I have to make travel arrangements for a group of musicians. If they had an afternoon in Kansas City, MO, what one activity should they NOT miss? Also, what about restaurants? Thanks!

Hi again! Kansas City has a LOT of options for an afternoon...it really depends on their interests and the time of year. Here's a short list of some of my favorite Kansas City things:
--Visit the Country Club Plaza...shops, restaurants, great architecture, fountains, people watching
--Visit the Nelson Atkins art museum--great collection and beautiful grounds with outdoor sculpture
--Visit the "Jazz District" and the jazz museum..around 18th/Vine
--Visit Union Station--refurbished train station with museum exhibits, beautiful architecture, restaurants

For restaurants, it depends on your area of town, but near the Plaza & art museum, try Osteria Il Centro--great Italian, In "midtown"--try Jack Stack Barbeque or Lidia's. There are a lot of good BBQ joints--Arthur Bryant's, Gates, many more. There are a lot of good restaurants on the plaza--Kona Grill, Melting Pot, PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory--but most are chains that many big cities have. KC is great--they will have a blast!

travelisfun has just touched on the options. We really need to know more about your group.

The recomendations for a juior high drum & bugle corp will probably be different than for 60+ year old bagpipers.

Keith

I think a walk through the Plaza should not be missed. I like Tomfooleries, a bar/restaurant with a great Sunday brunch (infused-veggie bloody marys!)

But if there's just one meal to be had here it should BBQ!

Aixois, near the Plaza, is a very good french restaurant.

It is a group of professional (adult) musicians. They are between the ages of 25 and 50. The suggestions have been wonderful! Thanks!

If I was responsible for taking your group out for an afternoon, I would take them first to the Steamboat Arabia Museum in the city market. It exhibits the cargo recovered from the Arabia steamboat that sank in the Missouri River in 1856. The excavation in 1989 recovered 200 tons of supplies, including clothing and shoes, medicines, guns, bottled fruits & vegetables, jewelry and perfume. The tour includes a theater presentation, guided tours and a working preservation lab.

From there, I would go about a mile to 18th & Vine. After getting a group picture "standing on 18th and Vine," they could tour the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and American Jazz Museum.

BBQ is a must. It the group is light eaters, on this tour I would hit Winslow's Smoke House in the City Market. If they are hearty eaters, Arthur Bryants, about 5 blocks from 18th & Vine.

If they still have time and want to go out that evening, perhaps one of the casinos.

Keith