Kansas City
My first trip to Kansas City was during my 2023 travels. There is a lot to do in Kansas City, so I decided to spend several nights.
After arriving on Thursday, 20 April 2023, I visited Country Club Plaza, a great outdoor shopping center, before heading back for some Kansas City barbecue at Q39 in Overland Park.
The next day, Friday, 21 April 2023, I made a quick stop at the Kansas City Federal Reserve Money Museum. It’s small and free, and the interactive exhibits make it a great place to take kids.
I intended to visit the nearby World War I Museum and Memorial, but with Kansas City in the middle of preparations for the NFL Draft, the whole area was congested. I decided to return the next day when I had more time. My goal that day was to make the two-hour drive to Jefferson City (“Jeff City”) to visit the Missouri State Capitol, so I changed course so I could complete that visit.
The next day, since I was not pressed for time, I returned to the World War I Memorial, which features a museum, records office, and observation deck. My paternal grandfather was a World War I veteran; it is uncommon for someone my age to have a grandparent who fought in World War I. My grandfather was born in 1898 and was well into his 50s when my father was born. He died months before I was born.
Kansas City is the headquarters of Hallmark, which makes a lot of money from the Keepsake Ornaments I collect. The company owns Crown Center, a shopping and entertainment area near the Hallmark headquarters downtown, so I decided to see where my money goes.
Of course, it has a large Hallmark store right as you go in. All other stores and dining options at Crown Center are local, which fits nicely with my mission to support local businesses when I travel.
Knowing there would be many travels ahead, I decided to head back to the hotel to rest up for the return to Texas the next morning. Before settling for the night, I went on a mission to find a good local coffeehouse. I tried POUR Coffeehouse in nearby Olathe and loved it so much I stopped on the way out the next morning to properly fuel myself for the 12-hour drive back to Austin, Texas.
