Beyond the Stadium

Things to Do

BBQ trail tours, Truman Library day trips, jazz history walks, and Westport experiences — and the dozens of Kansas City experiences World Cup visitors will want to book before they fly. Browse the curated picks below or jump into Viator's full Kansas City catalog.

The Big Six

Anchor Sights

Kansas City has more boulevards than Paris and more BBQ joints than any city on earth. These six are the ones worth a special trip.

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National WWI Museum & Memorial
2 Memorial Dr. America's official WWI museum — glass floor over 9,000 poppy heads representing the dead. Adults $18, children $9. Also the FIFA Fan Festival site June 11–July 11. The Liberty Memorial tower view is worth the climb.
🖼️
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
4525 Oak St. Free admission — one of the top art museums in the US, no entry fee. Iconic shuttlecock sculptures on the lawn. Egyptian, Asian, and Impressionist collections. Open Tue–Sun.
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Arabia Steamboat Museum
400 Grand Blvd. A 19th-century Missouri River steamboat excavated from a Kansas cornfield — 200 tons of cargo still aboard. Adults ~$17, children ~$8. Surprisingly compelling — every artifact is catalogued.
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Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
1601 Broadway Blvd. Moshe Safdie-designed concert hall — free to view from outside; lobby open pre-show. One of North America's most beautiful performance venues. Tours available on select days.
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Union Station
30 W Pershing Rd. Restored 1914 Beaux-Arts station. Free to enter. Science City museum inside (extra cost). Restaurants and café on ground floor. Direct walkway to the WWI Museum.
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Country Club Plaza
4706 Broadway. America's first outdoor shopping centre (1922). Free to walk. Spanish-Moorish architecture, Seville Light Festival in November. Best fountain views at night.

Tours & Experiences

Curated Picks

Top-rated Kansas City tours and experiences on Viator. World Cup dates sell out fast, so book ahead.

See All Kansas City Tours on Viator ↗
80+ tours, activities and experiences across Kansas City

Family + Sport

Stadiums & Attractions

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Arrowhead Stadium
1 Arrowhead Dr. World Cup host venue and home of the Kansas City Chiefs. Stadium tours available on non-match days — check the KC host committee site for World Cup tour dates.
Kauffman Stadium (Royals)
Adjacent to Arrowhead. The Royals host home games throughout June and into July. Check the MLB schedule — combining a Royals game with a World Cup match is a great double-header day.
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Worlds of Fun
4545 Worlds of Fun Ave. Regional theme park with roller coasters and the Oceans of Fun water park. Adults ~$50+. About 15 minutes north of downtown. Good for a non-match day.
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Science City at Union Station
30 W Pershing Rd. Interactive science museum for all ages inside Union Station. Adults ~$14, children ~$11. Combine with the station's free public areas and the WWI Museum nearby.

Neighborhoods

Walk-the-Streets Kansas City

KC's best neighbourhoods reward slow walking — and almost every one has a legendary BBQ spot within a block.

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Crossroads Arts District
19th St & Baltimore Ave. Galleries, murals, rooftop bars, and the best restaurant density in the city. Free. First Friday gallery walk monthly. Corrigan Station and Novel restaurant are highlights.
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Westport
Westport Rd & Broadway. KC's oldest entertainment district — Irish pubs, dive bars, live music venues. Free to walk. McCoy's Public House and Westport Ale House for local brews.
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City Market (River Market)
20 E 5th St. Saturday farmers market 6am–3pm, year-round. Free. Surrounding River Market neighbourhood has international grocery stores, Korean restaurants, and the Arabia Museum nearby.
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Power & Light District
Truman Rd & Grand Blvd. Entertainment district with bars, restaurants, and an outdoor stage. Free to enter. T-Mobile Center (NBA, concerts) is adjacent. Lively on match evenings.

Match-Day-Friendly

Quick Hits

All under 90 minutes — ideal before an Arrowhead match or a morning with nothing booked.

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Nelson-Atkins Museum (90 min)
Free. World-class art, no queue, no entry fee. Shuttlecock lawn photo is obligatory.
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City Market (45 min)
Free. Saturday mornings only. Grab breakfast tacos and fresh produce before a match day.
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Crossroads Murals Walk (30 min)
Free. Baltimore Ave between 18th and 21st St has the densest mural concentration. Combine with coffee at Thou Mayest.
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WWI Museum Tower View (45 min)
$8 for tower only. 360-degree Kansas City skyline view. Open daily — check Fan Festival access during World Cup dates.

During the Tournament

Other Live Sports

Other notable sporting events happening in or near this metro during the FIFA World Cup window (Jun 11 – Jul 19, 2026). Use these to plan around match days. MLS is paused May 25 – Jul 16 for the World Cup, so most domestic soccer is dark.

Find Tickets on TicketNetwork ↗
Resale marketplace — search by team, venue or date for any event below.
Thu-Sun Jun 18-21
Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals · Kauffman Stadium — "I-70 Series" rivalry — biggest KC baseball event of the summer
Sat-Mon Jul 4-6
Royals vs. Phillies · Kauffman Stadium — July 4 holiday game; outside KC's WC hosting window but in tournament window
Tue Jul 14 (Philly)
MLB All-Star Game · Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia — Marquee MLB date during the WC — flight from MCI.