Getting There

Southwest Airlines offers nonstop flights between Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) and Kansas City International Airport (MCI). Flights to KC on other major airlines are available from George Bush International Airport (IAH) with one stop.

Once you’ve arrived at Kansas City’s stunning new airport terminal, rideshare services (Uber and Lyft) are readily available to the downtown KC area. Travel between the airport and downtown KC typically takes 20-25 minutes via car.

Getting Around

The free-to-ride KC Streetcar offers convenient opportunities to visit popular destinations throughout the downtown KC area, including the River Market, Power & Light, the Crossroads Arts District and Union Station.

As gameday begins, use rideshare services for transportation to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Give yourself plenty of time to arrive—a diehard tailgating culture means the area will be busy well before the 3:30 p.m. game time.

The Ford Tailgate District opens four hours prior to kickoff and stadium gates open two hours prior to kickoff.

Where to Stay

Take in the artistic influence of the Lone Star State during your stay at the Crossroads Hotel, where the gallery program is organized by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and el dorado inc., a KC-based architecture and urban design practice.

More popular downtown-area properties that offer convenient access to the KC Streetcar include the Kansas City Marriott Hotel, Loews Kansas City Hotel, Hotel Kansas City, Crowne Plaza Kansas City Downtown, Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center and Westin Kansas City at Crown Center.

Additional lodging options can be found on the Country Club Plaza, an all-in-one dining and entertainment district defined by eye-catching Spanish architecture.

Where to Eat

The weekend’s rivalry surely reaches beyond the football field, with KC and Texas constantly going toe to toe as two of the world’s finest barbecue destinations. Still, it’s advisable to set your competitive nature aside long enough to sample the flavors that have given Kansas City a century-long reputation as a mainstay for smoked meats.

KC barbecue is defined by sweet and smoky molasses-based barbecue, along with a low-and-slow style of preparing meats that involves up to 18 hours in the smoker. The full list of area barbecue joints features more than 100 choices—and while you may not have time to taste them all, it’s always a good bet to begin with a series of acclaimed picks.

Experience a pair of founding establishments at Arthur Bryant’s and Gates Bar-B-Q. Savor contemporary classics including Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue and Q39, or try an area newcomer like Chef J BBQ or Harp Barbecue. Finally, Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que continues to be known by its unforgettable original location, where world-famous staples like the Z-Man are served inside an operating gas station.

Of course, KC’s culinary expertise goes well beyond the smoker. Gameday arrives during Kansas City Restaurant Week, a region-wide celebration featuring more than 240 participating restaurants. With multi-course menus priced at $20, $40 and $55 for brunch, lunch and dinner, it’s the perfect chance for fans to indulge in the area’s dining scene.

Things to Do

Sports fans are certain to stay entertained during a visit to KC. A true cultural treasure, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum preserves the legacy of America’s pastime and its place in U.S. civil rights progress. Prove your expertise in essential hoops skills at College Basketball Experience, or head across the street to the Power & Light District and settle in at a favorite sports bar to keep up with all the weekend’s NFL action on TV.

Outside the realm of athletics, explore Kansas City’s largest art collection at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, where general admission is always free. While you’re there, compare the Nelson-Atkins’ work from Claude Monet’s expansive Water Lilies series with the version hanging inside the Menil Collection, then head outside to stroll the museum’s 22-acre sculpture park.

Examine American history in depth at the National WWI Museum and Memorial, home to one of the world’s largest collections of artifacts from the Great War. Plus, the institution boasts an overlook that provides unparalleled views of the Kansas City skyline.

Take part in a decades-long Kansas City tradition with a visit to the American Jazz Museum or one of several popular jazz clubs. Fans traveling with the family will be delighted by Science City at Union Station, the Rabbit hOle and the Regnier Family Wonderscope Children’s Museum of Kansas City. Finally, if you’re looking for a keepsake from your time in the City of Fountains, stop by one of many area Made in KC locations.