Kansas City: The City of Fountains and BBQ

This past Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I took a trip to Kansas City.  Although not thought of as a typical place for a short weekend jaunt, Kansas City has a lot to offer.  Having lived in Kansas City for six years prior, it was a nice return to my former home and for my wife, it was her first time visiting.  Although the East and West Coast garner most of the attention for tourists to the U.S., the midwest has a lot to offer, including this vibrant city located near the geographic center of the country.

The word picturesque and Kansas City are not often used in the same sentence but Kansas City is quite scenic despite no sweeping mountain or ocean views.  With over 200 fountains, Kansas City claims to have the second most fountains of any city in the world, behind only Rome.  In addition, there are numerous boulevards throughout the city.  The most stunning boulevard is Ward Parkway, home to many towering mansions.  If you have a car when visiting, Ward Parkway is well worth a drive.  Just off of Ward Parkway, there is a wonderful park to visit called Loose Park.  Complete with a nice walking path, lake, and rose garden, Loose Park was probably the place in Kansas City where I spent the most time at while living there.

No visit to Kansas City is complete without spending some time at the Country Club Plaza.  Based off of the architecture in Seville, Spain, the Country Club Plaza is an upscale shopping, dining, and entertainment district located about six miles south of the downtown.  With around 50 restaurants and over 90 shops, there are plenty of options to choose from.  This outdoor district is easy to walk around with 15 city blocks of area to cover.  The “Plaza Lighting Ceremony” takes place Thanksgiving night which marks the beginning of the Christmas season.  80 miles of lights outline the facades of the buildings in the Plaza.  The lights stay lit till mid January and the whole scene is quite festive.

The one thing that is really distinct about Kansas City is the barbeque.  The smell of barbeque seems to linger throughout the city.  Kansas City barbeque is defined by a slow smoked meat that is doused with a tomato or molasses based sauce.  With over 100 barbeque restaurants to choose from, everybody from Kansas City has their preference.  However, my personal favorite is Fiorella’s Jack Stack.  The crown prime beef ribs and beef burnt ends are absolutely delicious and make for a very satisfying meal.

With a recent emphasis on revitalizing the downtown, the Power and Light District was developed.  This nine block downtown district is filled with restaurants and bars and is anchored by the Sprint Center which hosts many concerts and sporting events.  Within the Power and Light District, there is an seperate entertainment plaza, called KC Live, that features live music and two levels of bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

Overall, Kansas City is a nice place to visit for a couple of days.  With a central location, unique architecture, a plethora of dining and shopping options and arguably the best barbeque in the country, Kansas City is an area that will continue to impress for years to come.