Things to do in Kansas City this Summer and Year-round

Lucile H. Bluford Branch

The Bluford Branch opened in 1988 and is named for the civil rights leader, journalist, and longtime editor of The Kansas City CALL. It is one of the busiest branches in the system, particularly for computer use. The location offers free health and wellness activities and numerous children’s and teen programs.

Local culture

Kansas City’s historic jazz district at 18th and Vine is about two miles from the Bluford Branch. Visit the American Jazz Museum and stick around for a jam session at the Blue Room. Go next door to walk the bases through history at the Negro League Baseball Museum.

Grab a bite

Bluford staff recommends one of Kansas City’s oldest barbecue restaurants, Gates Bar-B-Q, with five locations, including 32nd and Main.

M&M Bakery & Deli at 31st and Woodland is a favorite for apple fritters and sandwiches, like the classic Reuben or Hook Em’ Up (turkey, ham, and pastrami on an onion roll).

Westport Branch Manager Deontay Harris stops in for fried chicken at J’s Fish and Chicken, which has four locations, including one at 2831 Prospect.

And it’s cash only for a breaded tenderloin sandwich at the iconic Kitty’s Café.

Central Library

The Central Library is located in downtown’s Library District. The building opened as the First National Bank in 1906 and reopened as the Library in 2004. Don’t miss the world-famous Community Bookshelf, featuring the spines of giant books along the south wall of the Library’s parking garage.

Catch a movie

Customer Services Assistant Allison Weese and Substitute Anneliese Dow, a library substitute, work in the Film Vault, which screens movies daily. They also manage a large collection of movies and television shows. In total, the Library’s catalog includes 22,381 unique titles, more than just about any streaming service.

For fellow movie lovers, they recommend a trip to the independent Screenland Armour Theater in North Kansas City, Missouri. It’s the only place in the metro — and one of only a few hundred around the country — where movies are screened on 70mm and 35mm film.

Grab a bite

The Central Library has its very own cafe on the first floor. No need to wander far for coffee or a quick bite, just visit The Nook! But if you are in the area outside of business hours, right across from the side of the Library are Mildred’s and The Milwaukee Delicatessen Company at 9th and Baltimore — they’re staff favorites for sure. Also watch women’s sports at The Dub, now serving Sunday brunch.

Hop on

Just around the corner from Central at 9th and Main is the Library streetcar stop. Hop on for free and ride to the City Market to grab ice cream at Betty Rae’s or check out all the great local restaurants, stores, and coffee shops. Library Assistant Esteb Estadilla enjoys the inexpensive food options across a range of cuisines, such as Italian, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Stay on the streetcar to see the Missouri River and CPKC Pavilion, then loop back down Main Street to visit the Westport and Plaza branches and the other 20-something stops along the way.

Get outside

Estadilla enjoys the trail that runs next to the Missouri River and leads to the CPKC Stadium, home of the Kansas City Current, the professional women's soccer team. There’s also a growing number of options for canoeing or kayaking on the river.

North-East Branch

The North-East Branch is nestled in Kansas City’s historic Northeast. The area has a sizable immigrant population and is also seeing an influx of young professionals. The branch dates to 1914 and has been at its current address since 1989. During the pandemic, it underwent extensive renovations.

This location serves one of the most linguistically diverse communities in Kansas City with more than 50 languages spoken among the 9,000 residents. The library system’s RISE (Refugee & Immigration Services & Empowerment) program is based here and connects immigrant populations with services, resources, and lifelong learning opportunities.

A fun feature of this branch is that trains go by once every hour or so and are clearly visible from the kids’ section. The location also displays a mural in the parking lot that was painted during the Summer Reading Program in 2025.

Get outside

Staff recommended several local parks, such as Kessler Park with its scenic bluffs and trails. Youth librarian Irma Reyes says 9th and Van Brunt Athletic Fields Park has a futsal court and soccer fields where “the goal posts are always set up.”

Grab a bite

There are almost too many choices, says Reyes, when it comes to ethnic cuisine: Latin American and Central American food trucks, African food from Yasmeen Cafe, and international grocery stores, to name just a few. She also recommends the coffee shop Eleos Coffee, as well as those in Pendleton Heights, such as PH Coffee and Core Coffee.

Bilingual Services Associate Atzin Garcia Arriaga suggests tacos atTaqueria Los Altos de Jalisco.

Arts and culture

Branch Manager Beccah Rendall says that once you’ve checked out the mural in the parking lot, you might want to look for more; the Northeast Chamber of Commerce has put together this handy map of murals in the area.

Rendall also suggests the Museum of Kansas City (previously the Kansas City Museum). Be sure to check out the museum’s soda fountain on the lower level and the Summer concerts on the lawn on June 12, July 10, and August 14.

For evening fun, check out the free third Fridays summer concert series at the Colonnade Building, June 19, July 17, and August 21.

Plaza Branch

The original Plaza Branch at Brookside Boulevard and Main Street was the first built by Kansas City’s board of education outside a high school facility. The school system established the Library in 1873; the two separated in 1988.

The current building, opened in 2005, is a neighborhood gathering place offering a wealth of resources and activities. It’s also home to the Truman Forum Auditorium, which hosts the Library’s award-winning Signature Events, including discussions and presentations by locally and nationally known authors, civic leaders, artists, and more.

See the sites

Established in 1922, the nearby Country Club Plaza is the first area in the nation designed specifically for people to arrive by automobile to shop, dine, and stroll by its dozens of statues, fountains, and towers.

Get a bite

Locally owned restaurants and coffee shops are a short walk or streetcar ride from the Plaza Branch.

Don’t miss Andre’s Confiserie Suisse, a family-owned business since 1955, serving up Swiss chocolates, tortes, pastries, and cookies, as well as lunch specials and a happy hour.

On the Country Club Plaza, Classic Cup is a cozy spot for breakfast, lunch, or brunch with a large outdoor patio. Topsy’s, the oldest merchant on the Plaza, offers gourmet popcorn, ice cream, and fresh-squeezed limeades.

Writer Calvin Trillin was born in Kansas City, and Winstead’s, a diner established in the 1940s, is often a first stop when he’s back in town. He’s a fan of the signature steakburgers. Order like a local and ask for a 50/50 — half onion rings and half tater tots.

Get outside

The six-mile-long Trolley Trail, used for biking, walking, and jogging, begins a third of a mile from the Plaza Branch, just down a flight of stairs and across the KC Streetcar line.

Library staff members also recommend the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center about a mile east. The center sits on eight acres and includes nature trails and both indoor and outdoor activities.

The Giving Grove orchard at the nearby Kauffman Foundation offers free fresh fruits, berries, and nuts — just walk along and pick them yourself.

Irene H. Ruiz Biblioteca de las Americas

The Ruiz Branch is the only one in the system named for a former employee. Irene Ruiz was a pillar of the city’s West Side as an educator, librarian, and advocate for the area’s Hispanic population.

The original branch opened in 1911 as the Switzer Branch Library and reopened in its current location in 2001. It houses the system’s Seed Library, which offers free vegetable, fruit, flower, tree, and other seeds. It even accepts seed “returns” once the growing season is over.

Branch Manager Jimmy Thomas and Library Assistant Nadia Aguayo suggest checking out the city views from nearby Observation Park or from the intersection of 16th and Jefferson. They also love the walkable shops and restaurants around 17th and Summit.

Grab a bite

• Clay and Fire’s cozy atmosphere makes for a great evening out.
• Numerous taco shops line a portion of Southwest Boulevard.

Take a tour

• The Roasterie Coffee Company offers a tour of their roasting facility.
• Boulevard Brewing Co. has a whole menu of touring and tasting options.

Southeast

Southeast High School housed this branch’s collection from 1938 until 1986 when it moved to a kiosk in Landing Mall, where it remained until the current building opened in 1995. The Southeast Branch is a valuable anchor for the community, particularly for students at the nearby high school and for neighborhood seniors.

It’s also home to the Goppert Media Center’s Kansas City Digital Media Lab, offering teenagers access to high-tech resources and training in coding, video game development, digital storytelling, audio production, and more.

Branch Manager Monica Jedine ticked off numerous things to do around her Library, which is located next to Kansas City’s largest park: Swope Park.

Get outside

The 1,805-acre Swope Park offers trails and picnic areas, disc golf and regular golf courses, as well as a LOT of other activities and venues, including:

• Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park
• Lake of the Woods
• Lakeside Nature Center, which offers storytimes, crafts, and various all-ages nature programming.
• England’s national soccer team will train at the Swope Soccer Village, the $20+ million facility that has served as a training ground for numerous national and international teams since its opening in 2007.
• Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
• Also nestled in the park’s expanse is the largest, continually operating performing arts organization, Starlight. The outdoor theater hosts Broadway plays and all the biggest names in show business.
• Kansas City Community Gardens, open to the public, is a nonprofit that helps community members grow fruits, vegetables, and fruit trees in urban spaces.

Grab a bite

Jedine calls soul food-focused Niecie’s Restaurant at 65th and Troost a favorite. On first Fridays, they host dinner and a show starting at 5 p.m. when Ms. Niecie sings old-school classics.

Sugar Creek Branch

The Library system established Sugar Creek Branch in response to community demand for a branch that would serve residents of Sugar Creek and western Independence. Residents petitioned the Library’s board of trustees in 1996 after a seven-year hiatus in services, and voters approved the Library’s tax levy increase.

The tiny, storefront branch is known for its outreach to seniors at community centers and area schools through book clubs, storytimes, and art classes.

Grab a bite

Library Assistant Alexis O’Dell suggests checking out some of the food trucks that often park in the area, such as family-owned Fonz’s. She says that KEMA Sweets Bakery is also a good stop and is just a block away from the branch.

Get outside

In nearby Independence, Mill Creek Park and Mound Grove Cemetery are a mecca for bird watchers, says Substitute Heather Gambrell, who often goes birding before her Library shift. One bonus, she says, “On the way there, you pass an old Standard Oil filling station with a classic car being repaired in front.”

Along the Missouri River, Gambrell recommends LaBenite Park with picnic tables under cottonwood trees, a 1.7-mile trail, and an 18-hole disc golf course.

Arts and culture

If you’re a fan of polka, Sugar Creek staff members say not to miss the annual Slavic Festival, which takes place June 12-13. It celebrates the area’s Slovak heritage with dancing, food (kolache), live music, and cultural demonstrations. In honor of the World Cup, this year includes a Cabbage Cup event.

Trails West

The Trails West Branch is appropriately named for its location, just a few blocks off the Santa Fe Trail in Independence, within a few miles of the Harry S. Truman Historic District.

This friendly neighborhood library serves the West Independence, Three Trails, and Englewood Neighborhoods. Weekly storytimes and monthly family programs are popular activities at this location, as well as book clubs and tabletop gaming for teens.

Grab a bite

Trails West and Sugar Creek Branch Manager Kim Angotti says Kinship Cafe has served as a community gathering space in recent strategic planning sessions for Library staff. Other staffers recommend Frannie Franks Coffee Cakes in the Englewood Arts District for its gluten-free and vegan options (they often sell out).

Arts and culture

Independence Square on Truman Road and about 20 miles east of downtown Kansas City, is a town square with old-school vibes. Angotti and O’Dell both recommend Courthouse Exchange, known for its burgers, and O’Dell says Up Dog’s specialty hot dogs are always tasty.

Check out the retro bowling alley, Diamond Bowl and Billiards, and grab a drink at Clinton’s Soda Fountain, where President Harry S. Truman had his first job as a soda jerk.

And, of course, there are stops at nearby Truman sites, such as the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, revamped in recent years by the same design firm that worked on the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

Library staff at Trails West and Sugar Creek also suggested meeting up to play Pokémon GO at Game Cafe, catching a film at indie movie house The Pharaoh, or taking a tour of Community of Christ’s silver-spired Independence Temple.

Waldo

This branch started as a tiny library outpost in Southwest High School on Wornall. When it became a freestanding branch in 1988, it was called the South Branch. In 1998, the Library’s board of trustees renamed it the Waldo Branch.

Library Assistant Jill Gillespie and Substitute Cynthia McClendon came up with a catchy command for visitors near their branch: “Go to the ball and spin.” At the intersection of 75th and Wornall, the city capped construction with a new decorative ball. From this vantage point, and with a little spin, they say a lot of really great restaurants are visible.

Grab a bite or hear some music

• Gillespie and McClendon enjoy Indian cuisine at Taj Mahal and lunch at JoVito’s — they say it’s the best Italian in town.
• They also suggest the Piano Room, a traditional piano bar that's delighted visitors since 1978.
• Waldo Pizza is a Kansas City classic and favorite of families for over 30 years. Check out the monthly showcases in the tap room, presented by Waldo Folk.
• There’s also beer in the tasting room and biergarten at KC Bier Co, where pianist and accordion player Bram Wijnands plays polka on Saturday afternoons and jazz on Sundays.
• And Waldo Café has a great breakfast.

Thrift!

Gillespie and McClendon also point to a high concentration of thrift stores around Waldo, including Hiles Two on Broadway, and City Thrift, Red Racks, and Goodwill on Wornall.

Westport

The Westport Branch is the oldest branch in the system. It first opened in 1898 as the Allen Library and became part of the Kansas City Public Library the following year when Kansas City annexed Westport, originally a trading post along the Santa Fe Trail.

Today, the branch serves an area well beyond the historic Westport district, known today for its bars, entertainment venues, restaurants, and coffee shops. The Westport Branch has high demand for computers, passport services, and connections to social services.

Arts and Culture

Senior Library Technical Assistant Vianney Herrera suggests two sites within walking distance of the branch: 1855 Harris-Kearney Historical House Museum, which offers guided tours on Saturdays and Sundays, and Kelly’s Westport Inn, built in 1850 and one of the oldest buildings in Kansas City, if not the oldest.

Grab a bite

If Library staff order food for meetings, it’s often pizza from Providence by the Slice. Library Assistant Eva Ledesma recommends the “Detroit of the day,” because “you never know what slice it’s going to be.” Or the margherita pizza. That’s really good, too.

Branch Manager Deontay Harris says his go-to is the butter chicken from Moti Mahal II. Pryde’s Kitchen & Necessities is also a must-stop for several staffers; on the lower level of this housewares shop, Ashleigh’s Bake Shop serves up delicious pies and quiches. Harris recommends the broccoli cheddar.

Ledesma also suggests Beer Kitchen, Broadway Cafe, and Taco Naco.