Kansas City, Kansas: Out of the shadows and rightfully its own destination
EDITOR’S NOTE: The visit was hosted by Visit KCK, but all opinions and views are ours.
Kansas City, Kansas – KCK to its closest friends – keeps evolving. Having stepped out of the shadow of its Missouri neighbor of the same name, KCK has established itself as an innovative community, unafraid of rolling the dice to create unique attractions.
One such draw is Atlas 9, an immersive art experience that challenges your imagination. Taking visitors on a trip through a mysterious world hidden inside a movie theater from the 1990s, you’ll receive clues as part of a scavenger hunt, while also enjoying hands-on fun exploring abandoned jungle laboratories and other places. Atlas 9 is a cross between an abandoned science mission and a fantasy-type land like “Westworld” or “Jurassic Park.”
Along the way, theater props, such as popcorn and a dated computer system, are incorporated in displays. You’ll stumble upon a universe of vintage toys. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find some you played with as a child – Barbie, Six Million Dollar Man, a football helmet, even “Star Wars” figures.
Atlas 9 also hosts live shows, including acrobatic theater performers and musicians. The attraction will amaze you.
Located at Legends District, Atlas 9 opened in 2025. It’s one of a handful of immersive art attractions in the Midwest. The only other we’ve visited is in Columbus, Ohio.
Rock Island Bridge
Suspended 60 feet above the Kansas River, Rock Island Bridge is the Metro’s only entertainment district that crosses both states. Built in 1905 as part of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, the bridge served as a rail line until the 1970s, when it was decommissioned.
River House restaurant offers full-service dining beginning at 3 p.m., featuring wood-fired dishes such as a flatiron steak, as well as fresh seafood, sandwiches (among them, lobster rolls) and burgers. Unique cocktails and beer can also be purchased.
Rock Island Bridge also hosts special events at the American Royal Hall, large enough for 300 people.
Grab a bite to eat at the Bridge’s walk-up window anytime during the day, and enjoy dining on the bridge or grab a seat in the public area on the shoreline.
Rock Island Bridge has been a near decade-long dream come true for Mike and Liz Zeller. They started the project in 2018, obtaining a long-term lease from KCK.
The bridge’s history is told through vintage photos located around the entertainment district.
Sports
Kansas City has been a competitive member of Major League Soccer since 1995, when the Wiz took to the pitch on the Missouri side of Stateline.
Since 2011, when the team became Sporting KC, Kansas City, Kansas, has been its home turf, with matches played at Sporting Park.
The Kansas City Monarchs, formerly the T-Bones, honors KC’s historic Negro League Baseball franchise of the same name. The Single-A franchise plays its games at Legends.
Nearby, the Kansas Speedway hosts NASCAR races. The track opened in 2001.
Food and Drink
Of course, no visit to Kansas City (Kansas) is complete without a little barbecue or Hispanic food.
Slap’s BBQ ranks among the best on either side of the states’ border. There were even Missourians at Slap’s when we grabbed lunch.
Whether you’re a pulled pork fan, chicken aficionado, brisket lover or a burnt ends enthusiast, you’ll enjoy Slap’s menu. It has an excellent selection of sauces to go alongside the meat.
Sides such as mac and cheese, potato salad, coleslaw and baked beans add to a delicious experience.
With more than 50 restaurants and markets, Central and Kansas Avenues are the primary area for the KCK Taco Trail.
Two of our favorite places to eat are Carniceria y Tortilleria San Antonio and GG’s Barbacoa Cafe.
As a market, deli and restaurant, Carniceria y Tortilleria San Antonio offers outstanding street tacos, with a variety of meats, such as barbacoa, chicken and pork. Its menu includes birria tacos, tamales, quesadillas, burritos, menudo and tortas. The salsa bar allows you to choose the temperature of toppings.
The deli also has authentic Latino products, including chicharron (fried pork belly) and buche (pork stomach). You can buy authentic Mexican products, such as spices and peppers. Carniceria y Tortilleria San Antonio produces its own fresh tortillas.
GG’s started as a roadside eatery, before moving indoors in downtown KCK. Known for its beef and chicken birria, slow-cooked to bring out the flavors. GG’s quesabirrias are crispy corn tortillas stuffed with melted mozzarella cheese, cilantro, red onions, jalapeños and tender birria meat, served with a side of consommé.
Grab a cup of coffee and a snack at Split Log Coffee or The Windmill. Both offer excellent hot and cold drinks, as well as pastries.
Located in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood, Split Log Coffee opened in 2017, offering sit-down service, as well as a drive-thru. Roasting its own coffee, Split Log quickly earned a reputation as one of the area’s most-popular coffee shops.
The Windmill calls the Turner neighborhood home. Open since 2020, The Windmill recognizes the state’s pioneering history with a fourth-generation windmill inside the coffee shop.
Its coffee and service have earned a reputation as a quality locally-owned coffee shop, and a must-stop while in Kansas City.
The hometown of celebrities such as Maurice Greene, Janelle Monae, Ed Asner and Charlie Parker, KCK has earned its reputation as a destination city, from historical attractions and murals downtown to newer points of interest.
