Kansas City's Union Station

Built as a railroad station in 1914, Kansas City's Union Station is now a city landmark and an entertainment and cultural center.

Photograph by Lloyd Sutton, Masterfile

Sports Lovers Head to Kansas City

See trip details for Kansas City, Missouri, one of 30 suggested family trips from National Geographic.

May 24, 2010
2 min read

More Family Trips

With an all-American sports scene, down-home barbecue, and well-known jazz roots, Kansas City, Missouri, is one of the Midwest’s hottest destinations. Downtown, the Power and Light District provides a hub for shopping, dining, and entertainment.

Learn about the Arabia and other steamboats that sank in the treacherous Missouri River at the Arabia Steamboat Museum. Your little musicians might be interested in the American Jazz Museum, which contains audio archives of history’s best jazz artists, including Charlie “Bird” Parker. Next door, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum celebrates the National Negro League’s founding in Kansas City in 1920. The College Basketball Experience is an interactive sports zone where your kids can try shooting free throws or reporting from the ESPN sports desk. For a view of downtown, head to the top of the Liberty Memorial Tower, standing 217 feet (66 meters) tall. The Science City, inside Union Station, houses vintage rail cars and a planetarium.

About that famous Kansas City barbeque: Head to Arthur Bryant’s—a Kansas City staple for over 80 years.

For more information on Kansas City, head to www.visitkc.com.

Based on articles from National Geographic Traveler and compiled by Stephanie Robichaux

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