Crown Center & Union Station Visitor Guide — Kansas City's Indoor Family Corridor

Crown Center and Union Station are paired destinations in Kansas City’s central corridor, connected by a fully accessible indoor skywalk that lets visitors move between the two without going outside. Together they form what’s arguably the most accessibility-friendly tourism corridor in the city — two substantial family-and-visitor destinations, an indoor connection, two on-site hotels at Crown Center that themselves connect via indoor walkways, and the KC Streetcar stop tying the corridor to downtown. For visitors using a mobility scooter or wheelchair, this corridor is one of the best single-day experiences in Kansas City.

This guide covers both destinations together because most visitors see them together, and because the accessibility strengths of each are amplified by the ease of moving between them.

Why Pair Crown Center and Union Station

Three reasons this corridor works so well:

1. Accessibility integration. Both destinations were renovated with modern accessibility infrastructure (Union Station in 1999, Crown Center through successive updates). Elevators, wide pathways, accessible restrooms, and accessible dining are present throughout.

2. Indoor connectivity. The skywalks between the Westin/Sheraton hotels, Crown Center, and Union Station are climate-controlled and accessible. Weather doesn’t disrupt the visit.

3. Complementary content. Crown Center leans toward retail, family entertainment, and seasonal programming. Union Station leans toward science, history, and cultural content. Combined, they cover the full range of family-visit interests.

Getting to the Corridor

By car. Take I-70, I-35, or US-71 to the downtown exits, then follow signage to Crown Center. The Crown Center parking garage has accessible parking on multiple levels with direct elevator access. Union Station has separate accessible parking on Pershing Road and in its lower garage.

By streetcar. The KC Streetcar’s Union Station / Crown Center stop (on Pershing Road) gives you free, fully accessible access from downtown. The Main Street Extension continues south to the Country Club Plaza, which means a single streetcar line connects the corridor to Plaza shopping and dining.

By rideshare. Drop-off at either destination’s main entrance works well. Crown Center’s front entrance, the Westin, the Sheraton, and Union Station’s Pershing Road entrance are all routinely used as accessible drop-off points.

Staying on-site. The Westin and Sheraton at Crown Center are the easiest base for this itinerary. Both connect via indoor walkways to the Crown Center complex, and from there to Union Station via the main skywalk.

Crown Center — What to See

The Crown Center complex is organized around a central Crown Center Square and an indoor shopping concourse, with specific attractions clustered around the perimeter.

Hallmark Visitors Center. Free admission. Tells the story of the Hallmark company through historical exhibits, interactive displays, and hands-on craft activities. Allow one to two hours.

Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium. Indoor aquarium with tunnel exhibits, touch pools, and themed zones. Paid admission. Allow one and a half to two hours. Best for families with younger children.

Legoland Discovery Center Kansas City. Indoor Lego-themed entertainment experience with rides, building zones, and a 4D cinema. Paid admission. Ages 3 and up. Allow two to three hours.

The Coterie Theater. Children’s theater producing a season of family-friendly theatrical productions. Show times vary by season. Accessible seating in the theater.

Crown Center Square and the Ice Terrace. The outdoor plaza hosts events year-round. During winter (approximately November through February), the ice terrace becomes an outdoor skating destination. The surrounding area is scooter-accessible even during skating season.

Crown Center Shops. Specialty retailers, gift shops, and the food court. A single level of shopping with escalator and elevator connections to upper levels.

Dining at Crown Center. Crown Center Shops food court handles quick family meals. Sit-down restaurants at the Westin and Sheraton — and several independent restaurants around the complex — cover longer lunches and dinners.

Union Station — What to See

Union Station is a 1914 beaux-arts train terminal that was restored in 1999 and now combines museum, theater, and restaurant spaces inside the preserved historic architecture.

The Grand Hall. The architectural centerpiece. A 95-foot-tall beaux-arts interior with restored ceiling work, the historic ticket windows, and the North and South Waiting Rooms. Free to enter. Worth a dedicated stop on its own.

Science City. A 120+ exhibit interactive science museum covering physics, engineering, weather, astronomy, biology, and the human body. Paid admission. Allow two to three hours for a thorough visit.

The Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium. Daily shows across astronomy, laser music, and family programming. Paid admission, typically packaged with Science City.

The KC Rail Experience. An immersive exhibit covering the history of rail travel in Kansas City and Union Station’s role as a central American rail hub. Includes restored locomotives and rolling stock.

Traveling Exhibits. The Bank of America Gallery and the Station Theater host major traveling museum shows — Egyptian antiquities, dinosaurs, pop-culture exhibits, and scientific shows rotate through on a seasonal basis. Check the current calendar for what’s on during your visit.

Dining at Union Station. Pierpont’s Restaurant (fine dining in a restored waiting room), Harvey’s Restaurant (casual), and quick-service options cover lunch and dinner. Pierpont’s is a destination dining experience on its own.

Sample One-Day Itinerary

A full-day Crown Center / Union Station visit, starting from a Crown Center hotel:

• 9:00 AM — Roll from hotel into Crown Center via indoor walkway. Start with the Hallmark Visitors Center.
• 11:00 AM — Choose one Crown Center family attraction (Sea Life or Legoland).
• 1:00 PM — Lunch at Crown Center food court, at a hotel restaurant, or at Harvey’s at Union Station (via skywalk).
• 2:30 PM — Cross the skywalk into Union Station. Visit the Grand Hall.
• 3:00 PM — Science City.
• 5:00 PM — Planetarium show.
• 6:30 PM — Dinner at Pierpont’s or at a Crown Center / hotel restaurant.
• Evening — Optional: streetcar up to Power & Light or back to the hotel for rest.

Sample Two-Day Itinerary

Add a second day for the WWI Museum and for deeper coverage of both Crown Center and Union Station:

• Day 1 — Crown Center focus. Hallmark Visitors Center, both Sea Life and Legoland if time, the Crown Center Shops, lunch, afternoon at the Grand Hall and one Union Station attraction.
• Day 2 — The WWI Museum and Memorial up Memorial Hill (accessible via ramped path or rideshare). Remaining Union Station attractions: Science City, Planetarium, Rail Experience, traveling exhibit. Lunch at Pierpont’s or back at Crown Center. Evening streetcar to Power & Light or Plaza.

Accessibility Summary

• Crown Center: fully ADA-compliant. Entrances, elevators, restrooms, attractions, restaurants, and the attached hotels are all scooter-accessible.
• Union Station: fully accessible. Elevators serve every level of both the Grand Hall and the underground gallery spaces.
• Skywalks: weather-protected, level-graded, and fully accessible.
• Streetcar: level boarding, no ramp required, space for personal mobility devices in every car.
• WWI Museum (paired visit): one of the most accessibility-friendly military history museums in the country.

Booking and Practical Logistics

We deliver mobility scooters to both Crown Center hotels (Westin and Sheraton) before your check-in. For multi-day visits that cover this corridor plus additional KC destinations, a single scooter rental handles the full trip. See our Crown Center and Union Station venue pages for specific rental logistics, or book directly at the phone number in the header.