Considering how many “Why I love Kansas City” posts I’ve seen, I acknowledge that by no means am I being original here. But with all the excitement that’s been going around this week concerning the big Chiefs versus Broncos game tonight, I couldn’t help but proclaim why I’ve loved living in this town ever since I moved here from Texas approximately ten years ago.
So without further adieu, here’s my top ten favorite things I love about Kansas City (in no particular order)…
1) The Size
One thing I love about Kansas City is the fact that it’s a “small” big city. That’s to say that it has all the things you’d want in a big city but is not so overwhelmingly large to the point where crowds, traffic, and smog overtake your everyday life. Sure I-70 and I-35 can get backed up every now and then, but when you compare it to the traffic situations in other big cities (such as St. Louis and Dallas), it’s much more bearable!
2) The Seasons
When I lived in Texas, we basically had two seasons: summer and winter. In Kansas City, there’s no question we get to experience all four of the seasons to the fullest: summer, fall, winter, and spring! I’ll confess that I’m not a huge fan of the intense colds or the harsh heats we occasionally endure, but I enjoy all the diverse atmospheres our town gets every few months!
3) The Basketball Scene
I’ll admit that this aspect of Kansas City isn’t quite what it used to be when my Missouri Tigers played the Kansas Jayhawks on an annual basis, but the basketball scene in Kansas City is still really good. The Big XII Tournament is held here and the passion of the Missouri, Kansas, and Kansas State fans are felt throughout the city. Additionally, the high school basketball scene is top notch, and the coverage we get from our local sports station MetroSports makes it all the better! Now all we need is an NBA team to make our city’s basketball scene complete…
4) The Shopping
Okay, I realize I’m tapping into my feminine side here, but I can’t deny that I love the shopping scene Kansas City provides. Places like the Plaza, Zona Rosa, Legends, and even the Independence Mall are fun to go to for the atmosphere more than anything. It’s especially fun around the holiday season when these places decorate up and you can feel the Christmas spirit in the air!
5) The Food
Kansas City is known for its barbecue (with places like Oklahoma Joe’s, Gates, Jack’s Stack, and Arthur Bryant’s), and being an avid meat eater, I can’t deny that I enjoy some classic KC barbecue probably more than I should. But besides just our barbecue, Kansas City has a variety of other quality restaurants (such as Stroud’s, The Golden Ox, and The Melting Pot) that make the dining scene in Kansas City second to none.
6) The Church Scene
It feels weird writing “The Church Scene,” but I didn’t know how else to describe it! There are countless great churches in the area that bring lots of exciting opportunities (from concerts to speakers to special events) to grow in your faith here in Kansas City. I also must admit that my local church (Liberty Christian Fellowship) has been a wonderful blessing to me personally and I’m thankful that it’s located here!
7) Downtown
When I first moved to Kansas City, the downtown was really nothing to write home about. But with the newly established Sprint Center, Power & Light District, and other renovations, downtown Kansas City is now an exciting and thriving part of the town that brings a nice combination of history and fun for local patrons and tourists alike!
8) The Amusement Parks
Growing up, my brothers and I loved going to amusement parks, such as Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor, and every few years our traditional trip to Disney World. So it goes without saying that having an amusement park in our own backyard would be welcomed! Now while Kansas City’s amusements parks (Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun, Schlitterbahn) are not super exciting or unique, they are certainly worthy of an annual trip or two!
9) The Show-Me State
One great thing about Kansas City is that it’s part of a great state. Missouri is an awesome place that has tons of stuff to do! From Branson to St. Louis to the Lake of the Ozarks and everything in between, the state of Missouri offers lots of cool getaways for Kansas Citians to take advantage of whenever they please!
10) The Kansas City Chiefs
Back before we moved here, my dad had the opportunity to attend a Chiefs’ game, and I remember when he got back he told us about how how awesome attending the game was and how passionate and fun the fans were. As it turned out, he was right (as evidenced by the fact we broke the stadium sound record earlier this year)! My family has been avid Chiefs fans ever since we’ve moved here, and we can’t wait to cheer on our Chiefs tonight as they take on our rival the Denver Broncos.
GO CHIEFS!
-BH
Brady Hammond 