I love to travel, even if it isn't too far from home. Kansas City is a place where I have been so many times. It kind of feels like a second home. It's just a short 3 hour drive from my apartment.
I just recently went on a trip that my sister and I planned for my grandma. Her and my grandpa grew up and started their lives in Kansas City, so when we do go back, it is usually for family things. We don't really get to take time to explore the city and see all that it has to offer.
We stayed at an Airbnb when we most recently went but usually have stayed at hotels. I 100% recommend the Airbnb route, as you have more space and it is usually much cheaper than a hotel. Ours was tucked away right off main roads and super close the the Plaza! The inside was clean and beautiful. Perfect for a short trip like this. (Photo from the listing.)
We arrived on a Wednesday afternoon and got comfortable at our Airbnb. We didn't do much, as it was New Year's Day, and many places were closed. We hit up a local restaurant for supper, Frick and Frack. It was a total hole-in-the-wall but entirely delicious.
Thursday morning, we ate breakfast at First Watch. It was entirely the best omelet that I have ever had, served with a great cup of coffee. My sister got delicious bacon with her food that is a speciality food that they have. If you ever stop in for breakfast, be sure to order some!
After breakfast, we headed to the American Jazz Museum. A great place filled with history about music and art, all over the country. Kansas City still has a great jazz presence in their community. We headed out shopping after the museum and hit up Legends Outlet Mall, just over the boarder in Kansas City, Kansas. They have so many stores here and many great deals were going on!
After a day of shopping, we went back to the Airbnb to refresh before our dinner reservations at Buca di Beppo. One of my sister's favorite restaurants in Kansas City. It's located in the Plaza, which is one of my favorite places to be in Kansas City.
Friday's activities consisted of a stop at The Roasterie, a place my sister and I have both toured before. They have such a great tour of their workspace. If you are a coffee lover, this tour is for you. They also do a tasting at the end.
After our coffee stop, we went the Historic Garment District Museum. They were currently displaying inaugural looks by both men and women at important events in political history throughout the U.S. and Kansas City. There were several gowns that are 100's of years old. The hand-work and detailing was impeccable. (They are currently remodeling the mansion that the museum is typically located in, but will move the exhibit back there after renovations are complete. The museum is a place that my grandma used to visit frequently with her friends and siblings when they were younger, and we found that out when talking to the tour guide about the renovations.)
From the museum we headed over to Union Station, just blocks away. We walked around in the station and over the tracks to Jack Stack Barbecue for a delicious lunch. To walk some lunch off we took the sky walk around and over to Crown Center Plaza. We visited a few stores there and headed for the car to make our trek home.
Other things we planned for, but didn't end up having time for:
SEA LIFE Kansas City
Shopping on the Plaza - we opted for the outlets instead this time
Powell Gardens Festival of Lights - this is pretty far out of Kansas City, so it was too far to make it in time after dinner.
Hallmark Visitors Center
Overall, there is so much to see and do in Kansas City regardless of if you are a native, have been visiting forever, or visiting for your very first time. Do some research to see what interests you the most and make your plans to go!
Hannah