I'll be in both cities for business the first week of Sep. but I'll have two extra days of doing nothing on each one.
Any recommendations on what to do and what to see in the area and where to have lunch or dinner?
Thank you.

That depends a lot on what you like. In my opinion, the more interesting things to visit in KC are the Jazz Museum, Nelson-Atkins art museum and the Steamboat Arabia, but others might like the Negro Leagues Museum, casinos, race tracks, Royals baseball, shopping, Harry Truman Library & Museum, theme parks or Toy & Minature Museum. Science City isn't very impressive, but the building it is in, Union Station, is worth a look if you are in the Crown Center area. The zoo is fine, but doesn't really stand out from those in other cities.

There are many place for jazz, my personal favorite is the Blue Room, a nice intimate bar attached to the Jazz Museum that has no smoking (because of the exhibits. It is open 4 nights a week.

If you are in town on the weekend, the Rennisance Festival is very good, on the scale of a theme park, with great food, crafts & entertainment.

The Airline History Museum has a Martin 4O4, Douglas DC-3 and a Lockheed Super Constellation.

Food wise, BBQ is the thing KC is know for, also the steaks. There is also great Italian, Thai, Indian, Japanese, etc. What types interest you? (and is the area of town is important)

Keith

I'm fairly new to the Twin Cities area, so I hope locals will supplement my ideas, but here goes. In Minneapolis, my favorite museum so far is the Mpls Institute of Art: extensive collections, especially in Asian art and artifacts, and a nice cafe run by D'Amico & Sons. The museum is also near a stretch of Hennepin Ave. called Eat Street, for its wide array of ethnic dining options. On the other end of the culture spectrum, there's the Mall of America (which is in Bloomington, about 20 min outsdide Mpls.); 'nuff said, except that the Napa Valley Grille and California Cafe (same ownership) are surprisingly good restaurants, a cut above normal mall fare. For some light shopping, a stroll and a bite, I like the Uptown neighborhood, which features 2 movie theaters and some cool shops (and also, the Gap, which seems ubiquitous these days). My favorite restaurant in Uptown is Chino Latino, which serves a bizarre but great fusion of Asian and Latino cuisines; there are other places to choose from there, including Famous Dave's BBQ and Sushi Tango, to name only two.
A more formal (Italian)restaurant I like is D'Amico Cucina, which is near the Target Center and Block E and the revitalized Hennepin Theater District; if you can, try to take in a show (play, concert, dance troupe)while you're there (listings online at the Mpls. Star-Tribune web site).
Mpls also has great parks and walking trails around lakes, with which I am, unfortunately, pretty unfamiliar; as I said, I hope other have more skinny. (And what are your interests, anyway?)

Where are you staying,in Mpls or suburbs? Will you have a car? Tell me and I will respond with some suggestions...

I will be staying in the city itself and yes I will have a car.
Thank you.

OK, that's good news! A car will help alot. First, we have great theater here, the Jungle Theater (my favorite), The Guthrie and many other small venues. Often a good concert can be heard at the Orpheum, State Theater (both smaller venues), Target Center or Xcel Energy Center (our 2 large venue stadium type venues). To get outside take a walk around Lake Calhoun and then eat at Dixie's Calhoun for a great meal. Great people watching at the lake also. My favorite restaurant of all in the Twin Cities is Lucia's restaurant in Uptown(see www.Lucias.com for a current menu). Excellent new restaurants are Solera (near the State and Orpheum theater)and JP's American Bistro (next to Jungle THeater), both in Minneapolis. A good uscale choices would be Goodfellows in DT Mpls. Favorite pizza is Pizza Luce in DT Mpls, warehouse district. We have tons of great food here as long as you stay in the city. Suburbs are full of chain restaurants, same old, same old (I live in the suburbs but go into Mpls or St. Paul for entertainment and dining). I am not a fan of Mall of America, but I am not much of a shopper. Just a mall only bigger with a small amusement center in the middle. One of my favorite things to do is go to a funky little place called the Bryant Lake Bowl in south Mpls for dinner and a show. This is NOT a fancy place, an old retro bowling alley with excellent food and a little cabaret theater attatched. NOT for serious bowlers, the lanes are warped, cruddy old shoes and balls, but I think the place is fun. Most of these places you should be able to find websites for to see what is going on. Many other lakes to walk around, Lake Nokomis and Lake Harriet are popular and nice walks. If you like independent or foreign film, go see a movie at the Lagoon, Uptown or Parkway Theaters, they have great unusual films. Take a walk or a drive down Summit Avenue in St Paul to see our historic Mansions, start at St. Thomas College and head east down Summit Avenue. Hmm, anything else you want to know?

No trip to KC is complete without seeing the Country Club Plaza!

I forgot! The Downtowner Woodfire Grill in St. Paul (near Xcel Energy Center) is great!

For your extra day in KC, visit the Country Club Plaza, walk around, look at the fountains, and have dinner on the Plaza, maybe somewhere where you can be seated outdoors. Sometimes there will be a band playing at Penguin Court. If you know exactly what date your extra day will be, I could check and see what is going on in town that day.

Aug. 30,31 in KC and Sep. 6,7 in Minneapolis.
Thank you.

GenXer -

You can go to www.countryclubplaza.com to get information on the Plaza. If you click on newsletter it shows you what is going at different times. I see there is a band on the 30th and the 31st. And there is tne Nelson Art Museum on the Plaza if art interests you, but also shopping and many good restaurants.

That is Labor Day weekend so there should be a lot going on. For one, there is KC Irish Fest if that interests you at all.

http://www.kcirishfest.com/faq.htm

There is a Kansas City Symphony concert at Theater In The Park (not near the Plaza, but in a very nice area - I grew up next to Shawnee Mission Park!) It would take you 30-45 minutes to drive there from the Plaza.

August 31, 2003 18th Annual Labor Day Weekend Concert at Theatre at the Park
Description: Brought to you by the New Kansas City Symphony
Date: 08/31/2003
Time: 07:00 PM
Address: Shawnee Mission Park 7700 Renner Road
City: Shawnee
State: KS
Phone Number: (816) 464-9420 or (913) 631-7050

There's usually something at the American Royal Labor Day weekend, including BBQ contest, and you can go and buy BBQ hot off the grill.

There's a Christian concert at Starlight theater on the 30th if that appeals to you.

The KC Royals are playing Anaheim at 6:05 p.m. on the 30th and 1:05 on the 31st.

And if you like amusement parks, there is Worlds of Fun (amusement park - roller coasters, etc) and Oceans of Fun.

Go to www.worldsoffun.com

For infor about Oceans of Fun (water park), there is a bar to click on. The parks are next to each other and you can buy a pass to do either WOF or OOF or both.

And the Renaissance Festival starts Aug 30 in KC.

http://www.kcrenfest.com/

for information on that.

And that's all I can think of. I think I'm done now!

And just so you know - it will probably be VERY hot in KC at the end of August.

The American Royal BBQ Contest is not until Friday, Oct. 3- Saturday Oct. 4

Keith

Keith, you are right. I thought I saw somewhere that it was Labor Day weekend (American Royal BBQ contest) but now that I look, it's not.

Keith, I'm interested in BBQ and steak, especially a KC strip.
Thank you.

Hi again, does any body know where could I find a local restaurant in KC serving KC strips?
Thank you.

The Hereford House, The Golden Ox, The Plaza III, The American Restaurant, Skies are all good bets to name a few. All are in or near the downtown area. The Plaza shopping/eating area has quiet a few good restaurants, this is where you'll find the Plaza III and probably a few others that serve KC Strip. The American and Skies are at Crown Center, closer to actual downtown. Wherever you stay they should be able to recommend steak restaurants easily. There's even a good ol' place called Jess & Jim's in Martin City which is probably about 25-30 min. drive from the center of downtown KC that is specifically a steak restuarant, been in business for many years.

The Plaza Three and The American are both good, but quite expensive by Kansas City standards. Of the two, The American has a better view, easier parking and perhaps better non-steak items. The Plaza Three probably has the better steak.

The Golden Ox is like stepping back in time. Located in an old building in front of the stock yards, the decor and the waitresses have been the same for 40 years. They have opened a 2nd, suburban, location, but I haven?t tried it.

Jess & Jim?s is particularly known for their large servings, including enormous baked potatoes.

Other well know local steak houses include the Hereford House (Popular, but I have never had a good experience there), Pepepercorn Duck Club (in the same hotel as Skies) and the Majestic Steakhouse (jazz, good steak & a neat old building.. The Majestic is geeting a very good reputation, but I haven?t tried it.

If I was going tonight, I would probably do the Majestic, or possibly the Golden Ox.


BBQ is harder to choose, there are over 70.

The original Arthur Bryant?s is a great old hole in the wall where you order at the counter. Huge servings of well cooked meat (a sandwich is big enough for two light eaters). Fries cooked in lard. This is where I take people from out-of-town, unless they are finicky or are interested in a particular dish..

Other classic KC BBQs include Jake Edwards (near the Plaza with sweet potato fries), Rosedale BBQ (closer to downtown, the sides are good and the counter people fun), and BB's Lawnside BBQ (out south with good food and jazz) are all safe bets. Winslow?s Smokehouse in the City Market has good smoked chicken and can be included with a visit to the Steamboat Arabia Museum.

For upscale BBQ, either KC Masterpiece or any of the Jack Stack restaurants. Though I would lean toward KC Masterpiece.

Most of these places have websites and if you google on their names, you will find other people?s comments.

Keith