Things to do in Kansas City
Rich in history, arts, and culture, KC has something to offer everyone. We encourage you to explore this great city our Cru team calls home!
Cultural Experiences
“The City of Fountains” Self-Guided Tour
Visit the three most famous fountainsIn the 1920’s, a rebellious form of jazz grew out of the speakeasies and eventually filled dance halls throughout the city. The legend lives on in jazz rooms such as The Green Lady Lounge and The Majestic.
Stroll through the Spanish-inspired architecture of Country Club Plaza.
Visit the National WW1 Museum and Liberty Memorial
Drop-in at Union Station to see Science City and the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium
Discover the vibrant baseball history of the National Negro League Museum. Before his start with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson was a Kansas City Monarch!
REDLINED: CITIES, SUBURBS, SEGREGATION takes visitors on a deep dive into the history of redlining and how it both shaped and was shaped by Johnson County and the region.
Activities & Adventures
INDOOR
Shop at Legends Outlet
Explore the underground world of Kansas City
Check out Made in KC Marketplace (Lenexa City Center Location) and get in a round of Shuffleboard too!
Voyage into jaw-dropping underwater worlds only at SEA LIFE Kansas City.
OUTDOOR
Ride the KC Streetcar on your way to visit the City Market
Chicken N Pickle is the perfect spot for great food, pickleball, yard games, and more!
Walking & Road Biking
Mill-Creek Steamway (Paved Path; Multiple trailheads)
Kansas City Riverfront Trail System (Paved Path and Street Bike Lanes; Multiple trailheads)
Mountain Biking
Disc Golf
Shawnee Mission Park Disc Golf Course (7900 Renner Rd, Shawnee, KS 66219)
Waterworks Park Disc Golf Course (Waterworks Park Dr, Kansas City, MO 64116)
Food & Drink
TACO TRAIL
Crowned the Taco Capital of the US by Forbes, Kansas City, Kansas is home to some of the best Mexican eats around. From tacos to tortas, the KCK Taco Trail has everything you need to send your taste buds south of the border. Listed below are some local favorites.
Taqueria La Nueva (KCK Food Truck Location)
Authentic tacos, tortas, burritos, and quesadillas. Grab 1 or 5 of their quesabirria tacos: cheesy, slow-cooked beef accompanied by rich consomé. Yum!
Two locations on 7th Street and Argentine Blvd serve up Tacos Al Pastor with spit-grilled pork sliced right in front of you, topped on handmade tortillas. Any more authentic and you’d be walking the streets of Mexico City.
Don’t let the attached supermarket fool you. They have some of the tastiest, freshest ingredients around.
BBQ TRAIL
“Since Henry Perry, the self-styled father of Kansas City barbecue, opened his first lunch stand in 1908, locals and tourists have been trying to pin down what exactly defines the KC barbecue style. Misconceptions abound. Many think that thin-sliced brisket and tomato sauce sweetened with molasses are requirements of the genre. Others point to burnt ends, one of the city’s proudest inventions: fatty, smoky cubes of beef brisket with a crunchy, caramelized bark. But pitmasters here are just as preoccupied with beef and pork ribs, hand-cranked sausages, moist and salty pit ham, and other preparations of brisket. Here’s as close to a barbecue thesis statement as you’ll get: The modern Kansas City “style” is doing a little bit of everything well and doing it with a side of sauce. Under that expansive umbrella, the barbecue restaurants on this list range from walk-up windows with a handful of picnic tables to full-service restaurants with cocktails and cloth napkins. The best way to experience KC barbecue is to visit both the old-school institutions that helped define the genre and the new guard of innovative pitmasters expanding its boundaries.” - Liz Cook, freelance writer based in Kansas City, MO
A favorite among many in KC, Joe’s consistently serves up great BBQ. The OG gas station location is a great lunch option. Although lines are likely, they move customers through quickly. Better yet, call ahead for carryout and skip the line. Joe’s is known for their Z-Man sandwich and ribs.
Perfected on the competition circuit, Q39 may offer the best BBQ quality in all of KC. Nothing on the menu disappoints! A great dinner option with a more upscale atmosphere than other BBQ spots. We recommend starting with the wings, and grabbing a competition plate that includes brisket. So juicy! The original location in Midtown is always crowded, so make a reservation or plan on a wait.
No Kansas City BBQ list is complete without mention of Arthur Bryant’s. As KC’s oldest BBQ institution, you’ll experience a time-honored tradition in both meat preparation and service. Have your order ready at the service window and double down on that sauce!
With pitmasters who actively compete on the BBQ circuit, Slap’s stays on top of their BBQ game. In a Facebook group of 75,000+ KC locals, their BBQ consistently gets the highest praise. They’ve got great ribs and sandwiches and solid combo plates. Get there early. There’s usually a line at lunchtime and they sell out every day.
