Sight Country Club Plaza
Plaza Lights
A sight in Country Club Plaza, free to visit and worth about an hour. Best time to go: After dark.
Why go
Strings of colored bulbs outline the Plaza's towers and rooflines from Thanksgiving night, a tradition since the 1920s.
It is one of 7 curated places we feature in Country Club Plaza, alongside 3 sights, 1 place to eat and 1 outdoor spot. 3 more of our picks sit within about half a mile in a straight line, so it pairs easily with The Raphael Hotel and Gram & Dun.
- Type
- Sight
- Neighborhood
- Country Club Plaza
- Price
- Free
- Time needed
- 1 hr
- Best time
- After dark
Nearby
Our closest curated picks, including 1 beyond Country Club Plaza. Distances are straight-line, not walking or driving.
- 1The Raphael Hotel
A 1920s apartment building turned boutique hotel facing the Plaza across Brush Creek.
Stay · 0.1 mi straight-line - 2Gram & Dun
A Plaza brunch favorite on Brush Creek, with a big patio and dishes like banana cream French toast and shrimp and grits.
Food · 0.1 mi straight-line - 3Mill Creek Park and J.C. Nichols Fountain
A small park at the Plaza's edge anchored by the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain and its bronze horsemen.
Sight · 0.4 mi straight-line - 4Shuttlecocks
Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's four giant shuttlecocks, scattered across the Nelson-Atkins lawn since 1994.
Sight · 0.6 mi straight-line - 5Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Free encyclopedic museum with the giant Shuttlecocks on its sculpture lawn.
Sight · Kansas City · 0.6 mi straight-line - 6Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Kansas City's free art museum, with a deep Asian collection and the glass Bloch Building; closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Jan 1.
Sight · 0.6 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Plaza Lights is a stop on our Kansas City New Year's Eve route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More to do in Country Club Plaza
Plaza Lights is our only sight pick in Country Club Plaza; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Country Club Plaza guide.
When to go: weather by month, based on Kansas City
Our climate figures for Country Club Plaza come from nearby Kansas City. Average daily highs in Kansas City run from 37°F in January to 89°F in July; May is usually the wettest month. For Plaza Lights itself, we suggest: After dark.
Modelled monthly averages for Kansas City from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Kansas City weather by month (covers Country Club Plaza).
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Plaza Lights, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Coordinates
- 39.04132, -94.59181
- Destination
- Country Club Plaza, Missouri
Plaza Lights: quick answers
How much time do you need at Plaza Lights?
Plan on about an hour at Plaza Lights. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Plaza Lights?
Our pick: After dark. Insider tip: The lights typically stay on until mid-January; walk the loop after dark on Jan 1.
Is Plaza Lights free?
Yes, we list Plaza Lights as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.
Which TripsCircle routes include Plaza Lights?
Plaza Lights appears on Kansas City New Year's Eve, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Plaza Lights to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Country Club Plaza.
Plan Country Club Plaza
- Country Club Plaza travel guide 7 places
- Kansas City weather (covers Country Club Plaza) weather by month
- Downtown Kansas City to Country Club Plaza 3.9 mi straight-line
Lists & regions
Also in Country Club Plaza
- Loose Park Outdoors
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.