We take our kids to crown center multiple times a year (ice skating, restaurants, coterie theatre are all wonderful). The parking system up to now has been easy to navigate and validate at any shop. The new "frictionless" parking system is an obnoxious data grab, irritating to set up (I do not want to make an account for every place I park), and impossible for people who choose not to have a smartphone on them at all times (me). :) I'm sure it cost a lot to implement, but every person I've talked to has also found it frustrating. Will be ice skating elsewhere from now on and choosing alternative parking from the crown center garages whenever possible. read more

The Crown Center is a family friendly shopping and entertainment spot. Mostly clean and well maintained space. There are shops like Hallmark, Crayola, Starbucks, convenience store, tea store, souvenir store, Halls (luxury store, mostly expensive goods), local KC good store and so many different restaurants. The hallway connects it to entertainment places like Hallmark visitor center, Kaleidoscope, Sealife and Lego Center. In the plaza they also had ice rink and Christmas decorations. There's indoor parking, street car stop and Union station (minutes away) for guests. Throughout the day, lots of tourists, including families with kids visit this center. The restaurants have varieties like bbq, pizza and sandwiches. Sheridan's frozen custard is a really popular ice cream store. It is also connected to Westin hotel via passageway. I did struggle a bit the signs and directions. There were not clear in some corners. Security personnel are available throughout the plaza, we took some direction help from them. But overall it's a prime spot in KC. read more

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It's got potential, I'm glad to have it in KC, but I think there needs to be a little more to make Crown Center shine. As of writing this, there's an outside chance that the Royals build a new stadium right by here, which would increase the entire area IMO. I'd love to see what Crown Center's plans would be, should that happen. As it is now, it's.. alright. I took my girls down here via streetcar a few days after Christmas and there's just simply nothing to do but eat or buy. We saw a bunch of Christmas village type decorations from their holiday market, but everything was being torn down. There aren't a lot of play areas outside otherwise. So we ventured throughout the inside, and while a few decent restaurants, it's sort of just like an old mall food court. They do have an area back by the Coterie Theater that you can see Santa, or during other seasons, has some kind of fun, free exhibition for kids. The week after Christmas (and for a month or so), it was shuttered with nothing to do. My girls loved using the Link to Union Station, and finding the old school atrium inside the Westin Hotel en route. What can I say, they're easily entertained, which is why it's disappointing that Crown Center can't live up to their low bar. Positives are the Quixotic theater, the Coterie theater, races here like Hospital Hill, the ice terrace, and the Mayor's Christmas tree ceremony. Otherwise, this needs a splash of love and some fresh ideas. read more

We always have fun at Crown Center. We have season tickets at MTH, so we're there several times a year. There's a nice collection of stores and restaurants. Plus a Lego play store for the kids. The Museum of BBQ just opened less than a week ago here. There is a Sheridan's custard store. Halls is nice for shopping of money is no obstacle. Yikes! You can easily spend half to a full day here at Crown Center. It's also uniquely KC. read more

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I was disappointed by the Crown Center. The parking was confusing and there was little to no signage that showed where the entrance to the parking was. The amount of money that you had to spend for validated parking was very high. I had to spend more money to get validated parking than I would have spent on parking alone. The food there was good but not amazing. The number and types of shops available was very underwhelming. There are better options in Kansas City for shopping and entertainment. read more

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Alright, this updated review is really about how Crown Center handles holiday parking, and tl;dr: it's not great. First of all I'll say everything in my 2023 review remains the same, I still overall have a soft spot in my heart for this place, and will continue to return despite its shortcomings. The shortcomings though are worth noting if for no other reason than I hope someone reads this and takes them into consideration, especially as we have so many folks coming to KC soon for the World Cup. My biggest quip that would be an easy fix, is signage and wayfinding for parking. During the holidays and other large events Crown Center will close down parts of the roads to create more outdoor space. This is wonderful - I'm so glad they are doing this, the Hallmarket is a wonderful addition. The issue here though, is that it disrupts how folks enter, and where they park. For me, a local, this puts me into their parking garage across the street, mainly used for the ice skating rink and legoland. This is the lot I never use so I have no idea where it's putting me when I park my car. When we went in December for the Coterie I parked here thinking okay I'll get my parking validated at the theatre and it will be worth it. Wrong, I will never park over there again, it was such a nightmare. First of all, it took a LONG time to park due to crowds, and an even longer time to find our way over to the Coterie. The signage is abysmal. You are mostly navigating random halls on vibes and hoping for the right outcome. We found our way to Halls and from there it was obviously easy to get where we needed to go. Had that been all I had to deal with I'd still say we could get away with four stars at Crown Center but we got LOST on our way back to the car. While there is signage to Crown Center there is not great signage back to the garage. We got lost, asked for help, the help was not helpful, ended back up where we started, and eventually we got adopted by another family and together we figured it all out. This lack of wayfinding for a garage owned by Crown Center is honestly pretty embarrassing and I hope it gets fixed before the next big event. My second issue is with the Link. As someone who used to work near the Freighthouse I used to walk the Link from Union Station to Crown Center every day. I'm annoyed and saddened to report that despite this being such a great resource that many use and love, it is not well maintained. The temperature is a nightmare - it will be scalding hot in one section and then freezing cold in another. On top of that it's been leaking since at least 2018 with buckets collecting drips in the hallways. I know money must be tight but if this could be fixed it would really help with impressions of our amazing city. read more

Crown Center was on every list of things you must do with kids in KC and I don't understand why. I believe at one time it could have been but now it's just a mall with very few stores. The LEGO place closed so early we couldn't make it inside. It took us maybe 20 minutes to walk around and then we were done. We did enjoy watching the water fountains outside and my daughter spent some time playing in the train area downstairs. But overall it isn't something I would do again. read more

Crown Center - Watching the water show - Shopping Centers Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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A friendly family place to be especially during the holidays. They have added more affordable eateries.

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. read more

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I took my elderly parents to crown center as they wanted to go to the Hallmark store. Parking was abysmal. My folks use walkers and even then need close assistance. No close parking to the actual center -no handicap accessibility. Walked probably around a quarter of a mile up and down ramps to get inside the actual crown center! We asked multiple people about closer parking - none to be had. So sad for those with disabilities and handicapped tags. Once inside the food choices were abysmal. No sit down and order restaurants other than Fritz's that had an hour wait. Try to carry trays with walkers..... will not ever be back and highly recommend to avoid if you have a disability or have elderly with you!! read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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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! read more

Crown Center - Shopping Centers Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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 . read more

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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. read more

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! read more

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We found this to be one of the best places in KC! Visiting from out of town for a weekend, we were limited on time. I would recommend going to Crown Center over Union station if you had to choose. The food options were great and reasonably priced. They also had an ice cream shop. Most stores close relatively early but the restaurants stay open a little later. No other cities have something quite like this so I would def recommend a stop! There is a walking sky bridge that connects to union station so you could walk to check that out too. read more

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. read more

When I first visited Kansas City in the mid-80s Crown Center was one of two attractions locals told me I must see. The other was Country Club Plaza. I was disappointed to learn both were merely shopping malls. Since then Crown Center has become something of a novel recreation spot--especially for children. The Curious George exhibit is a FREE interactive play space. Fritz's Railroad Restaurant is a fun hamburger joint where meals are delivered by overhead train engines. The Crayola shop has everything crayon related, plus interactive projects and interesting exhibits. Restaurants, gift shops, and coffee and dessert places offer food and treat options. The center also connects to the adjacent Union Station attractions by skywalks so you never have to go outdoors. read more

This place is beautiful and very nostalgic for me. Great service, entertainment, and shops. Some shops I recommend are the crayola store, Fritz's, Starbucks, and chips chocolate factory. Their are great theaters in this mall. Musical Theater heritage is my favorite on the third floor. 5 stars would recommend! read more

I've been meaning to review Crown Center since my last visit, but I completely had forgotten. I stayed next door for a week for business at the Westin. I had the view of Hallmark cards, and I didn't know their HQ was huge. Having the Crown Center connected, it was convenient as I used it to burn off calories walking. I don't think it's the biggest mall, but for Kansas being indoor, it's a good thing especially during the winter. But, if you want to see local Kansas City I suggest you visit their "Historic City Market District." The only downside to Crown Center mall is that I didn't see a lot of good places for a good sit down dinning although, "Unforked" was nice and I did enjoy their burger and fries. Einstein bagels is located here too, but you'd have to find a place to sit outside the store. Shopping is also limited as they do not have brand name stores. The plus side however, they cater to local businesses which is great. Best of all, during Christmas, their ice skating rink draws many locals and visitors around. Cheers! read more

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I loved this place it brings me happiness. My family and I always have a good time. the customer service at every location I've been in there has been some of the best I've ever had. I appreciate the kindness of the workers and the starucks is delicious. This place has very good food places. The candy shops and Ice Cream Shops, The food places have a lot of options, like burgers, wings, and etc. read more

There should be a way to rate Crown Center and Crown Center at the Holidays separately. This place is a Christmas Mecca! The Mayor's Christmas tree rivals Rockefeller Plaza, IMHO, and the picturesque and climbable trains and workshop playground make it a fun stop for kids (of any age... See: 40yo husband). Snag dinner at Unforked or SPIN pizza, a bowl of warming chicken soup from the tea place (it's seriously among the best I've had), or a sweet treat from Sheridan's and wander through the Hallmark store or the outdoor plaza. Happy holidays! read more

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-they took Crayola cafe away an replaced it with a kinda nice Mexican restaurant which is really weird cause another complaint is -the fact that all the stores are for 3-8 year old girls like they are the ones driving and buying things. the entire place is for some reason now all about the children. -not to mention everything cost and arm and a leg now -half the place is a hotel and like convention or workspace (I'm so confused on what it is) so one wrong turn and you feel like ur in a lawyers office and workers will just let you through. -every time there is a school field trio here you can do anything except get ran over by unsupervised children. read more

One of our favorites, Crown Center never disappoints. Fantastic dining options, unique shopping, exciting kids activities, and lots of free fun! Fountains and flowers were showing off today! read more

One of the busiest shopping days of the year, and this place shuts down at 7pm. It's super packed today with lots of last-minute Christmas shoppers. It's also a Saturday night. Nobody expects a place to close at 7pm. Such a disappointment! We drove an hour to get here. Won't be coming back anytime soon. This place is way overrated, overpriced, and dining is nothing exceptional. Worst of all, they have horrible hours. Maybe change your hours to 9pm, like other businesses. read more

Mall located in downtown Kansas City. They Had a lot of unique shops and eatery's. But very large but still cool to check out. We were there during the holidays so they had there outside Christmas decorations and ice skating rink out. The family and I really enjoyed checking all that out. Kinda reminds you of a little rocks fella center with the huge tree and ice sharing rink. So that was a cool and unexpected surprise. read more

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A recent visit to Crown Center reminded me that it is STILL one of my favorite places to go after many, many years. I love the hotel which is wonderful & is across the street from Union Station (another fun place to visit), but the shops/eateries have always been my thing. What fond memories surface of going to the movies, roaming the three floors & shopping at my favorite boutiques/stores. My children grew up going to the Coterie Theater for performances at Christmas & My, What A Magical Time of Year! Much time has passed as many shop owners have come & gone. Halls, a long time tenant took over the entire third floor which was very disheartening at first. This change forced a variety of my FAVORITE stores to relocate to a different area of the building or leave altogether. Sadly, many left. I do love Halls a lot though & eventually my ill feelings faded (kinda/sorta). The classic song, 'Everything Must Change' rings true. Topsy's & Fritz's Railroad Restaurant remain old staples & Taste of Philly, The Old Fashioned Candy Store, Amy's Hallmark, Function Junction, Legoland Discovery Center, The Best of Kansas City, Crayola Kansas City & The Missing Piece (Hat Shop) have been around for quite a while, too. Newer eateries/shops have joined the Crown Center family over the years such as Burnt End BBQ, Curry In A Hurry, Spin! Pizza, Unforked, Sheridan's, Starbucks, Chips Chocolate Factory, European Accents, Cheeky Bird, Pen Place, Initial, Sportibles, Toy Time & more! Crown Center offers fun entertainment for adults & children alike such as Kaleidoscope, Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium, Ice Terrace & MTH Theater. It is a wonderful place to host a family reunion or business trip as enjoyment awaits & is conveniently housed under its roof. If one is adventurous enough there is The Country Club Plaza (which has also been around a long time) not far away as well as the newer/somewhat eclectic downtown/Crossroads area which has a variety of restaurants & oh, I mustn't forget The Power & Light District (dining, shopping, night life & sporting/entertainment events). Another feature of Crown Center is its location right across from the KC Streetcar line which can be utilized to travel Downtown, The P&L District & The Rivermarket. Heeeyyyy! Talk about convenient. I encourage others to visit & experience it for yourselves. I'm soooo glad it's still around & our family had the opportunity to make wonderful memories there. Here's hoping it remains for generations to come & my children's children will visit, too. Crown Center has definitely stood the test of time, thankfully, even a Pandemic! read more

This is one of my first memorable locations I visited in KC when I first moved here. They have a wide selection of restaurants and shops. I always thought it catered to the family crowd with the toy stores and Crayola stores. it's a good place to start if you are looking to spend the day in the heart of KC. Be sure to check out Frtiz's train restaurant. plus the parking is free on the weekends. read more

Crown Center - Shopping Centers Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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There aren't many malls in Kansas City, so it was nice to see a small shopping mall that we could look for souvenirs in. Unfortunately, there were only 2 stores (including a Best of Kansas City) that sold anything that resembled souvenirs -- magnets, keychains, etc -- and most of the souvenirs were not very attractive. We dropped by on a Saturday afternoon and parking was free (FYI: Apparently, parking is free on weekends). Besides the souvenir stores, there weren't many stores in this mall, but there was a small food court and quite a lot of foot traffic. Also, if you're thinking of doing clothing shopping, this is not that type of mall. There were boutique stores here and there, but not many retail chains, except for a hallmark. read more

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Great options for activities, shopping, and food!! We were able to try new foods, go see the aquarium, and find some great souvenirs.

I loved the concept of this: A "mall" with restaurants and shops that connects two hotel. But something about it was just weird. A lot of the restaurants were open, but empty. The stores were half opened / half closed. I was walking around with a colleague and we felt like we were the only ones in the place! Perhaps during the day it is more busy? We went at around 5PM, so not terribly late. In order to attract the business travelers, I'd recommend more shops and restaurants try to get more customers in. read more

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There's truly something for everyone here. There is the Hallmark visitors center which I like taking people to, there's merch for sale, childrens' play places, restaurants, and other shopping places. In the winter time, we came out here to ice skate as well. Make sure to get your validation from stores for 2 hour free parking, or you can get it from the Westin for 3 hour free parking. read more

It's a cute little spot with fun shops, very clean, and of course if you go during Christmas it's so beautiful. In the summer the best part is their big outdoor water fountain. read more

My all time favorite place to shop every time I'm I. Down town . Nice place to eat as well . Love the halls with the high brand in the mall . Beautiful clothing and shoes . read more

Crown Center - Shopping Centers Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

I like Crown center. It's certainly a great family friendly place. Awesome food options, lego land the aquarium are near by, the seating options are plentiful, many restaurants to choose from, shopping, and a theater!! Parking spaces are tight!!! The garage certainly needs an upgrade but parking is free with validation so it's doable. read more

Crown Center has always been one of my favorite stops as a mom to four. There is something for everyone, from the Crayola store, The Coterie Theatre, the pricey toy store with hard to find selections, Fritz's restaurant and Sheridan's Custard, Unforked. I could go on and on, but my favorite thing to bring the kids to is the FREE exhibits!! Crown Center is awesome at bringing the most interactive, almost always educational, quarterly changing, exhibits - free of charge. The only downfall is this is a tourist spot and also a field trip destination, so weekends and holidays can be crazy busy ... Awww, Holidays at Crown Center. That's a whole different story. Makes my Holiday Heart sooo happy! read more

A little something for everyone ice skating in the winter, lil movie theater, liv theater too, excellent combo to hit up along with union station. It has a decent food court....SPIN PIZZA...just opened there. I have brought many an outa towner here. Kids like to hit up kaleidoscope, the grand folk hallmark visitor center. up to 3 hour parking can get validated at any place with in crown center that a purchase is made. Mayor tree lighting ceremony before Christmas was brilliant. One of the few things I'm gutted about is they closed off their fountain, no more running through it during the summer, no more children striping down for a spray, hell I've seen adults do it and than American Red Cross and the snow cone van show up to pass out water and sugary ice. Really good memories, its still there but its just not the same. Still other nifty stuff to do though all year round. read more

Crown Center - Shopping Centers Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Crown Center is a shopping center but not a regular shopping center where clothes is the major comodity purchased. This was probably my first time walking around, there was 3 floors where the bottom floor had a Crayola kid play area and for Christmas time has Santa. When we were there either middle or high school choir students were singing current popular radio songs. Crayola has their store on 2nd floor along with Hallmark and other toy stores, good for Christmas gifts. Downstairs food court restaurants, Sheridan's Frozen Custard, and other restaurants. Hallmark visitor section and other part was closed when we arrived so we couldn't check that part out. read more

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Let me begin by disclaiming that I live next door so I might be biased, but really I just know all the things that make Crown Center Amazing! First off it's not your typical mall where you will find your sunglass hut, Hot Topic, and Hollister. No, they have boutique stores that are fun just to go in and take a gander. One of my favorite stores is Hall's KC. Basically a high end department store that carries styles and brands you won't be able to find at your standard box store. There is also a wide selection of food choices and restaurants that can be found on the first floor, from Pizza to Tacos they have it all. Have a sweet tooth? They have you covered with a Sheridan's and two candy stores that will have even the biggest Wonka fan leaving satisfied. It's not the unique stores or the great selection of restaurants that make this place so special as it is the the small performing art theaters that have live shows regularly! If you are not in to theater or comedy Crown Center still has you covered as it is home to Sea Life and LEGO Land. I don't have kids at the moment and I have been to both and would recommend Sea Life to anyone, but would suggest holding off on LegoLand unless you are with some little ones. Crown Center is also home to several big events such as the hospital hill run, the Mayor Christmas Tree lighting, Irish Fest, and many more I can't list here. In the winter they have an ice skating ring and in the summer they have movie night picnics in the yard. Finally, the best thing about Crown Center is it's location. It has a series of indoor walkways that connect CC to several hotels, businesses, and Union Station! I've literally walked from my bedroom to Union Station in my PJs during a snow blizzard! So if you live in KC or are just visiting for a weekend I Highly Recommend making this place a MUST SEE. As I hope everyone who comes will experience the magic of Crown Center as I do. read more