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Missouri · the United States
Barbecue, jazz and fountains in the heart of the United States: the 18th & Vine district, the National World War I Museum, the Nelson-Atkins, and the Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun parks.
In the photo: Kansas City, Missouri: skyline, rivers and cultural heritage.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Kansas City sits at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers, on the border between the states of Missouri and Kansas. The main city, on the Missouri side, is the larger of the two; across the border, a neighboring city shares the same name.
In the early 20th century, Kansas City was a railroad hub and a major cattle market. In the 1920s and 1930s, the nightclubs of the 18th & Vine district, the center of the city’s Black life, developed a distinctive jazz style, with musicians such as Count Basie and Charlie Parker. Today the neighborhood houses, in one building, the memory of that music and of the baseball leagues formed by Black players.
The city markets itself as the city of fountains, with about 200 public fountains, many in the Country Club Plaza area, a 1920s shopping district inspired by Seville. Barbecue is another hallmark: meats smoked for hours, served with a sweet sauce, at restaurants spanning several generations.
The National World War I Museum, beneath the Liberty Memorial tower, Union Station and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art are among the main visits. To the north, the Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun parks operate from late spring through fall.
This destination brings together 1 city: Kansas City.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau / geoBoundaries (public domain). Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Kansas City International Airport (MCI) · 30 km to Kansas City
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is about 30 km north of downtown. Long-distance trains stop at Union Station. I-70 connects the city to St. Louis, about a four-hour drive. Entry requirements depend on nationality: confirm the rules before traveling.
The local experience
Official United States museum about the First World War, beneath the Liberty Memorial tower from 1926, with a collection of objects from the countries at war and an observation deck overlooking downtown Kansas City.
Art museum from 1933, with collections from Antiquity to contemporary art, a glass annex and a sculpture park featuring Oldenburg and van Bruggen’s giant shuttlecocks. The collection has free admission.
Jazz museum in the historic 18th & Vine district, covering the history of Charlie Parker, Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald, with a club, the Blue Room, offering live music.
Museum of the baseball leagues created by Black players during segregation, two blocks from where the first league was founded in 1920, with a Field of Legends featuring statues of the great players.
Railway station from 1914 with a 29-meter-high ceiling concourse, still used by long-distance trains, with a science museum, exhibitions, restaurants and a walkway to the First World War memorial.
An amusement park in north Kansas City with themed areas inspired by Jules Verne’s Around the World, roller coasters such as the Mamba and the Prowler, and a children’s area.
A water park next to Worlds of Fun, with a wave pool, lazy river, water slides, and children’s areas. Open in summer.
Library and museum of President Harry Truman in Independence, east of Kansas City, with a replica of the Oval Office and the graves of Truman and his wife, Bess, on the grounds.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
April to June and September and October are the most pleasant months. July and August are muggy, with highs above 32 °C, and are the water-park season. Winter is cold, with days below 0 °C and snow. Strong storms are common in spring.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three days allow for the World War I museum, the jazz and baseball museums, the Nelson-Atkins, the Country Club Plaza and an evening of jazz. With one more day you can fit in Worlds of Fun and the Truman Library in Independence.
Downtown and in the Crossroads, near the streetcar, Union Station and the bars; in the Country Club Plaza, near the Nelson-Atkins and the fountains; or in the River Market, on the riverfront. For the parks, there are hotels in the northern part of the city.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Both. The main city is in Missouri; on the Kansas side there is another city with the same name, contiguous to it. Most attractions are on the Missouri side.
Pork and beef slowly smoked, served with a sweet tomato-based sauce. A specialty is the burnt ends—the charred tips of the beef brisket.
At 18th & Vine, where the jazz museum’s club hosts bands on some nights, and in bars downtown and in the Crossroads. Check the week’s schedule.
For downtown, the streetcar is sufficient; for 18th & Vine, the Plaza and the museums there are served by buses and ride apps; for Worlds of Fun and Independence, a car is more convenient.
Central Time: UTC−6 in winter and UTC−5 in daylight saving time, from March to November.
