The American Association of Meat Processors annual convention is remarkable for more than its exhibit hall, educational program and American Cured Meats Championships. It is a family-friendly event, which children frequently seen wandering the show aisles with their parents or grandparents. While the trade show floor is still first and foremost a place where business is done, there is a casual atmosphere at this show that is unlike any other national event in the meat industry.

Kansas City is one of the great cities of the Midwest, with outstanding food, friendly residents and plenty of sights to see. The AAMP Welcome Reception on Tuesday, July 19 will take place at historic Union Station, with catering from Jack Stack BBQ. See below for information about both of those K.C. institutions, as well as a few other travel destinations courtesy of IP editor Sam Gazdziak.

The Arabia Steamboat Museum: The steamboat Arabia sank in the Missouri River in 1856 after a sunken hickory tree trunk pierced the hull. The boat was buried in mud and was re-discovered 130 years later, with much of its 200 tons of cargo intact. Many of those items are on display, looking like they were made yesterday. The Arabia Museum holds the largest collection of pre-Civil War artifacts in the world.

Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue: Every Kansas City resident has his or her favorite barbecue place. Honestly, you can’t really go wrong with any of them, but I personally like Jack Stack. There are five locations in the area, the portions are generous and the BBQ is fantastic. Try the burnt ends.

Kaleidoscope: Located at the Crown Center and sponsored by Hallmark Cards, Kaleidoscope is an art and design studio designed for children. Free admission gives children a 50-minute session, using a variety of art materials provided by Hallmark.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum: One of the best sports museums in the country, the NLBM does a marvelous job of telling the story of the Negro Leagues, tying it into African-American history as a whole. Naturally, legends like Jackie Robinson and Satchel Paige are well represented, but visitors will come away with an appreciation for superstars who never got to the major leagues, like Martin Dihigo, Josh Gibson and more.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: You’ll know that you are close to the Nelson-Atkins Museum when you start to see giant shuttlecocks around you. Once you step inside the museum, you will find everything from Egyptian coffins and Greek sculpture to iconic photography, paintings from Caravaggio to Monet. Admission is free.

Union Station: Union Station was built in 1914, and millions of travelers passed through this historic building before it closed in the 1980s. It reopened in 1999 after a lengthy restoration that brought it back to its original stunning appearance. Union station today is home to the Arvin Gottlieb Planetarium, the City Stage Theatre, Science City (a kid-friendly discovery center with many interactive exhibits) and Harvey’s at Union Station, an open-air restaurant with some very tasty burgers.