Travel guide · United States
Kansas City travel guide
Burnt ends, jazz at 18th & Vine and free world-class art on the Missouri–Kansas line
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Stephen Edmonds, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
Kansas City straddles the Missouri–Kansas state line where the Kansas River meets the Missouri, and most visitors spend their time on the Missouri side between the River Market and the Country Club Plaza. A free streetcar runs along Main Street through downtown, the Crossroads and past Union Station, linking many of the sights. The city is best known for slow-smoked barbecue, its jazz heritage at 18th & Vine, the National WWI Museum and Memorial and the free Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and it has more fountains than most American cities. Plan 3 days for a first visit; the best months are April–May and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- United States
- Best time to visit
- April–May and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 3 days
- Main airports
- MCI
- Mid-range daily budget
- $180–$300 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Barbecue and burnt ends, Jazz heritage, Fountains and National WWI Museum
Why visit Kansas City
- Kansas City barbecue — burnt ends, ribs in thick, sweet tomato-and-molasses sauce — is served at long-running pits from 18th & Brooklyn to a gas-station counter in Kansas City, Kansas.
- The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art charges no general admission and has a sculpture park with Oldenburg and van Bruggen's giant Shuttlecocks on the lawn.
- The National WWI Museum and Memorial is the United States' official museum of the First World War, with a tower view over the skyline.
- The 18th & Vine Jazz District holds the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum under one roof.
- The KC Streetcar is free to ride and links the River Market, downtown, the Crossroads and Union Station.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Museum · Crown Center
National WWI Museum and Memorial
Designated by Congress as America's official First World War museum, it opens with a glass bridge over a field of 9,000 poppies, each representing 1,000 combatant deaths.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Country Club Plaza
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The neoclassical museum and its glass Bloch Building extension hold an encyclopedic collection, with particular strength in Chinese art, European paintings and photography.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · 18th & Vine Jazz District
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum
The museum tells the story of the Black professional leagues, from their 1920 founding at a meeting in Kansas City to Jackie Robinson's move to the majors.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Iconic
Experience · Truman Sports Complex
Chiefs or Royals game at the Truman Sports Complex
Arrowhead Stadium, home of the NFL's Chiefs, is known for tailgating that starts hours before kickoff and crowd noise once it does.
- Time needed
- 4–6 hours with tailgating
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Kids
- After dark
Museum · 18th & Vine Jazz District
American Jazz Museum and the Blue Room
Kansas City jazz — Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Mary Lou Williams — grew up in the clubs around 18th and Vine in the 1930s.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours, plus a show
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- After dark
- Art
- Rainy day
Architecture · Crown Center
Union Station and Science City
The 1914 Beaux-Arts station has a Grand Hall with a 95-foot ceiling and three huge chandeliers, and still serves Amtrak trains.
- Time needed
- 1 hour; 3 hours with Science City
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Kids
- History
- Rainy day
- Photo spot
Where to stay
Downtown and Power & Light is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Downtown and Power & Light
Office towers, the T-Mobile Center arena and a covered entertainment block of bars
$$$ · Best for food lovers, couples, culture and nightlife
Crossroads Arts District
Converted warehouses full of galleries, coffee roasters and restaurants south of downtown
$$ · Best for food lovers, families and budget
River Market
Weekend farmers' market, international grocers and lofts by the Missouri River
$$$ · Best for families, first-timers and quiet stays
Crown Center and Union Station
Hallmark's office-and-shopping complex beside the grand 1914 railway station
What to eat
- Burnt ends — The crusty, fatty point end of a smoked brisket, cut into cubes and sauced.
- Kansas City ribs — Pork spare ribs slow-smoked over hickory and served with a thick, sweet tomato-and-molasses sauce — the style most of America thinks of as barbecue sauce.
- The Z-Man sandwich — Smoked brisket, provolone and two onion rings on a kaiser roll, the best-known order at Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que.
- Cheesy corn — Sweet corn baked in a creamy cheese sauce, often with ham, and a near-mandatory side with barbecue here alongside baked beans and fries.
- Kansas City strip steak — The bone-in or boneless strip loin cut that took the city's name in the days of the stockyards, when Kansas City was one of the country's great beef markets.
- Pan-fried chicken — Chicken fried in heavy skillets rather than deep fryers, served family-style with mashed potatoes, gravy and cinnamon rolls.
When to go
The best times to visit Kansas City are April to early June and September to October, when temperatures are comfortable and the Royals or Chiefs are playing. July and August are hot and humid, and January and February are cold but quiet and inexpensive outside Chiefs playoff weekends.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Blooming parks, the start of baseball season and mild days, but also the peak of thunderstorm and tornado-warning season. |
| Summer | June–August | Hot, humid weather, festivals, fountains running and Royals home games; plan indoor museums for the afternoons. |
| Autumn | September–November | The most comfortable weather, Chiefs home games and autumn colour; hotel prices rise on game weekends. |
| Winter | December–February | Cold, sometimes icy days and low prices, with the Plaza Lights in December and indoor sights at their quietest. |
Getting there and around
Kansas City International Airport (MCI), with its single terminal opened in 2023, is about 30 km north of downtown — roughly 25–30 minutes by car or rideshare. Most visitors use a taxi, rideshare or rental car; RideKC public transit to the airport is limited.
Kansas City is spread out and car-oriented, but a first visit can lean on the free KC Streetcar along Main Street and short rideshares between districts. The Plaza, Westport and 18th & Vine are each about 10 minutes by car from downtown.
Plan your days
Two days covers the WWI Museum, the Nelson-Atkins, 18th & Vine and a couple of barbecue meals. A third day adds the River Market and Arabia Steamboat Museum, a game or a day in Independence for the Truman sites.
Practical information
- Currency
- USD
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- Type A and B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink.
- Emergency number
- 911
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–20% at table-service restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
Visitor areas such as downtown, the Crossroads, the Plaza and Crown Center are generally fine, but some streets between districts are empty at night, so use a rideshare after dark. In spring and early summer, learn what tornado sirens and warnings mean and follow local instructions.
Flights to Kansas City
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Kansas City?
Two days covers the WWI Museum, the Nelson-Atkins, 18th & Vine and a couple of barbecue meals. A third day adds the River Market and Arabia Steamboat Museum, a game or a day in Independence for the Truman sites. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Kansas City?
The best times to visit Kansas City are April to early June and September to October, when temperatures are comfortable and the Royals or Chiefs are playing. July and August are hot and humid, and January and February are cold but quiet and inexpensive outside Chiefs playoff weekends.
+What is Kansas City known for?
Barbecue and burnt ends, Jazz heritage, Fountains, National WWI Museum, Chiefs and Royals, Country Club Plaza and Boulevard beer. Kansas City barbecue — burnt ends, ribs in thick, sweet tomato-and-molasses sauce — is served at long-running pits from 18th & Brooklyn to a gas-station counter in Kansas City, Kansas.
+Is Kansas City expensive?
Kansas City is moderately priced for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $180–$300 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Kansas City?
Not essential if you stay downtown, in the Crossroads or at Crown Center and use the streetcar and rideshares. A car makes sense for the zoo, the suburbs and day trips to Independence, Lawrence or Weston.