Country Club Plaza stays
Country Club Plaza$$$$from ~$229/night
Spanish-revival streets, shopping and fountains outside the door. Quieter than downtown.
- Upscale
- Walkable
- Low Key
2,410 reviewsCompare rooms · Klook
Missouri · City guide
Kansas City
Barbecue, jazz, fountains and the best-value big-city weekend in the Midwest.
14 vetted places · 6 neighborhoods
Kansas City is the region's heavyweight: world-class barbecue, a jazz history you can still hear live, a walkable arts-and-shopping district in the Country Club Plaza, and a free streetcar connecting downtown to the River Market. It's three hours from Omaha and two and a half from Des Moines, and it stays noticeably cheaper than comparable cities for hotels and dinner.
Best time to visit
April through early June and September through October. Summer is humid; football Sundays in the fall fill hotels fast, and the Plaza lights make late November through December worth the cold.
Getting around
KCI airport is about 30 minutes north of downtown. The KC Streetcar is free and links River Market, downtown, the Power & Light District and Union Station; you'll want a car for the Plaza, Westport and the barbecue pilgrimage.
Local tips before you book
The streetcar is free — use it
River Market to Union Station with no ticket and no parking. Base yourself along the line and skip the car for a full day.
Do barbecue at lunch
The famous places run out and the lines are shorter before noon. Two stops in one day is a reasonable ambition; three is not.
Stay in the Crossroads for the best of both
Galleries and restaurants at street level, a short walk to downtown, and cheaper than the Plaza.
First Fridays are a real event
The Crossroads arts district opens its galleries the first Friday of each month. Plan around it, not into it.
Browse Kansas City
Filter by price, neighborhood and vibe — or switch to the map.
Price watchKlook: Up to 15% off Omaha downtown stays this monthSee the deal4.3
3 results
4.7
Power & Light District hotels
Downtown$$from ~$149/night
Right on top of the bars, the arena and the streetcar. Loud on weekends, and that's the point.
- Nightlife
- Walkable
- Budget
3,120 reviewsCheck availability · Klook
Editor's pick
4.6Crossroads boutique hotels
Crossroads$$$from ~$189/night
Design-forward rooms above galleries and restaurants, ten minutes' walk to downtown.
- Upscale
- Date Night
- Walkable
1,830 reviewsCheck rates · Klook
The Saturday list
Weekend plans, in your inbox every Thursday
Join 2,500+ Midwest travelers getting our 2-minute Thursday weekend digest: what's on, new openings, and the hotel deals worth acting on. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Join 2,500+ subscribers · 2-minute read · every Thursday