Kansas City Travel Guide

Kansas City is an often overlooked, but still very beautiful city.  You won’t find a lot of people clamoring to Kansas City as a vacation destination, yet it is a place that has reportedly more boulevards than Paris, and is only second in number of fountains to the magnificent city of Rome.  Though it almost seems to hide itself from tourists, this bustling farm distribution and industrial center is unique in more ways than how it’s split down the middle by the state line of Kansas and Missouri.  From the delectable barbecue to European architecture, it won’t take long to realize that a Kansa City vacation is the perfect metro getaway for those looking for a big city with elbow room to spare.

Being adjacent to the Great Plains’ overwhelming bareness, much of Kansas City is left exposed to hot and cold extremes.  The summers are a bit frying at their peak, with daytime highs averaging approximately 90°F in July.  Then what seems like out of nowhere, it’s winter, and freezing winds lash out as if they originated from the Arctic tundra.  Yet between these two commonly unpleasant extremes come a spring and early autumn that are the top pick for out-of-towners, although they still come with a caveat of unexpected temperature peaks and valleys.

Given its location of relative isolation, Kansas City is a great place to find luxury accommodations at discount rates.  You can do well for yourself at any of the town’s representing budget hotel chains, but why not go for the splurge when the price is willing to meet you halfway there?  Kansas City’s Raphael Hotel is an immaculate upscale boutique that caters equally to both business and leisure travelers.  Another remarkable luxury hotel is the InterContinental Kansas City at The Plaza, which offers a prime location near the Country Club Plaza entertainment district.  It is worth noting that Kansas City is host to a large number of business conventions, so booking early will afford you the best chance of not being subjected to a reactionary hike in room rates due to an upcoming convention.

Kansas City has a wonderfully rich music and food scene, something that comes as an initial surprise to those who envision the city’s cultural center as nothing more than one big steakhouse blaring nonstop country music.  Granted, such an evening can be found at places like the Beaumont Club (along with the clichéd mechanical bull), but those in town and hopeful to find something less jarring can have a wildly enjoyable evening in the Blue Room at the American Jazz Museum.  Shows are held every Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, with no cover charge for weekday performances.  You can also catch a live game from any one of the major league sports teams that play in Kansas City, but if you happen to take your Kansas City vacation during football season, a Chiefs home game offers you a chance to experience the pinnacle of American sports camaraderie – the tailgate party.

The Metro bus service is certainly a viable option within the urban core, which is fortunately where a lot of the main tourist destinations are located.  There are plenty of bus lines available that can drop you fairly close to points across the greater metro area, just make sure you are traveling early enough to catch a return bus, as a vast number of the routes are served infrequently at best.  Renting a car will likely end up being your best choice should you decide to venture past the city proper and out into the country.  An uninterrupted trip by car should be no problem, as Kansas City traffic is very light, and the freeway system has more lanes per capita than almost any other city in the United States.