Sun: 12pm - 5pm

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3. Catch a Royals game at Kauffman Stadium

Kauffman Stadium
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Mr.Konerko used under CC BY-SA 4.0

While in the city, you might want to check the schedule of games at the Kauffman Stadium also called “The K” and watch major league baseball tournaments. The stadium is cozy enough for viewers and provides them with a good view of the whole game which takes place in the center of it. There are also food joints in the area available in case you get hungry watching exciting games or thirsty from screaming your heart out in support of your team.

Kauffman Stadium

Address: 1 Royal Way, Kansas City, MO 64129, USA

Website: Kauffman Stadium

Opening hours: By game schedule

Price: 15 USD

Tip from Trip101 local expert

John

John
Kansas City

There is nothing more American than heading to a baseball game, and Kauffman Stadium is a great place to watch a game. In a stadium with great sight-lines, you don't have to worry about missing a thing, even if you have seats in the nosebleeds. I definitely recommend catching a game in Royal's home stadium, and it will be even better if it's an away game for your home team!

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4. Make a wish in Kansas City Fountains


Kansas City is also acknowledged for its amazing fountains to the point that they are called the ‘City of Fountains’. All in all, there are at least 48 fountains throughout the city from grandiose centerpieces in the city’s prominent areas and establishments to simple ones in some of the city parks. So while in Kansas, be sure to make a wish in one of them for tradition has it that wishes on fountains together with coins thrown into it as the sacrifice tend to come true.

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 hrs (daily)

Price: Free

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5. Enjoy a jam session at the Mutual Musicians Foundation


If you are a stranger to a city, it is important that you immerse yourself into their culture. One way to do so is by diving into their music scene. Visit Mutual Musicians Foundation and see this beautiful and historic building that hosts amazing jazz performances. Remember that Kansas City is known primarily for their jazz heritage, you will surely love every performance in this wonderful venue. In addition, it also serves as a museum of music-related exhibits and memorabilia.

Mutual Musicians Foundation

Address: 1823 Highland Ave, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA

Website: Mutual Musicians Foundation

Opening hours: Fri - Sat: 1am - 5am

Price: No cover charge

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6. Explore the exhibits at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art


If you are fascinated with art, you should never miss paying Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art a visit while in Kansas City. It is definitely Kansas’s biggest and most popular museum, generating 100,000 visitors every year. It features a magnificent interior as well as a collection of more or less 700 works of art, some are antiques while some are of fresh talents. It also has a cafe called Cafe Sebastienne within the premise in case you need a break from marveling at the art pieces.

Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

Address: 4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA

Website: Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art

Opening hours: Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun: 10am - 4pm; Thu - Fri: 10am - 9pm

Price: Free admission

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7. Ride a KC Streetcar to First Fridays


On every Friday of each month, Kansas City hosts one of its amazing events and a fascinating part of their culture called First Fridays. Musicians from all over the city, as well as street performers and break dancers, local shops, food trucks, and other businesses, flock to the heart of the crossroads in Kansas to be part of a lovely little routinary festival. Whether you are there just to enjoy the scene or showcase a performance, you will definitely love the whole experience. Good food, lively music, amazing art, this is definitely an experience that is one for the books.

First Fridays

Address: Kansas City, MO 64108, USA

Website: First Fridays

Opening hours: First Friday of every month

Price: Free entry

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8. Spend a day in the Westside neighborhood


Westside Neighborhood in Kansas City is a lovely little place that is heavily influenced by a Latino and Mexican-American culture. The neighborhood features local shops that offer amazing crafts form tableware to clothes to food and pastries to farm-to-table goods and others. While in the area, you might want to take a sip of the amazing coffee from Goat Hill Coffee & Soda or purchase fresh loaves of bread at Fervere or get yourself amazing trinkets to mark your Westside neighborhood experience at Westside Storey.

Westside neighborhood

Address: Kansas City, MO, USA

Website: Westside neighborhood

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9. Explore Union Station Kansas City

Great Hall at Union Station
Source: Photo by Flickr user Roy Harryman used under CC0

Established in 1914, Union Station Kansas City is an architectural masterpiece and an amazing tourist destination in the city. Formerly a train station during the WWll, Union Station Kansas City is restored and now functions as a series of public attractions. At the present time, it features theatres, the Science City at Union Station, Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity, the Irish Museum and Cultural Center, amazing museum and art exhibits, and it is also an operating train station providing transport services to both locals and tourists.

Union Station Kansas City

Address: 30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA

Website: Union Station Kansas City

Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 6am - 12am

Price: 7 USD

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10. Grab a burger at Westport Flea Market

Westport Flea Market
Source: Photo by Flickr user rachel_bernadette used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Known for being the destination for the best Kansas burger, Westport Flea Market claims to be way more than just delicious burger. They boast that they are an institution that serves the city’s top recipes while promoting a fantastic and cozy Kansas atmosphere. Aside from amazing burgers, their menu also includes jalapeno poppers, nachos, cheesesteak, chicken salad, giant pork tenders, and many more. The good food and good dining experience in Westport Flea Market will surely make you come back every time you are in town.

Westport Flea Market

Address: 817 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111, USA

Website: Westport Flea Market

Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 11am - 12am

Price: 10 USD

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Amazing Kansas

kansas city
Source: Photo by user Dean Hochman used under CC BY 2.0

Kansas City, known for the jazz heritage, fountain culture and amazing barbecue, definitely has many amazing things in store for its guests. So many that to a regular stranger, it can get overwhelming and confusing. While in the city, you don’t wanna miss out on amazing destinations and activities to try. So, take some pro tips compiled in this list of the things you should do while in Kansa City and enjoy an amazing adventure ahead.

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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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She is a lover of life and a very optimistic person. She thinks of herself as a vessel of a billion possibilities, which can harness limitless potential. Trying new experiences, going places she's...Read more

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