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Independence · United States

Tours, tickets and day trips in Independence

The sights with published visitor numbers, the heritage listings, and the towns close enough for a day out.

OverviewFlightsHotelsTrainsBusesCar rentalTours
Most-visited sights in Independence with published visitor numbers (Wikidata)
SightVisitors a yearYear
Mid-Continent Public Library3,632,1702017
Harry S. Truman National Historic Site27,6702010

The busiest is Mid-Continent Public Library at 3,632,170 visitors in 2017. At that volume, anything with a gate is worth a timed ticket or an early start.

Day trips from Independence

Tours from Independence: distances and estimated journey times
RouteCountryDistanceEstimated time
Independence to Kansas CityUnited States18 km (11 mi)about 18 min
Independence to Overland ParkUnited States25 km (16 mi)about 25 min
Independence to OlatheUnited States42 km (26 mi)about 41 min
Independence to TopekaUnited States109 km (68 mi)about 1 h 46 min
Independence to ColumbiaUnited States180 km (112 mi)about 2 h 56 min
Independence to SpringfieldUnited States230 km (143 mi)about 3 h 45 min
Independence to LincolnUnited States270 km (168 mi)about 4 h 24 min
Independence to OmahaUnited States273 km (170 mi)about 4 h 27 min
Independence to WichitaUnited States298 km (185 mi)about 4 h 51 min
Independence to Des MoinesUnited States287 km (179 mi)about 4 h 40 min

Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.

Where to book tours and tickets

ExpediaTours, day trips and attraction entry, bookable alongside the flights and hotels. Part of Expedia Group.Find things to do on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
ViatorDay tours, skip-the-line entry and shore excursions, with free cancellation on many listings.Find tours on Viator (opens www.viator.com in a new tab)
GetYourGuideStrong European museum and attraction coverage with mobile tickets.Browse tickets on GetYourGuide (opens www.getyourguide.com in a new tab)
TiqetsFocused on timed museum and monument admission rather than guided tours.Get museum entry on Tiqets (opens www.tiqets.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.

Common questions

What is the most visited attraction in Independence?

Mid-Continent Public Library, with 3,632,170 visitors in 2017 (Wikidata).

How are the journey times on this page worked out?

From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.

Where these facts come from

  • GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
  • Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
  • OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
  • Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines

Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.