I love helping families plan unforgettable multigenerational trips! There is something uniquely special about grandparents and grandchildren playing together, discovering together and making memories together. The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City is the perfect homebase for your next multi-generation adventure with your family!
The Country Club Plaza comprises 15 blocks of shopping, dining and historic architecture in the heart of Kansas City. Its location makes it ideal for exploring much of what Kansas City has to offer. In its immediate vicinity are numerous parks and museums, plus it is convenient to downtown Kansas City.
Country Club Plaza
Places to Stay
The Plaza offers accommodations for any budget and experience. There are beautiful and historic luxury hotels, such as the Fontaine and the Raphael Hotel, with amazing views of the Plaza and the Kansas City skyline, luxury accommodations and amenities and fine dining options. For families looking for more space and a more budget-friendly option, the Hampton Inn & Suites and Springhill Suites by Marriott are fantastic options, both located on the Northwest side of the Plaza.
Other unique options include quaint and welcoming bed and breakfast accommodations, such as the beloved Southmoreland on the Plaza, and numerous units on private rental sites like VRBO and Airbnb.
Dining
The Plaza boasts more than 30 restaurants, serving a variety of cuisines and providing a plethora of dining experiences.
Enjoy a nice, fresh farm-to-table meal at Rye, a casual and fun family dinner at Chuy’s or the Cheesecake Factory or a unique Asian meal at P. F. Chang’s. Grab a snack or treat at Auntie Anne’s - Cinnabon or Cupcake a la Mode, ice cream at Coldstone Creamery or coffee from Starbucks.
For a finer dining experience, try the Capital Grille for a delicious steak or McCormick & Schmick’s for seafood. Another KC favorite is patio dining on the Plaza, and 0Gram & Dun is a local favorite for fresh air and food!
Things to Do
Kansas City has no shortage of fun and unique experiences for families! The Plaza area is central to many of these attractions.
Loose Park, KCMO
Parks
Kansas City is famous for its parks and fountains. Take advantage of a beautiful spring day and head to Jacob Loose Park, the Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden or Robert Gillham Park, all located in the Plaza area. Grab barbecue to go from Fiorella’s Jack Stack on the Plaza and enjoy a picnic lunch and some outdoor family fun!
Museums
One of my favorite museums in Kansas City, and one that is perfect for families with a wide range of ages, is the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures. This museum, south of the Plaza, is the home of the world’s largest collection of miniatures and one of the largest public collections of historic toys. Grandparents and children alike will enjoy the nostalgia of exploring toys throughout the decades.
Located just east of the Plaza are the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Both museums provide families hours of exploring various styles of art, including larger-than-life sculptures on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins.
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Country Club Plaza
41st and Wyandotte, Kansas City, MissouriIt was designed in 1922 as the nation's first suburban shopping district. Since then, it's open-air public art gallery has continuously added to its collection, with fountains, sculptures and murals.
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Crown Center
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MissouriCrown Center is the place for pure entertainment. With exciting events and unique attractions. A center full of locally owned shops and restaurants. And two luxury hotels so you can stay at the center of it all.
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Crown Center Ice Terrace
Enjoy ice skating at Kansas City's original outdoor rink, open annually November-March.
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Gillham Park
Gillham Road between 39th Street and Brush Creek Boulevard, Kansas City, MissouriWhile there is actually no official Gillham Park, the area is filled with play areas and open spaces.
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Jack Stack Barbecue Country Club Plaza
Our Country Club Plaza location brings world-class barbecue to Kansas City's premier shopping and tourist destination. Stop by and enjoy The Plaza's Spanish architecture from our outdoor patio.
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Kauffman Memorial Gardens
The Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden is a privately-owned garden that is run in cooperation with Powell Gardens. The garden is free and open to the public.
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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
Kansas City's destination for modern and contemporary art since 1994, and the home of Café Sebastienne. Free admission (always), and free parking!
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LEGOLAND Discovery Center
Legoland Discovery Center Kansas City offers a fun, highly interactive and educational 2-to 3-hour indoor experience. Based on the ever-popular Lego® brick, Legoland Discovery Center provides a range of interactive play areas.
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National Museum of Toys and Miniatures
The Museum offers a rich and immersive experience, making it an ideal destination for multigenerational families, adults, and children alike. As you wander through the exhibits, you’ll be transported to different eras, each filled with unique charm.
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National WWI Museum and Memorial
The National WWI Museum and Memorial is America’s leading institution dedicated to remembering, interpreting and understanding the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community. Named one of the top 25 museums in the United Sta...
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Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is Kansas City’s favorite free attraction, as voted by readers of KC Parent Magazine! Discover masterpieces in the galleries, spend quality time together at a festival or drop in for a weekend art activity. Classes...
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Sea Life Kansas City
This aquarium experience will get you up close and face-to-face with amazing underwater creatures such as sharks, octopus, our green sea turtle named Gertrude, stingrays, sea stars, seahorses, jellyfish and thousands of colorful fish! A favorite a...
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dszc Getty Images/iStockphoto
Union Station
A place for great adventure. Where Kansas City Connects. All of these phrases – and more – are regularly used to describe Union Station. Visitors of all ages, from all places and for all reasons tie Union Station to special and magical moments.
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Venturing north of the Plaza, toward downtown Kansas City, are the National World War I Museum and Memorial and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. These both provide grandparents the opportunity to recall and share some of our nation’s history with their grandchildren.
tomofbluesprings Getty Images
T-Mobile Center is a large, multi-use indoor arena. The building is located on the east side of the Power & Light District and seats over 19,000.
Downtown Kansas City
Yet another way to spend a day in Kansas City is the Hallmark Crown Center in Downtown Kansas City. On the weekends, parking at Crown Center is free, and, even during the week, parking is free with validation. Between the Skylink and the KC Streetcar, you can park your car and leave it!
The Skylink connects Crown Center and Union Station via an elevated pedestrian walkway completely protected from the elements. The KC Streetcar runs from Union Station to the River Market with 16 stops in between.
Crown Center
Crown Center is a bustling shopping center, containing shops and restaurants. A local favorite is Fritz’s. This train-themed restaurant delivers burgers and fries to your table via model trains!
Additionally, Crown Center houses the Coterie Theater that offers shows with a young audience in mind. It also offers limited-time attractions throughout the year, so make sure to check out the schedule.
Two major attractions located in Crown Center are Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium. Legoland contains 12 interactive, Lego-themed play zones. Geared especially for children ages 3-10, the wide range of interactive activities really appeal to the whole family! Sea Life will transport you to an underwater world, where you can discover the beauty and wonder of ocean life. Typically, you can purchase tickets to both attractions for a small discount.
Union Station
Union Station
Just a short walk on the Skylink will take you to Union Station. Built in 1914, it is a beautiful building with many traces of the Railroad Age. With the historic background and the numerous entertainment opportunities, you can easily spend an entire day here!
Catch a movie at the Extreme Screen Theater or the Planetarium, explore and interact with the scientific world at Science City, enjoy watching the model trains or even learn about a unique subject from a national traveling exhibit.
TriggerPhoto Getty Images/iStockphoto
Kansas City Streetcar Public Transportation
KC Streetcar
If the weather is nice, you can even plan on exploring the KC Streetcar route! Take the Skylink to Union Station and head outside to the streetcar stop. A streetcar leaves Union Station every 10-15 minutes, so you never have to wait long.
Adventure Awaits
As you can see, Kansas City is the perfect location for your family’s next grand adventure!
Joy Oufnac, a travel specialist with 3D Travel Company, loves planning and embarking on family adventures! You can contact her at joy.oufnac@3dtravelcompany.com.