This post is in partnership with VisitKC and Marriott Downtown KC. All opinions expressed are my own.
A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of going on a girls weekend to Kansas City with two of my very best blogging friends (@missmarypowers and @meghan.layne)! Weekends with gal pals are good for the soul. We laughed, we shopped, we ate, and we drank! If you are in the Midwest and looking to get away, I highly recommend a girls weekend to Kansas City!
Shop my outfit here!
Travel by Train
All three of us live in Saint Louis, so getting to Kansas City was super easy. We took an Amtrak train from the beautiful Kirkwood station. The train ride is super scenic, but it does take a little longer than traveling to KC by car with several stops along the way. We left around 9:45 A.M. on a Friday and arrived to the Downtown KC Marriott by 4:00. Derek from VisitKC welcomed us at the beautiful Union Station with some authentic Kansas City goodies!
Amtrak station in downtown Kirkwood, MO
Stay Downtown
There is SO much to see and do in Downtown KC, and it’s a short Uber ride from tons of other popular KC neighborhoods. Dustin from the Downtown KC Marriott greeted us upon our arrival and welcomed us to their beautiful hotel in the heart of downtown. The Marriott is actually connected to the Convention Center, making it a popular spot for conferences year round. They have a state of the art workout facility, coffee shop (brewing local coffee too), and an upscale restaurant on the premises. We had a lovely suite with three adjoining rooms, with an amazing view of the city!
Getting comfy at the Downtown Marriott KC
Thanks for the authentic KC goodies (barbecue sauce, chocolates, and beer are definitely the way to my heart)!
Explore ALL The Restaurants
You will not go hungry when visiting this city, that is FOR SURE! I hadn’t visited KC with friends in several years (we visited earlier this summer as a family which you can read about here), so this trip was a little different. I got to explore more of the nightlife which was awesome!
FRIDAY NIGHT
We kicked off our weekend with drinks and appetizers at the Percheron. It’s a rooftop bar at the Crossroads Hotel that features a beer garden with both indoor and outdoor spaces. There are sweeping views of the city too! They have an extensive beer and cocktail menu + light bites (I suggest the Piadina shown below)!
Drinks and appetizers at The Percheron rooftop bar
Can’t beat the view from The Percheron!
From the Percheron, we headed over to Fox and Pearl (short Uber ride away). This unassuming little corner restaurant did not disappoint! Be sure to have a seat at the bar while you wait for your table (reservations highly recommended, thanks Derek)! The Cavatelli was delish!
Entrance to Fox and Pearl
Such a cool vibe at Fox and Pearl!
SATURDAY
You will quickly learn that there is a LONG list of brunch spots in Kansas City. Gram and Dun came highly recommended to us by Visit KC and some of my local friends too! It’s located in the heart of the Country Club Plaza, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30-3:30. I went all in and got the G&D waffles (aka chicken and waffles). I’ve never had chicken and waffles before, but now I get it! See below!
Amazing brunch at Gram and Dun!
Chicken + Waffles from Gram and Dun
I told you there is no shortage of of places to eat. For dinner on Saturday night we dined at The Reserve Restaurant and Lounge in the Power and Light district near the Downtown Marriott where we stayed. Try the Bucatini pasta with shrimp, while enjoying this posh atmosphere!
Dinner at The Reserve
SUNDAY
Last, but not least, brunch at Parkway Social Kitchen in the Country Club Plaza. Try the Bloody Mary and the Turkey Apple Brie sandwich! Oh and fries too! Can’t forget the fries!
Delicious Bloody Mary from Parkway Social Kitchen!
Shop The Plaza
It was hot, but we survived because the beautiful architecture and shops got us through! Country Club Plaza is designed to resemble the architecture of Seville Spain. There’s 804K square feet of retail space so you’re sure to find your style at the plaza.
Beautiful architecture modeled after Seville Spain
One of my favorite discoveries on the plaza was The Marketplace. It’s full of local goods created by real local people. I went home with a new pair of earrings and a mug!
Beautiful storefront!
This mug spoke to me.
So cute, and such a great gift idea!
Visit the Art Museum
In between all of the eating and shopping that we did, we found time to visit The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. The museum is open every day except Tuesdays. It’s $18 for adults and kids 12 and under are FREE! All summer long through Labor Day they have an amazing exhibit featuring mini golf on their outdoor property! The Art Course is an artist-designed mini golf experience located in the sculpture park. It’s a 9-hole course that features an interpretation of a work of art that is inside the museum’s collection. This would also be a fun activity to do as a family too (I’d say ages 4 and up).
Neon work of art inside Nelson Atkins Museum
Not telling who won!
The Art Course at Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Our gals weekend was one for the books! Kansas City is a thriving and vibrant city with so much to see and do! Thank you for the warm Midwest welcome! I can’t wait to visit again soon! Be sure to stay up to date on all the KC happenings by following VisitKC!
Photo taken at the Amtrak waiting room in KC