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Why go there

Summer is “great time to visit” Kansas City, says Derek Klaus, VisitKC communications manager. The city offers what Klaus calls the “big three”: jazz, fountains and barbecue. Visitors can stroll through Kansas City’s trendy Jazz District, explore more than 200 fountains around the city (Kansas City’s nickname is the “City of Fountains”) or check out more than 100 area restaurants featuring world-class barbecue. The city also has a vibrant nightlife, including the popular Power and Light District featuring shopping, dining and entertainment. Summer also is a great time to catch the area baseball team, the Kansas City Royals.

What to do there

With all the attractions in Kansas City, Klaus says the area’s top-notch museums often get overlooked. The city offers the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial for history buffs, as well as the newly introduced College Basketball Experience, an interactive basketball exhibit at the Sprint Center.

Must see

For art lovers, Klaus says visitors have to check out First Fridays, a free art crawl in the Crossroads Arts District that runs yearlong on the first Friday of every month. Visitors can stroll through art galleries and eat at local restaurants open late for the art crawl.

For the kids

There are a variety of options for fun in Kansas City. Some of the hot spots for families include Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun — full-service amusement parks — as well as the Kansas City Zoo, which this summer will feature a polar bear exhibit.

Pocketbook friendly

Kansas City businesses have organized to offer visitors “Sunsational” deals and values this summer. Klaus says the idea was to put the whole city on sale, and potential visitors can check out various deals and coupons for area attractions at www.visitkc.com.

Online/Twitter/Facebook

For more information about visiting Kansas City this summer, as well as a calendar of local events, check out www.visitkc.com.

Save the date

In October, the “World Series of Barbecue” comes to Kansas City with the American Royal barbecue contest. More than 500 teams compete in the Stockyard District, trying to entice judges and diners with the best in barbecue.

Did you know?

Kansas City truly is the capital of barbecue in the United States, with more barbecue restaurants per capita than any city in the country, according to the Kansas City Barbecue Society.

How to get there

Kansas City is accessible by plane at Kansas City International Airport, by car via Interstate 70 from the east or west or Interstate 35 from the north or south, as well as by Amtrak train.

Also near

Kansas City is about four hours by car from St. Louis, and less than an hour to Lawrence, home of Kansas University.