Just southeast of Kansas City is Lee's Summit, Missouri, founded just a few months after the Civil War ended. Now, the city has a historic downtown shopping district, vibrant local arts scene and plenty of green space to explore.

There's plenty of song and celebration this season with holiday concerts and shows around Kansas City.

Whether you're shopping for yourself or looking for gifts, find everything you need for correspondence and other print-based hobbies at Kansas City's local stationery shops.

Abolitionist John Brown wasn't born in Kansas, but made his mark during the Bleeding Kansas era before the Civil War. Today, 165 years after his execution, Brown's violent acts and influence are commemorated across the state of Kansas — including the site of the Pottawatomie massacre.

Kansas City's neighboring city of Excelsior Springs has a range of holiday activities to explore spanning from now until the end of the year — including markets full of locally-made goods and an enormous hall of Christmas trees.

Smack in the middle of the country, Kansas City is a melting pot of different cultures and cuisines — especially soul food. At these restaurants, there's plenty to enjoy with the big flavor, and portions, of Southern comfort cooking.