I recently had family in town who had never been to Kansas City, Missouri. I am still a fairly new transplant, but I wanted to put together a short itinerary that we could do in an afternoon. Admittedly, we drove by a lot of the places on the list and didn’t stop, so it may take longer if you are looking to stop and shop. They also wanted to stop at a Casino that was closer than the ones along the River and on their way back to Kansas. So, feel free to move Clark’s Point before the visit to the City Market area and then head on out to either Berkley Riverfront or the Isle of Capri Casino in Kansas City. Either way, here’s how to explore Kansas City, Missouri in roughly four hours.
We performed this on a weekday starting at 10 a.m. If you tried it on a weekend, it might take longer depending on traffic. I wouldn’t recommend parking at the Plaza; go for the architecture. Shop later.
STOP Union Station Kansas City @ 30 W Pershing Rd, Kansas City, MO (Try to park in front if possible. It’s easier to get in and out)
STOP? National WWI Museum and Memorial @ 2 Memorial Dr, Kansas City, MO
DRIVE BY? Country Club Plaza @ 4706 Broadway Blvd, Kansas City, MO (Look at the architecture; shop later)
Nearby places to eat include Nick and Jake’s or the Cheesecake Factory. Looking for a place to eat with a Kansas City flare? Try Nick and Jake’s. I would recommend going by the museum and memorial and then to Nick and Jake’s. Then go back to the Plaza and explore.
DRIVE BY JC Nichols Memorial Fountain or Nelson-Atkins Museum @ 1 W 47 St, Kansas City, MO
If you have time, go to the Nelson-Atkins Museum. It is one of the Midwest’s hidden treasures, especially if you are into history or art. We didn’t have time so we didn’t stop but drove by it. I highly recommend it, and it’s free!
DRIVE BY Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden @ 4800 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO
DRIVE BY Look at more Fountains by driving by; don’t stop at Institute (by Mid West Research Institute) @ 425 Volker Blvd, Kansas City, MO
Note: this sounds goofy, but it is to avoid getting on Freeway for nervous drivers. It sticks to city streets. Plus, it lets you see more of the city and less of the freeway!
DRIVE BY Crown Center Square Fountain (Crown Center) @ 2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO
DRIVE BY Kansas City Power & Light District (Sprint Center) @ 50 E 13th St #200, Kansas City, MO
DRIVE BY KCMO City Hall/City Grounds @ 414 E 12th St, Kansas City, MO
DRIVE BY Kansas City Convention Center @ 301 W 13th St #100, Kansas City, MO
STOP City Market Area / Old Chouteau Trading Post @ 20 E 5th Street #201, Kansas City, MO
Arabia Steamboat Museum is also in this location.
STOP (BRIEFLY) Clark’s Point (Lewis & Clark monument/river view) @ 611 W 8th St, Kansas City, MO
This is [technically] the end of the tour. However, you can could out to the beautiful Berkley Riverfront or to one of the Casinos, such as Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa or the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas. We went to that one because it was less crowded and less centralized than the other casinos. None of us were truly gamblers, so it was over in less than an hour. There are also other places to explore in Kansas City, but this is good for a summer’s day when it was over 90°F outside.
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