The Nelson-Atkins is free, though special exhibits may be an additional cost. Rachel recommends going to see Guanyin of the Southern Sea in the East Asian galleries.

Their hours are

Sat-Mon | 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tue-Wed | CLOSED

Thur-Fri | 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

The KC Zoo and Aquarium is a great walk (be prepared to walk a lot, though - wear your comfy shoes) filled with adorable animals and the staff is highly knowledgeable.


Admission for the zoo ranges from $9.50-$11 for Jackson and Clay County residents to $19.00-$22 for those who live outside the Zoological District. Children under 2 are free.


If you are a member of an AZA-accredited zoo, your admission fee is 50% off, but call ahead to make sure.


Hours are
Monday-Friday
9:30 am - 4 pm
Saturday-Sunday
9:30 am - 4 pm

We love Whiskers so much. You can book an hour with the cats to get in snuggle and purr time, and you can enjoy a lot of delicious drinks (try their maple chai!) in the adjoining cafe.

In addition to being an active Amtrak station, Union Station is a Kansas City icon with a rich history. It was built in 1914 and served as a major rail hub during WWI. Now, it is home to a number of restaurants and attractions, but the grand plaza is worth seeing in its own right. Bandon also recommends the model train gallery.

The building itself is free and open from 6am through midnight, though other restaurants and exhibits may have shorter hours and/or higher costs.

The WWI Memorial and Museum is the preeminent WWI museum in the Americas, and their collection is the most comprehensive in the world. While the subject matter is a bit of a downer, we love this museum and their mission.


Their hours are
Tuesday - Sunday:
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Mondays: CLOSED


Admission is $18 for adults, $14 for seniors (ages 65+) and military (Veterans & Active Duty), $10 for youth (ages 6-15), and children under 6 are free.

We strongly recommend our guests check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The breaking of the colour barrier by Jackie Robinson was a huge part of the Civil Rights movement, and understanding how we got to where we are from there is incredibly valuable.

Hours are

Monday | CLOSED

Tuesday-Saturday | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sunday | 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Adults: $10.00 Each

Seniors: $9.00 Each (65+ Years)

Kids: $6.00 Each (5 - 12 Years)

Kids: FREE (0 - 4 Years)

The Toy and Miniature Museum has a lot of really amazing pieces of miniature art, and a lot of toys full of nostalgia. It is located on the UMKC campus.

Hours are

OPEN HOURS

Wednesday – Monday, 10am-4pm

CLOSED

Tuesdays

General Adult Admission (Ages 18-64): $10

Age 65+: $8

Active Duty and Retired Military (With ID): $5

Ages 6-17 and College Students (With ID): $5

Age 5 and Under, Museums for All (With EBT Card), T/m Members (With ID), and UMKC Faculty, Staff, and Students (With ID): Free

The City Market is a historic market area near the river. It's fully pedestrianised and has two streetcar stops, making it a fantastic way to spend a morning and early afternoon. There's a wide range of local and imported produce, as well as other small businesses. If you like board games, you should definitely check out Level One.

In addition to being the site of our first date, Loose Park is the crown jewel of KC's park system. It is a 75-acre park just south of the Plaza, perfect for walking, relaxing amongst the trees, playing catch, or watching a partial eclipse. There is also a large koi pond that is usually a home to ducks and turtles (and the occasional heron, feeding on the koi), a beautiful rose garden (which admittedly will probably not be at its best in October), and a playground. The park is also a historic site: Union forces routed the Confederates at the Battle of Westport on the site of what is now Loose Park and a monument to this effect is at the south of the park.

The park is free, has parking on-site, and is open until sunset, though they won't kick you out at that hour.

This beautiful space is on the north side of Brush Creek, across from UMKC and just east of the Plaza. It is open sunrise to sunset every day and it is completely free to visit and park. The garden is tended year-round and has a rotating array of seasonal flowers; it's been one of our favourite places to relax ever since we first started dating.

Serving up pizza in a former garage, Pizza 51 is an old haunt of Bandon's, being just across the way from the main UMKC campus. The pizza is solid, and we highly recommend this place for a laid back night out.

Another place in a former garage, this (or any of the Joe's locations around KC) is Bandon's preferred barbecue location. The Z-man is always popular, but there are a number of fantastic options. The portions are also quite large, a normal side of fries is the size of a small meal.

Jack Stack is the best 'high-end' barbecue option. The food is very good, and if you're on the Plaza it's an excellent option. (Bandon would argue the it's the best restaurant on the Plaza.) If you just want really good barbecue though, there are better and cheaper options.

Blue Nile is a very good Ethiopian place in the River Market area. It's directly across from a streetcar stop and a great option before or after spending a day in the city market.

Excellent Indian food in the heart of Westport. The atmosphere is great, the portions are massive and the food is absolutely delicious.