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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Kearney
Kearney, Missouri
Half-day stop on the way to or from Kansas City: see Jesse James Farm, walk the square, then move on. One night only if you're visiting family or attending the Jesse James Festival.
Kearney is a small town (population about 8,400) best known as the birthplace and burial site of outlaw Jesse James. The main draw is the James Farm County Park with its museum and grave. The historic square has a few shops and diners. Most travellers visit as a 2–3 hour detour from Kansas City, about 40 minutes north on I-35.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Kearney, Missouri
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid), Jan–Feb (cold)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $90–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner) | $2–3 |
| Lunch at a diner or café | $10–15 |
| Dinner entrée at a sit-down restaurant | $15–25 |
| Beer (domestic, bar) | $4–6 |
| Gasoline (per gallon, regular) | $3–4 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MCI · Kansas City International Airport
- About 40 min south via I-35; rental car needed
Typical fares
- KCI Airport → Kearney (taxi or rideshare)
- about $50–70, 40 min (check)
- Kansas City → Kearney (taxi or rideshare)
- about $60–80, 40 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The square, James Farm and hotels are spread along Centerville Ave / MO-92. No public transit.
See and do
Known for
- Jesse James Farm and Museum
- Jesse James Festival (annual, mid-September)
- Small-town historic square
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | I-35 south, about 40 min | 40 min |
| Independence | I-35 south then I-70 east, about 50 min | 50 min |
| Lee's Summit | I-35 south then MO-291, about 45 min | 45 min |
| Warrensburg | MO-92 west then US-13 south, about 1 h 10 min | 1 h 10 min |
Sleep
- I-35 corridor (Centerville Ave)
- Chain hotels near the highway; walkable to a few restaurants but not the square.
- Historic square area
- No hotels directly on the square; nearest is Quality Inn about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) south.No hotels directly on the square; nearest is Quality Inn about 0.9 mi (1.5 km) south.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the restroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- James Farm is closed on Mondays (check current hours).
- No Uber or Lyft coverage is reliable; arrange your own car.
- The Jesse James Festival draws crowds in mid-September; book accommodation early.
Very safe small town. Standard precautions: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kearney yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jesse James Farm and Museum
- Jesse James Festival (annual, mid-September)
- Small-town historic square
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- James Farm Museum: jessejamesmuseum.org
- Wikivoyage: Kearney (Missouri), revision 5177953 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5177953
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
KearneyKearney, Missouri
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is universal; no language barrier.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kearney-missouri). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.