Crown Center

This was my first time in KC, I went for Hallmarks first ever Christmas experience festival. It was every Christmas lovers dream! Had a cute little market on the square, ice skating and a tree lighting and light show. The weekend was truly magical with Christmas cheer around every corner. Was even fortunate enough to meet some of Hallmarks movie stars at brunch and the pop up bar! There is also indoor shopping with permanent stores, with Hallmark gift shop being the most popular.

This is a great place to explore, dine at, or even shop! Some previous reviews discuss how the layout is confusing and how it doesn't make sense that it is attached to a hotel but I think that's the beauty of it! It is super unique! For a local, I definitely know my way around it and avoid the areas that are majority hotel but the hotel is pretty too! For a tourist, I would suggest just walking around and getting a little lost! You might find something interesting to look at. I also usually don't shop or eat in crown center because it can be pricey and the stores aren't necessarily my kind of store, but I think it's a great option if you like the stores! This place is especially cool around christmas time. They go all out on decorating!! Also, if you walk right out the doors towards the ice rink, there is a nice outdoor area for seating and even a little fountain area for kids. Very kid friendly and has something for everyone!

There's always something on at crown center for the kids. They have the coterie theater with lives plays, and free exhibits like the one we went to today (Journey to Oz). It was a fun experience for the kids, they got to run around and see different art and lights, press buttons and what not. Crown center has a little bit of everything when it comes to shopping as well, clothes, candy, toys, and a couple of cool food places to stop too! We will definitely be going back sometime soon to take the kids to fritz! The only downside to shopping here is that every store seems to be way overpriced. I mean I got my daughter a tiny baby doll for almost 20$ which was outrageous if you think about it. You can get a 2 hour validation ticket at any store for parking as well which is nice.

We had a good time, walking around exploring shopping and taking photos seeing all the cool things the Crown Center, Plaza had to offer. And a nice fountain out there they had a lot of neat things to see and we had a good time.

I wish we had more places like this in my neck of the woods, and we probably don't due to the need for a larger population base. It's certainly tourist-trap-ish, but also certainly a spot of convenience if you want to do some simple dining or shopping beyond your hotel or if you're in the vicinity. It's also very kid and family friendly, evident by the large numbers of those present. It's worth checking out.

Crown Center was a small little shopping center we entered to get out of the heat for a bit as we waited to go to our next destination. There was nothing particularly special about this shopping center. It was mostly just chain stores although I did see a couple bakeries. It was small, so there wasn't a huge selection of stores. Everything was clean, though, and the workers were very nice.

I reviewed Crown Center in 2015 stating that I wasn't the demographic for it, and found it to be just OK. Well, the years have passed, hair has receded, and now I have two small kids and can safely say that I am in this demographic, and I really enjoy it!There's so many things to do here in general, like:- Kaleidoscope (free art play area provided by Hallmark)- LegoLand and SeaLife (corporate, overpriced kids activities but the kids do tend to enjoy them)- Outside, there are fountains in the summer, holiday trees and decorations in the winter- Irish Fest in late summer- Hospital Hill half marathon in early June- Ice skating- Quixotic theater- Kids plays and The Coterie theater- Loads of local restaurants in the food court- Union Station adjacent, which includes Science City - Streetcar adjacent, fun to ride even as a novelty with kidsIs it an insanely unique concept that no one else has? I wouldn't say that. But as any parents know, a concentrated area with lots of activities is always a nice thing to have. We gravitate here during any "staycation," as well as around the holidays, and are glad to have it!

Crown Center Shops located in the heart of Kansas City. Definitely a must stop during the holiday season. It's a family tradition for some family to come here. The Mayor Christmas tree is decorated beautifully outside in front. Ice skating ring also across the street. Inside shops are nicely decorated for the holiday. Halls of Kansas City shop is located inside. The Western hotel is anchored on the other end and provides a link to Union Station. Unique shops that you don't find at other places. Coterie theater located inside. Several restaurants and fast food eatery to choice from. Hallmark cards is one of the business across the street has a shop inside. Prices are average just as any of the other shops in town. We usually get good service at any one of the eatery .

Oh Crown Center, you're a hard one to review. On one hand, Crown Center is somewhat of an icon in KC, even though it's a shopping mall at the core. I think in reality, as it stands right now, it's more of a 3.5, but I'm going to bump it up a half star because, well it's a bit better than three stars, and I usually enjoy visiting. Read on for the pros and cons. Pros: * Centrally located in the city, and connected to Union Station via above ground indoor skywalk - makes for a lovely afternoon if you are wanting to also explore Science City, or take in Union Station's holiday festivities. * Recently they have started to carry more local retailers like Shop Local KC, and Charlie Hustle, which is really nice if you are coming here to shop. * There's really great offerings for small kids here. The Coterie Theatre is fun for little ones, and they almost always have some kind of free indoor "exhibit" for toddlers, which honestly is amazing, especially on hot summer days when you don't want to spend hours at the park. * The fast casual food options here are pretty solid, with offerings like Unforked and Spin. It's not the place to come if you're looking for fine dining, however. Cons: * Parking is horrendous. I will continue to park in their garage because it's not a bad deal, considering you can get your parking validated with just about any purchase inside, but the garage is dated, very small, and challenging to park in with most modern vehicles. It only takes one person to park on a line to render a spot useless. Also unless they have a dedicated person helping at the machines when you leave it can get really backed up when folks can't figure out how to use them. I've literally sat for 20 minutes before just trapped because some person couldn't work the machine. I'd love it if they could improve the parking garage situation. * It can feel kind of run down sometimes - especially in the restrooms and high traffic areas - they do a pretty good job of keeping it clean, but the restrooms could use a renovation.

It's the 50th anniversary for the Crown Center, Shops and they deserve another visit! It's been a while since I've been there, and it's a trip down memory lane. I highly recommend going to the Crown Center area for the fabulous holiday lights and a stroll through the shops. And don't miss the architecturally striking glass and metal (heated) Link Walkway from Crown Center Shops and Hotel to the Sheraton Hotel...it's well worth a stroll to have an overview of the area and the lights. With the many unique restaurants, bars, and shops in the vicinity, including at our beautiful, iconic Union Station. I can't recommend highly enough coming to this area over the holidays!