Belton, Grandview & Kansas City Railroad Co.
502 East Walnut St
Belton, MO 64012
816/331-0630
Located about a 30 minute drive from downtown KC in Belton, a town built by the railroad, this all-volunteer operation recreates small town railroading from the 1930's through the 1950’s. Hop aboard such cars as a 1920's open window coach, a 1960's open-air flatcar with picnic tables, and a 1970's red caboose pulled by a 1957 diesel-electric locomotive, and enjoy a 45-minute round trip excursion to the past.

Crown Center
2405 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
816/274-8444
Crown Center, home of the international headquarters of Hallmark Cards, is an enclosed shopping and entertainment center with more than 60 shops, 20 restaurants, offices, theatres, cinemas, an ice skating rink, two hotels and covered free parking. The center’s completion was a catalyst for the success of revitalizing the city's inner core. On site, the Hallmark Visitors Center tells the history of the greeting card company whose humble beginnings date to the 1910. Through 14 exhibits such as World War II greetings, holograms from the 1980s and the World of Charles Schulz, whose Peanuts characters have been seen on Hallmark cards for more than 40 years, visitors discover how the cards have reflected various eras and trends for nearly 100 years. Watch a film to learn about the inspiration of the artists' and writers' creative processes, and watch demonstrations of card production, excerpts from the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” television programs and Hallmark commercials (bring some tissues). The tour is free of charge and requires about one hour.

Kaleidoscope
2501 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108
816/274-8301
A favorite area of the Hallmark Visitors Center at the Crown Center, Kaleidoscope is a unique creative art workshop for kids, offered free of charge. Mountains of materials are available from recycled items from Hallmark’s card manufacturing process, and kids are encouraged to let their imaginations go wild. Call ahead for a schedule of sessions and workshops at this terrific and unique attraction.

Kansas City Zoo
6800 Zoo Drive in Swope Park
Kansas City, MO 64132
816/513-5700
“It’s all happenin’ at the zoo,” and it’s located in America’s second largest urban park. Visit with over 1,000 exotic animals from all over the world on over 200 acres of naturalistic settings. Hop aboard the zoo train, tram or boat, ride a pony, or even a camel. You can also take the kids to the "Discovery Barn," an area just for kids and families where you can see animals up-close and participate in the interactive learning.

Paul Mesner Puppets
1006 Linwood Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64109
816/756-3500
Every season, this puppet theatre presents productions of classic and contemporary shows such as "St. George & the Dragon," "Anansi Returns," "Cinderella," and more. Kids can also attend workshops and create sock puppets, marionettes and rod puppets.

Puppetry Arts Institute
11025 East Winner Road
Independence, MO 64052
816/833-9777
If you plan a side trip to the Harry S. Truman sites in the nearby town of Independence, your younger kids will appreciate a stop here to take in a puppet show, view displays of puppets from Asia and Europe, and attend a puppet-making demonstration or workshop. Puppet appraisal and repair is also available.

Science City at Union Station
30 West Pershing Road
Kansas City, MO 64108
816/460-2020
Union Station, built in 1914, was declared “the gateway to the West” by President Woodrow Wilson. In 1983, after many years of hustle and bustle, the station’s doors were closed. Beautifully restored in 1999, trains once again roar through the second largest train station in the nation, part of a complex which houses giant-screen cinemas and live theaters, restaurants and shops.

The centerpiece of the revived landmark is Science City, an interactive and entertaining facility featuring dozens of hands-on exhibits. Visitors can land a space shuttle, solve a crime in the Crime Lab and ride a bike 10 feet in the air. At the Dino Lab, the largest lab of its kind in America, you can watch a real paleontologist work on dinosaur fossils as he prepares them for exhibition at Science City.

The Toy and Miniature Museum
5235 Oak Street
Kansas City, MO 64112
816/333-9328
Located on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, this museum features the private collections of three long-time Kansas Citizens who, due to their extensive holdings, were often told that “they should start a museum.” Currently occupying 33 rooms of a former private home dating from 1911, the museum has been expanding since its inception in 1982. The collections include more than 100 furnished dolls’ houses and room settings; a transportation room showcasing trains, toy cars and planes; displays of 19th century German toys and examples of many American toy manufacturers; a collection of Russian lacquer boxes; and contemporary toys from the 1950s through the present.

Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun
4545 Worlds of Fun Avenue
Kansas City, MO 64161
816/454-4545
Patterned after the Jules Verne adventurous tale, “Around the World in Eighty Days,” Kansas City's Worlds of Fun features five themed continent areas. Over 50 rides and attractions from mild to wild rides (including Camp Snoopy, Fury of the Nile, ThunderHawk and the Mamba, one of the worlds tallest, longest and fastest roller coasters), ethnic foods and live entertainment. Adjacent to this park is Oceans of Fun, the Midwest’s largest tropically themed water park featuring a million-gallon wave pool, several water slides, two special children areas and more.  Overnight accommodations are available as well, in a choice of 20 cottages, 22 log cabins and 82 RV sites.