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Family Fun
Thomas Hart Benton Home
3616 Belleview, Kansas City.
Phone 816-931-5722.
This magnificent structure was home to artist Thomas Hart Benton from 1939 until his death in 1975. The studio exhibits Benton's paintings, lithographs and sculptures as well as many of his tools. Self-guided tours only. Monday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday noon-5 pm (summer) or 11 am-4 pm (winter).
Toy & Miniature Museum
5235 Oak St., Kansas City.
Phone 816-333-2055.
Located in a restored 1911 mansion, this museum's extensive collection of miniatures spans the early 1800s to the present. It includes toys, dolls, dollhouses, model cars and more. Wednesday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm, Sunday 1-4 pm.
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum
500 W. U.S. Highway 24 (at Delaware Street, about 10 miles from downtown Kansas City), Independence.
Toll-free 800-833-1225
One of the permanent exhibits reproduces Truman's Oval Office, including a Dumont television (Truman was the first president to have a TV in the White House). Truman's original "The Buck Stops Here" sign, given to him in 1945, is also on display. The library contains some 10 million papers, books and other historical documents relating to his life and administration. Monday-Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9 am-5 pm, Thursday 9 am-9 pm..
Kansas City Museum
3218 Gladstone Blvd., Kansas City.
Phone 816-483-8300.
Located in a beaux-arts mansion from the early 1900s, the museum focuses on regional and natural history, including hands-on exhibits and dioramas about the city's history and climate. There's also a 1910 soda fountain and a planetarium. Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 am-4:30 pm, Sunday noon-4:30 pm. Sky shows Friday at 1:30 pm, Saturday every 45 minutes 1-3:15 pm, Sunday at 2:30 pm.
Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun
4545 Worlds of Fun Ave. (take Exit 54 off I-435), Kansas City.
Phone 816-454-4545.
These adjacent amusement parks contain several roller coasters, including the Boomerang, which corkscrews forward and backward, and the Mamba, which is tall, long and fast. The water park has slides and a wave pool. Paradise Falls, an interactive water funhouse, debuted in 2003. The parks open at 10 am, but closing time ranges from 6 pm to midnight, depending on the day of the week and the time of year. Closed on weekdays Labor Day-Memorial Day.
Kansas City Zoo
6700 Zoo Drive (just west of I-435 and Gregory Boulevard, in Swope Park), Kansas City.
Phone 816-513-5700.
Exotic animals in natural environments. Don't miss the free-roaming kangaroos and the African exhibit with lions, gorillas, giraffes, chimpanzees and other animals. In early 2004, the zoo welcomed the birth of a female black rhino. March-October daily 9:30 am-5 pm, November-February daily 10 am-4:00 pm. An extra fee applies for the IMAX theater.
Weston Bend State Park
Off Highway 45 (near Weston and Fort Leavenworth), Kansas City.
Phone 816-640-5443.
Perched on a hillside overlooking the Missouri River, this beautiful park has trails that are well marked, easily accessible and equipped with parking, water and restrooms at the trailhead. There are also a few undeveloped trails that let you feel as if you're alone in the woods. Offers camping and fishing, too. Daily 7 am to sunset. Admission to the park is free.
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