We asked our Facebook Fans—local people who know the best of the best in Kansas City—what they love and why they love it.
Q: Tell us about the best-kept secrets in KC… places you love to visit and want to share with others.
A:
Big Q Barbecue (2117 S. 34th St., Kansas City, KS, 913.362.6980)...hidden gem. Good stuff! ~ Matt Palacios
Powell Gardens …a bit outside KC, but great gardens, splash pad and a barn for kids to learn about growing food! ~ Brittany Huffman
Sandy’s (1428 US Hwy. 40, Blue Springs, MO, 816.295.1325)…kids eat free on Saturday of all days, which is so nice, and my kids are addicted to them after only being there once!! The food is great, and you get a lot for the money!! ~ Adrienne Tyra
Celebration Park (32701 W. 159th St., Gardner, KS, 913.856.0936)…perfect place for a picnic, fishing and bike riding on the bike path, and it’s one of the best parks in KC! ~ Andrea Lane
Johnny C's Pizza (11200 W. 75th St., Shawnee, KS, 913.631.3234)...St. Louis-style pizza for a steal! ~ Amanda Jobe
French Bee Bakery (404 East St., Parkville, MO, 816.673.0117)…then head to English Landing to play! ~ Lisa Corley
Bonito Michoacan Meat Market (1229 E. Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS, 913.768.0003)…not a restaurant, per se, but has a small dining area with 10 booths. If you are looking for authentic Mexican, look no further. This is coming from a native Floridian who used to live in Fort Lauderdale. AMAZING!!!! ~ Alisa Hamilton Brown
Kansas City Community Garden's Beanstalk Children's Garden …a great place to learn about food and connect it with nature—plus visitors can sample seasonal foods growing in the garden. You may not get full, but you will have some healthy treats. ~ Lois Hutchins-Lehman
Bike trails around Shawnee Mission Park (7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee, KS, 913.888.4713)... an area to the west has a park bench next to the creek bed. The kids could play in the creek all day! ~ Nicole Peters
Cafe Gratitude (333 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, MO, 816.474.5683)…using organic ingredients from local farmers. Amazing food served with kindness and love. ~ Melanie Werner
YES! Youth Fitness in Lee's Summit...For the last two years, my children have faithfully attended three times a week and STILL love it! The different programs are challenging enough for my athletic ones and fun enough for my "couch potato.” ~ Janelle Stuart Gaskell
Mud Pie Bakery (1615 W. 39th St., Kansas City, MO, 816.931.4539)...tasty, allergy friendly and cost effective for specialty baked goods and coffee. Plus the kids’ playroom upstairs is a favorite of my toddler son! ~ Jen Morris
NoRTH Italian restaurant (4579 W. 119th St., Leawood, KS, 913.232.5191)…great food, wonderful happy hour menu selection and value, and we take our son with us every time. ~ Esther Fuchs
FüD (813 W. 17th St., Kansas City, MO, 816.785.3454)…great vegan restaurant with amazing mac and "cheese"! ~ Melissa Overton