Trip One - The Shopping Spree

Kansas City has a lot of shopping opportunities to offer. Whether your taste is small town, upscale, quirky and eclectic, whether you like to browse at mom and pop stores or expansive shopping malls, Kansas City has it waiting for you.

 

Day 1 – Arts, Antiques and Fun

 

1. Crossroads Arts District

More than 60 artists’ studios, galleries and boutiques are represented in this renovated community. Trolleys provide transportation around the district. For a complete listing of artists, visit www.crossroadscommunityassociation.org.

 

2. Brookside

One of the most beloved communities in Kansas City, Brookside has maintained its neighborhood charm since the 1920s with more than 70 locally-owned businesses in a region surrounding 63rd and Brookside Blvd., south of the Plaza. The Reading Reptile, Kansas City’s premiere children’s bookstore, is at 328 W. 63rd. Just a few steps down at 316 W. 63rd, you’ll find the eclectic creations of more than 200 area artisans at Stuff. Visit www.brooksidekc.com or call 816- 361-8222.

 

3. Crestwood

Located south of the Plaza along 55th Street between Brookside Blvd. to the east and Oak St. to the west, Crestwood is a collection of about 15 shops that offer upscale and distinctive home décor, European and American antiques and two European style cafes. Bloomsday Books, a Kansas City institution known for its collection of rare and used books, is located at 301 E. 55th.

 

Day 2 – Shopping with Pizzazz

 

1. The J.C. Nichols Country Club Plaza

Designed in 1922 as the nation’s first suburban shopping district, today The Plaza is where the top names in fashion and home décor are found in Kansas City. It features more than 200 boutiques and restaurants combined with the fabulous art and architecture. www.countryclubplaza.com.

 

2. Crown Center

The home of Hallmark Cards is located on 85-acres on Grand Ave., between 24th and 25th Street. The enclosed shopping and entertainment complex is three stories of specialty shops and boutiques that are as entertaining to visit as they are satisfying to your shopping interests. Call 816-274-8444, www.crowncenter.com.

 

Day 3 – Shopping on the Outskirts

 

1. Parkville

Nestled on the banks of the Missouri River within site of the downtown Kansas City skyline, Parkville is a world away with many of its shops and homes dating to the mid-1800s. Once known as an antique-lover’s destination, Main Street has recently become home to more distinctive boutiques carrying home décor and wearable fashions. Call 816-640-2909.

 

2. Weston

All of Main Street Weston is on the National Register of Historic Places, with most of the buildings dating to the town’s founding in 1837. These shops offer everything from European antiques to country primitives and collectables and more contemporary home furnishings and clothing are making their way into stores.