Union Station In Kansas City Is More Than A Landmark

When historic landmarks as major tourist destinations are considered, the list that comes to mind might include places like the White House, the Eiffel Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Monticello and so on. Don’t neglect adding Kansas City’s Union Station to that list. If you do, you’ll miss out on one of the Midwest’s best entertainment stops, which also happens to be a landmark in its own right.

Union Station, Kansas City was built in 1914 and covers a massive 850,000 square feet. It originally included 900 rooms and served as a bustling train station. Today, fully restored, the historic station is still a transportation hub with Amtrak trains making regular stops, but it’s also much more.

The Union Station of Kansas City features a number of attractions beyond trains. They include:

• The Grand Hall: This is the main entry area of the station. It includes a host of Kansas City restaurants, a post office and 95-foot-high ceilings that dazzle visitors with three 3,500-pound chandeliers. Plus, there’s a 6-foot-wide clock in the station’s central arch to marvel at.
• Restaurants:
  1. Union Station is home to several restaurants. Union Café is situated under the famous clock and once served as the station’s ticket booth. Today it offers such fare as pizza, pasta and more.
  2. Harvey House Diner once was the site of the historic Fred Harvey Restaurant. It’s located on the east end of the Grand Hall and serves up breakfast and lunch.
  3. Pierpont’s, found in the northeast corner of the Grand Hall, is the Hereford House’s sister eatery. It serves prime steaks, seafood and more. It also boasts an award-winning wine list.
  4. Found in the Grand Hall, Java Time, as its name suggests, is a coffee and teashop that also offers patrons pastries, snacks and more.
  5. Times Square Concessionaire is found in the Theater District on Level B. Food here includes such snack favorites as nachos, popcorn and hot dogs.
• Shops: Union Station is also home to a number of unusual shops including The Science City Story, which features everything from telescopes to minerals; The Station Master, featuring, what else, train-related items; and Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, boasting tons of handmade chocolates and other confections.
• KC Rail Experience: This is the station’s permanent rail exhibit that also has space available for traveling exhibitions. These have included displays put on by the likes of the Smithsonian and other national organizations.
• The Gottlieb Planetarium: Recently reopened this gem of Kansas City features a number of attractions itself, including regularly changing shows.
• Science City: This hands-on museum allows children and families to explore the wonders of science together in a fun, active setting.
• The Theater District: Known for its live shows and large screens, the district is home to the Vic & Helen Regnier City Extreme Screen and the H&R Block City Stage.

Offering a taste of the city’s past mixed with some of the best of the present, Kansas City's Union Station is still a functional train depot, but it’s so much more. Featuring dining, shopping and lots of entertainment, the station is a destination in and of itself.