When planning a weekend getaway, I’m going to go out on a limb here and venture to guess that Kansas City is not the first destination that comes to mind. And I get that. I really do.  And full transparency here, when it comes to long weekend getaways, there are many places that I would place ahead of Kansas City like Asheville, Charleston, and Austin, too.

But for somewhere a little different than the typical go-to places, I highly recommend giving Kansas City a try. There is plenty to see and do, delicious food to eat, interesting history to learn, and soul-satisfying music to listen to.

WHAT TO SEE & DO

THE NEGRO LEAGUES Baseball museum

This is a wonderful museum that honestly surpassed my expectations. It’s well-laid out, carefully appointed, and very informative. The museum provides a wonderful glimpse into the side of baseball that is (sadly) rarely mentioned. Here you’ll find great mixture of video clips, memorabilia, uniforms, and interesting stories of various players. Definitely worth a visit!

Things to know: $10 admission for adults, closed on Mondays

Oh how I love this photo. And yes, I’m fully aware how ridiculous I look.

SIT Back & LISTEN TO SOME BEAUTIFUL JAZZ

18th and Vine is the heart of the city’s historic jazz district and is a must-visit on any Kansas City itinerary. There are a number of jazz clubs in the area with wonderful live music in cool and comfortable atmospheres. We saw a couple of different jazz ensembles and they were all fantastic. Think Nashville and Austin, but on a smaller scale. The American Jazz Museum is a nice little museum (it’s really small and can be easily covered in an hour) that offers some insight into the history of jazz. Exhibits showcase some of the greatest in music, including Charlie Parker, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald. Listening stations and touch screen interactive enhance the overall experience.

Things to know: $10 admission for adults, closed on Mondays. 

You can buy a discounted combo ticket for both the Jazz Museum & Negro Leagues Baseball Museum for $15.00.

Past and present jazz legends honored in the Museum’s Blue Room

EAT DELICIOUS BARBEQUE. THEN EAT SOME MORE.

Renowned and for its mouthwatering and stick-to-your-ribs barbecue, it’s pretty much a guarantee that when you’re in Kansas City, you’ll be surrounded by some of the best barbecue joints in the country. Arthur Bryant’s is perhaps the city’s most famous spot, but if you just can’t face the long lines (we couldn’t), have no fear; there are plenty of other options. We really liked Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue and enjoyed a great lunch there. Of course, I wouldn’t go to Kansas City expecting to drop any pounds, but remember that you’re on vacation and a little splurge here and there (or everywhere) is not only encouraged but pretty much required here.

EAT AT CAFE PROVENCE & forget that you’re in kansas

Probably one of the most surprising meals of my life. Not. Even. Kidding. I mean, who expects to be blown away at a restaurant in KANSAS? No-one. That’s who. I had seen Cafe Provence appear on multiple Best Restaurants lists so naturally I had to try it for myself. Well let me say that our entire dinner lived up to all of the rave reviews. Family owned, this cozy cafe serves seasonal and local French food and is truly delicious. An impressive restaurant not just by Kansas standards, but one that can strongly stand up to countless top-rated restaurants around the country.

Thing to know:  Cafe Provence is located in Prairie Village, KS, a short 15-20 minute drive from Kansas City, MO. It’s worth the drive, people, trust me.

HEAD TO ARROWHEAD

I realize that attending a football game may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if there were any town to make an exception, Kansas City might just be the one. By now you might know that we try to go to a different NFL stadium each year, and Arrowhead Stadium is easily in the top three of overall live football game experiences (other top contenders include New Orleans and Dallas–sorry, fellow Eagles fans, but it’s the truth). Their loyal fanbase, palpable energy, and surprisingly low ticket prices (compared to other stadiums, that is–NFL tickets are not exactly known to be cheap) all lend to an awesome game day. If you happen to be in Kansas City and the Chiefs are in town, and you are even remotely a football fan, it’s almost guaranteed to be an epic Sunday fun day.

With our great friends Jenna and Marc. Jenna is the only true Chiefs fan here.

The other three are just a bunch of posers. 

Bottom Line:  For a bit of a change of pace and an easy long weekend getaway, consider venturing to this highly underrated city. Your ears, tastebuds, and inner history buff will thank you!

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