Omaha to Kansas City drive: Best stops, distance & driving time
The best stops on a Omaha to Kansas City road trip are the Missouri Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the Indian Cave State Park and the niche museums of St Joseph. By car, the distance from Omaha to Kansas City is 185 miles, with a 2h52m driving time.
Planning an Omaha to Kansas City road trip
The drive from Omaha to Kansas City, Missouri, is an adventure that largely follows the Missouri River.
Top Omaha experiences include electric bike rentals, scavenger hunts and the Henly Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
Good experiences in Kansas City include an indulgent food tour of the city’s best BBQ joints, Segway tours, the Sealife Aquarium and wine-tasting trips.
Omaha to Kansas City distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Omaha to Kansas City is 185 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 52 minutes.
The quickest route is along the I-29. The best stops along the Omaha to Kansas City drive are the Missouri Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the Indian Cave State Park and the weird museums of St Joseph.
Omaha to Kansas City drive: Missouri Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
Just outside Nebraska City, the Missouri Basin Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center gives great insights into the pioneering Lewis and Clark expedition that opened up the American west.
There’s a particular focus on the scientific aspects of the expedition, with the fish, birds and other wildlife discovered in the Missouri Valley.
Several walking trails depart from the Center. Head along the limestone bluffs, and you’ll get tremendous views of the Missouri River.
Attractions between Omaha and Kansas City: Indian Cave State Park
On the Nebraska side of the Missouri, Indian Cave State Park has lovely picnic spots, and 22 miles of hiking and biking trails. But the centrepiece is Indian Cave, an enormous cave with a boardwalk leading to it.
The informative signs along the boardwalk are worth reading, as they’ll tell you about the ancient Native American petroglyphs found within the cave. You can also get good views of the Missouri River from the boardwalk.
Omaha to Kansas City road trip stops: St Joseph
The biggest city between Omaha and Kansas City is St Joseph, Missouri. It is pleasingly dotted with riverside parks and niche museums.
The Pony Express National Museum celebrates the first fast mail service to the west coast. A relay system of horse riders connected St Joseph to Sacramento in California.
Meanwhile, the Glore Psychiatric Museum looks at St Joseph’s former lunatic asylum and the treatment of mental health through the ages. And the Walter Kronkite Memorial covers the life and work of the legendary CBS news anchor.
More Omaha road trips
Atlanta to Omaha | Chicago to Omaha | Omaha to Colorado Springs | Dallas to Omaha | Denver to Omaha | Omaha to Des Moines | Houston to Omaha NE | Omaha to Minneapolis | Omaha to Nashville | North Platte to Omaha | Omaha to Oklahoma City | Omaha to Phoenix | Omaha to Salt Lake City | Omaha to St Louis.
More Kansas City road trips
Atlanta to Kansas City | Boston to Kansas City | Kansas City to Chicago | Cincinnati to Kansas City | Kansas City to Colorado Springs | Kansas City to Denver | Kansas City to Des Moines | Kansas City to Indianapolis | Kansas City to Lincoln NE | Kansas City to Memphis | Kansas City to Minneapolis | Kansas City to New Orleans | Kansas City to New York City | Kansas City to St Louis | Tulsa to Kansas City | Kansas City to Wichita.