Kansas City in 3 days

BBQ capital, jazz heritage, fountains and a fast-rising Midwestern food and arts scene. Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. Average daily budget: $110 to $220 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Country Club Plaza, A landmark Spanish-style outdoor shopping and dining district famous for its fountains and architecture.

Morning: Feast on Kansas City barbecue. Sample legendary smokehouses like Joe's, Arthur Bryant's and Gates for the city's signature burnt ends.

Afternoon: Explore Country Club Plaza, A landmark Spanish-style outdoor shopping and dining district famous for its fountains and architecture.

Evening: Stroll the Country Club Plaza. Shop, dine and admire the Spanish-inspired architecture and fountains of this elegant district.

Eat: Kansas City burnt ends and ribs

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: Crossroads Arts District, Galleries, murals, breweries and hip restaurants, liveliest during the First Friday art walks.

Morning: Explore the 18th & Vine Jazz District. Visit the American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in this historic neighbourhood.

Afternoon: Explore Crossroads Arts District, Galleries, murals, breweries and hip restaurants, liveliest during the First Friday art walks.

Evening: Catch live jazz. Hear the music that shaped the city at a historic club like the Green Lady Lounge.

Eat: Slow-smoked brisket and barbecue sauce

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: 18th & Vine, The historic heart of Kansas City jazz, home to the jazz and Negro Leagues Baseball museums.

Morning: See the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. A world-class, free art museum with its famous giant shuttlecock sculptures on the lawn.

Afternoon: Explore 18th & Vine, The historic heart of Kansas City jazz, home to the jazz and Negro Leagues Baseball museums.

Evening: First Friday art crawls in the Crossroads Arts District.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Local craft beer

Hidden gems

First Friday art crawls in the Crossroads Arts District.
The WWI Museum and Memorial, the nation's finest, with skyline views from the tower.
Burnt ends, a KC barbecue specialty, before they sell out.
City Market on a weekend for produce and local eats in the River Market.

Getting around

Kansas City is spread out across the Missouri and Kansas state line, so a car or rideshare is the most convenient way to get around and reach the barbecue joints and districts. A free downtown streetcar connects the River Market, downtown, the Power & Light District and Union Station, which is handy for that corridor. Individual districts like the Plaza and Crossroads are walkable, but a car gives the flexibility to hop between them.

Safety

Kansas City is generally fine for visitors who stick to the main tourist areas, the Plaza, Crossroads, 18th & Vine, the Power & Light District and Westport, with normal big-city caution advised. As with many spread-out US cities, some residential areas away from the attractions see more crime, so plan routes, use rideshare at night, and keep valuables out of sight in parked cars.

Kansas City in 5 days | Kansas City in 7 days | Full Kansas City guide