xrae

Leaving on a road trip with my dad Wednesday or Thursday. We may be going through both Des Moines and Kansas City, both new places for me.

What are the can't miss tourist stops in Des Moines, and where should we stop for Kansas City BBQ? And other touristy things in Kansas City.

Thanks!

PeaceOut

In Kansas City, I suggest you stay at the Country Club Plaza. It's lovely, and has plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you happy. If you're just seeing one place in K.C., that's the place I'd recommend.

For BBQ, though, you might need to venture further, or stop on your way into town. Someone else knows better than I about that. My family likes Jack's Stack (or some such name), but I forget where it's located.

PeaceOut

Well, shut my mouth! I just had to Google it, and there is a Jack Stack on the Country Club Plaza

http://www.jackstackbbq.com/jack-sta...staurants/i/4/

Keith

FOr someone from out of town tyring just one BBQ, I recomend the original Arthur Bryant's location at 18th and Brooklyn. It ties in nicely with a visit to the Negro Leagues Museum and/or Kansas City Jamm Museum which are just a few blocks away at 18th & Vine.

Other BBQs worth trying depending on where you will be and what favorite meats and sides are, include Jack Stack, Oklahoma Joes, Rosedale BBQ, Quick's BBQ, LC's and many others.

KC has a lot to offer. But the other unique places to go include the National World War One Museum and the Steamboat Arabia Museum. I highly recomend the Arabia and you could do Winslow's Smokehouse which is also at the City Market.

The Bodies Revealed exhibit is currently at Union Stations.


Keith

xrae

Thanks, Arthur Bryant is the place I saw on the Travel Channel but couldn't remember the name. Can't wait to try it out.

And thanks for the tip on the Steamboat Arabia, that sounds like something we'd be interested in. We are really just passing through on our way to Oklahoma, so I wish I had more time since I've never visited KC before.

Keith

Opps, that was the Kansas City Jazz Museum not "Jamm."

Everyone I have taken to the Arabia has been impressed. You may have seen it featured during a break on the Antiques Road Show. Byrants is no more than a mile away.

Keith

brodge

I vote for Jack Stack. There is also a location near Crown Center in what is called the Freight House district. If you park at Crown Center, you can walk over the "freight house bridge" and it ends up at Jack Stack. Kinda cool if you like seeing trains coming and going. You catch the bridge inside Union Station. Look up at Union Station - the ceiling is beautiful. Country Club Plaza is very nice and a few blocks away is Mission Hills. Beautiful, million dollar mansions. Worth driving thru to see how the other half live!

xrae

We found Arthur Bryant's, although our Google Map directions were a bit off, and none of the printed maps we had available had the actual road on it. So we used the Force and eventually found it. It was worth the trip for the atmosphere and bbq. The "nice" thing about getting turned around is that we saw a little of the city and some interesting neighborhoods. Arthur Bryant's reminded me a little of Beacon Drive In in Spartanburg, S.C., in atmophere, although their food is completely different.

Wish I had seen the Jack Stack recommendation in time to visit that place, too, in the Freight district. My dad and I are both train buffs and enjoy watching them.