to go or not to go?

Hi, I am planning a mid summer trip and was wondering if Kansas would be right for us?

How is the city?

What to do?

Hows the shopping?

Safe to stay?

Any inofrmaiton would be a great help,. thanks

to go or not to go?

Holly,

I would advise, that you actually visit Kansas City, Mo if you have a choice. I live in Kansas right across the stateline and we are really more of a suburb of KC than we are a town in Kansas. As far as Kansas itself, well, there is Lawrence where the States unniversity sits and its a pretty little town that actually has hills! ( something you wont see much of in Kansas!)

But if you want to go to KC, MO, there is a great deal more to see.

First of all, stay in the Plaza area. Great shopping and tons of it, along with wonderful restaurants and all within walking distance. The Plaza itself is a shopping district built back in the forties, designed to look like Madrid, its sister city and the city of KC carries the title of having the most fountains outside of Rome! Many of them are found in the Plaza area. There is a ';river'; that runs along side the south end and its pretty to look at but there are no real activities that include it. ITs a very pretty setting if a bit upscale for any practical shopping. Lots of outside eating too for people watching.

KC also has a professional baseball team, a nice water park and Amusement park called Worlds of Fun. Just North of the Plaza is another outdoor area called Wesport that is a bit more funky than the Plaza but even more fun at night.

Kanas City is famous for its BBQ and Jazz and both can be found within walking distance or at the very most, a short cab drive away.

And if you love art, we have one of the most beautiful buildings in the Nelson Art Gallery with several other galleries near by. Just walking around the exterior of Nelson and visiting the outdoor sculpture garden is a treat.

KC is a pretty town, especially along the wide avenues of Wardparkway and the Plaza but it can be hot and humid mid summer. So be forwarned.

Hope this helps.

to go or not to go?

PS

I forgot to mention that if you are into gambling, KC has four casinos North of the areas I mentioned and in Kansas, about 45 minutes west of the Plaza, is Nascar Racing in a brand new complex. Neither is my cup of tea but I know they are both popular activities around the area.

As far as safety, the Plaza is well lit and very safe, as is Wesport, even at night, as long as you dont stray outside of the busy areas there. Im not sure I would say the same about Downtown. However, we have a very inactive downtown at night, for the most part, so other than a restaurant or Crown Center ( an inclosed shopping area ), there isnt a lot to do there after hours.

The area around the NASCAR track is a rapidly developing area. There is a great hotel, especially if you have kids, called the Great Wolf Lodge, with an indoor/outdoor water park. There is a Cabela%26#39;s (every kind of outdoor gear with really neat displays) right behind the hotel. At this point, most of the development there is restaurants, but it would be a great base for your day trips (amusement park, shopping, casinos, etc.) and then you could come back and have dinner just a few minutes from your hotel.

There is also a track about 5 minutes from the NASCAR track area, the Woodlands, that has live dog and horse racing. You can sit outdoors or inside with air conditioning and a TV monitor on your table and bet on the races. They have cheap drinks/hot dogs/nachos on Friday nights. There is also a full menu restaurant with full view of the track, but to be honest, you%26#39;d probably be just as well off with hot dogs and nachos and save your money for your bets!

Have a great trip, wherever you go!

I forgot to mention the T-Bones, our minor league baseball team. Again, it%26#39;s less than five minutes from the Great Wolf Lodge, or any hotel in that area. Lots of fun sideline activities all through the games, and the prices are VERY reasonable. Also, if you don%26#39;t have kids there is a new hotel called Chateau Avalon. All the rooms have different exotic themes. They don%26#39;t have any food service, but you%26#39;re so close to barbecue, steakhouses, Irish Pub %26amp; Restaurant, Cheeseburger in Paradise, etc. that it%26#39;s not a problem. If you don%26#39;t stay there, you can still take a tour of the rooms. They have a website, I believe it%26#39;s just ChateauAvalon. More new places are completed each month, so there may be even more depending on when you visit.