Know Before You Go: About Kansas City
Restaurants dishing up barbecue sauces with sides of meat; jazz clubs where Charlie Parker's sax set the tempo for countless beboppers; 19th-century treasures resurrected from a sunken paddle-wheeler; exotic animals roaming over 200 acres of Missouri parkland—whatever vacation fun means to you and your crew, Kansas City has it all.
It's Rainin' in Kansas City
Springtime arrives in Kansas City when April's daytime highs begin hitting the 60s, with nights hovering in the mid-40s. In summer, dress for muggy weather and temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s. Don’t leave your room without an umbrella; afternoon thunderstorms are common. Sweaters or light jackets do the trick in September and October, with lower humidity, highs in the 60s to low 80s and nights about 20 degrees cooler. Bundle up between November and March, when you're most likely to encounter sub-freezing temperatures and snow.
Kansas City Transportation
Driving here? Follow Interstate 70 west from Saint Louis or east from Denver, or take I-35 north from Dallas or south from Duluth. If you're flying, the Kansas City International Airport has nonstop flights from 43 cities, including New York, Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles. American, Southwest, Delta, United and seven other airlines serve the airport. Amtrak's Southwest Chief and Missouri River Runner stop daily at Union Station, a major attraction in itself and within walking distance of Crown Center. To navigate between downtown's City Market and midtown, Union Station, Crown Center and Country Club Plaza, purchase all-day passes for the Main Street Metro Area Express (MAX) buses. Car travel, however, is the cheapest and quickest way to negotiate Kansas City's sprawl.
Family Fun in Kansas City
For kid-centric fun, head to Union Station's Science City, a multistory interactive science museum where digging for fossils, stargazing at a planetarium or examining chromosomes under a digital microscope are all in a day's play. Then board a MAX bus for the City Market and the Arabia Steamboat Museum, where tons of perfectly preserved artifacts from the sunken steamboat immerse you in Missouri's pre-Civil War life. Ride the Kansas City Zoo's Sky Safari as it soars above the zebras, elephants, giraffes and other wildlife calling the African Plains exhibit home. Other don't-miss attractions include the National Word War I Museum and Liberty Tower, the Crossroads Art District, and Worlds of Fun—a theme park based on Jules Verne's classic “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Kansas City Industries
Kansas City evolved around its stockyards and railroads, and the transportation and animal health industries remain two of its largest employers. A large number of Fortune 500 financial firms have support operations and call centers in and around the city. The bioscience and information technology industries attract skilled professionals. Manufacturing—headed by two major automotive companies, Ford and GM—also plays an important role in the area's economy.
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Things to do in Kansas City
Experience the “Heart of America” while staying in Kansas City.
Kansas City Restaurants
From steaks to barbecue—especially barbecue—Kansas City calls you to feast.