Photo Locations
Great Places in KC for Portraits
While photos may be taken almost anywhere there are a number of popular, scenic or flexible locations that are the best places to take photographs in Kansas City. These locations often have a variety of colorful backgrounds, natural or man-made areas to sit and stand, hide the surrounding landscape or are easy to get to.
This list will change as I find new places to take photographs or decide a location is unsafe or undesirable. It is sorted by rough geographical area.
Blue Italic items are well suited or popular places in Kansas City to have a portrait taken.
Kansas City, Missouri- Downtown
Area between the Missouri River, Beardsley Rd/the state line, 31st St and US 71/I-35.
Mulkey Square Park (13th and Summit)
biking bridge over I-670, wooded area, gazebo, softball field
Barney Allis Plaza (12th and Central)
a long fountain next to the sidewalk, a pavillion with tables, views of downtown
Case Park (8th and Jefferson)
views of the skyline to the west and north, park benches with stone backings, stone picnic tables, a grassy field
City Market Park (3rd and Main)
18Broadway urban garden (18th and Broadway)
has a view of crown center, during growing season it is a vegitable garden. There is a steep slope that hides the background or the other direction has a great view towards crown center
Crossroads District Buildings
(16th to 22nd, Broadway to Grand)
Downtown Loop Buildings (6th to 14th, Broadway to Locust)
Ilus W. Davis Park (11th and Oak)
Views of the skyline
Town of Kansas Bridge (just north of 2nd and Main)
The upper level has a metal fence and views of the Missouri River and nearby bridges from 30 feet up. The lower level has access to the riverfront and a recreated wetland
Richard L. Berkley Riverfront Park from I-35 to under the A.S.B. Bridge (Front St. and Grand)
Views along the river, access to underneath three bridges
Liberty Memorial (Kessler and Wyandotte)
Penn Valley Park (29th and Wyandotte)
the memorial, views of Union Station, statues, grassy areas, fountains, a decorative wall
Crown Center, outside water fountain and park (2450 Grand)
An in-ground fountain in a pavillion, towers around, pieces of art
Washington Square Park (Pershing and Grand)
view of downtown to the north and crown center to the south, trees and paths
Railroad Footbridge at Union Station (22nd and Wyandotte)
Columbus Square Park (Charlotte and Independence Ave)
Heart of America Bridge Bike Path
West Bottoms
A triangle of Missouri and Kansas between the Missouri River, Kansas River, and the Railroad Lines next to the bluffs
Industrial Area (between I-70 and 12th St, Wyoming to Santa Fe)
Old warehouses and industrial buildings, railroad lines
Under thre 12th Street Viaduct (12th and Santa Fe, Bluff Street)
Kansas City, Missouri- Midtown/Westport
Roughly bounded by the state line, 31st St, Gillham Rd and 43rd St
Urban buildings (Westport Rd and Pennslyvania Ave)
Roanoke Park (Roanoke Blvd and Karnes Blvd)
Eagle Scout Fountain (39th St and Gillham Blvd)
Kansas City, Missouri- Plaza
Roughly bounded by the state line, 43rd St, Ward Parkway and Harrison
Country Club Plaza Shops
Mill Creek Park (46th Terr and JC Nichols Parkway)
Along Brush Creek (from Roanoke to Rockhill)
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Clever II and Oak)
sculpture garden and grounds. See this page for the museum's rules on photography
Southmoreland Park (46th and Warwick Blvd)
Frank A. Theis Park, Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden (48th and Rockhill)
grassy area, walled in European-style garden
Kaufman Legacy Park/Anita B. Gorman Conservation Area (4750 Troost)
Cancer Survivors Park (48th and Roanoke)
Just east of Southmoreland on the Plaza inn (116 E 46th St)
A wall has an overhanging bush that makes the path into half of an arch for 20 feet
Kansas City, Missouri- South Plaza
Bounded by the state line, Ward Parkway, Troost and 55th St
Loose Park (52nd and Wornall)
Grassy area, groves of trees, promenade, Victorian pond, rose garden, homes around
UMKC Campus
Kansas City, Missouri- Northeast
Bounded by I-35, the bluffs at Kessler Park, Truman Road and the Blue River
Kessler Park
trees, bluffs
The Concourse (Gladstone and St. John)
Kansas City, Missouri- East Side
South of Truman Road, East of downtown, midtown/Westport and The Plaza, north of Blue Parkway
Blue Valley Park (23rd and Topping)
Eastwood Park (Coal Mine Road)
grassy area, woods
Brush Creek Park (Cleveland and Blue Parkway)
Brush Creek, paths, grassy areas
Kansas City, Missouri- Greater Brookside
A rough area bounded by the state line, 55th St, Holmes and Gregory
Meyer Circle Fountain (on Ward Parkway)
Trolly Track Trail (along Brookside Blvd)
Reflecting Pool/Ice Rink (61st and Ward Parkway)
Urban Playground (58th and Brookside)
Arbor Vila Park (66th Terr and Main)
Arno Park (69th and Ward Parkway)
Kansas City, Missouri- Greater Waldo
A rough area bounded by the state line, Gregory, Holmes and 91st St
Sunnyside Park (84th and Summit)
South Oak Park (83rd and Oak)
forested area
Tower Park (75th and Holmes)
decorative white tower
Kansas City, Missouri- South
East of South Plaza, Brookside and east and south of Waldo, south of Blue Parkway, North of I-435/I-470
Swope Park (Crest Dr)
Indian Creek bike trail (99th and Holmes)
trees, creek access
Kansas City, Missouri- Far South
South of I-435/I-470
Minor Park (Blue River Road)
trees, grassy area, Blue River access
Longview Lake
Raytown
Cave Spring Park (Gregory and Blue Ridge Boulevard)
The River Community Center (72nd and Ralston)
Lee Kenagy Park (79th and Arlington)
Independence/Sugar Creek
Lipton Conservation Area (31st and Santa Fe)
Community of Christ Temple (outside) (Walnut and River Blvd)
Courthouse (Lexington and Main)
McCoy Park (Spring and Mill)
William Henry Harrison Park (Mike Onka Memorial Dr)
Blue Springs
Blue Springs Lake & Lake Jacomo
Badger Urban Conservation Area (Wyatt Road and Route 7)
forests, grassy area
Burrus Old Mill Park (Walnut and Woods Chapel)
field, tree line, trail, playground
Baumgarden Park (22nd and Ashton)
Keystone Park (Keystone Dr)
forested area
Lee's Summit
James A. Reed Wildlife Area
Banner Park (Columbus and Noeleen)
Deer Valley Park (Amanda and Neawanna)
Kansas City, Kansas
Wyandotte County Lake (to the north of 91st and Leavenworth Rd)
lake, unique spillway, views to the north, woods, trails, boat docks
Kaw Point Riverfront Park (Fairfax Trafficway and River City Drive)
Views of I-70 over the Kansas River, The Missouri River and downtown Kansas City, Missouri
Pierson County Park (55th and Douglas Ave)
large forested area, lake
Wyandotte County Park (126th and Riverview Ave)
large grassy area, lake
Edwardsville/Bonner Springs
Edwardsville Community Park (to the east of 11th and Blake)
wooded line, softball fields, grassy area
Missouri River woods (4th and River Falls Rd)
wooded section
Shawnee Mission inside I-435 loop, east of I-35
Antioch Park (66th and Antioch)
lake with gazebo, forested areas, playground
Austin Harmon Park (78th and Delmar)
skate park, water tower, playground, high school facilities
Santa Fe Commons Park (Santa Fe Dr and Conser Place)
bandstand, historic building, residental tower in background
Downtown Overland Park Tower (Santa Fe Dr and Conser Place)
Brush Creek beside Mission Hills Country Club (Belinder Ave and State Park Road)
Strang Park (Belinder Ave and State Park Road)
playground, grassy area
Shawnee Mission inside I-435 loop, west of I-35
Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park (87th and Lackman)
West end: small bandstand, pond, trees, train car, snake statue, red barn
East end: skate park, tennis, trees, playground
Werner Park (Merriam Dr just north of Johnson Dr)
bridge over Turkey Creek, woods, trail
Lackman Park (79th and Lackman)
Shawnee Mission west of I-435 and north of K-10
Shawnee Mission Park (87th st and Barkley Dr and 79th and Renner)
observation tower, lake, pond, woods, dog run area, trails, playground, beach, disk golf course
Lake Lenexa/Black Hoof Park (9053 Monticello Road)
unique lake spillway, forested area
Mill Creek Streamway (87th and Woodland)
Garret Park (47th St east of K-10)
Forested area, playground, grassy field, trails
Stump Park Park/Mid-America West Sports Complex (47th St and Woodland and Johnson Dr and Woodland)
North: soccer fields, softball fiends
South: softball fields, bridge, woods
Shawnee Mission south of K-10/I-435
Leawood Park (Lee Blvd far parking lot)
trees, creek access
Overland Park Arboretum (179th St and Antioch)
flower gardens, woods, fields
Stanley Nature Park south of Blue Valley High School (6200 W 159th)
forested area
Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead (13800 Switzer)
farm designed for children
Corporate Woods North park (109th and Indian Creek Parkway)
woods, creek, tunnel under I-435
Olathe
Ernie Miller Nature Park (K-7 and Harold)
North Kansas City
Macken Park (2700 Howell)
bluffs in background,
Town Square Park (19th and Erie)
quiet plaza between buildings
Children's Fountain Park (19th and Erie)
fountain, trees, water plant and bluffs behind
Kansas City, Missouri- Northland
Line Creek Park (NW 60th and N Waukomis)
Northland Fountain (Vivion and North Oak)
Fountain on almost year-round
Gladstone
Oak Grove Park (76th and North Troost)
pond, amphitheatre
Hobby Hill Park (76th and North Walnut)
Liberty/Pleasant Valley/Claycomo
Bennet Park (N Clayview and Bennet Park Road)
Downtown Liberty (W Kansas and N Main)
Wilshire Pond (Wilshire Blvd and Kings Highway)
Kearney/Excelsior Springs
Watkins Mill State Park (north of Hwy 92 and RA)
miles of trails, acrea of forest, a large lake with a beach, boat dock, picnic areas
Smithville
Smithville Lake
Riverside/Northmoor/Houston Lake
EH Young Riverfront Park (Argosy Parkway)
playground, river access, small treed area, baseball field, pavillion
Parkville
English Landing Park (S Main and Herb Bush Dr)