Kansas City is the heartland’s happiest surprise: jazz on 18th & Vine, barbecue smoke over two states, fountains everywhere and stadiums that feel like cathedrals. This guide gathers the best of Kansas City, with the places and tours our readers love most.
Downtown and the streetcar
Ride the free streetcar through the city’s living room: Union Station Kansas City — A 1914 Giant That Became the City’s Living Room. The KC Streetcar — Kansas City’s Free Ride Through the Heart of Downtown. Kansas City in Your Ears — The Self-Guided Audio Walking Tour.
18th & Vine: where jazz grew up
One corner changed American music forever: 18th & Vine — The Corner Where Kansas City Jazz Grew Up. Be Bop and Beyond — Live Jazz and Deep History at 18th & Vine.
Outlaws, gangsters and haunted KC
The wild side of the city is the stuff of legend: Outlaws, Gangsters and Presidents — Walk Kansas City’s Legendary Wild Side. Killers of Kansas City — The Ghost and True Crime Tour That Chills.
BBQ and Kansas City flavors
There is even a museum for the smoke: Yes, There’s a Bean Pit — The Museum of BBQ Is Pure Kansas City. Five Dishes Deep — The Downtown Kansas City Food Tour. Sip Kansas City History — Tom’s Town Distillery Tour and Tasting.
Segways, stadiums and city views
Glide past the towers and up to the great memorial view: Art and Glide — See Kansas City’s Cultural Heart on a Segway. Museums, Parks and History — The Two-Hour Segway Tour of Kansas City. Liberty Memorial Tower — The View That Watches Over Kansas City.
Family fun: aquariums, bricks and skydiving
Sharks, LEGO bricks and flying without a plane: Face to Fin With Sharks — SEA LIFE Kansas City Aquarium Tickets. Build a Day of It — LEGOLAND Discovery Center Kansas City Tickets. Fly Without the Plane — Indoor Skydiving at iFLY Kansas City.
Parks, plazas and Strawberry Hill
Roses, markets and the hill across the river: Country Club Plaza — America’s First Suburban Shopping District Still Sparkles. Loose Park — Roses, Civil War Cannons and Kansas City’s Favorite Lawn. Hike Strawberry Hill — Murals, River Views and Brave Stories in Kansas City, Kansas. Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts — Kansas City’s Glowing Crown.
