Country Club Plaza

The Country Club plaza features distinctive Spanish style architecture, inspired by Seville, Spain, with red tiled roofs ornate ironwork, fountains, towers, creating an open air European-style creating an open air shopping and dining district. It was America’: first planned shopping center for automobiles. The 14 block area includes 40 statues, fountains and sculptures, 12 towers, carriage rides and at one time 180 shops and restaurants.

The Plaza area is true gem! Its rich history and charming architecture make it a fascinating destination for visitors and locals alike. Walking through the area, you can feel the sense of heritage and culture, and the lively atmosphere adds to its appeal. With shops, cafés, and beautiful public spaces, it’s the perfect spot to explore, take photos, and immerse yourself in a vibrant and historical setting. Highly recommended for anyone looking to experience a unique and memorable destination.

Nice place for families! There was an art show this weekend. Food booths not so great! I'm from southwest Kansas. So when you go to a taco booth. You're going to get your money's worth! There was a couple of stages set up for live music. And it was a beautiful evening with the perfect weather.

Sooo much fun at the 93rd Art Fair on the Plaza. Every year I save my coins to purchase an original art from artist around the country. If you haven’t been it’s always in September. LOVE LOVE THIS! Thank you Sunryse Pottery for my beautiful ceramic soap dispensers♥️

Friends recommended here when I was visiting. I really wasn’t looking for high-end shopping but I enjoyed the statues, architecture and water fountains. (Kansas City is known as the "City of Fountains" and has more fountains than all other cities except Rome. Rome has over 2,000 public fountains, while Kansas City is believed to have more than 200. The city's fountains are a significant part of its culture and identity, with many located in parks, on boulevards,)

Great selection of high and mid- priced stores and restaurants; the holiday lights make it so fun and festive. During the holiday season, arrive at sundown for a chance at street parking, however there is parking garages too.

Festival and buzzing shopping area at Kansas City. We went during New Year holidays. All the decorations and Christmas lights are festival and bright. Wonderful atmosphere and holiday spirits. Variety of merchandise. There are many fashion stores, restaurants, cosmetics etc. We visited couple stores. All staff are very nice and friendly. It’s not an outlet so pretty much it’s full price for the products unless the store is running some promotions. The area seems clean and safe. Street parking and garage parking. Overall a good place to visit.

An absolute must-see in Kansas City, as the nation’s first shopping district of its kind and a centerpiece of this town for a century now. Dob’t miss the Plaza Christmas lights, from Thanksgiving Day until well into the next year.

Came here a few times whenever I visit Kanas City. It's usually lively and full of people. It's a collection of shops and eateries. The parking lots are free. It's a nice stroll here even if you aren't planing to stop. There's a Shake Shack, Jack Stack, Bo Lings if you want dim sum, and many more. There's higher end retailers like Coach and the Apple Store but also many smaller boutiques too. Worth stopping by of you are ever in the area.

Lots of great shops and restaurants. Beautiful architecture. A trademark of Kansas City. All lite up with traditional Christmas light every holiday season.

It's been decades since we've been here. After our last visit we acquired a sketching of Country Club Plaza. It has been hanging on our wall ever since. The only difference between the two visits was a noticeable increase in local traffic. Definitely a must stop if you are in the area.

Browsed a couple of blocks of stores. Unfortunately, it was a bit cold so ended just shopping at Banana Republic and the Made in KC Store. Found a lot of nice cold weather pieces as well as some great items on sale. Pick up a few gift items from the Made in KC Store. One stop shopping! This complex is pretty large...lots of walking because it is not your typical mall, but assorted shops. Plus side is that there is a lot of street and free garage parking! Would have visited more shops had it not been so chilly!

Stopped here for some shopping as it was nearby where we stayed while in the city for a night. We came here after checking into our hotel at the top of the hill and on the hottest day of the year walked and did some shopping. it is street parking - which you may have to do some laps to find a spot, but we got lucky and parallel parked and got things going. With retail shopping supposedly on the decline - it was nice to see a decent sampling of shops here including food and restaurants as a outdoor district where shoppers could do just about anything. I ended up going into Express, H&M, Borders, Lululemon, Sunglass Outlet, and some others while here. This is a nice place to shop without the inner city hustle - and I would recommend it!

This place isotherm Rodeo Drive of Kansas City. There few restaurants there and a plenty of stores. In Thanksgiving and Christmas is the attraction of the city be the light! We found the Brazilian Steak House there, it is amazing as a Brazilian. Really nice to walk and enjoy the atmosphere of the place. The restaurants are mostly chain restaurants.

If you have never been to this mall, what rock have you been under? The best time to come is Thanksgiving weekend to be perfectly honest. Thanksgiving weekend, they light up country club plaza, have a street party with fireworks and a concert to kick off the holidays. In 2020 it was on TV only due to covid restrictions, I was so glad for 2021 to see Country Club come alive, as it should be. When you are down there, there is great shopping and great food to partake in.(check out Jack Stack on Wyandotte Rd, after go up to the top of the parking garage across the way, and you will have the most gorgeous view of Country Club Plaza that is picture worthy.Trust me)

We stopped in this outlet mall during Christmas season so we got to see the famous lights. Which was really cool. Outside of that this is a normal high end outlet mall. The parking situation is a mess. The mall is basically two parallel streets and in the middles they have parking garages. So between pedestrians walking and cars driving looking to street park or get inside garages it creates what seems like unnecessary traffic jams. Also the spots inside the garage are very tiny and tight.

The Plaza is a unique experience being the first shopping district in the United States. Great architecture, fine art and fountains. A must-see if you come to Kansas City. While there are great restaurant, I would love to see restaurants like the Palm or Lawry's come to the Plaza. More destination restaurants.

This is some of the best shopping in the state!! Coming from Phoenix, where the only thing to do in the summer was stay inside and shop, I hadn't expected much out of Missouri. However, the Country Club Plaza, is the Beverly Hills of Missouri. You've got designer stores all the way down to the local jewelry pop-up shops. This plaza is filled with places to eat, drink, and shop local if you'd like! It's always a treat to come here and walk around for hours on end! I'll surely be back!!

The Plaza has become a place that makes me a little sad, to be quite honest. I have so many wonderful memories growing up near here, and hear stories from parents about the local grocery stores on the Plaza and local restaurants that made this a destination. I've always loved the architecture, and considered the Plaza sort of the middle of the KC metro. Now, it's a lulled itself into a big old boring shopping mall. In my opinion, it's constantly failing to capitalize on what many people actually want. Dime a dozen chains rule the land, and you can count the local spots on one hand. Their construction projects are slowly undoing the beauty of the area to make room for more places that people won't visit. Folks out south don't drive in for this anymore because they already have their own version, and the special factor of the Plaza has become a memory. So, with a little thinking, here's my bullet list proposal for fixing the Plaza: - During Covid, try out big awnings, ample heat lamps, and close the streets to turn the Plaza into a wintertime shopping wonderland beneath the Plaza lights. Once this works, and it will, you can then permanently close off the inner roads of the Plaza and fully convert to a pedestrian mall. Adding on to this idea, have local craft fairs and bazaars here, pipe in holiday music, have outdoor vendors like food trucks and coffee both for the holidays and round. -Create more experiences! -Speed tables on 47th and on Ward Parkway. These have become mini-highways for drivers, and it's particularly dangerous with tourists trying to cross these roads -Actual crosswalks with flashing lights; bit of a no-brainer in an area like this, right? It's a very unsafe place to walk. -Become a real gathering space. The Plaza does gather everyone together for the Plaza lights, the Plaza Art Fair, and other annual KC traditions. (Note, all those close the roads with ease) With my plan to have those unnecessary roads closed, you've already got the blueprint. Put up a big Christmas tree, have movie nights projected onto the large building that houses Brio, host summer time concert series... -Ditch Kaldi coffee and put in The Roasterie or another KC roaster, not STL. No shade there, I just think it's a better fit to rep KC. -Open up the Giralda Tower for guests to go up, take photos, get views of the Plaza. -Maybe as important as their pedestrian issue: allow more local businesses the crack at doing business on the Plaza. I get the "high-end" nature, but it's shocking to price out almost all possible non-chain spots. This area and I don't vibe anymore, which is weird because I could walk down there by the time you're done reading this review. They've dramatically ignored things that Gen Z and Millenials care about, such as walkability, supporting places with a real mission, having local bars & shops, etc. and have slowly sold out into a boring, watered down version of a shopping mall. I hope they can turn it around, and I'll be championing them if they make some efforts.

This ain't no Country Club. This ain't no Disco either. Settle down Ms Crow. Lance Armstrong called, he wants his bike back. But this is actually not a country club - it's in the middle of Urban, or kinda suburban, KC. And it's amazing! Probably the most must-see thing in the region. Country Club Plaza should definitely score 5 Stars. It's beautiful and resplendent and regal and gorgeous and absolutely amazing to walk around and for people watching. However the whole area is just a little pretentious and extremely expensive and the police and sometimes hassle you here so I'll give it 4 stars even though everybody else gives 5. But yelpers usually have money so I'm not surprised. The real gems of Kansas City are elsewhere. Like Woodyard and Town Topic and Arthur Bryant's.

There was a time when 'The Plaza', as all KC residents call this stretch of land, was mostly foot traffic & housed independent, locally owned stores. Those days are long gone, unfortunately, and it's now overrun with cars and most building tenants are chains. They also insist on continuing to have horse drawn carriage rentals available which I know are controversial and I totally get why people hate them- the horses look so overworked and sad. I think it's time to do away with this antiquated 'amusement.' Central Park in NYC had their horses retired, so surely KC ought to also. Luckily, The Plaza isn't just another boring outdoor mall- its beautiful 1920's architecture keeps it from looking like any other mall anywhere else in America. It's a must-see place when visiting KC, especially at Christmastime when it's decorated in its famous lights. The Plaza was the country's first outdoor shopping area and its stood the test of time- it's a great place to walk/shop/eat/see some beautiful fountains and architecture, plus parking is FREE!!

This review is strictly for the holiday lights. This place is gorgeous at night with all the stores lit up. You just feel like you are in another world. I thought it couldn't get better. My friend offered my son and my dad a ride on his plane. It's so beautiful and magical - there are no words to describe seeing the whole city glowing with Christmas festivities. So glad I got to experience seeing the lights another way. (We also got to see Christmas in the Park from the plane).

Retail at its finest in downtown Kansas City! Where to start? There's just about every major retail outlet represented here, all within walking distance of one another. Chain restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory offer a reprieve and refueling station to your shopping experience. In addition to traditional stores there are artisans as well - fine art pottery and jewelry, and custom clothing just to name a few. Plenty of watering holes to try, as well as restaurants specializing in steaks & seafood. Some places have an age-specific crowd, so be mindful of where / what you'd like to be around.

I felt like I was in Spain. The architecture is so fun. There are so many stores packed into one spot including some of my favorites.... H&M, Forever21, Victoria's Secret and Starbucks! Parking in the garage was free which I was thrilled about. Lots of restuarants, but none real vegan friendly (there was a little 'health spot'). Also able to walk along the river area. Just really beautiful fun spot. Worth a trip if you are in Kansas City.

I agree with Adam's review. I grew up walking distance from the Plaza and Brookside, we walked to both but Brookside was more kid friendly. The Plaza had all local stores and there were wonderful department stores as well as boutique shopping. They had places you'd shop for years and the staff would know you. The toy and science store there was a wonderland. We sang at the Plaza lighting throughout my high school years but little by little the local shops where encouraged to leave. The Nichols company told them to expand or get a smaller place and we lost a lot of great places. The new management went big name, high end shopping which you can find ANYWHERE with better parking. I wish they'd bring back local shops to the Plaza mixed in with the chains. I do miss the old Plaza. It's now a place for tourists more than locals.

The lights, the feeling of Christmas and the shopping is top notch. Then to drive down Ward Parkway and see the amazing homes decorated with lights was awe inspiring! I couldn't get enough! I'm a kid at heart with everything Christmas especially lights. I highly recommend you get down there and do some shopping, carriage rides, the whole ambiance of Country Club Plaza. Here is just a picture of a church on Ward parkway that I was able to snap.

The Country Club Plaza has a new gelato shop. It is Southern Charm Gelato Shoppe and located at 511 Nichols Road, Kansas City, MO. One of the flavors you might want to try is the lemon basil. I tend to love foods that have herbs in them. They are so flavorful. As far as the Country Club Plaza, you will enjoy "any time" stroll through the Plaza. You will be able to get your steps in, for sure! Also, walk around the Plaza and count the number of fountains they have.

The Plaza is an outdoor shopping center so December visits are a bit chilly.. that being said, I think it's a great place for young adults and adults. There is a good selection of stores. I wish there were more stores that were affordable to my budget but maybe that's just me! The restaurants are similar in fashion. There is a wide variety of foods which is nice! Also a lot of restaurants have great happy hours. Most parking is in garages or parallel so once those run out, you're kinda screwed. (It's really only packed during shopping holidays) The plaza lights are also a beautiful thing to see! If you're visiting KC, I would for sure see the lights at night. The architecture is also beautiful.

I am one of those people who loves watching the lights and fireworks on Thanksgiving night at the plaza with my family. Every year I look forward to the their art festival and the fire/water festival. I really enjoy eating at one of their many restaurants with a patio when the weathers permits. Walking through watching live street performances, carriage or gondola rides, getting tasty hot or cold beverages, ice cream cones, bags of pop corn and tons of dinning options that can be followed by a movie at the theater. Which also was one of the hosts for the Kansas City film festival. Most of the plaza restaurants have happy hour and pretty decent ones at that. I have never seen a lull at cheesecake factory. Kona is a family favorite as is Classic Cup. Melting pot is alot of fun and Jack Stack is delicious. Most of them are classy franchises but their are a few that are unique to Kansas City. Surrounding the plaza are tons of lodging options ranging from $$$ to $$$$, if you find a deal I say go for it. Shopping options range from forever 21 to Marc Jacobs. I can't say it's got something for everyone but it comes pretty close. There are about 5 times in a year when going to the Plaza is must for me. The parking on a normal weekend isn't too bad and I've always been able to find a spot in one of their many parking garages. Good history and architecture put it on my top 10 list for where I take my out-of-towners.

Country Club Plaza is a beautiful stretch to eat, drink, shop, or stroll. I stayed a short walk from The Plaza on a recent work trip and was happy to have a safe area where I could stretch my legs after a day of driving - even if it was after dark. It's a bit like being in a mall with all the name brand stores and chain restaurants a quick step away from each other, but a much prettier, airier version of a mall. The whole thing airs on the side of upscale, offering boutique coffee shops and gelato/ ice cream parlors. I also dig the sculpted art throughout such as the amazing fountain at the top of the Plaza and the "armored guards" protecting the bridges along the river. Quick walk to reach from the Marriott Country Club Plaza!

This review is slightly over due, but still fresh in my mind! Visited this awesome outdoor shopping area back in December. Weather wasn't too bad, in the mid 40s. Everything was nicely lit of holiday lights including lamp posts and roof tops. One of my favorite parts is the horse carriages, you can get a ride around town in a nicely lit horse carriage, great date-night idea! Lots of upscale restaurants and shops for your needs including Tiffany & Co. and Fogo de Chao . If you're strapped for cash, there are also everyday stores such as Forever 21 and H&M. Parking was easy since there are many free structures. Street parking also available. Overall, I had a great experience here and would love to come back some day.

Great shopping! Located confidently near down town the Plaza has anything you can imagine to eat. Lots of unique shops and parking was fairly easy!

I'm conflicted. Love the architecture and have fond memories of the Plaza but the chain retailers are no longer a compelling draw. Most critical - personal safety. Based on my own personal experience (long and ugly story). I'm aware that crime and violent assaults on the Plaza are not widely reported. Makes me wonder why. Would just suggest that folks be VERY aware of what is happening around them and be vigilant. The Plaza is changing imo. Hope they address the safety issues and survive. Sadly, Just not sure of that with current Political climate.

The plaza is great spot for food, shops, and other entertainment. Its location perfectly located for those living down north or out south. Overall I enjoy coming here. However, I cannot score the plaza higher. As an African American patron there have been waay too many incidents of overt and subtle racism, whether against myself, or others that I know. I really wish the culture or perceptions around race for this area of KC would change.

One of my favorite spots in KCMO. I've been going here for many years, and always find myself spending my free time on the plaza. The atmosphere is so lovely, and not to mention the plaza is kept very nice and clean. The number of shops and restaurants can have you entertained for hours. Some of my favorites on the plaza include KC Marketplace (Ice cream Bae is located inside of here- try that for your new favorite sweet treat.. Not to mention the store itself carries a lot of local KC merch! ), Buca Di Beppo (the best food you will encounter in your life), Urban Outfitters (unique gifts and a good place to update your wardrobe), and Sephora (makeup selection GALORE). If you're from KC or even visiting the area, stop here for a great experience in the city.

We came over here after visiting the KC Zoo. Overall, the parking is horrible but we ended up finding street parking. My wife made a bee line to the Kate Spade store and then to MadeWell and other stores too. I think we were both amazed at Banana Republic inside being nicely adorned with sections more than typical stores. Well, we had lunch at Pot Belly Sandwich and there was a singer who I thought was hitting the high notes not so well. My wife was more forgiving until he got to those higher notes. Anyways, this place is crazy with street crossings and my wife noted that it would be nice to have some sort of map online to find stores easier. Oh well, it was super hot and we too refuge inside stores.

This area is my favorite KC Mo favored dining, shopping and hang out place. Loved it for years.

Some places feel like home, like being at the Plaza, which explains my belated review. I am in love with the Spanish architecture, various statues and murals, and overall history of the Plaza. As a newcomer, you could easily spend a minimum of 2 hours just walking around looking at the outdoor European art. Do be careful when walking (and driving) during peak hours -- Kansas City is not the most pedestrian friendly place. If you don't want to walk, there are public bicycles available to rent ($3 per half hour) with various drop-off locations throughout the metro. There are some really good restaurants to dine at like Jax Fish House, Seasons 52, and Brio (just to name a few). For a quick and healthy meal, I'm a fan of t Loft. The Cinemark Palace is probably one of my favorite theaters, because it has an old-school feel and is reasonably priced ($4.50 for matinee tickets and $7 for weekend nights). There are so many shops that I'm positive there's something for everyone!

I liked the variety of stores around the Country Club Plaza. Oh and don't think it's a plaza where it's confined in one area with its own parking lot and no traffic flowing through it (at least that's how some look in California where I'm from). It was pretty much 14 blocks (I read the shopping & dinner guide I got from my hotel) of stores and restaurants. You'll know when you're in the Plaza because the rooftops were red shingles. The Plaza had a Spanish theme and there were statues around to show it. There were parking garages scattered throughout the area, too. I can't remember all of the stores I saw but some were The Apple Store, Express, Victoria's Secret, J. Crew, Banana Republic, Betsey Johnson, Barnes and Noble, BeBe, Starbucks, and American Apparel. I was on a one-day business trip so I didn't bring any luggage with me which also meant I couldn't buy anything from these stores. I didn't walk everywhere in the Plaza because I had a limited time before I had to leave the area. If I was in the area again, then I would definitely shop around here.

We love the plaza! Always a wonderful place to visit from over the border...and once here...we aren't in Kansas anymore! The architecture is amazing and there are plenty of wonderful shops and restaurants that everyone can enjoy. Getting here early on Sunday is great so you can find good parking on the street. We had a wonderful time Sunday, May 26th, with amazing food, and incredible people at Starbucks for breakfast (which was almost like having "breakfast at Tiffany's" since it is across the street), and lunch at McCormick and Schmicks! Also, went to the Christian Science church and we are hoping it remains another 75 years here as it is part of the original history of the beautiful plaza. Coming here makes you feel like you are not only in another city or state...but a beautiful southern European country! We'll be back to visit the plaza soon!

We love the Country Club Plaza! Every time we visit KC, we end up walking around for the majority of the day. The mix of restaurants, shops, clubs and fountains provide you with as much as you'd like to do in a weekend. The spanish tile roofing really pulls everything together and is short of pretentious and provides just the right amount of class. Shops are generally higher end and there are tons of places to grab a coffee throughout the day so you're never running on empty. Seriously, this place has all the makings of a great day. Breakfast/brunch, shopping, lunch at the fountain, a jazz show in the evening, dinner watching the sunset and some late night dessert or drinks before heading home with your treasures. If we lived in KC, we'd be here all the time. Bravo to one of our favorite places in the country to spend a weekend.

The perfect place for our honeymoon. Great for hotels...we are staying at the Raphael, entertainment, outstanding dining, and of course, shopping. I'm looking forward to checking out Tiffany's and many other unique shops. Built in the 1920s, this Spanish-inspired shopping "mall" makes the modern outdoor shopping malls look pretentious and paltry.

Bring your your shopping shoes and credit card, You are about to have a good time. Great restaurants and great shopping plan a whole day here,

The Country Club Plaza is a prettier, but more expensive version of a shopping mall. The theme/architecture is beautiful, and there's a good selection of clothing shops, especially for young adults. It has many higher end brands, so it tends to fall on the pricier side, but you can still find good deals at stores when they're having sales. The lights during Christmas time are beautiful and make shopping in the cold a very pleasant experience.

Ah, the Plaza (pronounced plah-zah by out-of-towners or pla-za by locals). No doubt it's quite lovely. There's no escaping that ultimately, despite the architecture, it's a giant outdoor mall with roads running in and out. But that too is an oversimplification of this place. I fly Delta a fair bit and I'm always AMAZED that people consider the Mall of America to be a tourist attraction. I cannot, for the life of me, imagine going someplace to visit a MALL. A mall is by definition a noplace. A place that exists to exist and gives value in passing consumer fancies. The Plaza is able to transcend this failure of malls for three major reasons: 1. Lovely Spanish architecture. The Plaza looks classy from a distance, up close, and from on high. The lovely JC Nichols fountain and numerous fountains laid out throughout the area are well-placed and notable. 2. It's laid out in such a way that pedestrians aren't threatened by crazy drivers. You can walk at night when all the stores are closed and have it to yourself. 3. It's a hub for events. Whether it's Plaza Lights or the Plaza Art Fair or St. Patrick's Day, you can count on coming to the Plaza to run into old friends, meet new ones, make great memories, and enjoy yourself. And it's a fitting place to review for #400. :-)

This is where you come to see the most beautiful architecture in Kansas City. It's breathtaking to see the sunrise over the Giralda Tower, feeling as if I'm actually standing in front of the Cathedral of Seville in Spain, which was J.C. Nichols' inspiration when designing the Plaza. For tourists and hardcore shoppers, the Plaza is paradise. Trust me, you will be amazed by how gorgeous it is here. However, one quarrel that I have with the Plaza is the crazy situation with parking. It's split up into 9 huge, old, and confusing garages. You have the option to park on the street, but I would strongly advise against it. Homeless people are another ongoing issue, and it seems as though it's getting progressively worse. Even though excessive begging is illegal, you will probably be haggled for change half a dozen times on your visit, rain or shine. Lastly, to conserve the beauty of the plaza, stop lights are pretty much only on 47th Street, which is the main road. The rest of the roads and crosswalks are run by pedestrians, and with jaywalking being completely OK here, be careful while rolling around looking for things to do. Other than the issues that you will find almost anywhere, the Plaza rocks. It really represents the community and has become the living room of Kansas City. You just have to look past the fact that it's just a big outdoor mall.

This place is something I never expected Kansas to be like. Call me ignorant but growing up in Los Angeles, I can't help but be... When I thought of Kansas, I imagined miles and miles of farmland. Boy was I wrong. My fiance is from Kansas, Leawood to be exact and after my first visit, I was in love. He talked about the Country Club Plaza and how beautiful it was during the holidays. I definitely thought it couldn't be more beautiful than Beverly Hills. In perspective, they are are both as gorgeous to be around during the holidays. Country Club Plaza, has two things that Beverly Hills does not have. 1. Snow (White WInters!) 2. White horse and carriage! I wanted a ride but my fiance convinced me not to. Apparently the lines get long. I was surprised to see a Fogo de Chao and a Ruth Chris. Kansas isn't so country! This plaza is amazing, Standard Style is located here, everyone is nice and not pretentious. I love Kansas and I can't wait to move to Leawood so I can come to Country Club Plaza to day drink, shop and be merry!

Country Club Plaza rocks! With 55 acres of planned outdoor urban shopping with Spanish-themed architecture and fountains, it's like an upscale mall, but with better lighting. Cheesecake Factory, Banana Republic, Jack Stack Barbecue, Anthropologie, McCormick & Schmick's, Restoration Hardware, PF Chang's, Betsey Johnson, Cold Stone Creamery, Starbucks, J Crew, Lucky, Gap, Urban Outfitters, A/X, Buca di Beppo, Williams-Sonoma, Coach, CPK, Origins, Tiffany's, Burberry... Crate & Barrel is the only "missing" name that comes to mind! I saw it all lit up for the holidays. It's lovely.

I have always enjoyed coming to this plaza in the past years and was nice to come back and look how it grew since I've been gone. Everything was still well maintained and clean. The weather was perfect to walk around and windowshop or real shop, if you prefer. There is always something going on there depending on the holiday. I love to try the restaurants here. There is always something new to taste here.

The plaza used to be the spot for everyone in KC, especially younger people. That has changed ever since the removal of the Cinemark. There are lots of theories on why it was removed and I tend to agree with some. But it was a horrible business move and now it's just go to pick something up and leave. No more hours walking around having fun, shopping, spending money and eating. The plaza is not like it used to be and it is why I will not come down as often. -- if you prefer Cinemark (cheaper food and tickets) go to the one in Merriam near the IKEA. It is a great movie theatre with an awesome more of a movie like atmosphere.

Don't expect too much because you'll be disappointed. The Plaza is a mixed-use district composed of apartments and condos, office buildings, park space, retail, and hotels. It isn't really comparable to any urban downtowns of other big cities, but is more of an uptown area of Kansas City. It acts as a playground of sorts for the city's weathy and/or elite complete with some of the city's most superfluous retailers and restaurants. That description may fool you as you will often find a wide mix of tourists and locals-- like any destination area in the Midwest. Many tend to focus exclusively on the retail offered on the Plaza which ranges from middle of the road (beauty brands, gap, mcdonald's) to upscale (burberry, hall's, tiffany) to trendy (a/x, american apparel, urban outfitter's). There's likely something for everyone and every budget despite the perception the Plaza is a snooty shopping area. Be warned, the Plaza's tenants don't compare to big shopping areas on the coasts-- much less Dallas or even Denver's Cherry Creek area-- but has a nice mix of tenants in a charming, well-manicured environment. Of course Highwoods can do better with tenants, but overall I'd say the Plaza is pretty impressive (for what it is). It's definitely a place more geared towards shopaholic women and affluent tourists, but it's a pleasant place to spend an afternoon. I would argue that it doesn't really represent anything about Kansas City, but is more JC Nichol's utopian vision of car-oriented suburbia plopped down at the tail end of the city's urban core.

Now the only reason the Plaza gets 4 stars is because it really is serene to just walk around and enjoy the scenery on a beautiful fall/winter/spring/summer day. The bum that sits near the Gap and asks for a "down payment on a cheeseburger" has GOT to go but other than that, you've got the Plaza lights, the stinky carriage rides (bringing the Central Park feel to KC was a nice touch), and shops and restaurants that can keep you busy on a nice afternoon.

Do we really need reviews of an entire area? Is this what we've come to? Alright, I'll bite. I agree with many others here. The plaza is fun and serene. It's great during the holidays. And what is summer without the bums. The one in front of Barnes and Noble( the best B&N in the metro btw) holds out a cup and asks "can I get a down payment on a cheesburger?" There's the Jimi Hendrix wannabe in front of Cheesecake factory. The woman on a 5 gallon bucket down from Plaza III. What character they give the place. Diebles, nuff said. The tight parking. The huge parking tickets. Stairways from the parking garages that smell of human urine. Don't touch the handrails people. A Starbucks that is always packed and whose bathrooms are actually worse than Barnes & Noble. Last time I was there and my shoes were soaked from the urine on the floor, I swore they kept wild animals there. No more McDonalds. What a shame. Where are the kids supposed to eat while the parents are waiting for their reservations to eat something good? Finally, Burberry. I bought a tie there last time. I hadn't a need for a $1600 raincoat. My last one hasn't wore out yet. Alright, I'm kidding. I don't have an overpriced raincoat. All of this and Spanish architecture. Yeah, I like it.

Great place to take the family for food and shopping! Recent concerns about open-daylight robberies in some of the parking garages have me on edge, but there's usually a lot of people around elsewhere. Great selection of stores, shops, and restaurants. There are multiple parking garages throughout CCP, and it is more often than not a good place to go on a nice day out.

For Kansas City, the Country Club Plaza is a great location for lunch, shopping, people watching and the occasional festival. In their 14 blocks and 180 shops and restaurants, they have all the shops I love to browse around but rarely buy at including Armani Exchange, Restoration Hardware, Anthropology, Betsey Johnson, BeBe, and so on... The plaza was built to model Seville, Spain, Kansas City's sister city so you can enjoy beautiful architecture that includes fountains on nearly every corner, Spanish tile, and terra cotta rooftops. Last year was it's 85th anniversary... go Seville! See ya there! :)

What's not to love about the plaza? Beautiful architecture, wonderful shopping and dining, and the walkability and commercial density of a much bigger city. Sometimes the Plaza feels more like Europe than the states to me, in the best way possible - perhaps because it is modeled after the plazas in Seville. I love to shop here - all my favorite stores in one place, plus a few splurge places I don't really get to shop in (Tiffany's, etc) but so fun to window shop! One thing is missing though, the loss of Hall's is really sad! I have loved getting to shop at Hall's since I was little, and it seemed like somewhere that would always be there. I do understand the move to Crown Center though and I'm sure they knew what they were doing. It was fun bringing my baby to the Plaza for the first time. I can't wait to bring her for Christmas when she's a little bit older so she can experience the same magic we always got to as children.

For all the people that are complaining about the shops that are offered on the Plaza...not much I can say. The plaza is unique and great not for the stores it has, but for the atmosphere and experience it provides. The architecture is beautiful and well built. It is more than a Mall, it is a gathering place for the city. Pleasant courtyards and fountains are mixed with European art and high end retailers. For those of you who don't know, the Plaza wasn't always a 'Mall'. It used to have more mom and pop type stores as well as places like bowling alleys. And it isn't just 'like' other outdoor malls...it is THE prototype...the FIRST of its kind. So all those other 'town centers' and new urbanist developments owe something to the country club plaza!