Kansas City

The "City of Fountains," famous for barbecue and jazz, with the National WWI Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and Country Club Plaza among its highlights.

Kansas City sits in the heart of the U.S. at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers. Most of the city lies in Missouri, facing Kansas City, Kansas, across the state line to the west, and the metro area has about 2.2 million people. In the 19th century it was the starting point of the Santa Fe and Oregon trails and a railroad hub; it later became famous for its livestock trade and barbecue culture, and for jazz in the 1920s and '30s. With more than 200 fountains, it's known as the "City of Fountains." The city breaks down into several areas: Downtown has Union Station, the WWI Museum, the Crossroads Arts District, the Power & Light District and City Market; to the east, 18th & Vine is home to jazz and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; to the south are the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and Country Club Plaza; in the eastern suburbs are Arrowhead and Kauffman stadiums, plus the Truman Presidential Library and Home in Independence. A barbecue crawl is a must, with famous joints such as Joe's and Arthur Bryant's each boasting loyal fans. The best times to visit are April–June and September–October; summers are hot and humid, and winters are cold with occasional blizzards. The free streetcar runs north–south through downtown and now extends toward Country Club Plaza; elsewhere, drive or use rideshare. Kansas City International Airport has nonstop flights to major U.S. cities. Allow 2–3 days.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries