And just so you won't be confused, Kansas City straddles both the Show-Me State of Missouri and the Sunflower State of Kansas. The city's jazz and barbecue are just about unparalleled, but Kansas City has also successfully delved into other types of music and food (more on that in the dining section). You can view parts of this history at the National World War I and Arabia Steamboat museums. Plus, the city's history – as a trading post in 1821 and an important stopover on the Oregon Trail in the early 1800s – gives it an interesting narrative.
The city's cultural, too, with some surprisingly great museums like the Nelson-Atkins. But KC is also cool: The Power & Light District brims with trendy bars and restaurants and equally trendy 20- and 30-somethings.
Kansas City is a friendly place, filled with salt-of-the-earth Midwesterners who smile at strangers as they pass them on the streets.
