Kansas City, MO - Safe Area?

[Figment22]

We will be visiting Kansas City, MO in June for my son's national competition. I've been looking at hotels in the area (my son will be downtown near the convention center). I tend to go with the Marriott hotel group and have been looking at the Fairfield Inn Kansas City Downtown/Union Hill. It's located at 3001 Main Street (apparently at 30th St.) Does anyone know if that's in a safe area? Are there any restaurants in that area?

It looks to me that we might be better staying in the Country Club Plaza area as I see lots of shops and restaurants are there but the hotels all seem to be substantially more expensive in that area.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

There's lots to do on the Plaza, I'd suggest you stay there. There's an Embassy Suites my sister and her family like to stay at when they're there.

The CC Plaza is just a short drive to downtown and is safer, I think.

 

[DisneyMomOK]

We stay in the Overland Park area, but use Priceline. We have always gotten M Courtyard for around $40. I agree with the Plaza area, too.

Sharon

 

[oscarkitty1]

I work downtown (13th and Main) and I would recommend the Hotel Phillips, which is at 12th and Baltimore. It is an easy walk to the convention center.

A business colleage of mine always stays there when she comes to KC for business and she loves it.

It's a recently renovated boutiqe-type hotel with reasonable rates, I think she usually pays around $130 per night.

 

[crazyforgoofy]

I work downtown (13th and Main) and I would recommend the Hotel Phillips, which is at 12th and Baltimore. It is an easy walk to the convention center.

A business colleage of mine always stays there when she comes to KC for business and she loves it.

It's a recently renovated boutiqe-type hotel with reasonable rates, I think she usually pays around $130 per night.

But would you walk around there at night? I'll admit I haven't lived in the KC area for several years but there wasn't much open around there after dark and it wasn't very safe either.

 

[Feralpeg]

If you will be near 30th and Main, I'd suggest Crown Center. It is a beautiful complex of hotels, restaurants and shops. The shops are in an enclosed mall area. There is also a movie complex and the Hallmark visitor center. It is across the street from the Science Center.

I lived in Kansas City most of my life. It is like a lot of large cities. The downtown area is pretty deserted at night and not the greatest place to run around. The Crown Center area is a safe area because it is so contained.

The Plaza area is beautiful and safe as long as you are there during regular business hours.

 

[Feralpeg]

But would you walk around there at night? I'll admit I haven't lived in the KC area for several years but there wasn't much open around there after dark and it wasn't very safe either.

I worked at 11th and Broadway and I didn't run around that area after dark. There really isn't much to do at night in the immediate downtown area.

 

[oscarkitty1]

The downtown are is being revitalized. Once that began, the city did a lot to increase security. It is much safer than it used to be. We often walk around downtown after work, to go have drinks to recover from the crazy day!

It's much safer than it used to be. It's possible that you might pass a panhandler asking for money, but you will have that happen at the Plaza too.

Crime is not a problem in the area around the convention center.

 

[Feralpeg]

The downtown are is being revitalized. Once that began, the city did a lot to increase security. It is much safer than it used to be. We often walk around downtown after work, to go have drinks to recover from the crazy day!

It's much safer than it used to be. It's possible that you might pass a panhandler asking for money, but you will have that happen at the Plaza too.

Crime is not a problem in the area around the convention center.

Do you ever visit The Quaff on Broadway? If so, please tell Joe and Newt that Peggy (old DST person who retired) said "HI!". Thanks!

 

[oscarkitty1]

That's so funny, we were going to go there last night! But Tanner's next door was closed due to a frozen pipe, and the Quaff was standing room only!

Next time I'm there I'll say hi for you!

 

[Feralpeg]

That's so funny, we were going to go there last night! But Tanner's next door was closed due to a frozen pipe, and the Quaff was standing room only!

Next time I'm there I'll say hi for you!

Thanks! Nice to hear business is good!

 

[Figment22]

If you will be near 30th and Main, I'd suggest Crown Center. It is a beautiful complex of hotels, restaurants and shops. The shops are in an enclosed mall area. There is also a movie complex and the Hallmark visitor center. It is across the street from the Science Center.

So, if the hotel is located at 30th and Main, it's in a relatively safe area? A quick Google search would indicate that Crown Center starts at 27th St. So I'd guess that three blocks down Main wouldn't be so bad?

Kansas City looks like there's a lot to see and do for visitors. I'm really looking forward to our trip!

Thanks for all the input everyone.

 

[RobInBigKC]

So, if the hotel is located at 30th and Main, it's in a relatively safe area? A quick Google search would indicate that Crown Center starts at 27th St. So I'd guess that three blocks down Main wouldn't be so bad?

Kansas City looks like there's a lot to see and do for visitors. I'm really looking forward to our trip!

Thanks for all the input everyone.

I wouldn't be concerned about staying at that Fairfield Inn. However, I wouldn't go out walking at night from it either. Driving at night you should be fine though.

My office is at Crown Center. The Crown Center area is fairly safe at all hours that the shop and restaurants are open. Union Hill is a fairly safe area. A few blocks to the East of those areas is your typical urban core area with pockets of poverty and crime. A few miles to the East of those areas is zip code 64127 which is the area of our city that has the most violent crime.

Again, understand, I would not hesitate to stay at that Fairfield Inn. If you stick to Main Street and Grand Avenue/Boulevard (another north-south street to the east of Main) and Broadway (another north-south street to the west of Main) and don't venture into the neighborhoods to the east, you should be fine. Even if you do accidentally end up in those neighborhoods (one of which my octagenarian grandmother still lives in in her own home), you will still probably be fine. Just be aware that you are in a big city and be aware of your surroundings.

To the south of your hotel will be the Country Club Plaza around 47th and Main and to the north will be the Crown Center area (around 27th and Main), the Crossroads area (around 20th and Main), the Downtown area (from 15th / Truman Road to 5th), and the River Market area (from 5th to 1st).

As far as restaurants near your hotel, the best BBQ in the world can be found at Gates BBQ at 32nd and Main. I wouldn't hesitate to walk there during daylight but you might want to drive at night. I would highly recommend a car when visiting KC if you plan on visiting more than one part of town -- most of our attractions and restaurants are spread out. There are numerous (over a dozen) restaurants on the Country Club Plaza and parking is plentiful (look for a fancy scrolled "Spanish P" for parking lots and garages) and usually free. There are also a number of restaurants downtown as well. 39th Street west of your hotel (from about Bell Street -- which is west of Broadway -- to State Line Road) is restaurant row as well.

Near your hotel (a bit west and north) is the Liberty Memorial with the just opened and awesome World War I museum. It is well worth your time to visit this museum. Union Station is also nearby (just north of the Liberty Memorial). Most of the new downtown stuff won't be open by this June but visitors in late 2007 and 2008 and later will want to check it out (from what I've seen on paper).

North of the Missouri River in the northeast portion of our city is the Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun amusement park complex. West of the city in Kansas City Kansas is the Kansas Motor Speedway (our Nascar track) and the Legends shopping center and minor league baseball's Kansas City T-Bones Community America Stadium. In the east part of our city is the Truman Sports Complex with Kaufffman Stadium where the Kansas City Royals play in June.

Feel free to post food/restaurant preferences and other questions and I'll try to answer them when I get a chance.

-- Rob

 

[Figment22]

Rob,
Thank you SO much for taking the time to post all the great information! We will have our car with us as we are making this a road trip and will be stopping for a few days each in St. Louis, Nashville and Chattanooga on our way back to South Carolina. I expect that we will be driving to various attractions during our stay. I worked in NYC for many years so I'm always aware of my surroundings when in any city; but I love visiting different cities and I'm excited to be adding several new cities to my list.

My only disappointment is that the Royals will be out of town during the period we'll be in KC. Even though it's older, Kaufmann Stadium is always mentioned by the Yankees' announcers as being one of the nicer stadiums in baseball. I really wanted the opportunity to catch a game there. Actually, we're missing out in St. Louis also as the Cardinals will be out of town too.

Again thanks for the detailed post. It's greatly appreciated.

 

[RobInBigKC]

Rob,
Thank you SO much for taking the time to post all the great information! We will have our car with us as we are making this a road trip and will be stopping for a few days each in St. Louis, Nashville and Chattanooga on our way back to South Carolina. I expect that we will be driving to various attractions during our stay. I worked in NYC for many years so I'm always aware of my surroundings when in any city; but I love visiting different cities and I'm excited to be adding several new cities to my list.

My only disappointment is that the Royals will be out of town during the period we'll be in KC. Even though it's older, Kaufmann Stadium is always mentioned by the Yankees' announcers as being one of the nicer stadiums in baseball. I really wanted the opportunity to catch a game there. Actually, we're missing out in St. Louis also as the Cardinals will be out of town too.

Again thanks for the detailed post. It's greatly appreciated.

If you really want to see Kauffman, there are stadium tours (of course your daytimes might be full with scheduled activities) from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on non-game days. When I was a kid, my family and I did that with Busch Stadium (2) in St. Louis and with Texas Stadium (I think -- where the Cowboys play in Irving). I don't know if I'd take time out of a full trip for it but if you have some time or it's a strong desire, I have enjoyed the couple of stadium tours of Kauffman I've been on. It's still not as much fun as attending a game though (in any of those stadiums)! See this link for more information: http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/kc/ballpark/ballpark_tours.jsp

-- Rob

 

[Feralpeg]

If you are looking for a neat place to have dinner and you don't mind paying a bit, try Skies on the top floor of the Hyatt at Crown Center. It is a revolving restaurant. It moves very slowly, so it won't bother you. It has an amazing view of the city. You can see for miles and miles. Since it revolves, you can see various areas of the city while you dine. It's a great place, but a tad expensive.

 

[Figment22]

If you are looking for a neat place to have dinner and you don't mind paying a bit, try Skies on the top floor of the Hyatt at Crown Center. It is a revolving restaurant. It moves very slowly, so it won't bother you. It has an amazing view of the city. You can see for miles and miles. Since it revolves, you can see various areas of the city while you dine. It's a great place, but a tad expensive.

Cool! We've dined at the revolving rooftop Hyatt restaurants in San Francisco and in Cambridge, MA and have enjoyed both experiences immensely. I'm definitely adding this to our list!