Kansas City suggestions?

madsquopper

madsquopper

Recycles dryer sheets
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Going to be there for 4-5 days. Probably want to do these; any other interesting/unusual ideas? We like the outdoors and nature, plus history/cultural museums (not too much into art, though). Also want to eat some good barbecue.

Negro Baseball Museum (for sure)
Bruce Watkins Cultural Heritage Center
WWI Museum
Haskell Indian Nations Cultural Center
Arboretum
Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary
Day trip to St Joe for the Glore Museum and the Pate House Museum

Larry
 
You have started a very comprehensive list. I would note that the Haskell Indian Nations Cultural Center is located in Lawrence, KS about an hour west of KC depending on where you are staying. If you make the trip to Lawrence for the day there are several good museums associated with the University of KS. In particular:
Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum
Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics
Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area

Lots of great BBQ in KC depending on your location: Joes, Q39, BBs Lawnside, Authur Bryants, Slaps

Other good choices for steak and Mexican restaurants.

Omalley
 
We visited a fort while there. They have a hop on and off sightseeing bus which takes you to fun places to explore. We had different types of barbecue at KC Masterpiece and both got food poisoning so must have been bad sauce.
 
Bbq bbq bbq bbq bbq bbq bbq !
We liked the Truman Library.
 
The KC Federal Reserve (near the WWI museum)
Arthur Bryant’s BBQ
 
madsquopper said:
Going to be there for 4-5 days. Probably want to do these; any other interesting/unusual ideas? We like the outdoors and nature, plus history/cultural museums (not too much into art, though). Also want to eat some good barbecue.

Negro Baseball Museum (for sure)
Bruce Watkins Cultural Heritage Center
WWI Museum
Haskell Indian Nations Cultural Center
Arboretum
Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary
Day trip to St Joe for the Glore Museum and the Pate House Museum

Larry
Click to expand...
When are you planning on going? We spent 38 years in the KC area. The weather can sometimes be severe, or beautiful, sometimes in the same day.

You have a great selection already. I'd never heard of the Glore museum. We spent a special day with my parents in the Truman museum, that was their era and it was special for us. Arabia Steamboat museum is very cool.

For BBQ I'd suggest, not buying mutton unless you are a huge fan of it! Arthur Bryant or Joe's, Gate's is a close 3rd IMHO. If you're a chicken gizzard fan(who isn't?), Go Chicken Go serves the best gizzards in the world!

If your a sports fan the K and Arrowhead are both awesome. If you hit a Chief's game day just drive by the stadium, you'll be BBQed out. I always love "The Scout" statue they show on many football games. It's on the bluffs above the MO river, downtown KCMO. Nice place to enjoy a pleasant afternoon.

I'm sure others will have more ideas.
 
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The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum. Just the right size! There's also an Aviation Museum on the site of the former downtown airport (Wheeler). Country Club Plaza if there are any shop-till-you-drop types or you're into "splurge" level restaurants. The architecture there is something to see regardless. Aquarium is good, so is the Zoo but it's very spread out so there's a lot of walking unless you use the train.
 
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Well let’s see, I can add

National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
The Kauffman Center (and Helzberg hall which is the more intimate setting)

Ride the trolley from Union Station to the Riverfront)
Pedal a beer wagon between Waldo and Brookside
Loose Park is a great walking area. The Rose garden is beautiful in bloom.
Tour Boulevard breweries (several microbreweries are worth trying too)

As far as BBQ, the ones mentioned are always good. I’m prejudiced of course but bad BBQ places just don’t stay in business in KC. You have to try burnt-ends at least once. Some lesser known ones (though you have to intend on going there) include.

LC’s (kind of by the stadiums)
Zarda’s (in surburbia)
and Plowboys (1/2 hr east depending on where you stay)

As MRG mentioned, weather can be, ahem, interesting. Hope you have fun!
 
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You are going to see statues and fountains everywhere. It is a nice city.
 
KCGeezer said:
As far as BBQ, the ones mentioned are always good. I’m prejudiced of course but bad BBQ places just don’t stay in business in KC. You have to try burnt-ends at least once. Some lesser known ones (though you have to intend on going there) include.

LC’s (kind of by the stadiums)
Zarda’s (in surburbia)
and Plowboys (1/2 hr east depending on where you stay)
Click to expand...

The one time I tried Zarda's I got ribs swimming in sauce. No thanks!

But Plowboys is usually excellent.
 
Lived there for a few years.
Jack Stack in Martin City for BBQ. Arthur Bryant’s is a tourist favorite, but....
Westport, where all the wagon trains fueled up. Now an entertainment/eating part of town.
Country Club Plaza, one of first shopping centers in America. Holds up well to time.

Worthy road trips, Lawrence. Great downtown. Leavenworth, historic.
 
My son lives there and my favorite museum is the Arabia Steamship. It sank and was buried in mud for over 100 years with all the merchandise it was carrying to the western frontier. The contents of the ship were preserved almost as new and are on display. It’s fascinating! Here’s a link:

http://1856.com/
 
I'm sorry, but none of those museums are really very appealing to me. Surely there's more to do in KC than eat barbeque. It's actually a big, sophisticated city in the middle of the U.S.
 
Bamaman said:
I'm sorry, but none of those museums are really very appealing to me. Surely there's more to do in KC than eat barbeque. It's actually a big, sophisticated city in the middle of the U.S.
Click to expand...

You must be confusing it with Chicago. :LOL:
 
I'm a little surprised that nobody has mentioned KC's important jazz heritage. Some of the greatest American musicians came out of Kansas City, such as Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Big Joe Turner ... even guitarist Pat Metheny, whose family goes back into the KC jazz scene for three generations. The city is arguably, with New Orleans, one of the two fountainheads of jazz.

The city has made an effort to revive the 18th/Vine jazz district. https://www.visitkc.com/18th-vine
 
Are you planning a visit as well Bamaman? OP asked about museums and BBQ in particular but there are a few other things going on. What are you interested in?

OP, just in case you get tired of BBQ but are still hungry, we could debate the best Mexican place in town. That’s almost as contentious as the best BBQ.
 
KCGeezer said:
Are you planning a visit as well Bamaman? OP asked about museums and BBQ in particular but there are a few other things going on. What are you interested in?

OP, just in case you get tired of BBQ but are still hungry, we could debate the best Mexican place in town. That’s almost as contentious as the best BBQ.
Click to expand...
+1[emoji111]

Los Corrals is one of my off the path Mexican places.
 
Mr._Graybeard said:
I'm a little surprised that nobody has mentioned KC's important jazz heritage. Some of the greatest American musicians came out of Kansas City, such as Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Big Joe Turner ... even guitarist Pat Metheny, whose family goes back into the KC jazz scene for three generations. The city is arguably, with New Orleans, one of the two fountainheads of jazz.



The city has made an effort to revive the 18th/Vine jazz district. https://www.visitkc.com/18th-vine
Click to expand...


Given that , I had a hard time finding anybody interesting playing there when visited. Maybe I hit a dry spell. It certainly didn’t have as much as I usually find in SF , LA, NYC, London, and Nola.
 
We thought our tour of the Arabia Steamboat Museum was amazing. We found the museum via Trip Advisor and (along with a Royals baseball game for DH) thought it to be a highpoint of our visit to KC.

If it is as amazing as it was three years ago, you will be glad you visited.
 
Museums: I'd second the Federal Reserve Museum. It was really neat seeing not only the history but millions of dollars going on by on pallets too, lol. Nelson Atkins is a must, and these two suggestions are from non-museum going people.

Warm weather: If you are there during the summer the farmers market is fun, I think there is Shakespear in the park somewhere.

2 Unique sports: Pickleball is becoming quite popular there, Chicken and Pickle is a restaurant/bar with indoor and outdoor pickleball courts and paddle rentals. A big facebook group (10,000+) has an annual meetup in KC, with this year's being in some big new sports complex. The second would be axe throwing, although I guess most major cities have these popping up now.

BBQ: For BBQ I know Arthur Bryant's is the "tourists" choice, however they have the best hand-cut french fries imo anywhere. We split a turkey sandwich, portions are large. I'd also second Jack Stack, Martin City is the original but the other two locations are also great (but a different, fancier atmosphere). Joe's Kansas City bbq (formerly Oklahoma Joe's) has never, ever let us down either.

Stay: If you like the urban feel, downtown I guess. Country Club Plaza is a big shopping district with nice lights around Christmas. But we tend to try to stay in Olathe or Overland Park whenever possible. Prarie Fire district is a newer area with some more shops, pinstripes for a unique bowling experience, and some nice restaurants.

KCGeezer said:
OP, just in case you get tired of BBQ but are still hungry, we could debate the best Mexican place in town. That’s almost as contentious as the best BBQ.
Click to expand...

Umm, do tell. We have been going to KC as a weekend getaway for almost 20 years now and mostly do BBQ or somewhat Italian (Cinzetis, and Jaspers would be real Italian I guess). Recently we have been enjoying a few different Jose Pepper Cactus grill locations, as well as Chuy's in Olathe. Are there more Southwest style mexican places around?
 
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Oh, and if you like coffee, The Roasterie offers tours of their operations (as does the brewery in town if you like beer), but for really good coffee I'd suggest Oddly Correct. You won't find frappucinos, or skinny lattes and such there. Just coffee and drinks made with whole milk that you don't need to put sugar in either.
 
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