Kauffman Stadium

Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City International Airport (MCI)

27 miles/33 minute drive to Kauffman Stadium

Hotels

Moderate budget – all 3 options are within walking distance of the stadium

Sheraton- Kansas City Sports Complex Hotel

Holiday Inn- Sports Complex

Drury Inn & Suites- Kansas City Stadium

 

Chaser budget traveler- the following lodging is within 4 miles of Kauffman Stadium

Super 8- Independence, MO

Best Western- Truman Inn

Parking

Parking at “The K” has never been so easy! The Kansas City Royals are one of a handful of ball clubs that offer a centralized parking lot in front of their respective stadium. General parking is only $9 and the Royals provide an easy-guide that has directions to either the east or west parking lot, depending on the direction you are coming from. 

Dining                        

One of our crew’s favorite restaurants in all of baseball is just 15 minutes from Kauffman Stadium. Chappell’s Restaurant and Sports Museum is a must see when coming to Kansas City. Chappell’s not only serves great food, but also is home of the country’s largest collection of sports memorabilia (within a restaurant). Don’t leave here without trying the famous half-pound burger, meeting Jim Chappell (the owner) and finding the autograph baseball from Ty Cobb and the authentic 1974 World Series Trophy!

If you haven’t noticed in the other Ballpark Chasers’ Stadium Guides, we love “hole-in-the-wall” restaurants and the local secrets here at Ballparkchasers.com. If you feel the same way, look no further than LC’s BBQ. Just 4 miles from Kauffman Stadium, LC’s can practically be smelled from the seats! Well, that may be an exaggeration, but LC’s is arguably the best BBQ joint in all of Kansas City. Our mouths are watering just thinking of their burnt end sandwiches and fries. A few miles further lay one of the coolest interactive restaurants in the country. The 810 Zone is the place to go to find food made from scratch, interactive televisions at each table, a radio broadcast booth and a colossal collection of high definition televisions and sports memorabilia! If that isn’t enough, bring your best swing for their golf simulator game that claims to be accurate within .3 percent!  We recommend calling ahead for a tee-time if you want to play Pebble Beach in Kansas City. 

The 2009 season opens with a newly renovated Kauffman Stadium. Some of the new features include a restaurant in Right-Field, a Royals Hall of Fame exhibit and miniature golf in Left Field.  Rivals Restaurant is now open just beyond the Right-Field bleachers and is serving up traditional sports bar cuisine. To keep you up on the game, Rivals offers a number of flat-screen televisions, including a 103 incher! Rivals Restaurant makes for a perfect stop during those cool spring nights or blistering hot and humid summer days in Kansas City. Be the first Ballpark Chaser to review Rivals' and win a free t-shirt! Seriously! Simply post a photo of yourself in the restaurant and let us know your thoughts on the food. For dessert, look for Sheridan's Frozen Custard in the new "Outfield Experience". Sheridan's is the only custard stand operating in a professional sports venue!

Tickets

The Kansas City Royals have consistently been in the bottom tier of fan attendance for quite some time. The struggle of the Royals on the field translates into a struggle filling up the stands of Kauffman Stadium. Needless to say, tickets are relatively easy to come by during the 2009 season. Ballpark Chasers can pick up tickets right before the game at one of the box office locations outside of Kauffman Stadium or online using their interactive seating chart.  If you can, plan a Friday night game to catch a great fireworks show following the game.

Ballpark Chasers Fun Fact:  One of the most coveted and hardest to come by seats in all of baseball is the famous red seat found in Section 101, Row C, Seat 1. The Royals placed this red seat in honor of the legendary Kansas City Monarch, Buck O’Neil. Don’t expect to find the seat on eBay, as the Royals front office donates this seat to a member of the Kansas City community for each home game.

 

Weather

Summers in Kansas City tend to be hot and humid! Expect temperatures in the 90’s with the lowest probability of rain during the months of July and August. If you prefer less humidity and cooler temperatures, plan your trip in April, May and/or June. Just be prepared to bring your umbrella.

Local Attractions

Besides the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, no other attraction comes close to the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is a non-profit organization with a privately funded mission to preserve the history of African Americans in baseball. Located in the historic district of 18^th and Vine (10 minutes from Kauffman Stadium), the NLBM will provide hours of entertainment and will leave you with a greater appreciation of the Negro Leagues. Ballpark Chasers recommends making a day out of it by purchasing a combo ticket ($8) which includes a ticket to the Jazz Museum next door.

After a day at the museums, head over to the Country Club Plaza for 15 blocks of restaurants, shops, concerts, entertainment and a unique atmosphere that cannot be replicated anywhere in the greater Midwest. If your trip to Kansas City is spent with the love of your life, don’t leave the Country Club Plaza without a Venetian style Gondola ride.

Ballpark Chasers Trip Suggestion

Ballpark Chasers rave about the “Midwest 3” baseball road trip! This includes seeing Kauffman Stadium, Busch Stadium and Coors Field. We recommend finding the cheapest airfare to either Denver or St. Louis and using a rental car to drive in between. The drive from Denver to Kansas City is roughly 9 hours, or about 610 miles; whereas the drive between St. Louis and Kansas City is about 240 miles or 4 hours.

Unfortunately, there is not a close minor league ballclub around the Kansas City area. Therefore, if you are looking to stay in town, Ballpark Chasers suggests seeing a couple of games at “The K” and spending some time at the Negro League Baseball Museum.