Need Help With First Trip To Kansas City, MO!
 

A relative of mine has been accepted to med school at Kansas City University and will attend this fall. There is a ceremony that we'll be attending at the beginning of August at the school, planning on spending about 3 or 4 days there.

Online I am looking at possibly staying at the Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex because the price isn't too bad ($94 night on Expedia) and it looks like it's relatively close to the school. Is this a good location in proximity to the school and the downtown area?

Also would love to hear some suggestions about great food not to be missed! We love BBQ and anything else memorable. We are not going to be with a group that will want to go anywhere really expensive. Any attractions/sights or other nearby towns to visit? I've never been to this part of the county and would love to see a little of the state. Suggestions appreciated!

Are you referring to KU med? If so, the Sheraton isn't the place to stay. Try to find a hotel in the Country Club Plaza area. Also, for great BBQ, Jack Stack will fill the bill. http://www.jackstackbbq.com/

I have also added a link for the hotels in the Plaza area. Other areas that you might consider include Westport, Crown Center, and Shawnee, KS.
http://www.countryclubplaza.com/plaza.aspx?pgID=886

Thanks japw82. I am pretty sure it's KU Med. Thanks for the link. Downtown area seems expensive and I couldn't figure out where to stay. Are those areas on that link closer to the airport?

KC is very spread out and you don't want to stay near the sports complex if you are attending an event at KU Med. The advice of staying near the Plaza is good or Crown Center or Downtown. All are better than the sports complex which is quite a drive to and fro. Also, the airport is about 20-30 minutes from the Plaza and is in an isolated out-of-town area. KC has great restaurants - is there any cuisine you are partial to? Here is a link to some info. http://www.visitkc.com/visitor_info/...o_calendar.cfm
I also have good luck bidding on Priceline.

Westport is just a little closer to KU Med than any of those other locations, and also handy to KC,MO.

Hotels near the airport are not handy to see the city.

It sounds like you are looking for a bargain? I would consider the Best Western on Southwest Boulevard. Very close to KU Med and realtively handy to the cityy depending on what you decide to visit.

Keith

I really appreciate everyone's help. I'm glad I asked about the sports complex's location. In the areas you all mentioned, is there a Residence Inn Marriott or other Marriott brand nearby KU Med? I might be able to use points there. I want to keep it cheap so I can spend money on other trips but I don't want to stay in a HOJO.

I'm not picky about food at all so any other recommendations about good places to visit. I'll just be with family that does not dine out at expensive restaurants so nothing 5 star. Heard KC is known for BBQ but anything else?

Lenleigh,

Took son to KC for a college visit, so we weren't looking for 5 star meals. Both of us enjoyed Arthur Bryants, the bbq brisket was excellent there. He liked the no frills atmosphere. We brought home a couple bottles of the sauce.

http://www.arthurbryantsbbq.com/

We were in KC just for the day, so I can't recommend a place to stay.

Happy Travels!

"is there a Residence Inn Marriott or other Marriott brand nearby KU Med?"

None in the neighborhood, but the following are all within a couple of miles.

Residence Inn Kansas City Downtown/Union Hill

Fairfield Inn Kansas City Downtown/Union Hill

Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza

Courtyard Kansas City Country Club Plaza

Residence Inn Kansas City Country Club Plaza

Keith

Hi Lenleigh - sorry for the late posting but if you're still looking for recommendations I have a few....if you are going to be driving, which isn't always easy (truthfully) in KC, you are okay to stay at the Sheraton at the Sports Complex. It is reasonable, nice and close to the major hwy's so navigating is fairly easy. Much more so than staying downtown! You are right around the corner from some great BBQ - Gates BBQ (great food!) The Sheraton is nice, and they just opened an indoor water park - if you're bringing kids thats a plus. Its about a 15 minute drive the med school - I'm not sure if you're going to UMKC or KU - either way, its not too far. The other hotels people have mentioned are nice, but alot more expensive.
For sights to see - the Liberty Memorial,WWI museum, has recently been redone and has a new cafe inside (I haven't tried it but want to go), Union Station has a few attraction inside - the IMAX is my fav and inside is one of KC's best finer restaurants "Pierponts." It has beautiful architecture! Its also near Crown Center - which is okay...little shops and the Hallmark Visitors Center is there as well.
The new Power and Light District has opened with tons of restaurants but it has been my experience that parking is expensive and its a 20-30 yr old party crowd. I went to Vinone's and was disappointed, but I know there are some good places (The Bristol, Famous Dave's) and a couple of Irish places that look appealing. Of course, The Plaza, The Legends, The Woodlands, The Art Museum is AWESOME! I love the City Market (great vietnamese and middle eastern food)and there are casino's too if you like that, and they are nearby.
If you have time, a drive 3 hours south puts you into the Ozarks and its beautiful! - I could go on and on..... there really are a ton of great restaurants in KC, good live theater and blues/jazz at a few hidden away spots. Let me know your interests and I can help you out more... I know how to travel KC pretty cheap to, so let me know if you need anymore info - Have a great time!

We were surprised at how nice the Fairfield Inn on Main (easy to get to KU med.)was. Rate was considerably lower than hotels on Plaza. However, I love staying on the Plaza and sometimes the Raphael has good rates. Their location is perfect and they have a nice breakfast and free parking.

Are you sure its not UMKC, and not KU med? Not significantly different in locations, but . . .

As for a nice, newer restaurant 15 minutes north of downtown, try Justus Drugstore, a Restaurant in Smithville. It's been written up nationally, and is supposed to be in the next Bon Appetit! magazine. Excellent cuisine! $60.00 per head on average, with drinks.

To Slw: Just because the airport is not in Johnson County, does not mean its isolated or out-of-town. Within 15 minutes is the highest rated restarant in KC (see post above), numerous shopping and entertainment areas (Zona Rosa, e.g.) and numerous hotels with quick access to downtown, the Plaza, P & L district are as you said, 20-30 minutes from the airport as well.

Nice catch, apersuader65. I didn't even know that UMKC had a school of medicine.

Keith

I apologize in advance for any offense, but are you from the Kansas side of the state line, Keith?

Presently, I've lived in KC,MO in the past.

Keith

Well we almost weren't going to make this trip and at the last minute we were able to book everything with miles or points. Most expensive part of the trip is boarding the dog!

I ended up booking the Marriott Airport. My husband was thinking maybe we should check into switching to the downtown location but we'd have to pay for parking there. Is the downtown location worth switching if we can? From photos, it almost looks like the airport location is a nicer hotel? Is the airport really that far from everything? We're only staying for 2 1/2 days so I'm not sure how much we will be able to do. As for the location, I believe the medical school is called KCUMB?

Any other interesting sights to see that shouldn't be missed? I've been reading a lot about Jack's Stack so we might be checking that place out!

lenleigh:

To my knowledge, there is no Kansas City University. There is the University of Missouri - Kansas City, which does have a medical school. It's abbreviated UMKC. The medical school is located in an area called Hospital Hill, east of the Country Club Plaza. As for the Marriott at the airport, you will be 30 minutes from the university. However, most likely everything will be associated downtown by the plaza, given the student most likely lives near school. I'd suggest the parking fee vs. the time of travel and fuel. You will certainly be more centrally located than at the airport. The medical school campus is very close to the Marriott-Country club Plaza, which I would suggest over either the airport or downtown locations.

Here's the link to the school:
http://www.kcumb.edu/

Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience

Oh, well that's completely different than either KU or UMKC.

It's located just east of downtown, probably not an area you'll want to stay in.

Actually, the Sheraton Kansas City Sports Complex which you mention in your first post is pretty close, still miles away though. And, it's not close to anything else you'll want (except baseball or football).

If you can find a deal, I'd definitely stay on the Plaza, but I know that's sometimes hard to find.

For BBQ, I'd suggest Jack Stack or Oklahoma Joe's. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is a treasure in the midwest. Powell Gardens is nice, but about a 40 minute drive. Enjoy. annie