COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA

DESCRIPTION: This 15-square-block outdoor shopping and entertainment district is filled with romantic Spanish architecture, European art and dazzling fountains. Designed in 1922, the Country Club Plaza features local merchants and fashionable national stores as well as distinctive restaurants, outdoor cafes and nightlife hotspots.

ADDRESS: 47th & Broadway, Kansas City, MO 64112

LOCATION: 10 minutes south of Downtown.

PHONE: 816-561-3456

WEBSITE: countryclubplaza.com

HIGHLIGHTS:

• The Plaza boasts a list of more than 150 shopping and restaurant destinations. Seasoned shoppers will recognize fine stores like Eileen Fisher, Warby Parker and Tiffany & Co. In addition, original Kansas City stores like Charlie Hustle, Made in KC Marketplace and Tivol give local flavor to the Plaza’s reputation as a national fashion center.
• The area is home to more than 30 restaurants and eateries, many featuring outdoor dining areas, live music and happy hour specials.
• Stretching 55 acres, the old-world architecture of the Plaza features Spanish-style towers, red-tiled roofs and ornate ironwork. With more than 40 fountains and 50 sculpted works of art, the Plaza is often referred to as an “outdoor museum.”

STORE HOURS: Individual store & resturant hours may vary. Check with merchants for specific hours.

ADMISSION: Free.

ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: Approximately 15 million.

HISTORY: Designed as the nation’s first suburban shopping district for the automobile, the Country Club Plaza’s Moorish architecture now features more than $1 million in artwork, comprised of the district’s fountains, murals and more than 30 statues.

WHERE TO GET LUNCH: With 30 restaurants and 17 outdoor dining venues, the Country Club Plaza offers a diverse dining landscape to busy shoppers. From Kansas City favorites like Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, Rye and Gram & Dun to well-known destinations like The Capital Grille, True Food Kitchen and Shake Shack, there is something to suit every appetite and budget.

WHAT’S NEARBY: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art are just minutes away. The National Museum of Toys & Miniatures is just to the south on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus.

ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS:

• Plaza Art Fair (September)—Held annually the third weekend after Labor Day, the Plaza Art Fair draws more than 200,000 art enthusiasts to browse the work of 240 artists, sample food from 20 Plaza eateries, and watch performances by local and regional acts on three live music stages. A 90-year tradition, the three-day Plaza Art Fair is one of Kansas City’s favorite events.
• Plaza Lights (Thanksgiving thru mid-January)—What started as a single strand hung over the entrance to the Suydam Building in 1925 has grown into a light display of tens of thousands of bulbs outlining miles of rooftops, archways, towers and street corners. The annual Thanksgiving lighting ceremony is complete with fireworks, vocal performances and a live television broadcast. The lights are on each night through mid-January.

DID YOU KNOW: The Seville Light, at the eastern gateway to the Plaza, is an exact replica of a fountain in Seville, Spain, one of Kansas City’s sister cities. The Giralda Tower was also built to match the one in Seville, Spain, yet at half the height so it would complement the surrounding building heights of the district.

DON’T FORGET: Your camera. The Plaza’s 40+ whimsical and artistic fountains create fantastic photo opportunities. Check out the elaborate fountain at 47th Street and Mill Creek Parkway; it remains Kansas City’s most photographed fountain.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take the MAX to the Plaza stop.

PARKING: Nine parking garages offer free parking on the Country Club Plaza. Free street parking also available.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: ccpmarketing@taubman.com