This Midwestern gem is enjoying a Renaissance after the investment of billions of dollars in new venues and entertainment options, as well as large-scale renovations of existing properties.
DAY 1: Old and New
1:00 PM
Honor the centennial of the start of the Great War with a visit to the National WWI Museum -- the only American museum dedicated solely to the First World War. The space offers engaging multi-media exhibits and fascinating artifacts tracing the war's origins and consequences, including the striking sculpture of 9,000 red poppies in the entryway, each representing 1,000 war dead.
3:00 PM
Visit Union Station, which is celebrating its own centennial this year. Walking through the beaux-arts masterpiece is entertainment in itself, but the 900-room space also offers diversions ranging from a King Tut exhibit to Captain America movie screenings.
7:00 PM
Catch a performance at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts -- the dramatic glass and stainless steel structure was designed by architect Moshe Safdie and opened in 2011.
DAY 2: Crowning Achievement
2:00 PM
Spend the afternoon at the Crown Center. This 85-acre entertainment complex includes more than 60 local shops and restaurants, a live theater, outdoor space for concerts and festivals, and amusing options like the Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life Kansas City. Owned by Hallmark Cards, whose world headquarters is located at the Center, the complex connects to the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center, The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center, and the Crown Center Exhibit Hall, which altogether offer 1,454 guestrooms and 300,000 square feet of freshly renovated meeting space (including the largest ballroom in the city). The two hotels completed a $22-million renovation last year.
7:00 PM
Have dinner at Sheraton's new Spectators Bar & Grille, newly reopened after a three-month renovation. The relaxed gastropub offers private rooms that can be secured for meetings, with classic American dishes and local Boulevard Brewery beer, as well as the healthy Color Your Plate menu.
DAY 3: Food and Fun
1:00 PM
Kansas City boasts more than 100 BBQ spots, and everyone has their favorite. While it's hard to choose the best place, one of the more group-friendly options is Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue, which at its three locations in the city cooks up some of the best burnt ends (KC's signature dish) you can find.
5:00 PM
Get in some last-minute shopping at the city's Spanish-inspired Country Club Plaza district, full of shops and excellent restaurants such as the upscale Gram & Dun, serving up the must-try dishes of sweet-tea pork shoulder and baked potato gnocci.
8:00 PM
Finish off your stay at the city's Power & Light District, which after an $850 million investment has become the new center of Kansas City nightlife. The eight-block area offers plenty of entertainment and restaurant options, with an outdoor KC Live! stage that hosts live entertainments more than 150 nights of the year.