Kansas City isn’t exactly known for its great hiking trails. It’s not even known for being very walkable. But Lisa Peña has built a business proving that walking and hiking around KC isn’t just doable—it can open your eyes to the city’s many overlooked wonders, too.
Through Urban Hikes KC, Peña takes you through the city’s nooks and crannies to reveal its unique history, street art, coffee, sculpture gardens, tacos and more.
“I thought that KC would be a good place for this because we have so much history and outdoor art like sculptures and murals,” says Peña, a KCK native. “A lot of Kansas Citians don’t know the history of KC. I knew there was so much to be shared.”
Peña began Urban Hikes KC in 2019. She says her past work experience made transitioning into the role of “tour guide” easy. After college, Peña joined the Peace Corps as a health volunteer in the Dominican Republic. As part of that role, she gathered women for a three mile-hike to get their pap smears and they discussed health practices, like self breast exams, on the way. After the Peace Corps, she gave presentations as an educator at a child abuse prevention center and went on to become the manager of the Hispanic initiative for Girl Scouts.
“Whether I was giving kids a personal safety presentation or talking to Spanish-speaking moms about how to be a troop leader for Girl Scouts, I was always educating and connecting with an audience,” Peña says.
Urban Hikes KC started as a side gig for Peña. Now, it’s her full time job, and she employs eight other hiking guides. Peñas’ company offers 18 different kinds of hikes or walking tours, each exploring a different part of the city. If you think this sounds like an adventure strictly for out-of-towners, you’d be wrong. Eighty percent of Peña’s hikers are locals.
Some tours focus on art galleries while others take you foraging at Kaw Point Park or to local cafes for exclusive coffee tastings. There’s even one that delves into KC’s infrastructure and transportation history. Rain or shine, hot or cold, hikes are available throughout the year.
The winter hike, for example, is hosted in collaboration with the KC Streetcar and begins by exploring Hotel Kansas City, its origins as a men’s club and its storied history with political boss Tom Pendergast. After a stop for coffee at Made in KC’s cafe, “hikers” explore the 21c Museum Hotel’s current art exhibition and restaurant, The Savoy, which claims it’s the oldest restaurant in Kansas City. To finish, they take a ride on the streetcar.
As for Peña’s favorite hike, she can’t choose. It’s between the Strawberry Hill Urban Hike or the Crossroads’ West Side Urban Hike.
“The observation park in the West Side has a really great view of the KC skyline,” Peña says. “The majority of Kansas Citians have never been there before.”
Lisa Peña’s Perfect Day in KC
Rise and Shine: I’d take the free bus to breakfast at Seven Swans Crêperie. I’m a sucker for sidewalk cafes, and theirs is so nice. There’s a crepe that has lemon curd and blueberries and it is so delicious.
Bike Ride: I would rent a bike at RideKC. It’s really affordable and they have electric assists so they’re really easy to ride. I’d ride to the Freedom Trail in the West Bottoms where there’s a sculpture park. It’s a really peaceful park with native plants.
KCK: Then, I’d ride into KCK’s Strawberry Hill and stop at a Mexican restaurant on Sixth Street, Tarahumaras #2. I love their birria tacos. I’m ordering them with a consommé, no matter how hot it is outside.
Something Sweet: Across the street from Tarahumaras #2, I’d stop into Hey Sugar on Strawberry Hill for some artisan ice cream. It’s locally owned. They have a lot of flavors out of the norm, but I’m getting their lavender honey ice cream.
