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Independence, Missouri

Welcome to BASEKC

This duplex was built by my grandfather in the 1950s and has been in the family ever since — we raised our kids here — and now we're glad to share it with you. It's a great home base for everything Kansas City has to offer. I put this guide together so you get the most out of your stay, with the same recommendations I'd give a friend visiting for the first time.

— Steve

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Your stay

Everything you need to know about the property.

Independence, MO — Current forecast
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Check-in
3:00 PM
Self check-in via smart lock
Check-out
11:00 AM
Please be prompt
Parking
Driveway
Park in the dedicated space for your unit. Use caution backing out onto 39th Street — it's a busy road during the day.
Quiet hours
10 PM – 8 AM
Please be mindful of neighbors
Trash & recycling
Trash
Bin is on the west side of the duplex. Set out Wednesday evening for Thursday morning pickup. Note: there is no recycling service at this property.
House rules
No smoking
Smoking of any kind is not permitted anywhere on the property, including outdoors.
Vacuum — important
Please do not use the vacuum on water or wet surfaces.
Unit A — kitchen fuse
Running multiple high-draw appliances at the same time (e.g. the stove and air fryer simultaneously) can blow a fuse in Unit A. If you want to use both at once, move the air fryer to the living room table and plug it in there.
Pets
We love your pets! Please clean up after them both inside and outside the property.
Airport transfers

Flying into KCI? Book a hassle-free transfer directly to the duplex — especially handy if you're arriving with luggage or late at night.

Emergency contacts
Emergency
911
Non-emergency police
(816) 325-2222
Nearest ER
Centerpoint Medical Center
Urgent care
Walgreens or CVS — both walkable
Your host
Steve — contact via your booking platform. Contact info also posted inside the unit.
Getting around without a car
Uber & Lyft
Both work well in Independence and KC. Wait times are generally reasonable but can be longer late at night in suburban areas — plan ahead after evening events.
A fun fact about your tap water
Independence tap water is among the best in the world

Independence's municipal water consistently ranks among the highest quality tap water in the world. We've provided a Brita filter for your comfort and for better coffee, but drinking straight from the tap is perfectly fine — and genuinely good.

Getting around

One of the best things about this location is how easy it is to get anywhere in the metro. Most of what I recommend below is 15–30 minutes away at most.

East
291 / I-470
Lee's Summit, Blue Springs, Truman area
West
I-435
Arrowhead, Westport, Overland Park
Downtown
I-70 West
Power & Light, Union Station, 18th & Vine

Noland Road car culture

Saturday nights on Noland Road

Noland Road has been the historical center of Kansas City's car culture for decades. On Saturday evenings, spontaneous car shows can pop up anywhere along the stretch between 40 Highway and 23rd Street — classics, customs, muscle cars, you name it. Very welcoming crowd, completely free, and one of those only-in-KC experiences most visitors never know about.

Find the community on Facebook
Noland Road Saturday Night Cruise → Real Cruisers of Noland Road → Noland Road Cruise Group → Cruising Noland Road → McDonald's Cruise-in (Thursdays, different part of town) →

Right outside your door

The intersection of 39th and Noland has everything you need. Tap a button to navigate directly.

Food & drink
Hawaiian Bros
Our family go-to. A couple of large bowls can feed 3–4 people — better value than it looks at first glance.
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Hacienda Vieja Mexican Grill
Local Mexican spot
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Palacana
Worth checking out — especially their Mexican ice cream, which is the real draw.
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Andy's Frozen Custard
If you've never had frozen custard, this is the place to start.
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Fringe Beerworks
Casual local microbrewery just down Noland Road. Good spot for an easy evening out.
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Food trucks
Various trucks rotate through the Thrift World/AutoZone parking lot at 39th and Noland. Keep an eye out for Three Little Pigs BBQ and the smashburger truck in particular.

Denny's, Domino's, Little Caesar's, Jimmy John's, Sonic, Pizza Street, Subway, Panda Express — all within easy reach of the duplex.

A little farther (short drive)
Five Guys
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MaMa Garden
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Scooter's Coffee
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The Honey Baked Ham Company
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54th Street Bar & Grill
A family favorite of ours. Solid comfort food, great atmosphere, good for groups. Pro tip: Costco often sells $100 in 54th Street gift cards for $80 — worth grabbing before your visit if you have a membership.
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Groceries & essentials
Walmart Neighborhood Market
Closest quick grocery run
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HyVee
Full-service grocery, good deli
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Price Chopper
Head south on Noland Road, turn right on 23rd Street. Good full-service grocery with a solid meat counter.
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Walgreens / CVS
Pharmacy, convenience essentials, and urgent care clinic — both walkable.
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Quirky local find
Cargo Largo
Think liquidation store meets treasure hunt — everything from clothes to 3D printers. Not everything is a deal, so pay attention to the sales and markdowns. But when you find something good, it's genuinely good.
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Kansas City BBQ — Steve's guide

There are so many options and strong opinions here. A few things to know before you order:

If you want to eat like a local, go for burnt ends, brisket, or ribs. Also — don't be surprised if your ribs aren't "fall off the bone." According to KC BBQ Society rules, that actually means overcooked.
KC sauce is typically molasses and tomato-based. Gates and Jack Stack are crowd-pleasers and great to bring home as gifts. If you spot a mustard-based sauce on a menu, it's usually worth trying.
My recommendations
Arthur Bryant's
Historic. Been around since 1908, near 18th & Vine. Get the brisket sandwich. Go before 11:30 or after 1:30 to avoid a 45-minute line. One order of fries feeds 2–3 people. Stay near the restaurant — I'd avoid walking between it and the 18th & Vine intersection on foot.
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Q39
Probably the best high-end choice. Downtown KC or Overland Park locations. The BBQ wings might be the best I've ever had. Worth a reservation.
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Jack Stack
Great sit-down experience. Lee's Summit location is my preference — avoid the Union Station one during peak hours. Order the burnt ends or a burnt end sandwich.
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Char Bar
Very good burnt ends. Fun atmosphere in Westport.
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Gates Bar-B-Q
Multiple locations, classic KC experience. Good sauce to bring home.
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A Little BBQ Joint
Over by the Truman Library, close to the duplex. Solid local spot.
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Joe's Kansas City
You'll hear about it — it's good. Best ribs in town in my opinion. Unique sandwiches worth trying. Kansas-side only, which feels a little off for a KC institution.
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Hi-Boy
Not BBQ, but worth mentioning — hyper-local Independence burger spot doing smashburgers long before it was trendy. Multiple locations, all within Independence city limits.
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Fritz' Deli
Off I-435 in south KC. Specializes in sausages — hot dogs, brats, that kind of thing. Daily special around $5. Cheap, delicious, and very KC.
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Things to do

Independence — right here
Independence Square
A cute historic square on the way to the Truman Library. Several restaurants and a couple of bars to explore — worth an hour or two wandering around. While you're there, stop into Clinton's Soda Fountain: Harry Truman worked there as a young man and it's still open today.
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Harry S Truman Presidential Library
Worth a visit if you're into history. Pair it with a stop at Independence Square on the way.
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Cargo Largo
Already mentioned above — great for a rainy afternoon browse.
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Most slept-on KC attraction
Money Museum at the Federal Reserve
Completely free, genuinely fascinating, and almost nobody knows about it. Right by the Liberty Memorial and Union Station — combine all three in one trip. Tuesday through Friday, 9–5 only, so plan ahead.
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Must-do experiences
Boulevard Brewery Tour
Kansas City's most iconic brewery. Tours include tastings. Book ahead — they fill up fast on weekends.
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The Roasterie Tour
KC's beloved local coffee roaster. Factory tours are a great behind-the-scenes experience, and the café is worth a stop on its own.
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KC Wheel
A 70-foot observation wheel right in the heart of the city. Great views, fun for all ages, and in the same neighborhood as Boulevard and The Roasterie — easy to combine all three in one outing.
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Downtown KC
Liberty Memorial / WWI Museum
One of the best WWI museums in the world. The memorial itself is worth seeing even if you skip the museum.
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Union Station
Beautiful building, good restaurants inside, Science City is great for kids.
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Power & Light District
Entertainment district with bars, restaurants, and live music. Lively on weekends.
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18th & Vine
Historic jazz district. Home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and American Jazz Museum. Genuinely important history.
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Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
World-class art museum. Free admission (donations accepted). The shuttlecocks on the lawn are iconic. In summer, they host free outdoor yoga sessions on Sunday mornings on the grounds — a fantastic way to start the day.
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Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
Free admission. A smaller, more intimate museum than Nelson-Atkins but genuinely excellent contemporary art. Worth combining with a Nelson-Atkins visit since they're close to each other.
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Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Stunning building worth seeing from outside even if you don't catch a show.
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More KC
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Great for families. Full day activity.
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Crown Center
Shopping, dining, Hallmark visitor center. Connected to Union Station by a walkway.
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City Market
KC's oldest and largest farmers market. Go on a weekend morning and get there as early as you can — the earlier the better for the best selection. Fresh produce, local vendors, food stalls, and a great atmosphere.
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Westport
Older entertainment district, more neighborhood bar vibe than Power & Light. Good for an evening out.
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Book an experience

Skip the planning — these KC experiences are bookable in a few taps. All vetted, all worth your time.

Outdoors & fitness

Trails & nature
The Trail at Unity Village
A beautiful trail with The Fillmore Cafe just a stone's throw from the trailhead — grab a coffee before or after your walk. A great way to start a morning.
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Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area
Trails through native woodland, an air-conditioned visitor center, and a play area for young kids. It's very common to spot deer and wild turkey on the trails. A genuinely peaceful place to spend a few hours.
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F3 & FiA — free community workouts
Meet friendly locals and explore the city

I go to F3 as much as I can — it's one of the best things about living here. F3 (and FiA for women) offers free outdoor workouts every day of the week, led by volunteers, all over the KC metro. The people are friendly and generous, and it's a great way to make new friends and see different parts of the city while you're here.

Find an F3 workout → FiA (for women) →

Visitor tips

A few things that are helpful to know if you're visiting Kansas City for the first time — especially if you're coming from outside the US.

Weather
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Hot and humid. Temperatures often in the 90s°F (32–38°C). Thunderstorms can pop up quickly — check the forecast before outdoor plans.
Fall (Sep–Nov)
Beautiful and mild. Best weather of the year. Temps drop fast after October.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Unpredictable — can be mild or brutally cold with ice storms. Check conditions before driving.
Spring (Mar–May)
Warm and stormy. Tornado season peaks in May. Severe weather alerts are taken seriously here.
Tipping & customs
Restaurants
15–20% tip is standard at sit-down restaurants. It is not included in the bill automatically and is an important part of your server's income.
Bars & coffee
$1–2 per drink at a bar is appreciated. Coffee shops often have a tip prompt on the screen — no pressure, but it's welcomed.
Rideshare
Tipping your Uber or Lyft driver in the app is appreciated but not required.
Sales tax
Prices on menus and shelves do not include tax. Missouri sales tax will be added at checkout — expect to pay a little more than the listed price.
Driving
Kansas City is a very car-centric city. Most attractions require a car or rideshare. Speed limits are posted in miles per hour (mph).
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