First things first: Kansas City is in Missouri, not Kansas. It's located on the banks of the Missouri River, on the Lewis & Clark Trail. For more than a half-century, it's been known for jazz music (centering on the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District) and barbecue (cooked "low and slow"). It's also always been affordable and friendly—a bit of a people's choice among the landlocked states. Adding to its perennial blue-collar appeal: Country Club Plaza, billed as the first-ever shopping mall, and four Vegas-style "full gaming" casinos (including a new Harrah's Hotel & Casino). The city has two major league sports teams, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals. With the downtown district currently undergoing a $4.5 billion transformation, K.C. is a bright spot in the heart of "flyover" country.