Kansas City Royals RV Camping Guide
Visit the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium and add to your Kansas City area RV trip with a baseball game in America's Heartland.
Event information
The Kansas City Royals are a small-town team relative to many of the major metropolis based clubs that make up MLB. That is not to say though that a trip to Kauffman Stadium on the Missouri side of the Kansas and Missouri border is any less fun than attending a game anywhere else in the country. Royals' fans are baseball crazy, and the stadium sits right next to Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs), giving visitors a real feel of what professional sport in the area includes.
Kauffman Stadium, located at 1 Royal Way in Kansas City, Missouri, is a venue that holds close to 38,000 fans when the Royals are playing well, and the summer air just feels like baseball weather. It is a stadium that is, along with Dodger Stadium, a perfect example of modernist stadium design, a concept that led to a lot of cookie-cutter facilities in the late 1960s and early 1970s. What makes the park stand out is the fans, with the Kansas City faithful, and their BBQ love, showing up for the region on game days.
The stadium has been updated many times through the years, with a 2007-2009 renovation meaning it feels more like a modern facility than something from baseball's past. Royals Stadium has also recently been a concert venue for big-time acts, with Billy Joel having played on site in 2018 and with more events planned for travelers to discover and enjoy over the coming years.
Kansas City is ideally located on the stretch of I-70 between Denver to the west and St. Louis to the east. That makes Kauffman a natural stop for RVers or campers looking to hit a number of baseball stadiums in the region over the course of a long weekend.
After buying tickets for a Kansas City Royals game, be sure to find the right RV park or camping spot nearby and make the most out of your vacation in the area.
Tickets
Baseball tickets come in all types of packages and can be as cheap or as pricey as you want them to be. The best place to buy your tickets is from the Kansas City Royals ticket office online, where you can build your own plan for exactly what you want from your trip.
Single-game tickets are typically as little as $15 to $20, with slightly higher prices when the more prominent teams in the sport roll through town. If you are feeling fancy, then there are suites and boxes available where the typical baseball experience is taken to another level of hospitality and fun.
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Transportation
Driving
As with any sports venue, it is better to err on the side of caution and get to the stadium area as early as possible. There are plenty of rest stops and truck stops on the way to Kansas City, so be sure to rest and take some time getting into the area for a safer journey.
The drive into Kansas City is as flat as a pancake on I-70 after you leave Denver or St. Louis behind, and the smells of BBQ in the air may hit your nose before you get to Arrowhead Stadium.
When heading to the stadium, you will be looking for signs for the Sports Complex, no matter where you started. Be aware that there are some significant closures on the route coming from I-435 that will impact the 2020 season commute.
Parking areas
Kauffman Stadium has a better location for parking than many MLB stadiums as it was built as part of the sports complex that also houses the considerably larger Arrowhead Stadium. While it might be tricky to get into the parking lots because of traffic, there are lots around the facility that allow RV parking in them. These lots have typically been priced at $15 for cars, $20 for oversized vehicles, and $25 for RVs in recent seasons. Note that day-of-parking is cash only.
Public Transportation
Parking is pretty straightforward at Kauffman Stadium but there are public transportation options available if you are looking to leave your Class A or Pop-up at the RV park and reduce your carbon footprint on game day. The KCATA offers a shuttle bus that starts in the downtown area, passing through midtown and by the Plaza before heading to the stadium. This would be a good option for anyone looking to get some food or wanting to see some of the sights in the area before the first pitch is thrown.
Where to stay
Onsite
There is no camping on site at Kauffman Stadium when you are attending a Kansas City Royals game. This is true regardless of whether or not you have a small tent or a monster RVs. The good thing is that there is plenty of camping in and around the Kansas City area that will make your trip comfortable and fun. If needed, you can bring an RV to the game and park near the stadium during the day.
Nearby
Getting tickets to a Royals game is just the first step towards your vacation in the Kansas City area. The next big call is deciding which of the Kansas City RV parks or state parks in the area is going to be best suited for you and your traveling companions to stay. Kansas City East / Oak Grove KOA is about 20 miles to the east and is easy to find along I-70.
One excellent option is Weston Bend State Park which is just north of Kansas City. This park offers a campground with electric hookups, and water is available in the warmer months of baseball season. Other RV parks in the area may have extra amenities and things for the kids to do offering convenience and family fun.
Getting around
Getting around the Kansas City area is easy enough as everything is well-posted from all directions. When you get to the game, you will also find Kauffman Stadium an easy facility to navigate as the extensive renovations during the years have been made with fan comfort and convenience in mind. You might want to allow time to walk around some of the lots before the game as the Royals fans have been known to tailgate near Kauffman Stadium, especially if the game is on the weekend.
What to pack
Clothing
The weather in the Kansas City area is notably fickle. This is a city that can see all four seasons in a day, with snow, sun, rain, and fierce wind potentially combining for 24 hours of ever-changing weather. Checking a weather app for the weather on game day is simply a must, and even then load the RV with just about everything you own in case the weather does change rapidly.
Make sure whatever you pack is Royals' blue with the logo loud and prominent. In the summer, the weather will likely be hot, especially in the open element seating, so shorts and a t-shirt should be all that is required. Layers will be important for the seasons at either end of the annual baseball schedule.
Gear
Kauffman Stadium has everything you need for the game, and the vendors in the stadium will take either cash or card, depending on what is best for you. If you want to enjoy the game with a beer, then remember to bring your driver's license or some other form of ID.
The rest of the trip is really up to you. Taking camping and cooking supplies is always going to make a journey more of an adventure. Bring some Royals lawn chairs and sit outside the camper listening to the sounds of the plains at your campground for a real Midwestern experience.
Health & Safety
In the summer, sunscreen is going to be an absolute must in Kansas City. The sun is often hot, and there might be little relief during your walk to the stadium or in your assigned seats. A ball cap and sunglasses will be important too if you want to avoid the pitfalls of the sun.
Remember to hydrate copiously both on game day and also during any activities you do around Royals Stadium. A well-stocked first-aid kit in the RV is also going to be important, especially if there are kids involved.
Where to eat
Cooking
While tailgating at Royals games often happens, it is always worth checking the rules regarding cooking and open flames wherever you are going to park. The great thing about an RV is that even if cooking isn't allowed in your parking area at the game, you haven't wasted much space by taking the grill with you. If you are allowed to use an open flame where you park near Royals Stadium or at the campground, then plan ahead and hit up local grocery stores for some Kansas City beef for steaks and burgers.
Restaurants
If you go to Kansas City and don't eat at some (or all) of the local BBQ favorites, then you have missed out on some of the best 'cue in the entire country. This is slowly smoked meat at its very best, with some of the finest examples being found in the back of gas stations and other small eateries. If BBQ isn't your thing, then Kansas City is an international city with food from every region on the menu.
Vendors
If you were late heading to the game, or if you want to continue the tradition that is combining baseball with food, then you will find plenty of options to eat and drink at Kauffman Stadium. The stadium prides itself on crazy ballpark food, with offering in recent years including a cheese-stuffed, tempura-battered burger and a plastic baseball helmet filled with tater-tots and covered in brisket and queso. Be ready to enjoy the madness.
Safety
Security
Security at KC Royals games starts with a bag search and wand check prior to entering the stadium. Newer regulations have meant that any bag taken into Kauffman Stadium must fit within a 16" x 16" x 8" space. Items will be thoroughly inspected, meaning no large backpacks, bags, or coolers will be allowed into the facility for safety reasons. The stadium staff is also expected to report any instances of abusive language or public intoxication, meaning that Royals games take place in a relaxed and family-friendly atmosphere.
Weather
As noted above in the clothing section, expect anything when it comes to weather in the middle of the country and Kansas City in particular. Along with the constant threat of evolving weather, the spring and summer months can bring extreme storms to the region that include huge hails stones, lightning, and even a tornado. There are policies in place for all these extreme weather events, so keep an eye on your weather app and know what to do in advance should the weather turn severe.
Medical
Kansas City is well renowned for its hospital system, and the University of Kansas Health System provides the medical and first-aid services at the ballpark. There is a main first-aid office on the plaza level of the stadium, with a satellite office behind home plate. Staff also know where these are, so anyone needing assistance should be able to find the facilities quickly. There are also major hospitals within a three-mile drive should anything more serious be required.
