Ha ha ha! Kansas City isn’t really known for their weather. I would say the spring or fall, because summer is SO miserably HOT and winter SO miserably COLD. But of course spring and fall are very short-lived and wet. So April or October are going to be your best bet probably. If it does rain (and it sure to at some point depending on how long you stay) perhaps you’ll get a chance to see one of the AWESOME electrical storms they have (and I miss..boo). Oh here’s another idea if you don’t mind cold too much, go during the Christmas shopping season when the (Country Club) Plaza is lit up for Christmas!
Highlights…some these kind folks have already touched on, like Nelson Atkins (they have a wonderful courtyard eatery that is in the middle of the gallery…delicious).
For nightlife…Westport! the bars are open until 3, they are all clustered together on Westport Road, you can tote your beer on the street (and see drunk girls struggling in their uber high heels). You MUST go to Harry’s Bar (501 Westport Rd) for good food and drinks, great atmosphere.
Dining- There are two restaruants tucked away down Pennsylvania Avenue (just off Westport Rd) called Mesa Wraps (like Chipotle but waaay better in my opinion), a cheap lunch alternative, and then Thai Place if you like Thai food. Some of the best I’ve ever had actually.
On the Plaza is a place called Baja600, if you go when it’s warm then you can dine out on the porch and they’ll make some excellent guacamole at your table. Irish pub called O’Dowds, they have the Guiness certified tap system.
Attractions:
Kansas City is the City of Fountains. There are tons of them everywhere. My favorites are on the Plaza. There is one in a park across from the big tower thingy call JC Nicols Park. Another of my favs is The Pamona (Ward Parkway & Wornall), The Block Fountain across from Union Station….who’m I kidding, they’re all my favorite. You can see a partial list here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fountains_in_Kansas_City
I’m getting so nostalgic.
The Jazz Museum at 12th and Vine, The Scout statue in Penn Valley Park offers a beautiful view of the city skyline, I used to go up there at night when I needed a moment to myself, the view is awesome. You could go to the top of the Liberty Memorial (the phallic symbol up by Crowne Center) and get a bird’s eye view of the city.
OK I could go on and on. So I’m going to stop. Thanks for the walk down memory lane and if I can be of any further assistance just let me know. Kansas City is such a jewel box and no one (unless they’re from the general area of the center of the country) knows about it, so I feel it’s my duty to introduce the rest of the world to it. My story is that I moved there from coastal NC site unseen and I lived there for 8 months. So I have the perspective of a tourist that just stayed for an exceptionally long vacation (except I did have to work…lol).
The photo is of Union Station…in the fall…when my parents came to visit and it rained the entire time they were there :(