“You seem like a Swiftie. I’ll play some Taylor Swift,” says my Kansas City Uber driver as I rush into his SUV. I peer down at my nondescript outfit.
“How could you tell?” I ask, bewildered by the accurate read. “I just had a feeling,” he replied with a laugh. I brace myself for the eye roll: Although I’m excited to be visiting the city that served as the backdrop of her romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, I’m wary of the “dads, Brads and Chads” (as Swift refers to them) who complain about the pop star’s presence in their precious world of football.
Instead, I’m met with a refreshing positivity upon arrival in Missouri’s largest city: “I just love Taylor and Travis,” says my driver before turning the volume to 13 (Swift’s lucky number). For Swifties, the concept of Taylor Swift tourism isn’t new: Not only have fans been flocking to the cities on her Eras Tour, we’ve made the pilgrimage to the former New York City apartment she laments in “Cornelia Street,” jaunted around London to the neighbourhoods she sings about on “London Boy,” and admired the flashing lights of the Eiffel Tower at midnight, just as she does in her song “Paris.” It’s silly and all in good fun, but Taylor-inspired travel is also a way to gain a deeper understanding of the songs that have become the soundtrack to our lives.
Kansas City is the latest setting to her love songs, but unlike New York, London or Paris, it’s a somewhat befuddling locale for the romance between Swift and Kelce: Can it really compare to the cities that have inspired her in the past, especially when Swift’s mere existence at K.C.’s football games results in waves of public outcry? This is what I set out to learn when, much to my delight, I was invited on this Swift-themed press trip to Kansas City.
My trip centres around the Chiefs home opener football game, one that Swift herself is rumoured to be attending. For the event, I don a cheeky Swift-themed T-shirt, which is emblazoned with “Rookie of the Year” in bold letters and accompanied by images of Swift at Chiefs games. I accessorize with red heart-shaped sunglasses (as worn in the “22” music video) and Chiefs-themed friendship bracelets.
Still, I feel a bit vulnerable in the sea of red-and-gold Chiefs merch as I enter the stadium. Relief washes over me as I’m greeted with smiles, winks and thumbs-up gestures by everyone who clocks my outfit. Once I find my seat, I realize I’m directly across the field from where Swift is sitting — a Kansas City miracle! Despite my warm reception at the Chiefs game, I’m apprehensive about outing myself as a diehard Swiftie as I make my way through Kansas City.
I drop bread crumbs here and there to see if I get any nibbles from fellow fans, but my demure attempts are unnecessary: Everywhere I go, I find figurative love letters to Swift. At Shop Local KC in the charming Brookside neighbourhood, I find an endless selection of locally made Swift merch that’s so thoughtfully detailed, it could only be made by true fans: “Merry Swiftmas” wrapping paper, alongside stickers and key chains with cheeky sayings like “Taylor Swift is my therapist,” and everything from travel mugs to sticky notes featuring illustrations of Swift and Kelce. A few blocks away at EB and Co.
, I discover headbands and hairbows themed to every Swift era; a greeting card that reads “I love you more than Taylor loves that guy on the Chiefs”; and a whole wall of Taylor- and Chief-themed earrings. On a sunny bench a few stores down, I spot free handmade Chiefs friendship bracelets up for grabs, another sweet nod to Swift’s influence. The more I dig for signs of Swiftie bad blood among locals, the more I’m met with passionate support for the couple’s relationship.
Contrary to my preconceptions, I’ve landed in the Swiftie safe space my heart has longed for. I spend the rest of my visit blissfully dining out at the places where Swift and Kelce have been spotted. At Rye, the slick American comfort food restaurant where Swift dined with other Chiefs wives and girlfriends, I tuck into the oversized, fluffy cinnamon roll that Swift reputedly ordered after learning it was Kelce’s favourite.
It’s served warm and smothered with icing, and my eyes roll back into my head from sheer buttery cinnamon roll pleasure upon first bite. At Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que, I indulge in Kelce’s go-to order — ribs with a Cherry Pepsi — and proclaim the ribs the best I’d ever had. They’re supremely tender without falling apart, and you can taste the hours of expert smoking that went into them.
It’s no surprise the restaurant is as famous for its barbecue as it is for long lines. At Piropos, the Argentinian steak house where Kelce brought Swift for an intimate date night, I copy their order and start with the flaky empanadas filled with richly spiced beef, olives and raisins, a flavour combination that works so well I vow to try it out at home. Next, I dive into the blackened mahi-mahi served over luscious lobster risotto, the fish so tender it almost melts into my fork.
Throughout all my meals, my servers drop casual details about Kelce and Swift’s dining experiences, which I eat up with a spoon — the cherry on top of a fabulous Swiftian trip. While Kansas City may not have the same international reputation as the other places that have inspired Swift’s music in the past, it struck me as a fascinating peek into her present: a city that’s so full of such genuine support, appreciation and delicious food, it’s easy to see how she fell in love here in the first place. Lara Buchar travelled as a guest of Visit KC, which did not review or approve this article.
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