Originally Posted by
boxo
In a couple weeks, I will have ~30 hours in Kansas City, arriving on Amtrak Southwest Chief at 7:30 am Friday and departing on Alaska Airlines 3:30 pm Saturday. The four things on my to-do list are the TWA Museum, the two art museums, and BBQ. Renting a car is not an option.
I am trying to decide which area to book hotel - Downtown, Country Club, or airport. There are ~$90++ Priceline Express Deals Downtown (Holiday Inn) and Country Club (Courtyard Marriott), and ~$75+ Hilton MVP rate for the airport area.
The two art museums are open till 9 pm Friday nights, so I could end my day there + maybe some late night BBQ at Joe's, Q39, or Gates if my stomach can take it. Is it safe to take public transportation from the south end into downtown after 10 pm? If I stay in the airport area, I'll start in the south and work my way back up. I know I can Uber to the airport, but is the city bus between downtown and MCI safe late at night? Any sketchy neighborhoods on either route?
Missouri will be my 28th US state. ^
Given your intended itinerary, I'd stay downtown-ish. As you're coming in via Amtrak (Union Station is on the south edge of downtown), there are multiple hotels within walking distance nearby in the Crown Center and Crossroads neighborhoods, and most of the other downtown hotels (and downtown in general) are easily accessible on our free streetcar (which terminates just outside Union Station).
We have a bus rapid transit route - the Main MAX - that goes between downtown and the Country Club Plaza (and has a stop within a few blocks of the art museums) every 10-15 minutes and runs until midnight. It's safe to ride, and a daypass for the bus system is $3. You can buy tickets/passes via the RideKC mobile app.
FWIW, Joe's BBQ is now available downtown at the County Road Ice House. While I'm a fan of Q39, Char Bar in Westport is also quite good and is a bit easier to get to via public transport; the neighborhood has a number of bars/restaurants as well.
Finally, the TWA Museum is at the *downtown* airport (MKC), while MCI is at the far northern edge of the metro. The 229 bus route (which is also perfectly safe to ride) only runs hourly between downtown and the airport...and it takes nearly an hour to get there, while it's about 20 minutes (and about $25) from downtown via Uber/Lyft. So...it's your standard "is your time or money more valuable?" tradeoff.
Whatever you decide to do, enjoy your time in KC. Hopefully the weather cooperates while you're here, and don't judge us too harshly for how terrible MCI is - a new terminal will be built in the next 3-4 years. :-)