Start Your Next Urban Hike (in English or Spanish) From Your Nearest Library Branch

Some Library patrons are in and out of their neighborhood branches within minutes. They pick up the materials or resources they set out to find and are on their way to the next errand. 

But Lisa Peña, founder of Urban Hikes KC, sees a missed opportunity in doing business as usual. 

"As Kansas Citians, we often visit the library," says Peña, “but don't explore the history, art, and hidden gems around each building."

Think remnants of limestone bluffs just a few blocks from the Central Library in downtown Kansas City, colorful murals celebrating the Westside’s Mexican American heritage near the Ruiz Branch, or eight identical limestone houses built by The Kansas City Star founder William Rockhill Nelson for his employees, not far from the Plaza Branch. 

"I love what they do," says Senior Special Collections Librarian Michael Wells. “They get people out into the city, experiencing art and history firsthand."

Since 2019, Urban Hikes KC has offered three- to five-mile guided tours in Kansas and Missouri, mixing nuggets of Kansas City history and culture with stops at contemporary sites. In 2020, Peña also started providing treks in Spanish after getting requests. 

Starting in June, Urban Hikes KC is partnering with the Kansas City Public Library for a free series — in English and Spanish — that tours the neighborhoods of several branches.   

In recent years, Wells has collaborated with Peña on hikes, including a Library District walking tour in 2025. And last year, Urban Hikes KC also offered two hikes from the Ruiz Branch — one in English and one in Spanish — focusing on the West Side.  

Gearing up for an anticipated influx of visitors to Kansas City as a host city for the FIFA World Cup, Wells wanted to repeat those hikes and expand the offerings. Three Library branches this year, Plaza, Central, and Ruiz, will have a specialized hike completely in Spanish.  

“This is a unique opportunity to get to experience parts of Kansas City, neighborhoods in Kansas City, that are often overlooked, that people might not get to see,” he says. 

It’s a chance for both visitors to Kansas City as well as longtime residents, Wells says, to explore all that the city has to offer—with Library locations as a starting point.  

This program is made possible through the support of the Library’s Greenwood Society.