I-435 West KC-KS - Kansas City, KS Area Guide

This portion of Kansas City, Kan., grew quickly in the 2000s after the construction of the Kansas Speedway from 1999 to 2001. The first races occurred for NASCAR and the Indy Racing League in the summer of 2001. The Kansas City T-Bones, an independent minor league baseball team, came two years later as the Village West retail area opened in 2002. A casino, a huge waterpark, the Sporting Kansas City MLS team and several other attractions moved in later, and development of the neighborhood expanded rapidly. The I-435 corridor west of Kansas City, Kan., became one of the fastest-growing areas of the entire state of Kansas due to retail development. The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame provides the lone museum of the area, just to the west in Bonner Springs. Major annual events include a NASCAR race at the speedway once per summer.

Plenty of high-end restaurants and bars are near the Kansas Speedway, Sporting Park and the Kansas City T-Bones' ballpark. This huge retail area lies along the southern portion of the I-435 corridor, just north of Edwardsville. Arthur Bryant's world-famous barbecue remains a favorite of former presidents, celebrities and athletes. Get huge piles of meat between two simple slices of bread with fries, baked beans or cole slaw for sides.The sauces used to marinate ribs and put on sandwiches provide the main draw of the menu. Original barbecue sauce has a savory, smoky flavor. Rich and spicy sauce makes your mouth water. Sweet heat has a kick to it, so watch out. You can purchase these sauces by the jar, or better yet, just buy the best ribs in Kansas City. T-Rex Cafe marks family-friendly fun at Legends Outlets. The dinosaur-themed eatery has alcoholic drinks for adults and non-carbonated drinks for the kids in addition to sodas. You can even buy your drink glass. Brink your appetite for the huge predator platter that comes with rotisserie chicken, St. Louis-style pork ribs, grilled shrimp and your choice of a side. Charbroiled flat-iron steak gets braised with steak butter and served with red-skinned mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. Kids have a choice of 13 items including boneless ribs, lasagna, sliders and popcorn shrimp. Mom and dad love the atmosphere of discovery that helps kids learn about dinosaurs, and the food makes the adventure well worth it. Stix has gourmet Chinese, Japanese and sushi fusion cuisine for sophisticated palates. Start with a lettuce wrap containing seared chicken, shiitake mushrooms, onions and water chestnuts. Another great appetizer comes with yellowtail shashimi, cilantro and jalapeño. The chef specializes in 10 different sushi rolls aside from eight standard rolls. The hurricane roll features spicy crawfish, cream cheese and flash-fried crab topped with special sauces. The mango roll balances sweet and spicy with a combination of spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber topped with mango sauce and sweet soy. Try masaman curry for a chef's special dinner entrée or enjoy the garlic double delight with its beef, chicken, snap peas, onions and bell peppers along with a mild to spicy garlic sauce. Any dish you order at Stix leaves you wanting more. Danny's Bar and Grill has daily specials and 14 beers on tap including seven locally produced brews. The menu highlights a huge pork tenderloin sandwich and the cheesy chicken pasta supreme. Danny's does not close until long after the game ends, at 2 a.m., and then it opens seven hours later. Some of the hotels in the area have live music, while special concerts occasionally come to Sporting Park and the Kansas Speedway.

Because this area is spread out over 32 square miles, cars remain the easiest way to get around the I-435 west corridor. A few residential streets have sidewalks for pedestrians. Homes have garages, so streets often provide safe access for bicycles. Several taxi companies service this part of Kansas City, and Uber comes out this way for a fee. Access I-435 from Donahoo Road, Leavenworth Road, State Avenue and Parallel Parkway, all of which run east-west. Major north-west streets include 115th Street, 110th Street and 99th Street to reach east-west arteries. Two KCATA routes come into I-435 west on Parallel Parkway. Route 116 stops at the KCK Target every 90 minutes starting at 6:38 a.m. Monday through Friday. Route 113 comes to Village West every 90 minutes beginning at 6:09 a.m. on weekdays. Both routes go eastbound and westbound.

The largest park in the neighborhood sits in the northeastern part along Wyandotte County Lake. All types of water activities such as boating and swimming happen on the lake. Just to the west, Wyandotte County Park features tennis courts, softball fields, disc golf, kid's playground and seven shelters. Bring your leashed dogs so your pets can also enjoy exercise. Most of the entertainment in this area comes from retail parks and recreational activities. Wyandotte County hosts 30 annual festivals at various venues. Outdoor activities abound throughout the entire year, ensuring that there is almost always something happening in the neighborhood.

Living costs more here than in downtown Kansas City largely because this area has newer houses and recent retail developments. A one-bedroom apartment runs you approximately $1,071 at a local apartment complex. A one-way fare on KCATA costs $3 to get to the city center. Beer from a local pub runs $4 for a pint. A gallon of gas typically goes for 19 percent lower than the national average.

National chains abound in the retail oasis of Village West. Walmart, Target and Sam's Club have food, toiletries and basic necessities for your home. Clothing retailers include T.J. Maxx, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ralph Lauren and Old Navy. Sprouts Farmers Market remains the higher-end grocery store of the area, while true farmers' markets lie closer to Kansas City. Local businesses and attractions typically have locations outside of the massive retail paradise. Shayden Equestrian Center contains 16 stalls to board your horses if you go on vacation or if your horse needs special training. The center specializes in training 10 breeds. If you love equestrian competitions or simply want to learn how to show horses, a truly unique experience awaits you at Shayden Equestrian Center. Buy all of your horse's supplies including saddles, tack and trailers. The equestrian history of this part of Kansas lives on with this specialty service. Byrd's Dance and Gymnastics has been in business since 1953, when the current owner's mother started a dance school for girls. The dance studio moved to this neighborhood into a 10,000-square-foot facility as the area's prosperity grew. Byrd's Dance has mixed dance, tap, ballet, jazz and contemporary classes for girls. Boys and girls can take gymnastics and tumbling. Adults attend tae kwon do and zumba classes.