About Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City is a large, major midwestern city on the border of Missouri and Kansas. It is the largest city in Missouri with a population around 450,000 people and more than 2 million in its metropolitan area (2005 estimate).

Kansas City is a great city that tends to hide itself from tourists. Having reportedly more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than any other city in the world except for Rome, it can be a beautiful city, too. It is also unique, in that it is split down the middle by the state line of Kansas and Missouri.

The suburbs are largely south of the central city, though the area north of the Missouri River (known locally as the Northland) is beginning to experience growth similar to the south. Numbering of east/west streets begins at the Missouri River with the east/west division occurring at Main Street. Westport is around 40th Street, the Plaza at 47th Street, Brookside at 55th, and Waldo beginning around Gregory (71st Street).

Downtown Kansas City is generally defined as the areas including the River Market, the central business district (the “Loop”), the Crossroads Arts District, Crown Center and Union Station. http://www.downtownkc.org

After years of neglect and decay in the 1980s and 1990s, downtown Kansas City is making a comeback. Many once-abandoned buildings in downtown have been (or are being) rebuilt into high-dollar condominiums and loft apartments. The demand for residences downtown is quite high. In 2007, the Sprint Center sports arena will be completed, bringing a modern sports venue to the downtown core. The Power and Light District, an $850 million development adjacent to the Sprint Center, is currently under construction and will be opening in 2007 or 2008. The P&L District will comprise 5 high rise residential and office towers, with many clubs, bars, restaurants, and shops on the lower floors. Bartle Hall Convention Center is also undergoing extensive improvements, with the addition of a 250,000 square foot ballroom that is being built over I-670. If that isn’t enough, there is also going to be a new performing arts center south of the convention center area. Overall, about $4.5 billion is currently being invested in downtown Kansas City, MO.

First, purchase a good book style map. The national map companies produce book style maps that can be purchased at many grocery and book stores. Local real estate agents and delivery drivers use a book map produced by a local company in the crossroads district but it is hard to find. The one inside the Feist directory is good and can often be obtained locally for free but the directory itself may be too bulky to carry.

Businesses that deliver (e.g., pizza) usually know the city well and have large maps on their walls.

Addresses on east-west streets are numbered from Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri, and on north-south streets from St. John Avenue (or the Missouri River, in the River Market area). The direction ‘South’ in street and address numbers is generally implied if ‘N’ is not specified, except for numbered ‘avenues’ in North Kansas City. In most of Wyandotte County, Kansas the north-south streets are numbered and the address numbers are measured from Riverview Avenue.

• The KCTV pyramid shaped tower can be seen from many parts of the city and is well lit at night. It is next to KCPT studios at the corner of 31st and Main. It is orange.
• The twin red brick towers of American Century Investments are oriented north and south along Main at 45th street. They are just north of the Country Club Plaza. The Kemper Museum is slightly east. The Nelson Atkins Museum is east and slightly south.
• Kansas City Community Christian Church at 4601 Main, has a group of lights that shoot a beam straight up at night. It is slightly south of and across the street from the American Century Investment Towers. The Nelson Atkins is to the east and the Kemper Museum is to the north and slightly east.
• Bartle Hall has a section that looks somewhat like a north-south suspension bridge crossing over I-670 at the southwest corner of the downtown loop. It has four towers with metal sculptures on top of each tower.

Places and notes

• Waldo refers to the Waldo Residential District in Kansas City, Missouri near 75th St. and Wornall Rd.
• The Country Club Plaza (called “the Plaza” by locals) is an upscale shopping district built by the J.C. Nichols Co. in the 1920s.
• 39th St. usually refers to the small section of West 39th St. between State Line Road and Southwest Trafficway. It has many restaurants, bars and shops, and is just across the state line from the University of Kansas Medical Center.
• University of Kansas Hospital (KUMED) is the corporate name of the hospital on the KU Medical Center campus.
• Benton Curve, a site of many accidents, is a curve on Interstate 70 where it crosses Benton Ave.
• Grandview Triangle is the intersection of three major highways: I-435, I-470, and US Highway 71 (Bruce R. Watkins Drive). Notorious for fatal accidents, as of February 2005, improvements and upgrades on the Triangle have mostly been completed.
• Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd., named for former mayor and current Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, comprises recently renamed portions of 47th St. and Brush Creek Blvd.
• 18th and Vine Historic District contains the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum.
• The Library District is a recently defined district around the new Central Library at 14 West 10th Street
• Strawberry Hill is a historical area in Kansas City, Kansas.
• Hospital Hill is the area near 23rd and Holmes. It is home to Truman Medical Centers and Children’s Mercy.
• Argentine is a part of Kansas City, Kansas near 30th and Argentine.
• The Crossroads Arts District is a Downtown neighborhood between the Central Business District and Union Station, centered around the intersection of 19th St. and Baltimore. It contains dozens of art galleries and is considered by many to be the center of the arts culture in the metropolitan area. Local artists sponsor exhibits there on the first Friday of each month.
• Quality Hill is an upscale residential and commercial neighborhood on top of a hill in downtown Kansas City, across the river from the Kansas City Downtown Airport|Charles B. Wheeler Airport.
• Washington-Wheatley is an historically African American/black neighborhood southeast of the 18th and Vine District.

Bus service

The Metrobus is feasible within the urban core, where most of the tourist destinations are located. The MAX (Metro Area eXpress) and #57 buses connect downtown, Crown Center, Westport, the Plaza, Brookside, and Waldo. There are other lines that can drop you fairly close to your door in KCMO as well as limited stops in outlying suburbs such as Kansas City, KS, Independence, Blue Springs, Lee’s Summit, the Northland, etc. There is pretty good service to the casinos.

Standard fare is $1.25/trip with transfers available from the bus driver that expire two hours after issue. Some lengthy and express routes may cost more. You may purchase a One Day Pass on the bus. The Day Pass is good for local service only. It is issued at the farebox and expires at midnight. Upon boarding, request a Day Pass before depositing the $3 exact change into the farebox.

Most major routes use buses that are equipped with bike racks.

The JO

If you are needing bus service in Johnson County, KS (Overland Park, Mission, Fairway, Leawood, Olathe, Lenexa, Westwood, Merriam, Shawnee) you can access “The JO” bus service. It also has lines that run from downtown KCMO to Johnson County and vice versa. The stops are limited and far apart.

Service on “The JO” is limited mostly to morning rush hour, mid-day, and evening rush hour. Fares are $1.25 for trips that begin and end in Johnson County, $1.75 for trips that go start or end in Downtown KCMO. Transfers are available.

Most buses are equipped with bike racks.

See

18th and Vine Historic District

• American Jazz Museum, 1616 E 18th St. T-Sa 9am–6pm, Su noon–6pm. Adult $6.
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, 1616 E 18th St. T-Sa 9am–6pm, Su noon–6pm. Adult $6.

Combination adult ticket for both museums $8, (save $4).

Union Station area

• Union Station, 30 West Pershing Rd. Has a visitor center, theatres, restaurants, shops, the Amtrak station and the following attractions.
• Science City, Gottleib Planetarium and KC Rail Experience. Ticket to all 3 is $8.95.
• National World War I Museum and Liberty Memorial, 100 W. 26th St. Tu–Su 10am–5pm (4:15pm for the tower). Museum opened Dec 2006. The memorial is the world’s first for World War I. Take an elevator to the observation deck at the top of the 200ft obelisk for spectacular views. Adult $8 museum, $4 tower elevator, $10 both.

Near the Plaza

• Visitor Center, 4709 Central, Phone: (800) 767-7700. M-Sa 10am–6pm, Su noon-5pm.
• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St. Also has the Kansas City Sculpture Park. Tu–Th 10am–4pm, F 10am–9pm, Sa 10am–5pm, Su noon–5pm. Free.
• Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, 4420 Warwick Blvd. Tu–Th 10am–4pm, F–Sa 10am–9pm, Su 11am–5pm. Free.
• Community Christian Church, 4601 Main St. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and visible from the Plaza.

Other

• First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District, (gallery crawl between Downtown and Crown Center). 7PM-9PM on the first Friday of each month. Many art galleries are open late on these Fridays, attracting a growing crowd of art enthusiasts. You can walk between galleries, or hop the free trolley. Summer months are typically the most busy and entertaining. Entry to most galleries is free. Some charge for refreshments.
• Swope Park Zoo
• Ward Parkway
• Harley-Davidson Final Assembly Plant, 11401 N Congress Ave (near the airport). Free tours (approx. 1 hour) 8am-1pm M-F. No cameras allowed.

Do

• Kansas City Chiefs (Football) Tailgating is a key tradition evident at every home game.
• Kansas City Brigade (Arena Football)
• Kansas City Royals (Baseball)
• Kansas City Knights (Basketball) (Did not play a 2005-06 season)
• Kansas City Wizards (Outdoor Soccer)
• Kansas City Comets (Indoor Soccer)
• Kansas City Royals (Baseball)
• Kansas City T-Bones (Independent League Baseball)
• Plaza Art Fair
• American Royal BBQ contest (Largest in the world)

Barbecue

“Who has the best barbecue in Kansas City?” is a question that causes much debate in Kansas City. Although the debate is usually in good humor, be ready for a passionate explanation which may take some time (or a light-hearted argument if asked in front of more than one person). Although the different restaurants each have their own unique flavors, they will usually have a sauce which is thicker and sweeter than offered in most other parts of the US.

Kansas City is also home to a barbecue dish that is rarely found outside the area, called “Burnt Ends.” These are the overcooked ends and edges of a brisket, which although dry and chewy, are amazingly smoky and full of flavor (much more flavorful than any other cut). If you are feeling open-minded about your KC barbecue experience, they are definitely worth a try.

• LC’s - 5800 Blue Parkway in Kansas City, MO (just head east on Ward Parkway from the Plaza).
• Rosedale - One block west of Rainbow (aka 7th St.) on Southwest Blvd.
• Arthur Bryant’s The original at 1727 Brooklyn is the best. It has pictures on the wall of presidents and other famous people who have visited. The sandwich consists of a large pile of brisket and two pieces of butternut bread. One sandwich could feed three people. If you get an order to go make sure you ask for sauce. There is a security guard in the parking lot at night.
• Gates When you walk in, you will immediately hear: “Hi, may I help you?” So if you’re eating in, grab a tray ASAP if you don’t want to be yelled at.
• Haywards.
• Fiorella’s Jack Stack Three locations, suburban Overland Park, the original in Martin City, and a gorgeous flagship in the restored Freight House, which it shares with Lidia’s and the City Tavern.
• Oklahoma Joe’s Located in Kansas City, KS. This gem is situated in a gas station/liquor store. Walk around to the serving line and have some of the best ribs in Kansas City.
• Zarda
• BB’s Lawnside BBQ

Kansas City enjoys mild winters with light snow, but with temperatures usually staying well above freezing. Snow accumulation occurs 3-5 times per year, on average, rarely exceeding 2-4 inches, and usually melting away within a week, if not 24-48 hours. KC enjoys very pleasant spring and autumn weather, and suffers hot, humid summers. It is not uncommon for the temperature to stay above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for weeks at a time, during July and August. Because of the heat, almost all buildings in Kansas City are equipped with air conditioning. While KC has relatively high humidity, the most common weather is clear with almost completely blue skies. The majority of the rain falls in April, May, and June, but even in these wettest months, rain is light, compared to other cities in the region.