I-44 - Pitstops for Kids

The Magic House: St. Louis Children’s Museum review

May 15, 2017 By Amy Hagstrom

In the last few years, our family has visited a number of children’s museums around the country. Generally speaking, you can’t go wrong, but The Magic House: St. Louis Children’s Museum stands out. Boasting 55,000 square feet of play-based learning, The Magic House ranks among the city’s top attractions for families.

St. Louis Children’s Museum review:

What to do:

Here’s the thing about the Magic House: it is huge. It is housed in a Victorian house that has been expanded on both sides, so there are two wings, each two stories plus a basement, plus the original house, which has a third level as well.

Inside, you’ll find all the usual suspects—a children’s village with a tree house, restaurant, grocery store, and hospital; a make-it workshop; a “balls in motion.” But you’ll also find a number of other interesting exhibits:

A sports training room where kids can try on football gear and test their strength and balance like college athletes.
“Recollections,” where a motion detector and a big wall allow you to make rainbow-colored art simply by moving your body (my daughter’s favorite).
Magnetic shavings choreographed to music and a “musical chairs” where simply sitting down and standing up turns on and off different sections of an orchestra.
“Wonder Works,” an extensive STEM area aimed at the younger set.
A three-story slide, climbable “beanstalk.” There’s an outdoor play garden.
The electrostatic generator, where you can make your hair stand on end—a Magic House classic.

One particularly notable area is the “Star Spangled Center.” Here, you will find a mock-up of the Oval Office, with a replica of the Resolute Desk. Kids can pretend to be the President and learn trivia about presidents present and past by looking inside the drawers or picking up the desk phone and dialing. My 8-year-old loved standing at the podium and reading portions of presidential speeches to a closed-circuit TV.

Getting the most out of your visit:

The above barely scratches the surface, so it probably won’t be a surprise to hear that this place is crowded—all the time. Be prepared for it. The attendant at the admission desk told me most days there’s already a line when the doors open. The quietest time of the week is Friday evening, when the Magic House stays open until 9 p.m. This was when we visited, and it was pleasant and relaxing. The space, however, was clearly designed to accommodate many more people than were there that night.

In my opinion, the Magic House is ideal for kids between 3 and 10. Our 11-year-old enjoyed himself, but he would have been ready to go long before his younger siblings. The museum offers special programming for preschool and elementary kids, and that is the age range that will enjoy it most.

Plan to spend at least 3-5 hours, and allow most of the day if you can. Make sure you have enough adults for the number of kids you’re bringing, and set up a meeting place in case someone gets lost. It’s a quirky building with a lot of nooks and crannies. Although it is fully accessible, it’s technically two additions connected to the main house only on certain levels, so you have to go up and down quite a bit to see everything there is to see.

Take advantage of the “calming corner” in the lower level. This is a space set up for nursing mothers and families with kids who need a break from the stimulation. It’s set up with quiet activities to keep littles busy while Mom nurses.

Admission is good for the whole day, so you can pack a cooler and eat lunch in the garden or in your car and return afterward. (Proof of admission is the sticker you receive upon admission, so don’t let the kids lose them.)

Food/shopping:

Food is available at the Picnic Basket Cafe, offering sandwiches and salads for $6.75 and snacks and drinks for a couple dollars. The museum store offers toys–good ones! The closest thing I saw to the usual commercial fare was a Batman spy kit. Otherwise, expect to find really good, brain-building, mostly non-electronic playthings.

Location/parking:

The Magic House is at 516 S. Kirkwood Road in St. Louis, Missouri. Directions and public transit info are available here. Parking is free on site; when school is not in session, overflow parking can be found at a nearby school and church.

Hours/Admission:

Hours vary seasonally, but the website posts the current week’s schedule. Admission is $11 for everyone over the age of one. The Magic House also offers membership options, starting as low as $25 for one child or $80 for a “value” membership that covers weekdays only.

Our family visited the Magic House as guests of Explore St. Louis, in exchange for an honest review.

Southwest Missouri pit stop: Fantastic Caverns

July 3, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Southwest Missouri is filled with old-fashioned pit stops and slices of Americana. Case in point: Fantastic Caverns, ‘America’s only ride-through cave’.

Fantastic Caverns is one of those natural wonders that probably should be protected by the US government, but is instead a privately-owned tourist attraction, making you worry a little bit. But go anyway (despite, or maybe because of, the many highway signs pointing you in its direction).

The fact is, Fantastic Caverns truly is pretty fantastic. And while yes, you do drive through this natural cave, care is now being taken to educate visitors about its protection, and attention is given to the area watershed that feeds it and the animals that inhabit it.

The cave tour is conducted via tram, driven by a tour guide. While it’s a shame that many years ago, narrow paths had been carved out of the cave to allow this, the benefit today is that the many visitors who see the cave cannot touch the delicate stalagmites and stalactites, which could cause damage. The cave, which was created from the area’s plentiful limestone, has an interesting history, which families learn about on the tour. In short, it was discovered in the Civil War era, first explored by a hardy group of teenage girls, enjoyed a lively period in which it housed a Prohibition Speak Easy, then held musical concerts.

The large trams hold approximately 20 or more, by my estimation, and the tour takes about 45 minutes. The cave is quite long and deep, and the guide stops along the way to impart scientific or historical facts. I appreciated that our guide took the time to really help us grasp what the early explorers of the cave would have seen, compared to what we are able to see today, thanks to modern lighting. With all lights out, she lit a candle in a homemade metal can lantern and cast the light into the pitch black cavern: the dim light paled to the the spotlights now available for illumination.

The cavern is always 60 degrees, which can mean bringing a sweatshirt or sweater to wear in spring or fall, shedding a jacket to only a sweatshirt in winter, or enjoying a cool temperature without sleeves in the muggy summer months. Tours depart every 20-30 minutes, and there is a gift shop, of course, to browse while you’re waiting. Better yet, there’s a nice Ozarks nature trail that winds around the grounds. It’s only about one mile long, and perfect for parents with impatient kids.

Tour prices:

$23 for adults, $15 for kids 6-12. Kids 5 and under are free. At this price, the tour is worth it, but in our opinion, just barely.

Hours of operation:

I love that Fantastic Caverns is open right at 8 am. It closes at dusk. If you want a near-private tour, get there right at 8 am.

Directions:

The cavern is located at 4872 North Farm Road 125, Springfield Missouri. It’s located along a beautiful stretch of countryside, on windy, hilly roads, but is easily found thanks to all the handmade (looking) signposts en route.

As I disclose whenever applicable, I experienced Fantastic Caverns as a guest of the operation, for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

Springfield Botanical Gardens

June 29, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Driving through Springfield, Missouri? The Springfield Botanical Gardens at Nathanael Green/Close Memorial Park are free to the public, and extremely kid-friendly. Families can get a full afternoon of entertainment from this 114 acre park, or just stop in at a smaller section that appeal to them for a quicker stop. I definitely recommend picking up a lunch along Springfield’s Commercial Street (try Sister in Thyme deli) and eating it garden-side.

The park is centered around a new and modern visitors center, but unless you need bathrooms or would like to take the free tram tour around the park, there’s no need to stop here first. In this vicinity, you’ll see the Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens and the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, both of which are worth a peaceful walk-through. When touring the Japanese garden, explain to kids that the zig-zag bridge and moon bridge are curved and cornered to encourage a slower pace; challenge them to step slowly across, or to sit and study the uniform pebbles in the meditation garden…they will enjoy this more than you think!

Near the Japanese garden is the Gray-Campbell Farmstead, which shows kids a taste of pioneering history in Southern Missouri. The home was actually moved to this site from just a few miles away. Next to it is the Liberty Schoolhouse, which depicts a one-room schoolhouse.

Dozens of additional specialty gardens dot the acreage, including an English garden, winter garden, and lush shade gardens. Families can certainly get exercise walking the paths, especially around the lake, and throughout the park, kids will find specialty ‘play pods’ that educate as well as entertain with climbing structures, one of the best aspect of the park for children. There’s also a main playground by the visitor center.

Toward the center of the park, a seasonal butterfly house is enclosed in screen mesh. It is open during the natural lifecycle of native butterflies, as opposed to being a tropical butterfly house, so families can expect to see it open from mid-May through the end of summer.

Distance from the interstate:

Just minutes from I-44 and historic Route 66

Hours of operation:

Sunrise to sunset. Bathrooms and other facilities open 8 am to 5 pm in winter, 8 am to 8 pm in summer. 11 am to 5 pm or 6 pm on Sundays.

Directions:

The park and botanical gardens are located at 2400 South Scenic, Springfield, Missouri

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield

June 24, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

Southwest Missouri hosts a great deal of rich history, including more Civil War history than we realized. While visiting in the Springfield or Branson area, plan to spend at least half a day, if not more, at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield.

In case you need to brush up on your Civil War history (as I always do), Wilson’s Creek was the site of the second major battle of the war fought west of the Mississippi River, on August 10, 1861. It was significant in several ways: it was one of the fiercest, ugliest battles according to war historians, and it marked the death of the first Union general in battle, Nathaniel Lyon. Lyon’s death the Union’s defeat at Wilson’s Creek led President Lincoln to send reinforcements to Missouri, thus securing the state for the Union.

The visitor’s center is small, with only a short hall of exhibits, but does have an excellent 28-minute film running continuously that depicts the battle and the days leading up to it. Directed by Ken Burns, it’s well-worth your time. It’s here you can pick up the information needed for the self-guided auto tour as well. Designed much like the Gettysburg Pennsylvania driving tour, albeit on a much smaller scale, the Wilson’s Creek driving tour is 4.9 miles of paved road with stops along the way to see important points of the battle. (You’ll see once you set out why it’s crucial to view the film first.)

There are multiple stops along the tour, but the highlights include the Ray House homestead, which became a temporary field hospital. Stand on the front porch where John Ray allegedly watched the battle rage in his cornfield, then walk to the view point to see the Ray spring house where they drew cool water for wounded soldiers. Further on, see the Edwards Cabin, which served as General Price’s headquarters (it was here he was interrupted while eating breakfast to the sound of Union cannons), and Bloody Hill, where 4,200 of Lyon’s men held high ground, holding off the Confederacy before their commander lost his life (along with 1,700 soldiers).

The grounds are beautiful and somewhat sacred-feeling, but a nice feature are the many walking trails criss-crossing the landscape. With one stop in the car, we could walk between several batteries and the Edwards Cabin, for instance, with views of Bloody Hill to boot.

These trails often connect to the Wire Road (a small dirt road) that troops originally marched along. All trails have clear signposts, and most are no more than 1/2 mile from site to site. Families can do as much or little walking as desired. In several places, trails and even the road cross Wilson’s Creek.

Hours:

The Visitors Center is open 8 am to 5 pm, seven days a week. The Battlefield Tour Road is open 8 am to 5 pm in winter, and until 7 pm in spring and 9 pm in summer.

Entrance fee:

Entry to the park is $5 per adult, or $10 total per car load. Because this is a National Park site, be sure to get your National Park Passport stamped!

Dining:

There are no food services, but in nice weather, families can absolutely picnic along the Battlefield Tour Road, or at the Visitor’s Center.

Reading on Wilson’s Creek and other historic sites:

It’s always a great idea to read up on historic sites before planning a trip. When you do, you often find that there are additional sites nearby that also may be worthy of a visit. A great way to research a historic trip is with a travel guide that focuses on history in a particular region, as opposed to with a history book that may not tie sites together in an itinerary. Before leaving to see Southern Missouri, I had the chance to read through The Big Divide: A Travel Guide, which focuses on the Missouri-Kansas border region. Thanks to its section on Springfield, I learned there’s a national Civil War cemetery near Wilson’s Creek.

Directions:

The battlefield is located at 6424 West Farm Road 182, in Republic, Missouri. From I-44, take Exit 70 south to MO-ZZ. Turn right on ZZ to the park.

Springfield Missouri lodging picks: Ramada Plaza Hotel and Hotel Vandivort

May 13, 2015 By Amy Hagstrom

This post is truly a tale of two hotels. Families finding themselves in Springfield, Missouri can choose from a fairly standard array of motels and hotels, or they can pick between two unique choices: the Ramada Plaza Hotel and Oasis Convention Center for family-friendliness or the new Hotel Vandivort for boutique downtown chic. If I could, I’d squish together the best amenities and features at both to create the ultimate kid-friendly, upscale hotel experience, but alas, two reviews will have to do. Good luck choosing!

Option 1: indoor pool bliss for kids, lots of complimentary amenities for parents

While in Springfield, I spent two nights at the Ramada Plaza Hotel. A little bit of history: once upon a time, this Ramada, located at 2546 N. Glenstone, was the biggest Howard Johnson’s in the country. Now, it’s a fairly standard Ramada, with several upgrades and a big surprise in the center of the property.

The hotel building could appear retro in all the wrong ways (re, tired and outdated). Instead, refurbishments have rendered it bright, clean, airy, and stylish on the interior. Rooms are fairly standard, though certainly more stylish than most moderate hotel rooms, and common spaces are on-trend. Amenities parents will like include free parking, free wifi, an above-average free breakfast, and a large laundry room on-site. The Fire and Ice restaurant, located on property right off the lobby, is unique with its ice bar (set your drinks down and they’ll stay frosty cold) and carefully curated menu, but prices are a bit high to encourage family dining. If you can get away for an hour or so with your spouse, I recommend it; the food is fantastic and the wine list is extensive. If not, opt for more kid-friendly fare in Springfield.

The huge draw for kids lays in the heart of the property, in the huge indoor atrium. Here, families will find a huge free-form heated indoor swimming pool and hot tub, situated in a truly tropical atmosphere. The vegetation surrounding the pool area is the real deal; I was told the banana trees even bear fruit. There’s an outdoor pool as well, perfect for muggy summer nights.

If you bring kids here, you’ll want a poolside room. Ground floor rooms have garden patios that are truly ‘garden-ish’ and open onto the pool via pebblestone walkway (pictured above). Upper rooms have large balconies overlooking the pool. Yes, you can hear pool-related noise in your poolside room, but during my stay, it died down by 10 pm, even though the pool is open until 11 pm. Note: Ground floor rooms opening toward the parking lot instead of the pool seem like they’d be less desirable, but if you don’t care about a pool view (to watch kids), they actually feature a much more private and pretty patio that’s totally enclosed and lush with flowering plants.

Room amenities include all you’d expect, including standard coffee service (nothing to write home about), a mini-fridge, and a microwave (always a plus). In a nutshell, the Ramada ticks off all the ‘bring the kids’ boxes: great swimming pool complex, free breakfast, no nickel and diming on the extras. You’re within easy driving distance of all things Springfield. Room rates at the time of my visit were approximately $129 for a standard room mid-week.

Option 2: Urban stay, with a taste for downtown Springfield

Downtown Springfield, like many downtown districts in cities across the US, has been making a comeback in recent years, with more local dining, improvements in the works at the historical downtown plaza, and a growing artist and performance community.

The latest coup: the first boutique hotel is nearing completion. Hotel Vandivort repurposes the beautiful historic Masonic Temple at 305 E. Walnut, fully embodying the exposed brick, high ceilings, and chic charm of this 1906 building. Photos to come; click on the website above for artist renderings until June 2015.

With LEED Gold certification, an upscale eatery and bar, and plenty of open space for socializing and mingling, it’s certainly the ‘grown up’ place to spend a few days in Springfield. However, we actually have found boutique hotels to be wonderful options for families with older kids. What parents give up in convenient amenities like free breakfast and parking, they gain in refinement, city character, and culture. Because we really enjoy getting to know the heart of a city instead of its suburbs, boutique hotels are often where we like to stay. At very least, it’s always a viable consideration.

At the time of this post, Hotel Vandivort is a few days away from opening. I enjoyed a hard-hat tour in mid-May 2015, during which I saw finished rooms. Amenities include everything parents could want in terms of techy extras: the window blinds are on remote, room ‘mood’ settings can be set, so that all lights can be dimmed, the TV turned off, and the nightlight turned on at bedtime, and personal music can be piped into the rooms’ audio systems with ease. The coffee service is top of the line, and each room has a fridge as well as snack basket with local products. Everything from tile in the bathrooms to linens on the beds are luxury. Note: if you have three kids or more, you may want a suite. The Master Suite may be worth the upgrade: I saw the fireplace, which faces both indoors and outdoors as it connects with a large outdoor balcony with lots of living space, and yes, that feature alone makes me want to stay here.

Room rates are surprisingly not much higher than the Ramada and other area hotels, though the suites will set you back more. You’ll still get free wifi, and while room service may add up for a hungry family, Springfield’s famous Hurts Donuts is within walking distance. The surrounding neighborhood looks a little downtrodden, but it’s changing by the day. Staying in the heart of Springfield, families will see the revitalization of this area for themselves.

Note: make a stop sometime during your stay to Springfield Hot Glass, located at 314 S. Campbell. This family-owned glass studio may not seem like a kid-friendly stop, but in fact features a fantastic open studio, where, if you’re lucky, you can watch glass blowing or other glass work in progress.

In downtown Springfield, families can also see the exact spot where Wild Bill Hickok has the honor of starting the first documented shootout of the American West. Look for the plaques in the city square.

Which Springfield hotel option would appeal more to your family?