Anyone familiar with this town? We are heading up there next week for vacation and I'm looking for suggestions.

We'll be there about a week. We are already planning on going to Schlitterbahn and maybe Worlds of Fun. I've got a couple BBQ joints to try.

This is our first trip to KC, so what (family friendly) things should not be missed?

Torea in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.....

I go up to KC about once a year (I prefer it to Dallas, and it's the same drive either way). One of the neatest things I saw on my last visit was the "The 1950s All-Electric House" (http://www.jocomuseum.org/visit.shtml). It's pretty cool if you're interested in architecture or retro design.

The must-see is Country Club Plaza (http://www.countryclubplaza.com/) for a great shopping and dining experience. There's really so much to do in KC...if you're into art, design, painters, creative stuff, the Home & Studio of Thomas Hart Benton (http://mostateparks.com/benton.htm) is really a neat tour. During the day, the Power & Light District (http://www.powerandlightdistrict.com/) is fun for families. It's a big nightspot in the evenings, so with the kids, you'd probably want to do P&L during daytime hours. Don't know the schedule, but Royal's Baseball (http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/). The kid's would love the Hallmark tour (http://www.hallmarkvisitorscenter.com/about/index.php). Don't know your budget obviously, but KC has a Great Wolf Lodge (http://www.greatwolf.com/kansascity/waterpark) - a kiddo haven.

I love Kansas City. I hope you and the family have a great trip.

edit: How could I forget - the renovated Union Station (http://www.unionstation.org/) with Science City (http://www.sciencecity.com/) and lots more.

It's a great town, I always seem to go to Fiorella's Jack Stack BBQ Freight House (http://www.jackstackbbq.com/jack-stack-barbecue-freight-house/i/12/) location (across the tracks from Union Station) every time that I am up there. If you are interested in buildings, The Community of Christ International Headquarters (http://www.cofchrist.org/visit/default.asp) is pretty interesting, it is in Independence, Missouri. Not sure what age kids may be but the Harley-Davidson Plant in KC (http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/Factory_Tours/kansas_city.html) has tours of the plant that are interesting, kids have to be 12 or older for the factory tour.

Enjoy the trip.

We are staying at Great Wolf Lodge on Monday and Tuesday - that's long enough for the kids to get bored with it (3 days in TX last year was a bit too long). After that, we have a hotel booked near the Kansas Speedway for the remainder of our stay.

Unfortunately, The Royals are out of town during our visit. The P&L district looks fun. My kids aren't quite old enough for the HD tour! I was also referred to this museum - http://www.1856.com/ It's a museum centered around a steamboat that sunk and was uncovered and excavated when the river changed course.

Great suggestions everyone!

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (http://www.nelson-atkins.org/) is very impressive. And the Fountains of course: http://www.kcfountains.com/ - the zoo -- tons of other stuff.

A good educational experience for the kids would be the Truman Library and Museum.

Sporting KC (Kansas City's MLS team) is playing a home match on Tuesday. All seats are $15 G/A. Their new stadium (LIVESTRONG Park -- in the same complex as Great Wolf Lodge & the KS Speedway) just opened up a couple of months ago, and it's an amazing facility. Fairly cheap entertainment for the family...

http://www.livestrongsportingpark.com/
http://www.sportingkc.com/schedule

I'm a big fan of the National WWI Museum...very close to Union Station.

Sporting KC (Kansas City's MLS team) is playing a home match on Tuesday. All seats are $15 G/A. Their new stadium (LIVESTRONG Park -- in the same complex as Great Wolf Lodge & the KS Speedway) just opened up a couple of months ago, and it's an amazing facility. Fairly cheap entertainment for the family...

http://www.livestrongsportingpark.com/
http://www.sportingkc.com/schedule

Seconded. I went to the opener. Best soccer stadium in North America IMHO.

Stay as far as possible off of Prospect Avenue.

This was one of my favorite places growing up:

http://www.hallmarkkaleidoscope.com/