Kansas City USA guide: Best things to do and where to stay in this playground of jazz and barbecue

To confuse travellers everywhere, there are two places named Kansas City in the USA, and they’re sitting side by side. The state of Kansas might be the obvious place to find one of them but the older, more famous – and arguably more interesting of the pair – is actually just across the state line in Missouri, and that city is the subject of this guide.

Often abbreviated to KCMO, the city is the self-proclaimed barbecue capital of the world. It’s also a jazz hub, and the one-time frontier of the United States. A unique blend of Southern charm and Midwestern spirit lives here and, with a new airport terminal open as of February 2023, it’s gearing up for an influx of visitors.

Heading there as part of a road trip or tempted to make a special journey? Here are the best things to do, hotels to stay at and restaurants to dine in.

Best things to do

Learn about early US history

Missouri was, at one time, the final frontier of the United States. Land to the west was largely unexplored by European settlers and remained indigenous territory. Westward migration in the 1830s began from the nearby city of Independence, but Kansas City, located at the confluence of the Missouri and Kansas rivers, soon overtook it as the starting point for journeys along the Oregon, California and Santa Fe trails.

You’ll get a glimpse of this in the lively neighbourhood of Westport, where KCMO was founded, though you’re more likely to encounter its slew of bars and restaurants. So instead head to the Arabia Steamboat Museum, where the lives of people who were on the frontiers are told through a fascinating display of items salvaged from a 19^th-century steamboat. Complete your education with visits to the cities of Independence and St Joseph; bus services are limited so you’re better off driving.

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Explore the art scene

For what’s a relatively small city, KCMO has a startlingly expansive art scene. The pinnacle is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Early curators for the now 90-year-old museum amassed an enormous collection thanks to the Great Depression, which meant art and artefacts were being sold incredibly cheaply. Highlights include an extensive collection of Asian art and a prized Caravaggio.

The Crossroads neighbourhood is home to over a…