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If I say Barbecue, Baseball and Hallmark – what comes to your mind? How about fountains, over 200 of them, only second to Rome? Still don’t know, well welcome to Kansas City, Missouri! I just love sharing great places with you and we have the entire world to cover.
Kansas City is a great destination for singles, couples, families and multigenerational trips – there’s something here for everyone, so let’s start with some of the wonderful free activities they offer. There’s the Hallmark Visitor’s Center, and surely, we’ve all sent a card or two from them in our lifetimes, not to mention collected their Christmas ornaments. Here, they have exhibits, artifacts and a collection of Christmas trees. You can even create a star-shaped bow to take home as a souvenir.
Or how about the Harley-Davidson Vehicle & Powertrain Operations where you can watch as raw materials turn into custom made motorcycles. Then there’s the Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, located in Liberty, with live animal exhibits, hiking trails and educational programs. Also free is the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, located right in the heart of Kansas City, with over 34,500 pieces of art to explore as well as a Sculpture Garden.
Craft beers are a big thing and the Boulevard Brewing Company offers a 40 minute tour with a free tasting at the end. Everyone will love the Money Museum with interactive exhibits and Harry Truman’s extensive coin collection. You will even leave with a bag of shredded money! Again, all of these activities are free.
Have I convinced you to go? So, now we need a great place to stay and I know just the spot – the 816 Hotel. This is a unique property located in the oldest part of the city, Old Westport. Not only is this hotel unique, it is chock full of incredible amenities. They have free parking, free WiFi, free cocktails every night in the Monkey Bar, complimentary breakfast every morning, a free pass to Gold’s Gym which is 2 blocks away and get this, a free shuttle service within a 4 mile radius of the hotel. Did I mention that within that radius are 150 restaurants, bars and shops?
In addition to their traditional rooms, they have a variety of themed rooms. There’s the TWA Museum Room with seats from an MD-80, a beverage cart and other memorabilia.
If you bring the grandkids, you might want to book the Kansas City Zoo Room that has bunk beds with penguin sheets and includes a Zoo package. There’s also an Uptown Theatre Room, which has a replica of the Marquee. The theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also comes with 2 free tickets to an event if you book the night of a show.
There are many more themed rooms as well as traditional ones and the rates are reasonable, especially when you factor in all the amenities. So, have you made your reservation? What are you waiting for – this is a super destination. Let me know if you go.
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January 29, 2023
