4 days of jazz and a night out in two Missouri cities

Kansas City on a slow first day. Start in the old jazz district on 18th and Vine, spend the middle of the day in two museums that share a building, then cross town to a concert hall and keep the evening for music.

1. Breakfast

   Biscuits and sausage gravy

   Warm, flaky biscuits under a peppery sausage gravy, a filling start before a day of museums.

   Local tip Ask for a small plate if you plan a big lunch.
2. 1
   Morning

   18th and Vine District

   The historic center of Black life, business and music in Kansas City, where jazz grew in the 1920s and 1930s. Walk the blocks slowly and look at the old buildings and the plaques before the day warms up.

   Go when Morning, while the streets are calm.

   Local tip Read the plaques and look up at the old buildings. The two museums here make a natural pair, so keep the middle of the day for them. A late evening of live music is possible, so check ahead on who is playing.

   

   About 3 min walk0.2 mi
3. 2
   Midday

   American Jazz Museum

   A museum of the jazz story of Kansas City, with photographs, recordings and instruments, and a nod to Charlie Parker, who grew up in the city. Listen at the stations and take your time. Check ahead on the opening.

   Go when Midday, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip Put on the headphones at the listening stations and let a few tracks play through. Jazz is about the sound, so slow down here. Check ahead on the opening and on any evening music.

   

4. Lunch

   Fried chicken with greens and cornbread

   Crisp fried chicken with long cooked greens and a square of cornbread, a plate of the American South that suits the jazz district.

   Local tip Eat the greens with a splash of hot sauce, and take the crispy skin with it.

   About 2 min walkunder 0.1 mi
5. 3
   Afternoon

   Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

   The museum of the Black professional baseball leagues, in the same building complex as the jazz museum. The Negro National League was founded in Kansas City in 1920. Read the displays slowly, and check ahead on the opening.

   Go when Afternoon, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip Start with the timeline and go in order. It tells a serious story with humor and pride in it. Allow time to read, and check ahead on the opening.

6. Dinner

   Burnt ends

   The smoky, crusted ends of a brisket, cut into cubes and tossed in a sweet, thick tomato sauce, a Kansas City dish served on a plate or in a sandwich.

   Local tip Order a half portion to share, since the pieces are rich.

   About 9 min by car or transit1.3 mi
7. 4
   Evening

   Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

   A concert hall of steel and glass that opened in 2011, with two halls under shell shaped roofs, home to the symphony, the opera and the ballet. See it lit at night from outside, and check ahead for a show or a tour.

   Go when Evening (about 7:27 PM), when the glass is lit.

   Local tip Go for a show if you can, and check ahead on what is on, since tickets and seats vary. If not, the lit shells are worth a look from the terrace. Dress a little smarter than for the day.

A day of Kansas City landmarks. Start at the art museum with the giant shuttlecocks on its lawn, stroll a Spanish style shopping district, then spend the afternoon at the national memorial to the first world war and the great hall of the old railway station.

1. Travel from Kauffman Center for the Performing ArtsAbout 15 min by car or transit3.4 mi

   Where Day 1 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs, hash browns and toast

   A plain diner breakfast of eggs to your taste, crisp potatoes and buttered toast, with strong coffee before the museums.

   Local tip Ask for the hash browns well done.
3. 1
   Morning

   Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

   The art museum of Kansas City, in a stone building of 1933 with a glass wing added in 2007. Four giant shuttlecocks sit on the lawn, and a sculpture park surrounds it. Choose a few rooms rather than all of them, and check ahead on the opening.

   Go when Morning, when the rooms are calm.

   Local tip Count the shuttlecocks on the lawn first, then pick a few rooms rather than all of them. The sculpture park is a good walk if the weather is fair. Check ahead on the opening.

   

   About 13 min walk0.7 mi
4. 2
   Midday

   Country Club Plaza

   A shopping and dining district opened in 1923 and built in a Spanish style, with tiled towers, fountains and sculpture along its streets. Wander for the buildings and the fountains, since it is a place to walk, not to rush.

   Go when Midday into the afternoon, for the fountains in the light.

   Local tip Walk the streets and look up at the towers and tiles. Many fountains have a story, so read the plaques. In the cold months the walk is shorter, so duck into a doorway if the wind rises.

   

5. Lunch

   Ribs in sweet, smoky sauce

   Slow smoked pork ribs brushed with a thick, sweet tomato sauce, the Kansas City way, with beans and slaw on the side.

   Local tip Take plenty of napkins, and share a rack if you are two.

   About 13 min by car or transit2.7 mi
6. 3
   Afternoon

   National WWI Museum and Memorial

   The national museum and memorial to the first world war, set around a tall tower on a hill above the city. The museum below tells the story with objects and film. Keep a quiet tone, and check ahead on the tower and the opening.

   Go when Afternoon, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip It is a memorial, so keep a quiet tone and give the museum time. The tower has a view over the city, but check ahead on the opening and on the stairs and the lift.

   

7. Dinner

   A Kansas City strip steak

   A thick cut of beef steak with a crust, a nod to the old stockyards that made the city a meat town, served with a baked potato.

   Local tip Ask for it cooked to your taste and leave the sauce on the side.

   About 6 min walk0.3 mi
8. 4
   Evening

   Union Station Kansas City

   The old railway station of 1914 with a vast hall under a high ceiling, now home to exhibits and still used by passenger trains. Look up in the hall and watch the people cross it, and check ahead on what is on.

   Go when Late in the day, once the hall softens.

   Local tip Stand in the middle of the hall and look up. Trains still use the station, so you may hear one. Check ahead on the exhibits and on what is open.

   

The move from Kansas City to St. Louis, across the middle of Missouri. It is a long road, so leave early, fill the tank, and check the road ahead before you go. In the afternoon, walk the riverfront to the Arch and the old courthouse, then the sculpture garden and a brick neighborhood in the evening.

1. Drive from Union Station Kansas CityAbout 5 h 6 min by car238.9 mi

   Where Day 2 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Eggs and a biscuit sandwich

   A hot biscuit with egg and cheese, wrapped to go with a coffee, a simple start before the long road east.

   Local tip Fill a water bottle before you leave the city.
3. 1
   Afternoon

   Gateway Arch National Park

   The park on the Mississippi riverfront around the Gateway Arch, a stainless steel arch finished in 1965 and said to be the tallest arch in the world. A museum lies under it, and a tram climbs to the top in a small pod. Check ahead on tickets and the weather.

   Go when Afternoon, then again in the light at (about 7:27 PM).

   Local tip Walk right up to the legs and look straight up. The tram to the top is in a small pod and needs a ticket, so check ahead, and skip it if you dislike tight spaces. The museum below is worth the stairs.

   

   About 5 min walk0.2 mi
4. 2
   AfternoonIndoor

   Old Courthouse

   The courthouse with a dome, now part of the national park, where Dred Scott sued for his freedom in the 1840s and 1850s. Look at the dome and the courtrooms with a quiet mind, and check ahead on the opening.

   Go when Afternoon, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip Dred Scott sued for his freedom in these rooms, so give them a quiet moment. Look up into the dome and check ahead on the opening.

   

5. Lunch

   Toasted ravioli

   Meat filled ravioli, dipped in crumbs and deep fried, served with a bowl of tomato sauce for dipping, a St. Louis snack.

   Local tip Share a plate and dip while it is hot.

   About 5 min walk0.3 mi
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Citygarden

   A garden of lawns, water and sculpture, a short walk from the courthouse. Wander the paths for the pieces by artists from many countries, and sit on the grass for a break.

   Go when Afternoon, on the lawns.

   Local tip Look at the sculptures as you walk the paths, then sit for a while. It is a good spot to rest your feet before the evening. Check the weather, since the garden is open to the sky.

   

7. Dinner

   A pork steak

   A thick cut of pork shoulder, grilled and brushed with barbecue sauce, a St. Louis backyard dish.

   Local tip Add slaw or beans on the side, and wait for it to cool a little.

   About 10 min by car or transit1.7 mi
8. 4
   Evening

   Soulard

   An old neighborhood south of downtown with brick row houses and a long running market. St. Louis has a deep blues tradition and Soulard is a place to find it, so check ahead on who is playing. Take a rideshare back.

   Go when Evening, when the corner rooms fill.

   Local tip Walk the brick streets first, then follow your ears. The neighborhood holds a big Mardi Gras party in the late winter, so check ahead if your dates are near it. Take a rideshare back late.

   

A day in the west side of St. Louis, where the 1904 World's Fair was held. Start in Forest Park and its art museum on the hill, drive to a botanical garden, then finish at one of the great churches of the country in the Central West End.

1. Travel from SoulardAbout 19 min by car or transit4.7 mi

   Where Day 3 ended.
2. Breakfast

   Gooey butter cake and coffee

   A dense, buttery cake with a soft sweet center and a dusting of sugar, a St. Louis specialty, with hot coffee.

   Local tip Have a small square, since it is very rich.
3. 1
   Morning

   Forest Park

   The city park of St. Louis, bigger than Central Park in New York, where the 1904 World's Fair was held. Walk by the lakes and the lawns, and see how many museums and gardens sit within it. Wear comfortable shoes.

   Go when Morning, by the lakes and lawns.

   Local tip It is a big park, bigger than Central Park, so decide on one or two corners and skip the rest. Rent a bike if your legs are tired, and carry water in the warm months.

   

   About 11 min walk0.5 mi
4. 2
   MiddayIndoor

   Saint Louis Art Museum

   The art museum of the city, in the stone building from the 1904 World's Fair on the hill at the center of Forest Park. Pick a few rooms, and check ahead on the opening.

   Go when Midday, as an indoor stop.

   Local tip Stand on the hill in front before you go in, and look back over the park. Pick a few rooms rather than trying to see all of them. Check ahead on the opening.

   

5. Lunch

   A sandwich and soup near the park

   A plain lunch of a sandwich and a cup of soup, easy to find near the park, before the garden.

   Local tip Pick a place with a short wait, so you keep the afternoon.

   About 13 min by car or transit2.6 mi
6. 3
   Afternoon

   Missouri Botanical Garden

   A botanical garden founded in 1859, said to be among the oldest still running in the country. It has a glass dome greenhouse, a Japanese garden and wide lawns. Walk slowly and carry water, and check ahead on the opening.

   Go when Afternoon, in the softer light.

   Local tip Start in the glass dome in cold or wet weather, then walk the Japanese garden. Plan for a slow loop, and carry water in summer. Check ahead on the opening and on any evening events.

   

   About 11 min by car or transit2.1 mi
7. 4
   AfternoonIndoor

   Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

   The cathedral of the archdiocese, with a Byzantine style dome and walls and ceilings covered in glass mosaics. It is a working church, so keep your voice low, cover your shoulders, and check ahead on services and visiting.

   Go when Late afternoon, outside the hours of services.

   Local tip Step inside and let your eyes adjust, since the mosaics cover almost every surface. It is a working church, so stay quiet and cover your shoulders. Check ahead on visiting.

   

8. Dinner

   St. Louis-style pizza

   A pizza with a thin cracker crust, topped with a soft, melting provel cheese and cut into squares, a St. Louis habit.

   Local tip Share a pie, and expect small squares rather than wedges.