Road Trip: Kansas City

Next time I'm up there, I'm taking that tour.

 

Second the Boulevard Brewery tour. Take the longer 45-minute version instead of the 10-minute version.

I've had Jack Stack, Arthur Bryant and Gates, and I prefer Gates for burnt ends.

Mutual Musicians Foundation for late-night jazz.

Nelson-Atkins for art.

The Plaza for high-end eats and drinks.

Westport for bars and grills.

 

Allen Fieldhouse not too far away for a visit, maybe a 20-30 minute drive west. Oklahoma Joe's BBQ on I35/119th and strang line road ranked #1 in the world by the NY Post, Chiefs night playoff game at Arrowhead might be worth a look for the largest tailgate you have ever seen in your life

 

I am biased, but every sports fan should go to a game at Allen Fieldhouse if they can. There is nothing else like it.

 

its the Wrigley Field of college hoops, the rules of basketball/naismith museum there is worth the gas all by itself.

 

Agreed on Allen Fieldhouse. Not many legendary places they still play hoops in since the old Boston Garden went away. The Hinkle Fieldhouse maybe, Pauley Pavillion is of more recent vintage, but just as legendary, Cameron Indoor.

 

the best part is that you can just walk in for free when there are no games on. walk up to the second floor open the metal doors and its like a scene out of hoosiers when Gene Hackman measures the floor at Hinkle!

 

When in KC, I don't recommend wearing anything Black/Yellow.
Especially if you happen to go to the Kansas side.

 

Had both Joe's Kansas City BBQ and Arthur Bryant's when I was in KC last summer, and thought Joe's was better (though the lines are ridiculous).

However, if you go to the original Arthur Bryant's you're in the same neighborhood as the Paseo Blvd. YMCA, which is named for Buck O'Neil and has a cool courtyard made up to look like a 1940s baseball stadium. The site of KC Municipal Stadium is also close by, but unfortunately hasn't been kept up.

Haven't seen it mentioned here, but the World War I Museum is worth the time. The Negro Leagues and Jazz museums were kind of "meh," to be honest.

 

Yeah, they don't cotton to Georgia Tech fans there.

 

KC native chiming in here as well. The great unspoken here is that the Negro Leagues museum is important and worthy of the town's focus but, unless you're really into it, it's so-so.

I'll vouch for Truman, WWI museum. Check out the college basketball experience at Sprint Center. If you have a kid/teenager who likes basketball, take them along to play ball for a couple hours. Across the street is McFadden's, a superb sports bar.

For BBQ -- go to Joe's at 47th & Mission (Kansas side). It's worth the wait to go to the original. The Plaza (47th on the Missouri side) is a must-see for the shopping, even if it's on the pricey side. Midtown (between Crown Center and downtown) is pretty revitalized and a wonderful place to explore eateries and watering holes.

One of the best cities in America. Have fun.

 

the new New York affiliated natural history museum at 135th and roe at Prariefire is worth a look if you have kids. Big ol freakin T-Rex dinos and Mars rovers stuff...nice shopping area with bowling bocce ball cinema /art and good food and drink.