‘Having a Bit of Moment.’ Kansas City Named a Top 2024 Travel Destination

A massive crowd gathered Wednesday afternoon in front of Kansas Cityís Union Station to welcome the Super Bowl winning Kansas City Chiefs. The parade took the team south on Grand Blvd to Pershing Road, where they truned west to be cheered by thousands of fans. (Rich Sugg/TNS)

By Joseph Hernandez From The Kansas City Star

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—All eyes are on Kansas City for 2024.

The city has been in the spotlight for quite some time, with Kansas City International Airport’s new terminal opening, the Chiefs winning their second Super Bowl in four years, the NFL Draft, the conversations about a potential new stadium for the Royals and the relationship between superstar Taylor Swift and tight end Travis Kelce.

The rest of the country is taking note, as Kansas City was named to two national publications’ best places to travel list for the year.

Restaurants, Soccer and Rock Island Bridge

The Wall Street Journal put the city on its “10 Best Places to Visit in 2024,” and the New York Times included the city on its “52 Places to Go in 2024” list.

“Given the zeitgeist, it would be understandable to think Kansas City made this list because of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce,” The Wall Street Journal said. “But the city was set the deliver the goods long before it became a fixture of gossip columns.”

The Journal, which said, ”Kansas City is having a bit of a moment,” mentioned three developments in the works: CPKC Stadium, the new stadium for NWSL team KC Current set to open in March; Rock Island Bridge, the waterfront highline that will connect Kansas and Missouri; and Pennway Point, the entertainment district near downtown that features the KC Wheel and restaurants coming soon.

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Kansas City was included with cities such as Kangaroo Island, Australia; Kyushu, Japan; and Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the Wall Street Journal’s list.

Rabbit hOle Museum and the KC Wheel

The New York Times also highlighted Kansas City’s soccer developments, stating “Women’s soccer takes center stage in a heartland hub,” with the opening of CPKC Stadium. Kansas City is also the only Midwestern host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which writer Ratha Tep mentioned.

Like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times mentioned Pennway Point, the KC Wheel and Rock Island Bridge as key features coming to Kansas City in 2024.

The Times featured the Rabbit hOle museum, opening in March in North Kansas City. The museum will showcase over 100 years of American children’s literature with interactive exhibits featuring characters from “Curious George,” “Frog and Toad,” “Strega Nona” and more.

Kansas City was on the list with cities like Paris, Baltimore, Vienna and Geneva. The eclipse Path of Totality was also included, which will go through 13 states. Poplar Bluff in southeast Missouri will be right in the path.

Copyright 2024 The Kansas City Star. Visit kansascity.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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