Favorite fountain, restaurant, shopping district and more announced today
January 16, 2018
KANSAS CITY, MO. – Visit KC is pleased to announce winners of its Visitors’ Choice Awards, an annual program that honors area businesses, murals, fountains and more as traveler favorites, each selected exclusively by voters who live outside the five-county metro region.
The 2017 voting campaign garnered thousands of votes, with visitors weighing in on their top picks for the best experiences of the region, including drinking & dining, arts & entertainment, sports, shopping and more. Winners will be showcased on digital platforms throughout the coming year, including VisitKC.com.
“There’s no better way to gauge travelers’ interests than with the Visitors’ Choice Awards,” said Visit KC Interim Vice President of Partnerships & Events Jessica Blubaugh. “From nationally renowned barbecue to iconic jazz venues, these selections help guide the 25.2 million visitors who experience Kansas City every year.”
For the third year in a row, the Kansas City Royals were honored with the most-coveted award, Best of Kansas City, as well as Favorite Professional Sports Team. A comprehensive list of this year’s winners follows:
Arts & Entertainment
- Favorite Art Museum – The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
- Favorite Art Gallery – Leopold Gallery
- Favorite Mural – Buck O’Neil Mural (18th & Vine)
- Favorite Performing Arts Group – Kansas City Symphony
- Favorite Nightlife Spot – Knuckleheads Saloon
- Favorite Concert/Live Music Venue – Starlight Theatre
- Favorite Jazz Venue – The Blue Room
- Favorite Casino – Ameristar Casino
- Favorite Gay Bar – Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille
Attractions
- Favorite Family Friendly Attraction – Union Station/Science City
- Favorite Museum – National World War I Museum and Memorial
- Favorite Free Thing to Do – First Fridays in the Crossroads Arts District
- Favorite KC Neighborhood – Country Club Plaza
- Favorite Historical Attraction – Union Station Kansas City
- Favorite Romantic Spot – Country Club Plaza
- Favorite Place to Snap a Photo – Country Club Plaza
- Favorite Daytrip – Lawrence, KS
Sports & Recreation
- Favorite Fountain – J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain (47th & Nichols)
- Favorite City Park – Loose Park
- Favorite Golf Course – Shoal Creek Golf Course
- Favorite Professional Sports Team – Kansas City Royals
Special Events
- Favorite Family Festival – Kansas City Renaissance Festival
- Favorite Music Festival – Rockfest
- Favorite Beer Festival – KC Beer Fest
- Favorite Art Festival – Plaza Art Fair
Food & Drink
- Favorite Restaurant – Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que
- Favorite Steakhouse – Hereford House
- Favorite Barbecue Restaurant – Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que
- Favorite Fine Dining Restaurant – The Capital Grille
- Favorite Brunch Restaurant – First Watch
- Favorite Ethnic Restaurant – Blue Nile Cafe
- Favorite Place to Get a Burger – Westport Flea Market
- Favorite Pizza Place – Minsky’s Pizza
- Favorite Food Truck – Taco Republic Truck
- Favorite Patio – Gram & Dun
- Favorite Bakery – McLain’s Bakery
- Favorite Coffee Shop – The Roasterie Café
- Favorite Winery – KC Wine Co.
- Favorite Brewery – Boulevard Brewing Co.
- Favorite Distillery – Tom’s Town Distilling Co.
Shopping
- Favorite Shopping Center or District – Country Club Plaza
- Favorite Local Shop or Store – Charlie Hustle
- Favorite Local Product or Souvenir – Kansas City Royals T-shirt
- Favorite Antique/Vintage Store – River Market Antiques
Accommodations
- Favorite Hotel, More than 300 Rooms – The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center
- Favorite Hotel, 300 Rooms or Less – The Raphael Hotel
- Favorite Inn/Bed & Breakfast – Southmoreland on the Plaza
Best of Kansas City
About Visit KC
Visit KC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to ignite global passion for Kansas City. Through marketing, sales and service of the convention and tourism industries, Visit KC supports a vital and growing component of the local economy—generating nearly 48,000 jobs and $5.5 billion in economic impact annually. For more information about Kansas City, go to VisitKC.com.
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