Dining

Favorite Barbecue Restaurant:
Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

Barbecue is a way of life in KC, and Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue is the top choice for Kansas City visitors for the fifth year in a row. Our recommendation? Start with the burnt ends and then work your way down the menu.

Favorite Steakhouse: Hereford House

Sample the sizzle. The KC Strip may have not been born at this famous Kansas City establishment, but Hereford House has helped perfect this juicy steak native to KC. Try it for yourself at one of Hereford House's four metro locations.

Favorite Family-Friendly Restaurant: 
Stroud's Restaurant

If you’re craving classic comfort food, head to Stroud’s Restaurant where they have been serving up traditional fried chicken for more than 75 years. Stroud’s is also known for its homemade cinnamon rolls.

Favorite Ethnic Restaurant:
Manny's Mexican Restaurant

This Mexican food favorite is a family-owned restaurant serving Mexican cuisine for 30 years and counting. Enjoy an authentic taste of Mexico while listening to the live mariachi band on the weekends. We reccommend the tacos.

Favorite Fine Dining Restaurant:
Pierpont's at Union Station

Set in the beautifully restored Union Station, Pierpont’s offers prime steak, fresh seafood (arriving daily) and an award-winning wine list. Classic 1914-style décor adds to the elegant atmosphere.

Nightlife & Entertainment

Favorite Nightlife Spot: Howl at the Moon

One-of-a-kind crowd interaction, nonstop sing-a-longs and laugh-out-loud improv tunes are all staples at Howl at the Moon. The renowned rock ‘n’ roll dueling piano bar is located downtown in the KC Power & Light District.

Favorite Jazz Venue: The Blue Room

Steaks, barbecue and jazz. It's the Kansas City version of the triple crown. Few nightclubs hold the allure of The Blue Room, set in the classic 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District. It was named one of the top 100 jazz venues in the world by Downbeat magazine.

Favorite Casino: Ameristar Casino & Hotel

Las Vegas-style gaming comes to Kansas City 24 hours a day at Ameristar Casino & Hotel. Enjoy 60+ table games, nearly 3,000 slot and video poker machines and a lush poker room, then rest up in the luxurious 184-room hotel.

Favorite Concert/Live Music Venue:
Starlight Theatre

An outdoor concert under the stars at this venue is like summer magic. Starlight Theatre's state-of-the-art Cohen Community Stage has hosted many big names in 2011 including Maroon 5, Ke$ha and Train.

Favorite Nighlife District:
Kansas City Power & Light District

The bustling Power & Light District is the place to be, come Friday night, with more than 50 unique restaurants, bars, shops and entertainment venues. The nine-block district is located in the heart of downtown.

Arts

Favorite Art Museum:
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

One of the nation's top art museums just got better. In June 2007, the Nelson-Atkins unveiled the stunning Bloch Building—equivalent to a 67-story office building lying on its side.

Favorite Art Gallery: Hilliard Gallery

Located in the edgy Crossroads Arts District, Hilliard Gallery has been showcasing local, national and international artwork for more than 35 years. Whether on a First Friday or any day, the gallery is a must-see for all art enthusiasts.

Favorite Arts Performance: Mama Mia! (Starlight Theatre)

The smash hit Broadway musical graced the stages of Starlight Theatre in August of 2011. Performed more than 3,600 times in North America this year, Mamma Mia! is one of Broadway’s top selling musicals.

Favorite Performing Arts Venue: Starlight Theatre

A warm summer night under the stars is synonymous with Starlight Theatre. Home to Broadway shows and major concerts, Starlight is the second-largest theater of its kind in the nation and the area's oldest performing arts organization.

Favorite Public Art Installation:
KC Power & Light District Mural (Truman & Main)

Featuring such Kansas City classics as Count Basie and KC’s legendary jazz, Negro League Baseball’s Buck O’Neil and the American Royal, the Power & Light District Mural is a solidified visitor favorite.

Favorite Performing Arts Group or Organization:
Kansas City Repertory Theatre

Recognized by the likes of the Wall Street Journal and Time, the KC Rep has a reputation as one of America’s finest regional theatres. Its annual presentation of A Christmas Carol is a perennial favorite.

Attractions

Favorite Kids Attraction: Kansas City Zoo

More than 200 acres of adventure and 1,000 animals in naturalistic settings. Visit Nikita year round in the new Polar Bear Passage. Watch as he swims in his 144,000 gallon swimming pool.

Favorite Museum:
National World War I Museaum at Liberty Memorial

With an enormous artifact collection and highly interactive exhibits, the National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial offers an extraordinary emotional and educational experience.

Favorite Neighborhood:
Country Club Plaza

The 15-block Country Club Plaza is kept lively with a year-round calendar of special events, including the famous Plaza Lights and the widely-recognized Plaza Art Fair. However, the Spanish-inspired architecture makes for a beautiful setting on any visit.

Favorite Free Thing to Do: The City Market

Lively City Market is KC's oldest continuously operating business. The 150-year-old landmark is home to one of the region's largest farmers' markets, plus local shops, restaurants and a museum dedicated to the Steamboat Arabia. And the best part? It's free!

Favorite Day Trip from Kansas City:
Independence, Mo.

From pioneeers to presidents, Independence played a key role in shaping our nation's future. Minutes east of Kansas City, Independence offers heritage attractions within a short distance of the downtown historic square.

Favorite Place To Snap A Photo: Country Club Plaza

Talk about picture perfect. This 14-square-block outdoor shopping and entertainment district is filled with romantic Spanish architecture, European art and dazzling fountains.

Sports & Outdoors

Favorite Professional Sports Team:
Kansas City Chiefs

Whether you're enjoying the world's largest tailgate party or witnessing one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL, for Chiefs fans this is just a normal fall Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Favorite Landmark or Monument:
Union Station

The historic train station draws tourists from all over the world who marvel at the Grand Hall's 95-foot ceiling, three 3,500-pound chandeliers and the six-foot wide clock hanging in the central arch.

Favorite Golf Course:
Deer Creek Golf Club

A memorable golf experience, Deer Creek Golf Club is located just south of KC in Overland Park, Kan. The course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., has several tight-driving holes and is perfect for long iron players.

Favorite Fountain:
J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain

An icon of the Country Club Plaza, the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain is one of the best known and most photographed of all the city’s fountains. It was erected in 1960 and is meant to represent the four nearby rivers.

Favorite Fan Experience:
Tailgating at Arrowhead Stadium

Whether you like football or not, tailgating at Arrowhead Stadium should be an item on any visitor’s KC bucket list. The barbecue, the passion and the camaraderie are all vital to this beloved tradition.

Special Events

Favorite Art Festival or Special Event:
Plaza Art Fair

Each autum, the streets of the famed shopping center transform into a beautiful outdoor art gallery. The 2010 Art Fair hosted more than 240 artists from 35 states and 4 different countries.

Favorite Ethnic/Heritage Festival or Event:
Kansas City Irish Fest

A Fall favorite, Irish Fest celebrates the city's deep Irish roots every Labor Day Weekend at Crown Center. The Celtic fun includes live traditional music, heritage displays and workshops, shopping, ethnic food and kids activities.

Favorite Family Festival/Event:
American Royal Barbecue

The American Royal Barbecue is not only a beloved Kansas City tradition; it is also the world’s largest barbecue competition. The scent of slow-smoked brisket and ribs envelopes the city the first weekend of October.

Favorite Music Festival/Event:
Rhythm & Ribs Jazz & Blues Festival

What better way to highlight KC’s traditional jazz background than with a one-day, multiple-stage festival complete with finger-licking food? The Rhythm & Ribs Jazz & Blues Festival takes place every October in the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District.

Favorite Holiday Experience:
Country Club Plaza Season of Lights

What started as a single strand of lights in 1925 has grown into an impressive display of more than 80 miles of holiday lights outlining rooftops, archways, towers and street corners. Just don't forget your camera.

Shopping

Favorite Shopping Center or District:
Country Club Plaza

This entertainment district features many Kansas City favorites. Walk along the tree-lined sidewalks, shop at one of the many name-brand shops or dine at one of the Plaza's fantastic restaurants.

Favorite Shop or Store: Crate & Barrel

Located in nearby Leawood, Kan., Crate & Barrel is known for its plentiful offering of contemporary, affordable housewares. It is one of the company’s more than 100 storefronts in the North American market.

Favorite Locally-owned Shop or Store:
Halls Kansas City

More than a store, Halls is a Kansas City tradition. Created by Hallmark founder Joyce C. Hall, Halls offers an eclectic selection of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. Its two locations are inside Crown Center and the Country Club Plaza.

Accommodations

Favorite Hotel, More Than 300 Rooms:
Westin Crown Center

Top-notch service is a way of life for this hotel. An oasis of quiet luxury, the Westin offers 729 generously appointed and newly renovated guest rooms overlooking the downtown skyline and the Crown Center complex.

Favorite Hotel, Less Than 300 Rooms:
Raphael Hotel

Raphael Hotel offers a one-of-a-kind boutique experience in the middle of the treasured Country Club Plaza. The hotel combines the intimacy and charm of a local landmark with highly individualized service.

Favorite Bed & Breakfast:
Southmoreland on the Plaza

The 1913 Colonial bed and breakfast is located just two blocks from the Country Club Plaza. Get cozy with fireplaces, private baths, full gourmet breakfast and more in one of the 12 themed guest rooms.

Best of Kansas City

Best of KC: Dining
Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue

Whether your order the ribs, burnt ends or chicken, a visit to Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue is a fantastic way to experience KC barbecue. Its upscale atmosphere and lengthy menu set it apart from other saucy joints.

Best of KC: Things To Do
Country Club Plaza Season of Lights

Once the switch is flipped on Thanksgiving night, visitors flock from all over to see the beautiful Spanish-inspired architecture of the Country Club Plaza sparkling with thousands of jewel-colored lights.

Best of KC: Shopping
Country Club Plaza

Adding even more famous shops in 2011 like Michael Kors, Kate Spade New York, Soma Intimates and H&M, the Country Club Plaza has once again upped its reputation as a regional and national fashion center.

Best Midwestern Hospitality:
Gates Bar-B-Q 

A family restaurant established in 1945, Gates Bar-B-Q is known for its flavorful sauce, unique red roof building and friendly greeting of, “Hi, may I help you?” With five area locations, it’s easy to try out this Kansas City original.

Best of Kansas City: Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

It seems Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue has transcended from being just a KC favorite—Zagat’s rated the local barbecue eatery #1 in the country. Sample what’s saucy at one of four locations around the city.