Bonne Hills - Kansas City, MO

Bonne Hills technically resides within Kansas City, overlapping with the larger neighborhood of Waldo, annexed into Kansas City in 1909. Waldo originally acted as a main railway stop in the mid-1800s but quickly grew into its own after several merchants moved into the area. As Kansas City, to the north, began to spread, it annexed Waldo and what would become Bonne Hills into what is now known as southern Kansas City.

Given its proximity to Kansas City, Bonne Hills has access to many of the art scene events, such as the annual Renaissance festival and the Downtown Art Annual, that Kansas City hosts.

Bonne Hills also lies near the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, which houses a sculpture garden as well as a Plains Indians exhibit highlighting the Native American history in the area. Admission to the museum costs nothing, and there proves to be plenty of free street parking.

There is no shortage of amazing cuisine in and around the neighborhood. Just north of Bonne Hills lies the Princess Garden Restaurant, a classic Chinese restaurant that has kept regulars coming in for decades. The spicy chicken, crab rangoon and lo mein with fresh vegetables have added flavor that trumps the Chinese cuisine served by any of its competitors. Not to mention, the chef carves the Peking duck at your table.

You can’t live in Missouri or Kansas and not appreciate the barbecue. B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ makes an art out of serving only the best ribs, sausages, brisket and ham, all cooked to perfection with original sauces. This moist, hot and hearty food comes with a no-frills dining atmosphere and regular live blues music for the avid fans.

You have to go in a bit further to Overland Park for Tatsu’s French Restaurant, but it proves worth the short journey. The best dishes include the flaky sea bass and the veal liver, which have become delicacies for the residents of Bonne Hills. The small, quiet dining atmosphere provides a break from the demanding day-to-day life while you experience the cuisine of another culture.

Other than the live music playing at some of the barbecue joints in the neighborhood, the local music venues remain few and far between in Bonne Hills. For the same reason, many residents head into either Overland Park or Kansas City proper for a better bar selection. However, the Piano Room, located just a mile from Bonne Hills, has become a well-loved dive bar with singing bartenders and piano playing on a regular basis.

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority works hard to provide Kansas City residents with efficient transportation methods. As a result, the MAX trains, as well as buses 175 and 57, have become popular methods of transportation, encouraging residents to leave their vehicles at home whenever possible.

Commuting from Bonne Hills by car, however, presents little issue. Though it might take you 5 to 10 minutes to get to either the I-49 or I-435 on-ramps, Kansas City proper only lies about 15 minutes away when you’re driving and traffic’s sparse. Wornall Road also presents a great way to travel from neighborhood to neighborhood. And, unless you’re in downtown Kansas City, parking remains cheap and easy to find.

Uber has become available in Kansas City, making it cheaper and faster for residents of Bonne Hills to travel to the surrounding neighborhoods. Traditional cab companies, however, still come to pick you up if you call and give them your location.

Unfortunately, because the restaurants and other points of interest spread throughout Bonne Hills, Waldo and Kansas City, walking takes a long time. Alternative transportation methods work better.

Few on-road bike lanes exist in the Bonne Hills area, though biking becomes safer the further you move into Kansas City. Many of the parks provide both paved and unpaved trails perfect for biking enthusiasts.

The first stop on your list of local parks to visit needs to be Jacob Loose Memorial Park. Complete with a rose garden, a lake, ducks to feed and magnificently crafted bridges, this park creates a calming atmosphere perfect for any afternoon. When it gets hot, the park opens a splash park for kids. This parks costs nothing to use and remains open to the public.

For more exercise-centric outdoor venues, head to Trolley Track Trail. This trail provides a convenient route for walkers, bikers, joggers and locals with dogs.

Though the parks around Bonne Hills rarely hold annual events, several venues in Northern Kansas provide free summer concerts for those looking for a low-cost night of fun.

Likely because Bonne Hills has become a part of south Kansas City, the cost of living remains very similar, though living in Bonne Hills cost 0.5 percent lower on average than Kansas City. Fortunately, the cost of living in Bonne Hills remains 5 percent lower than the national average, making the area very livable. Much of that decrease has to do with the cost of housing, as the rental rate remains steady at around $610 per month for a one-bedroom.

To get downtown via public transportation, you have to pay $1.50 for a one-way trip, and getting a beer at a local bar runs about $4. To fill up your gas tank, you pay about 2 percent less per gallon than the national average while living in Bonne Hills.

The largest upscale shopping center near Bonne Hills remains the Country Club Plaza, chock full of trendy, expensive stores, such as Cole Haan, Anthropologie and a handful of antique stores. Its many fountains, historic buildings and proximity to several parks make the Country Club Plaza a prime destination for all sorts.

Closer to Bonne Hills lies Stuff, a locally owned mix-and-match jewelry, home decor and craft store. True to the name, this store provides tons of stuff, such as gifts, trinkets, toys and games. Further in toward central Kansas City, the Bunker, a clothing store, stocks a wide selection of everything in fashion, from shoes to blouses and evening wear.

The primarily grocery stores for Bonne Hills residents include Hy-Vee and Whole Foods, though many locals prefer to saunter up to downtown Kansas City’s farmer’s market for produce.