Capital Couples Finance

Frugal Things to do in Kansas City, Missouri

This post is a part of the Money Life Network “Frugal Things To Do In… ” writing project. Visit the “Frugal Things To Do In…”  main page to see what other cities they’re writing about. 

Kansas City is a great place to be if you’re looking for frugal things to do.  Sure, we don’t have anything fancy like the Space Needle, but if you know you’re way around, there are definitely attractions that are worth visiting.

First on the list has to be BBQ.  Not only is it the most perfect food you’ll ever eat, but it’s a KC tradition.  You’re probably familiar with KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce, but I have to tell you, their restaurants don’t compare to some of the others in the area.  Two of my favorites are Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ and Oklahoma Joe’s.  Make sure you go to one of these if you come to the area.

For cultural attractions, I’d point you to the National WWI Museum and Liberty Memorial.  The Memorial is the only WWI memorial and thanks to former President Truman, it is in Kansas City.  Its really quite a site and is perched on a bluff with an amazing view of the city’s skyline. 

by orgnmaster

RIght across the street from the memorial and museum is Union Station, one of the most stunning buildings in Kansas City.  It’s worth going to just to see the intricate architectural details inside, but they also have Science City, a hands on attraction dedicated to educating children and families about science.  You can also find several restaurants, an Imax theatre, rotating national attractions, the Irish Museum and Cultural Center, and a planetarium inside the expansive building.

If you like art, it’s great to be in town on the first Friday of the month.  In the Crossroads District all of the small art galleries open and people from the area come to enjoy great food and drinks (free at some galleries), music, and the latest on the local art scene.  If you’re not going to be in town on the first Friday, check out the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art,one of the most famous galleries in the nation. 

Even more famous, is the Country Club Plaza.  This is a local shopping disctrict modeled on the architecture of Seville, Spain and developed by J. C. Nichols in the 1920s.  You can find many of your favorite restaurants and shopping destinations here as well as a great theater, several fountains, sculptures, and a beautiful creek that you can stroll down.  If you come after Thanksgiving, all the buildings in the Plaza are lined with Christmas lights, a beautiful spectacle that you should make it a point to see one fall.

And finally, one of my favorite things to do in Kansas City is to go see our local minor-league baseball team, the T-Bones.  Tickets are dirt cheap and parking is free.  You can rent lawn chairs for a dollar and set them up in open grassy areas around the outfield.  They have lots of entertaining events between innings and if you go on the right day, they even have themed events.  My favorite was when my wife and I went on Redneck Night.  The players were dressed in hunter orange jerseys with camoflage vests over them.  They had a redneck wine and cheese fest where you could buy glasses of boxed wine and packages of cheese and crackers, twinkies, spam…you get the picture.  If I remember right Seargeant Slaughter was there as well.  It was great.

Anyways, hope you’re able to make it to Kansas City and see some of the great frugal attractions.  Feel free to contact me if you’re looking for something a little more specific and I’ll try and point you towards what you need.

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