With the flip of a switch on Thanksgiving evening, the Seville-inspired Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, is suddenly illuminated with hundreds of thousands of colorful lights that burn brightly each night through mid January. These publicly accessible spots are the best places to photograph the Kansas City Plaza lights.
Across the nation, Thanksgiving is often the official start of the Christmas season. After enjoying a hearty feast of savory turkey, scrumptious sides, and pumpkin pie, many Americans will trim the Christmas tree and otherwise transition from one family-and-friends-filled holiday to the next.
In the middle of America, tens of thousands of Kansas Citians push back from their Thanksgiving tables and head to the Country Club Plaza to enjoy one of Kansas City’s oldest traditions. With the streets closed to traffic, pedestrians fill 15 blocks of the upscale, Seville-inspired outdoor shopping district to kick off Christmas with the Country Club Plaza Lighting Ceremony.
With a backdrop of live holiday music and ornate horse-drawn carriages reminiscent of a Disney movie, a special guest and a child helper chosen randomly from the crowd flip the switch at precisely 6:54 pm on Thanksgiving evening, transforming the dark (often cold and sometimes dreary) night into a spectacular scene full of bright bulbs and holiday cheer.
This colorful tradition began in 1925 with a single strand of 16 rainbow-colored lights strung above a doorway. Today when you visit the Country Club Plaza between Thanksgiving and mid January, you’ll see more than 80 miles of lights with 280,000 multi-colored bulbs outlining every window and tower.
Here are the 10 best places to see the Plaza lights in Kansas City when you visit daily from 5:00 pm to 3:00 am between Thanksgiving evening and mid January.
Have You Visited the Kansas City Plaza Lights?
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1. From the Rooftop of the Giralda Parking Garage
Located at 4745 Wyandotte St. near the Cheesecake Factory, the rooftop of the Giralda Parking Garage is not only a convenient place to park to tour the Kansas City Plaza lights; it’s also a great place to photograph them. And, if you haven’t been to the Country Club Plaza before, there’s more good news! Garage and street parking is always free on the Country Club Plaza. In fact, the only time you have to pay for parking is if you use one of the valet services offered by Plaza restaurants.
This location allows you to get up close and personal with the beautiful Giralda Tower, illuminated in soft white lights. This Kansas City landmark is a half-scale replica of the original 12th-century Giralda Tower in Seville, Spain.
Sage Advice: For those heading overseas, here’s the perfect Seville itinerary for a two-day stay, including a visit to the real Giralda Tower.
2. By the Fountain of Bacchus in Chandler Court
In addition to being known as the Barbeque Capital of the World, Kansas City is also called the City of Fountains. In fact, the red, white, and blue triband flag of the city features a fountain shooting water in the shape of a heart at its center. So this recommendation for the best place to see the Kansas City Plaza lights is one of several that features a fountain.
Back to Bacchus…
Installed and dedicated in 1967, this five-ton fountain was originally the centerpiece of the Moreton Estate in Warwickshire, England, before it immigrated to Kansas City.
Pro Tip: Explore more of the Country Club Plaza and her amazing fountains with this interactive scavenger hunt or this urban hike.
3. At the Mermaid Fountain
With two alabaster mermaids blowing water out of conch shells, the Mermaid Fountain located at 4747 Broadway Boulevard is a great place to see the Kansas City Plaza lights. Between the twin, 300-year-old Italian mermaids is a small bronze sculpture of a child kneeling in prayer. As you photograph the Country Club Plaza lights from this spot, be sure to follow tradition and do as directed on the small plaque: toss in a coin and say a prayer for the children at Mercy Hospital.
4. At the Pomona Fountain
Just a few steps south of the Mermaid Fountain, the Pomona Fountain sits at the intersection of Ward Parkway and Broadway Boulevard. With both hands full of plump grapes, it should be no surprise that the life-size bronze beauty featured in this fountain is the Roman goddess of vineyards and orchards. As she gazes across Ward Parkway toward Brush Creek, she provides one of my favorite views of the Plaza lights.
5. From the South Bank of Brush Creek
A small tributary of the Blue River, Brush Creek marks the southern border of the Country Club Plaza. By crossing Brush Creek via the pedestrian Sister City Bridge or the red-lantern-lined Wornall Road Bridge, you’ll get a different perspective of the Kansas City Plaza lights.
To capture different parts of the Plaza, including the light reflected in Brush Creek, explore locations along Ward Parkway as well as right along the water. You’ll also capture different views traveling both east and west of Wornall Road on Ward Parkway.
6. By the Married Love Statue of Sir Winston and Lady Clementine Churchill
Installed at the intersection of Ward Parkway and Wornall Road, just across from the Intercontinental Kansas City at the Plaza, is a bronze, larger-than-life statue of the Churchills. World leaders Winston Churchill and Missouri-farm-boy-turned-president Harry Truman worked closely to bring an end to World War II and remained close friends after leaving office.
Fun Fact: Although this sculpture was specially commissioned for this location, a small-scale version of Married Love is on display at the National Churchill Museum in Fulton, Missouri, where Churchill delivered his famed “Iron Curtain” speech at Westminster College in 1946.
7. From One of the Bridges Spanning Brush Creek
As you walk back toward the Country Club Plaza across one of the two bridges spanning Brush Creek, you’ll see several prime photo opportunities. Because I love the ornate lanterns on the Wornall Road Bridge, and because it takes me to the heart of the Country Club Plaza, it’s my preferred return path.
8. At the Neptune Fountain
Installed in 1953, this cherished Country Club Plaza fountain was pulled from the top of a train car full of scrap metal and purchased based on its 8,000-pound weight. With a trident in his right hand and clad in a cape and loincloth, the ripped Roman god drives his trio of water-spewing steeds through the shallow waters of his namesake fountain toward the Shake Shack just across 47th Street. After all, even Roman gods gotta eat.
9. From the Center of the Street
I’m not suggesting that you walk out into traffic, set up your tripod, and expect the world to revolve around you. However, several of the roads on the Country Club Plaza have medians where it is possible to get a unique perspective on the lights without putting yourself, your camera equipment, or anyone else in harm’s way.
Running east and west through the heart of the Country Club Plaza, 47th Street is one of the best options to photograph the Kansas City Plaza lights from the center of the street. But there are surely others, so keep an eye out as you explore the Country Club Plaza during the holidays.
10. Above the Country Club Plaza on the Balcony Parking Garage Rooftop
Just above the Neptune Fountain and Made in KC Marketplace, with a bird’s-eye view of the urban island that contains the Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse, the rooftop of the Balcony Parking Garage at 4619 Broadway Blvd. is another fantastic place to photograph the Plaza lights.
Peer over the edge facing Wornall Road for a view of the Fogo de Chão tower with the Giralda Tower and Commerce Bank Building in the background. Or look west across 47th Street toward The Classic Cup Cafe for an entirely different view.
The other thing I love about this spot is the opportunity it provides to frame the lights in a unique way using the intricate brickwork of the parking structure.
Tips for Photographing the Kansas City Plaza Lights
It’s taken me a few visits to the Country Club Plaza to capture this collection of images. Here are a few tricks I learned along the way about how to photograph the Country Club Plaza lights.
- Try photographing the lights at different times. I originally thought the best photographs would be late at night when it was very dark and there wasn’t much traffic. But by taking photographs earlier in the evening, right as the lights were illuminated at 5:00 pm, the sky looked totally different. And, it was often better to have more traffic (in order to create white and red lines) than a single car.
- If you’re shooting the Kansas City Plaza lights with a DSLR camera (or another device with this option), adjust your white balance to tungsten. This setting will help ensure that the Plaza lights have a more natural (and less yellow) glow.
- In order to get crystal clear shots with starburst lights and lines of color from traffic, you’ll need a tripod.
- Start with an ISO setting of 400 and experiment as needed. You’ll probably not want to go above an ISO of 800, and you’re likely to see a reduction in quality for each increment above 400.
- Take your photos using manual mode. This skill can be intimidating and overwhelming to master. In fact, it took me three trips to the Country Club Plaza before it clicked in my brain. Here’s what worked for me. First, I set the shutter speed. If the scene had a lot of traffic, I chose a longer shutter speed, usually between 3.2 and 8 seconds. (On my Canon, those settings look like 3”2 and 8”.) With the shutter speed determined, I set my aperture for whatever value got me to the center of the light meter in my viewfinder.
- To minimize shake, use your camera’s timer function. I set mine for two seconds so I could push the button and then move away from the camera and tripod before the photo was taken. Of course, you can also use a wireless or remote shutter release.
Best Country Club Plaza Hotels to See the Kansas City Plaza Lights
- The Raphael – Part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, The Raphael Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel in Kansas City.
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Kansas City Plaza – Located in the West Plaza neighborhood, this comfortable hotel is just a few blocks from the heart of the Plaza.
- Residence Inn by Marriott Kansas City Country Club Plaza – This hotel is located just north of the Balcony Parking Garage spot recommended for great photos of the Country Club Plaza lights.
- Hampton Inn & Suites Kansas City Country Club Plaza – This hotel is located in the northwest corner of the Country Club Plaza.
- The Fontaine – This luxury hotel with 132 guestrooms and suites is located on the southwest corner of the Country Club Plaza.
- InterContinental Kansas City at The Plaza – Near the intersection of Ward Parkway and Wornall Road, the InterContental is one of the most popular places to stay on the Country Club Plaza
- Sheraton Suites Country Club Plaza – This all-suites boutique hotel on the Country Club Plaza is dog-friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Kansas City Plaza Lights
Where is the Country Club Plaza?
Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza spans several city blocks between Jefferson Street and Baltimore Avenue just north of Ward Parkway and Brush Creek. Visit the Country Club Plaza by entering 4706 Broadway Boulevard into your preferred navigation device.
How long are the Plaza Lights on in Kansas CIty?
With the Lighting Ceremony on Thanksgiving evening, the Country Club Plaza Lights are illuminated daily from 5:00 p.m to 3:00 am until mid-January.
How much does it cost to see the Country Club Plaza Lights?
There’s no cost to stroll through the Country Club Plaza and enjoy the beautiful holiday lights. But you may be tempted to grab a hot chocolate to sip as you wander, enjoy a delicious meal, or make a few purchases when you visit!
What can you do in Kansas City near the Plaza Lights?
As an upscale shopping district, the Country Club Plaza is full of delicious eateries and great places to shop. See the Plaza in a new light via an urban hike. You can also enjoy a Segway tour or horse-drawn carriage ride through the Plaza to see the lights from a unique perspective!
Beyond the Plaza, enjoy Kansas City’s delicious barbeque with the Original KC Barbecue Tour or tour the Tom’s Town Distillery and enjoy a tasting.
Have You Visited the Country Club Plaza Lights?
What was your favorite spot to take in the colorful Country Club Plaza lights? Do you have any other tips or advice to pass along? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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Kansas City Plaza Lights look stunning. I would like to take some pictures by night with those illuminations. Great that you provide so many tips with the best spots to admire them.
I loved the view of the Kansas City Plaza lights from the bridge and Neptune’s Fountain. Wonderful photos – Makes me excited for the upcoming holiday season!
Neptune’s Fountain is so gorgeous, especially during the holidays!
Thanks for sharing all these spots! So festive!
Such a great post! I love night time lights. You make it easy to find the perfect vantage point!
We did the Rooftop Garage of the Coubtry Club Plaza!!! Awesome!
Beautiful photos and “illuminating” post!
Wow, this city definitely goes all out! What great US destination that definitely is not a day trip with this fantastic light display. I love that you shared tips for night photography. It is something I have not attempted to try, but you are very encouraging and helpful with your advice.
I don’t think I would be as adventurous as you, setting up the tripod in the middle of traffic, or median as you suggested. Hopefully you were honked at too much.
Believe it or not, it’s actually quite convenient to set up a tripod in the median and completely out of the way from both traffic and other pedestrians. Thankfully!
The Seville-inspired Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, illuminated with hundreds of thousands of colorful lights looks very beautiful. I would love to go for this place for this amazing lights show. Thanks for sharing.
What a stunning holiday light display! I’m planning to visit Kansas City this spring, but I think I also need to visit at Christmastime to see this in person.
Come close to Thanksgiving because it’s usually warmer then than in December or early January!
Well now! I have to add this to my “Christmas illuminations to see in the U.S.” list immediately. I had heard of Country Club Plaza Christmas lights, but had no idea they were so spectacular!
It’s definitely a beautiful and cherished tradition here in KC!
I so enjoyed visiting this summer but these holiday lights really make it spark! As someone who is always looking for the best angle, I appreciate you sharing these spots. And how cool that they have their own hashtag. I’m saving your photography tips – night shots are my weakness!
You should plan on coming out next year between Thanksgiving and mid January and we’ll bundle up and go run around and practice night shots!
I’ve never heard of this event and it looks just amazing. I love that random people are selected from the crowd to flip on the switch. The fireworks in the backdrop really kickoff the lights! Great tip about shooting when there are more cars around as opposed to a single car.
Well, there is always a local start that flips the switch, but a kiddo is selected out of the crowd at random to assist. It’s such a pretty thing to see at the holidays! (Especially now that we got our first snow!)
Loved your images of the lights. I learnt about the connection to Churchill, I didn’t ever know about that until now
Yep! There is a big connection to Churchill here in the Midwest since Truman (from Missouri) was the President at the end of WWII.
Wow! I never knew ‘this’ existed! I would definitely like to take my family here sometime during the holidays to check out the amazing lights!
It’s such a gorgeous tradition! A great way to see it is via one of the horse-drawn carriages that will trot down all of the streets.
What a fantastic light display! I appreciate your thorough list of locations and photography advice. It’s wonderful to read through your expertise.