Memorial day mini vacation. Equal travel time. I’m open either way. Looking for good food, culture, beauty, etc. Like festivals, not too into late night partying although I will stay out for good live music. Any alternative newspaper websites will be helpful too. Thx in advance.
Kansas City, Kansas? Given what you’re looking for, I’d be hard-pressed even to recommend Kansas City, Missouri over Louisville.
Um, yeah…Kansas City, KS isn’t what you’re looking for, though Kansas City, MO may 
Check out pitch.com, it’s the local alt paper.
Seeing as KC KS and KC MO are adjacent, it makes sense to think of the Kansas City area.
While KC has had some good festivals on past Memorial Day weekends, the only thing I can find for this year is the Jiggle Jam, a family music festival that’s geared towards kids. I would expect there will be some other interesting/fun events, but I haven’t found any listings yet.
Among the items of interest in the area are the National World War I Museum, Powell Gardens botanical garden, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The WWI Museum in particular is quite good – excellent, in my opinion, and I’m a bit of a museum buff – and unique in the country.
The alternative paper is the Pitch.
There’s plenty of good food of many varieties in KC. If you decide to come here I can make some specific suggestions and recommendations.
As for beauty, I’m here – what else could one want? 
I think you could have an enjoyable visit in Kansas City, and I’m sure we could find things to do that fit your interests, but I don’t know that we could make a compelling case to choose it over Louisville (about which I know nothing). Nevertheless, you’d certainly be welcome here.
I’ll second Gary’s recommendation of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. It’s top-notch. The Truman Museum (where Give 'Em Hell Harry is buried) is worth a visit, too.
I haven’t been there for years now, but the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum/American Jazz Museum complex was one of the most educational museum environments I’ve ever been too. Both wings were low on artifacts, but high on hands-on instruction. Granted, Buck O’Neil has passed since I visited, and meeting him there was a big chunk of the experience, but I would still recommend it. (One TripAdvisor review of the Jazz wing claims that there is too much emphasis on a very few swing-era artists, but that wasn’t my experience at all. Many eras of jazz were represented when I was there, with an emphasis on the elements of music rather than great musicians–though giants like KC-born Charlie Parker are celebrated, too.)
For music, I recommend Knuckleheads. 'Nuff Said.
KC all the way. Kansas City has greatfood and the best place to go would be Arthur Bryant’s for the best BBQ.
Of course, if you ask ten different people where’s the best barbeque, you get eleven different answers. 
But yes, there’s a lot of great barbeque here.
ETA: And Arthur Bryant’s is legendary. U.S. presidents make a point of going there.
Gates has quite a reputation, but I rank it behind at least 3 others
Here’s the Louisville alternative newspaper:
I haven’t lived in Louisville for 10 years, but it’s a nice city. It’s gotten crowded, though.
You must be from around St. Louis. I’ve been to both and Louisville would get my nod. However you might want to see what special activities are going on in each city.
I went to KC to do a half marathon and watch the Royals play.
I went to Louisville to watch the World Cyclocross Championships a few months ago.
In a nutshell, I’d have to have a reason to visit either.
I’m curious to see some highlights of Louisville - my wife and I have a hotel gift card for there, and will be wanting to see some sights (other than the Louisville Slugger plant).
But I’m originally from KC, and if you’re interested in making it a restaurant tour (along with some great other sites), you’ll have plenty to choose from. Gary T is correct regarding the BBQ - ask 10 people, get 11 opinions. So here’s mine:
- Oklahoma Joe’s - order anything you want
- Arthur Bryant’s - any sandwich on the menu except the burnt ends (I prefer the beef & pork combo)
- Jack’s Stack - it’s all delicious, I recommend getting a combo plate (the beef rib is an impressively enormous Fred Flintstone-like piece of food)
- Gates - Ribs
- Stroud’s - family style fried chicken
But a trip to KC to sightsee that didn’t include the Negro League Museum would be a trip wasted. That place is an absolute treasure. And Arthur Bryant’s is right around the corner!
I live in KC (the area) and am wondering why the OP is interested in alternative newspapers? Surely you’re not coming here just to read the Pitch?
If you’re interested in alternative newspapers because you’re in the LGBT community…I don’t know, if I’m in town when you’re here, I can show you my favorite LGBT clubs. Shoot, maybe there ought to be a KC Dopefest this spring or summer.
I’ll second Gary’s recommendation of the National World War I Museum. It does a great job of showing the horrors of that war, and how much more widely it was felt here in the U.S. through loss of loved ones than more recent wars.
Don’t go to Kansas City, KS, however. It’s not as bad as East St. Louis, IL, but it still not fun or pretty.
Hi KS Beekeeper! Long time no see!
But the upscale side of KCK is decent, with the Legends, the racetrack, etc. area being pretty nice overall.
And yes the WW1 museum rules. It’s a highlight of KC, along with the Arabia Steamboat Museum.
Hi Una!
Yes, there are good parts of KCK.
I highly concur with Una’s recommendation for the Steamboat Arabia Museum. Fascinating place. I really envy the adventure they had in finding and excavating it. When I first went to the museum, our guide was one of the family/friends that excavated it, but I think he’s since died. Here’s a link:
Nah, got a pretty good wife, but thanks. The alternative papers in the cities we have been to tend to have better “Night life” and “Dining & Drinking” suggestions, like local brew and the Avett Bros. vs. the Olive Garden-Jersey Boys type activities listed in the major ones.
I second the KC Dopefest idea…it came up in another thread, I think last fall. I’ll look it up when I get a chance. I only knew of mebbe a half-dozen in the area, but folks keep popping up. Had no idea you were in the area, for example. Kansas Beekeeper was an easy mark, though
Oh come on, the comparison to East St. L. isn’t even fair! KCK has some great historic neighborhoods that are relatively safe, and more modern attractions out west.
Lots of good KC suggestions so far.
It looks like the Royals and the T-Bones (minor league) are both in town over Memorial Day weekend if you’re up for some baseball. And of course there is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
I don’t know what kind of music you like but Old 97s and Drive By Truckers are playing at Crossroads KC (an outdoor music venue) that weekend.
Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ is awesome.
Here is one thread where we discussed having a KC area Dopefest sometime this spring/summer.
Me and Fierra have always lived here. I never went to a fest (well, except a Staff-only fest) because I was hiding and not “out.” Now that I’m out 100%, I don’t have any problems meeting people.