Great food (barbecue), good music (bebop and jazz), great sites (fountains). What else do you need? Not much, particularly if you're popping in to a city for a weekend. I had a ball in Kansas City on my parachute in some months ago. Of course, it’s best enjoyed in a season that isn’t winter.
EAT: Conduct your own taste test and determine the best BBQ—and sauce--in Kansas City. There’s the legendary Arthur Bryant's, dubbed the King of Ribs. It's often pitted against Gates, known for the sauce. Residents will debate you about which is best. Try both, or have your BBQ in a gas station across the border in Kansas at Oklahoma Joe’s. Their fries are the best I’ve ever had.
DO: Run the bases on a re-created ball field at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The League folded in the 1960s, but here’s a chance to pay tribute to Moses Fleetwood Walker and Bud Fowler. Make sure to pick up some of the fly memorabilia in the gift shop on the way out. Stick around on Friday evenings for a jazz-infused happy hour at the American Jazz Museum right next door. You can also see the likes of Dianne Reeves, Terence Blanchard or Jonathan Butler there. If you miss the museum at night, head inside during the day and get your groove on at the myriad displays. The historic 18th and Vine district is also home to Harper’s restaurant and the Kansas City Blues and Jazz juke house.
SEE: The city has more working fountains (more than 200 and counting) than any city but Rome. There’s an unspoken rule that every new commercial structure include a fountain, giving the city one of its monikers: The City of Fountains.
STAY: The Raphael, a charming 125-room (88 suites) boutique hotel, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s conveniently located near the Country Club Plaza, a good place to shop until you drop.
