A Long Weekend in the City of Fountains: What To Do, Eat and See
I've been to Kansas City, MO a lot over the years whether for a soccer tournament, family vacation or football game. I love Kansas City, but I had never gotten to experience it in a relaxed way as an adult. This trip was a lot of fun and I'd love to share with you what we did!
The view from our hotel room in the Power and Light District.
What Makes a Good Trip
When my husband and I travel, we like to keep our plans relaxed. We always map out where we're going to stay and select a few places to eat or things to do that are the most important for us. Past that, we don't make anything a priority and just enjoy where we're at with each other. Where to eat, what to do, and where to stay are all below for Kansas City.
Where to Eat
Food is my focus on most any trip. The only downfall of finding really good places is that they're not in your neck of the woods to eat at every day! So what makes a good restaurant for me? I look for three things: the feel of the place, the service, and of course, delicious food.
Arthur Bryant's
Left to Right: Arthur Bryant Sauces, Onion Rings and Burnt Ends, Potato Casserole, Coleslaw and Brisket
This is a Kansas City BBQ staple that falls in line with names like Jack Stack, Q39, and Joe's. The overall experience of Arthur Bryant's (AB) is nostalgia. For me, that's good and bad. You can keep the classic feel and look of a place while also taking care of it. For me, AB's is in desperate need of some upkeep. The memorabilia on the walls is awesome. Loads of pictures of the family and famous people who have come through the years. The set up of the counter where you order through the windows which is fun. Where it really lacked for me was the sanitation. The tables and chairs need an update as they were peeling and broken, the bathrooms were literally falling apart, and we used plastic silverware because I pulled out three metal forks in a row that were dirty with small chunks of food.
The food was good, but I didn't think it was the best BBQ I've ever had. My husband really enjoyed their sauces as they are less sweet and more spice. For our meal, we got the brisket and burnt ends with coleslaw, onion rings and potato casserole for sides. The brisket comes without sauce and the burnt ends are in their Rich and Spicy sauce. The burnt ends had a great tang but it wasn't overly spicy which was nice. The brisket was sliced thin and the only complaint I had was it would have been better warm. The coleslaw was very tasty! Potato casserole was cheesy, but it definitely could have used a little seasoning. Even just a little more salt and pepper would have been great. The onion rings had a nice breading, but like the brisket they were cold and falling apart. Overall, I'm glad we stopped at this KC staple, but I probably wouldn't go back with so many other great BBQ options in the area.
Buffalo State Pizza Co
Left to Right: Pesto Pete, Don Pepe, Fully Clothed Breadsticks
I love pizza. All kinds of pizza have a place in this world. Buffalo State was just down the road from our hotel, so on our first night in town we decided to walk over. It was in a cool industrial space and there was a live musician when we went. The guy playing music was fine, but it was kind of awkward since there weren't a ton of people there. Your order at the counter and the food is brought out to you.
We started with the fully clothed breadsticks. If you don't like garlic, this is not for you. It was served with a nice marinara sauce. They serve NY style pizza. We decided to get slices so we could enjoy more than one kind of pizza. We settled on the Don Pepe and the Pesto Pete. The Don Pepe had pepperoni, spinach, roma tomato, feta, parmesan cheese, and roasted garlic which was my favorite. The Pesto Pete had roasted chicken, sun dried tomato, cream cheese, house made pesto, pine nuts and parmesan cheese which was Scott's favorite. We had plenty to take back to the hotel to enjoy as a late night snack.
Brown & Loe
Left to Right: Brown and Loe, Chicken and Waffles, Ham and Cheese Sandwich
When in KC, the City Market is a great place to spend a morning. Brown & Loe is located on the corner as you enter the market from the east. They have a very cool space indoors that looks kind of like an old train station. They have a great outdoor patio that overlooks the market, which is where we decided to sit.
Our waitress was friendly, made sure we had everything we needed, but also didn't crowd our space. The food was delicious. We got the chicken and waffles on recommendation and they were some of the best I've had as I’m not usually a fan. They had a honey drizzle and white BBQ sauce. The chicken was fried to perfection and moist. The waffle was a little dense, but eaten with everything it was the perfect bite. I got the ham and cheese sandwich that had a pimento cheese spread and fried egg. The ham was sliced thin which made it melt in your mouth, and a fried egg makes everything better.
Lidia's
Top Left to Right: Lydia's Menu, Burrata Appetizer, Bread with Spreads
Bottom Left to Right: Chef's Pasta Trio, Duck with Polenta &Asparagus, Pistachio Cake & Strawberry Sorbet.
I mentioned earlier that I love pizza. That statement can be widened to Italian food or just carbs in general. Lidia’s was a great way to end our trip. Located in an old railroad house, you automatically feel cozy and at home inside. You may recognize the restaurant name as the owner is an Emmy award-winning tv host, best-selling cookbook author and restauranteur. Learn more about her here!
Overall, this was a great dining experience. I felt like the food more than exceeded the value. We started the evening with a burrata appetizer. It came on top of a bed of fava beans, baby lima beans, peas and scallions. The bread you eat it with had a ‘nduja spread which is spicy, spreadable pork salami. It is similar to chorizo in flavor but with a softer texture. The burrata and topping complimented it well. If you’re going to Lidia’s for the first time like we were, I highly recommend the three course pasta special. You start your meal with a large Caesar salad. Your table gets focaccia bread with a few spreads. Then the main course comes out; three chef selected pastas brought out to your table individually. Finally, you end with a dessert of your choice. Oh, and did I mention that the pasta is limitless? My husband got the duck on recommendation from our waitress. It did not disappoint. It was tender and served with brandied cherries, polenta and grilled asparagus. We finished our night with a pistachio cake with strawberry sorbet. Did we fight over it? Absolutely.
Jousting Pig
Clockwise from Top Left: Ribs, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Coleslaw, Mac and Cheese
We wanted to hit up one more BBQ joint before heading home. Jousting Pig was in the suburb, Liberty, just outside of downtown. It’s partnered with a local brewery, 3 Halves.
This experience can be summed up in four words. Pork Belly Burnt Ends. They were meat candy; crispy on the outside and melt in your mouth in the middle. The rest of our food was delicious as well. The mac and cheese was creamy and had a little spice to it. The coleslaw was vinegar based and they incorporated more veggies than just cabbage and carrot which was nice. The ribs had a nice dry rub on them, and while they didn’t need it, we took home a bottle of their BBQ sauce because it was sweet and tangy.
Fun Activities
This trip was for fun and relaxation. We didn't pack our schedules with stuff, but there were definitely activities we wanted to do. Usually when I come to Kansas City, it's for a sports game. This was a great trip to explore the city outside of sports.
I am a kid at heart. I have loved zoos for as long as I can remember, and I appreciate zoos that create spaces that mimic an animals natural environment and really work hard on their conservation efforts. It's $17-$20 per person depending on when you buy the ticket and if you have adults or kids, which is pretty reasonable for a zoo. The KC Zoo is currently under some renovations. They are adding an aquarium that should be completed in 2023.
Overall I thought it was a good zoo with a great variety of animals. My only complaint is that it's very spread out and you should be prepared for a lot of walking. Normally this wouldn’t bother me, but it just felt like there was a lot of space, that maybe they intend to fill, and we probably spent a fourth of our time walking to exhibits. They do have some shuttles or a small cost, but if you have kids I'd plan to bring the stroller and your walking shoes!
The Jazz Museum
My husband is a big jazz guy. He played the bass for many years and we used to love going to the Continental in Des Moines for an evening of jazz and drinks (*we did just find out they opened a new location). While the museum isn't very big, it's in a really cool neighborhood and really focuses on Kansas City's impact on the jazz world. When you enter there is a video playing. As you continue into the museum it's a large room with lots of stuff to look at showcasing different types of jazz. They also have different activities where you can mix your own jazz song. Plus, if you're into baseball, it's also attached to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
The City Market
A market in the city. Much like Seattle, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee to name a few, this was a great mesh of all that the city has to offer. There were lots of great stands with various types of plants, food, and home goods. Don’t expect to be here all day, but there is lots to look at and a lot of good food. If you don’t like large crowds, this may not be the activity for you.
Breweries
Left to Right: Casual Animal Brewing Exterior, Casual Animal Flight, Double Shift Flight
Kansas City has a great craft brewery scene. Of course, Boulevard is the KC brewery most people are familiar with. We checked out a few smaller ones downtown that were in walking distance from the hotel, Casual Animal Brewing and Double Shift. Casual Animal was more “hip” with a really open space, lots of plants and dog-friendly. Their brews weren’t our favorite, but it was a nice place to check out. Double Shift was more our beer style. They are a bit smaller on the interior and have a more industrial feel. There are plenty of breweries in KC, and you can find some you speed here!
Where To Stay
When you’re looking for a place to stay when traveling, there are a few things you should take into consideration. Where do you want to be? Do you want to be able to walk to most things? Do you want to be in the hustle and bustle or off the beaten path? Are you willing to splurge a little if it comes with breakfast or a pool? While other people’s opinions aren’t everything, it is helpful to look through reviews and see if there’s anything reoccurring you should lookout for.
No matter what hotel you stay at, I encourage you to find a place within walking distance of the tram. The last time my family and I made a multi-day trip to KC in 2014, it had just been announced they would be adding a tram to downtown. Being back and seeing it fully operational was really cool, and I think it was a great addition to the city.
My husband and I decided to splurge a little on a hotel this trip. We stayed at the Loews Kansas City Hotel next to the Kauffman Center. We picked this hotel for a few different reasons.
1. They had a special where we could buy two nights and get one free. Yes, this was a little bit more of an expensive hotel to begin with, but it allowed us to spend the same amount as getting another cheaper hotel.
2. They had a nice salt lap pool and a hot tub that was perfect for relaxing.
3. They have a parking garage under the hotel where we left our car most of the time. Since the tram was just down the block, we could use that or walk to get around most places. You only pay $24/day, which is about what you'd pay to put it in a garage somewhere and this way we knew it was safe and close.
Kansas City is a great Midwest trip for a weekend or a week. It’s great for couples, families or solo trips. From Des Moines, where we live, it's a super easy drive. There is something going on in all seasons and you can find something for everyone to do. When you're tired of going to Omaha or Minneapolis or just looking to switch things up, Kansas City is another great option!
Have you been to Kansas City? Any go-to places or places we should check out next time we're in town? Comment below!
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