Favorite Restaurant: Bristol Seafood Grill

This KC staple is famous for its indulgent menu focused on superior quality seafood and prime steaks, with various fresh fish served daily in a relaxed comfortable atmosphere.

Favorite Steakhouse: Hereford House

Sample the sizzle. The KC Strip may have not been born at this famous Kansas City establishment, but Hereford House has helped perfect this juicy steak native to KC. Try it for yourself at one of Hereford House's four metro locations.

Favorite Barbecue Restaurant:
Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue

Barbecue is a way of life in KC, and Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue is the top choice for Kansas City visitors for the third year in a row. Our recommendation? Start with the burnt ends and then work your way down the menu.

Favorite Performing Arts Venue: Starlight Theatre

A warm summer night under the stars is synonymous with Starlight Theatre. Home to Broadway shows and major concerts, Starlight is the second-largest theater of its kind in the nation and the area's oldest performing arts organization.

Favorite Jazz Venue: The Blue Room

Steaks, barbecue and jazz. It's the Kansas City version of the triple crown. Few nightclubs hold the allure of The Blue Room, set in the classic 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District. It was named one of the top 100 jazz venues in the world by Downbeat magazine.

Favorite Nightlife Spot: O'Dowd's Little Dublin

What's not to love? This cozy Irish Pub features décor imported from Ireland and a menu of classic American food and authentic Irish cuisine. The bar features a large selection of imported beers, an extensive Irish whiskey selection and the Plaza's only rooftop deck.

Favorite Shopping Center or District:
Country Club Plaza

This entertainment district features many Kansas City favorites. Walk along the tree-lined sidewalks, shop at one of the many name-brand shops or dine at one of the Plaza's fantastic restaurants.

Favorite Shop or Store: Cabela's

The KC outpost to the "world's foremost outfitter" features an 180,000 square-foot showroom filled with educational attractions, including museum-quality wilderness displays, huge aquariums and trophy animals in realistic panoramas.  

Favorite Hotel or Bed & Breakfast:
Westin Crown Center

Top-notch service is a way of life for this hotel. An oasis of quiet luxury, the Westin offers 729 generously appointed and newly renovated guest rooms overlooking the downtown skyline and the Crown Center complex.

Favorite Attraction: Worlds of Fun

Providing visitors with chills, thrills and laughs for 35 years, Worlds of Fun boasts more than 175 acres of family entertainment. Your thrill-seeking adventure starts here.

Favorite Museum or Historical Site:
Union Station

Kansas City's fully-restored, 1914 train station was a hit with voters. This landmark is home to an interactive family science center and a railroad museum, as well as shops and restaurants.

Favorite Art Museum or Gallery:
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

One of the nation's top art museums just got better. In June 2007, the Nelson-Atkins unveiled the stunning Bloch Building—equivalent to a 67-story office building lying on its side.

Favorite Professional Sports Team: Chiefs

Whether you're enjoying the world's largest tailgate party or witnessing one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL, for Chiefs fans this is just a normal fall Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Favorite Kids Attraction: Kansas City Zoo

Celebrating its 100th year in 2009, the Kansas City Zoo offers visitors the unique experience of seeing more than 1,000 animals in naturalistic setting. Check out the new Tropics exhibit, a climate-controlled rainforest filled with lush foilage and exotic animals.

Favorite Casino:
Ameristar Casino & Hotel

Frequently named Missouri's best casino, Ameristar is a premier property characterized by innovative architecture, a state-of-the-art casino floor, and outstanding dining, lodging and entertainment options.

Favorite Festival or Special Event:
Kansas City Renaissance Festival

Huzzah! After over three decades of entertaining the Midwest with the sights and sounds of Renaissance England, this event has become almost synonymous with autumn in Kansas City.

Favorite Holiday Experience:
Country Club Plaza Season of Lights

What started as a single strand of lights in 1925 has grown into an impressive display of more than 80 miles of holiday lights outlining rooftops, archways, towers and street corners. Just don't forget your camera.

Favorite Day Trip from Kansas City: Lawrence, KS

Forty-five minutes west is charming Lawrence, home to the University of Kansas. Take a stroll down Massachusetts Street and you'll soon understand why "Mass" has been called one of America's loveliest main streets.

Best Midwestern Hospitality: The City Market

It's no surprise that City Market has a knack for hospitality. After all, it is KC's oldest continuously operating business. The 150-year-old landmark is home to one of the region's largest farmers' markets, plus local shops, restaurants and a museum dedicated to the Steamboat Arabia.

Best of Kansas City: Country Club Plaza

What better way to close out the 2009 winners than with the grandeur of the Country Club Plaza? With its beautiful fountains, murals and statues, the Spanish-inspired Plaza features more than $1 million in outdoor artwork.