Traveling thru both of these areas this summer. Will have most of a day and a night to spend in one or the other of these places, but not both. I thought Boy's Town might be worth seeing but don't know much else about Omaha. Is Kansas City too spread out to accomplish much in that short a time, or does anyone have suggestion of what to focus on if we spend time there? Help!

I live in the Kansas City area, but I am on the Kansas side of the state line. If you are traveling with kids, you might want to spend a day at Worlds of Fun and/or Oceans of Fun - here's the website link:

http://www.worldsoffun.com/

That is in Kansas City, Missouri.

There is Science City at Union Station. There is the Nelson-Atkins Museum. There is the Country Club Plaza. You could possibly catch a Royals game. If you let me know what you like and whether you have kids I can be of more help!

I actually prefer the Kansas side, specifically Johnson County, which is why I live there! But Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun and Chiefs/Royals games are worth crossing the state line for.

I, too, am living in the Kansas City area. I would highly recommend staying on the Coutry Club Plaza (there's a Sheraton, Marriot, and a couple of nicer hotels there). This area of town has the most concentrated entertainment options. The "Plaza" itself has a TON of shopping, restaurants, bars, and scenery (fountains, architecture, etc.). Nearby is the Nelson/Atkins art museum. Union Station isn't too far away (a museum with lots of kids activities and a special Titanic exhibit right now). I would really think this would be your best bet in Kansas City. While Johnson County (Kansas side) is a nice place to live (I live there, too), it has very little if anything for a "tourist" to see. Also, DON'T stay downtown. There are no good restaurants, no entertainment, or shopping there. It shuts down after 5:00 p.m. every day and isn't the safest place to be. That's just my $.02!

Have not been to Kansas City, but have been to Omaha and remember that it had a very nice zoo.

What I remember about Omaha was that much of it is not terribly safe. I would choose Kansas City or be sure you get good advice about a hotel in Omaha.

Omaha safer than KC? Hehe...thanks Kam,
signed,
KC Chamber of Commerce

KC is routinely in the top 10 in the US for violent crime per capita. Not that I'd suggest avoiding it for that reason...I live in KC, and like all big metros, there are very unsafe areas. Simply avoid them.
There's much more to do in KC. Omaha's zoo is better than KC's, though.
Advice above is good...stay in the Plaza area, NOT downtown and not in Johnson County, which is just suburban/sterile whitebread landscape.

I vote for The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. If money is no problem, stay at the Ritz(it's called something else now) for about $150. per night. The Rapheal across the street costs about $100. at night, but it doesn't have a pool. There is a new Sheriton, but I don't know what it costs. Check out the Nelson Museum of Art.(Down the steet) Very cool! Or just hang out at the plaza. For great steaks (very expensive) eat at the Plaza III. For bar b que, K.C. Masterpiece. The list goes on. At night take a horse drawn carriage ride.

I also vote for Kansas City and also recommend that you stay in Country Club Plaza Area. It is a nice area. Omaha is okay but we didn't find much to do there.

There's not the slightest question but that Kansas City has much more to offer. Three days would not be enough to see it all, but one day will give you enough to want to come back. One day in Omaha, however, will be more than enough.

If you have any interest in any college sports, check out the NCAA Visitors Center near Kansas City. Lots of memories and highlights of NCAA tournaments in all sports.

If you're into history at all, there's a lot of history in Kansas City. The building that was Daniel Boone's family's store is still standing and is now Kelly's bar in Westport. I live in the KC area and I learned that last year when my son had a test on Kansas City's history that I helped him to study for.

He and I went all over town and saw all of the historic sites. Part of what he needed to know was that what is now Broadway running from Westport to the river is the exact path that was made for merchants to travel to the river to get their merchandise off of boats and take back to their stores in Westport to sell. In fact, it said they cut a path from Westport to the river.

Also, don't forget Harry Truman's home in Independence, which is a part of the KC area.

And Union Station, which was just renovated and made into Science City, has bullet holes on the outside from a Pretty Boy Floyd shootout.

Another fun place to visit is the Jazz Museum and the Baseball Hall of Fame

I guess I never thought of my hometown as "unsafe" Thats a new one on me.

Though I travel to KC frequently on the weekend (you can do the good stuff in KC in a couple of weekends) there is a lot to Omaha and the surrounding areas that I think are being missed in this thread. I am listing just a few for your consideration. Don't cross it off your list just because its not "big" enough. There is plenty to do and if you time it right you can run out of time and have to come back (heaven forbid though that you would think to return...as if there is any draw to the midwest at all!)

1) Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha has the largest indoor tropical rainforest on earth, they also have a stunning acquarium and are currently building the largest indoor desert habitat in the world. Last summer they featured the Komoto Dragon, this summer it will be the White Alligator. Also, check out a double-feature at the IMAX.

2)Arbor Day National Park & Arbor Lodge home of J Sterling Morton (founder of Morton Salt and Arbor Day) located in Nebraska City (45min south of Omaha) There are also orchards attached to his mansion property as well as State and National Parks in the area. (You can usually find country auctions & estate sales/antique sales every weekend in the southeastern part of the state)

3)Union Pacific Museum, Western Heritage Museum, Joselyn Art Museum, Children's Museum, Fort Omaha, SAC Museum (Military planes, history and currently has the Hubble Telescope Exhibit thru the summer)& Boys Town.

4) The SummerArts Festival is in June, Jazz on the Green (at Joselyn) is all summer, Shakespeare on the Green is at University Nebraska at Omaha in the evenings in June, there is OperaOmaha, the Orpheum Theater (dance, symphony & plays) and the Omaha Community Playhouse.

5) and if you still have nothing to do, go to the College World Series in June for a straight week. (Rosenblatt Stadium on 13th Street across from the Zoo) What a great time with some awesome college baseball.

Hope this might give you some insight into what Omaha has to offer, though the persuasive skills on this board might send you to KC. Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

Sheli

Great suggestions for KC so far. Not yet mentioned, yet in my opinion worth the mention is the Steamboat Arabia Museum near the River.

For a description of it and a list of many other museums check out this website: http://www.gointokansascity.com/

Several on that list near the Plaza are The Alexander Majors Home and The Wornall Home. Been to both and would consider them worth a visit.

Information and misinformation abounds about KC.

The NCAA offices moved 2 years ago to Indianapolis, along with them went the the great museum.

The Baseball Hall of Fame is not in KC, of course, but the Negro League Hall of Fame is there.

And the "bullet holes" in Union Station's walls, unfortunately, appear not to be related to gang shootouts from yesteryear. This according to historians working on Union Station during renovation. They tend not to want to dipsel the colorful myth about the gangland shootout with cops, though, so it remains a part of local folklore.

I stand corrected. Isn't the baseball hall of fame in coopersville? Anyway, it is the Negro League Hall of Fame that is in KC. I really enjoyed it and there's fun things for kids. It isn't in the best part of town, but I wouldn't worry about going thru the day. I lived in KC for more that 20 years. It seems to me that there are very safe places to be and very not so safe. I never feel uncomfortable traveling in areas I'm familiar with. If you stick to the advice on this board, I wouldn't worry.

Well, I don't much care what the so-called "experts" say about the bullet holes. Were they there when it happened? There were people who WERE, and those people told others and that's how we know today what those holes are from.

I trust that more than I trust a historian who popped into town to renovate Union Station and decided he knew what did or did not cause the holes. How the heck would they know? They are GUESSING.

See link:

http://kansascity.fbi.gov/contact/fo/kc/massacre.htm

Thanks everyone for a lot of great advise.I feel very comfortable now planning our time there. No kids by the way. We quit bringing them along about the time they started having children!! Now we spend our time trying to act half our age! thanks again.

Have a wonderful time! If you need help planning your time here when it gets closer, just ask and I'm sure some of us can let you know what a good itinerary would be.

Are you the same beth traveling to Springfield/Branson also? I'm the one who suggested leaving Springfield in the mid-afternoon to drive to Branson. Such a beautiful drive with the sun playing on the hills. I made that drive about four years ago in early September, and even though I have grown up in Missouri/Kansas, it just struck me how beautiful it was that time of day because Springfield and Branson.

Have a good trip.

I'm laughing. Omaha Nebraska, DANGEROUS?! More bad areas than KC...hahahaha! I was born and raised in Omaha and live in KC. While I agree there is plenty to do here, Omaha has a lot going for it as well. Omaha's zoo is worth the trip itself. The old market area is a lot of fun for wandering around and shopping in some interesting unusual places. Omaha is smaller than KC, so a bit easier to get around. If you only have part of a day and night, you might get more out of Omaha (versus driving all over god's green acre in KC - the most spread out city in America!). I'd check out the zoo or the SAC museum is also fabulous. Then I'd spend the evening wandering around the Old Market (have dinner at M's pub - you won't regret it!!!). After dinner, it's fun to stroll through the Central Park Mall and to the ConAgra campus. Have fun whichever place you choose, I think both are great!

I lived in Omaha for 13 years and agree with some other threads that there is a lot to do there. One thing that I didn't see mentioned is the cemetary where the pioneers going to Salt Lake City wintered. It is very interesting and moving to go there. The art museum in Omaha is great to see - a beautiful building, besides the exhibits. Did anyone mention the AK-SAR-BEN rodeo? Peony Park?