Lonely Planet named 10 cities in the world to visit — and one of them is Kansas City

Joseph Hernandez
·2 min read
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With all the attention Kansas City has received lately, one travel guide has taken notice.

Lonely Planet, a worldwide travel guide publisher, announced Wednesday that Kansas City is one of its top 10 cities to visit in the world.

The publisher’s “Best in Travel 2024” package highlights 10 travel destinations in the categories of countries, cities, sustainability and value.

The publisher says: “Suddenly in the international spotlight after Taylor Swift’s appearance at the Chiefs football game, Kansas City is on our radar for lots of reasons. Thanks to the opening of a new state-of-the-art airport terminal and the extension of the free-to-ride streetcar line through Kansas City’s urban center, the ‘Heart of America’ has so much to sing about in 2024.”

Downtown Kansas City as seen from the Subway blimp on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Kansas City.
Downtown Kansas City as seen from the Subway blimp on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Kansas City.

Some of the highlights in Lonely Planet’s description include Kansas City’s food scene. They mention the classics —Joe’s, Arthur Bryant’s, Gates and Jack Stack, but also places such as the nationally recognized Palestinian restaurant Baba’s Pantry and Mexican coffee shop Cafe Ollama. They also shout out Tom’s Town Distillery and J. Rieger & Co. for reviving the Prohibition-era spirit with its spirits.

“The city’s building the first stadium dedicated to a women’s sports team, has an ever-evolving, top-tier culinary scene and is set to open a new entertainment district atop an old railroad bridge that stretches across the river,” Lonely Planet said on its website. “We don’t doubt this city’s crescendo will earn it a lot of new fans.”

Kansas City is one of two cities in the United States to make the list, joining Philadelphia. The other cities on the list are:

  • Nairobi, Kenya

  • Paris

  • Montreal

  • Mostar, Bosnia

  • Manaus, Brazil

  • Jakarta, Indonesia

  • Prague

  • İzmir, Turkey

Kansas City was selected through nominations from the publication’s staff and contributor community. A panel of travel experts reviewed each nomination, looking for unique elements that define each destination that made the list.