Kansas City, Missouri -- not to be confused with the neighboring city of Kansas City, Kansas -- is, like the other city of the same name, as well as the state, named for the Kansa Native American tribe that used to inhabit the region. It's also Missouri's largest city, and its downtown is undergoing a $4.5-billion facelift. Among the new additions is the $835-million Power & Light District, a nine-block entertainment-and-shopping neighborhood that includes America's first World War I museum.
The city on the banks of the Missouri River is a great place to see art, what with the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the 17-acre Kansas City Sculpture Park (on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art), many sculptures throughout town, including a 16-foot bronze tribute to pioneering mothers and a monument to Lewis and Clark, who explored the area in 1804 (the city wasn't incorporated until 1850).
Kansas City's history is a major draw, too: Jesse James was born and died here, Hallmark started here, the Negro National Baseball League was founded here, and Walt Disney opened his first animation studio here; a friendly mouse in the building inspired him to draw Mickey Mouse. Furthermore, the city somehow managed to ignore Prohibition during the 1920s, leading to an proliferation of jazz clubs and gambling hall. The city's long-spanning relationship with jazz led to the invention of the jam session and drew music greats like Count Basie and Charlie Parker.
Other famous locals include Ernest Hemingway, who was a journalist for the Kansas City Star, Harry S. Truman (whose presidential library you can visit), baseball greats Satchel Paige and George Brett, bag designer Kate Spade, musician Melissa Ethridge, and entertainers like Don Cheadle, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, and Ginger Rogers.
Things to do in Kansas City include visiting the Walt Disney Hometown Museum, spotting the more than 200 fountains in town (only Rome has more), exploring its multitude of museums, trying out the theme parks -- and, of course, tapping your toes at one of the legendary blues and jazz clubs. After a day of sightseeing, unwind amidst friendly locals at one of many of the renowned barbecue joints.
