Easterners think of it as West.
Westerners think of it as East. Whatever the first-time visitor expects, he or she should be warned to expect the unexpected. From jazz to opera, from barbecue to K.C. strip steak, from baseball to ice hockey, from riverboat to trolley car, Kansas City has something for everyone. Tree-lined boulevards, over 200 splashing fountains and acres of parklands are Kansas City's legacy. Approximately 1.5 million people live in the Kansas City metropolitan area, making Kansas City the 26th largest metropolitan area in the nation.