Kansas City Attractions
Information for Foreign Nationals
Information below pertaining to sports, performing arts, museums, shopping, family fun, and annual events and entertainment is sourced from Visit KC and the Kansas City Area Development Council.
Sports
Kansas City was recognized by Travel + Leisure as one of the Top 10 Cities for Sports-Crazed Fans. Read more about Kansas City’s sports teams.
Thanks to its partnership with Sporting Kansas City, Children’s Mercy employees can purchase discounted tickets to all Sporting KC home games.
Performing arts
Kansas City’s performing arts venues are as diverse and captivating as the performances they host. Whether you’re in the mood for a touring Broadway musical, a family-friendly performance or a quirkier creation from a local playwright, you’ll find all of these—and more—in the city’s performance spaces. View a list of Kansas City’s most recognized performing arts venues.
Museums
Widely celebrated as a hotbed of barbecue, jazz and fountains, Kansas City also has earned a reputation as a preeminent destination for museum-goers. Whether in search of western heritage, world war understanding or smaller-than-life miniatures, Kansas City offers an assortment of national museums that examine culture, conflict and compromise. View a list of popular museums in Kansas City.
Shopping
Boutique shops in Westport, brand name favorites at Legends Outlets and antique treasures in the West Bottoms are just a few of the city’s shopping hotspots. Prepare for your Kansas City shopping spree by learning about Kansas City’s major shopping districts.
Family fun
From al fresco adventures to indoor entertainment, good eats and more, everyone can be a kid in the City of Fountains. Read about Kansas City's most popular attractions.
Events and entertainment
Annual events
Mingle with royalty and fire eaters as you step back in time at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. Discover the cultures of the people who migrated here at Kansas City’s Ethnic Enrichment Festival, or the pioneers who headed west from Independence at SantaCaliGon Days. Enjoy carnival rides, pig races and funnel cakes at the Wyandotte County Fair. From outdoor art fairs, Shakespeare in the park and St. Patrick’s Day parades to the American Royal Livestock, Horse Show and Rodeo, Kansas City offers a variety of events to enjoy year-round.
Use the links below to learn more about events in Kansas City.
- Annual events in Kansas City (by month)
- Upcoming events in Kansas City
- Free and cheap weekend events
Recurring events
First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District – every month
Region: Downtown, Crossroads Arts District
No First Friday is the same thanks to an eclectic mix of participating art galleries, boutiques, food trucks and more. This free, late-night event offers something for everyone in one of Downtown’s most vibrant neighborhoods.
First Weekends in the West Bottoms – every month
Region: Downtown, West bottoms
Once home to Kansas City’s thriving stockyards, the West Bottoms now offers to a wide assortment of antique and vintage stores that invite visitors to search for kitschy-cool artifacts the first weekend of every month.
Power & Light District
Region: Downtown, Power & Light District
The $850 million entertainment district - the largest new development project in the Midwest - has reenergized downtown, creating an entertainment, retail and dining hot spot for visitors and conventioneers. Adjoining the Sprint Center and served by the Kansas City Streetcar, It transforms itself from a unique lunch and retail destination by day to an exciting dining and entertainment experience in the evening.
18th and Vine Jazz District
Just east of downtown Kansas City is the metropolitan area’s historic hub of African American culture and business. The 18th and Vine district is internationally recognized as a hot spot for jazz music, baseball, barbecue and blues, with affordable apartments and lofts nearby.
Swope Park
At 1,805 acres, Swope Park is the crown jewel of the Kansas City, Mo., park system. As Kansas City's largest park, and one of the largest urban parks in the United States, Swope Park is home to many of Kansas City’s finest attractions, including Starlight Theater, the Kansas City Zoo and the public Swope Park Golf Course.