Go Explore Eastern Jackson County

Independence is rich with history as the starting point of the Oregon, California and Santa Fe trails and home of President Harry S. Truman. You can learn about his humble lifestyle at the Truman Home in Independence and visit the newly renovated Truman Presidential Library. Visit other historic sites including Vaile Mansion, the Bingham-Waggoner Estate, theJail Museum and the National Frontier Trails Museum, all hosting events throughout the year and specially decorated for the holidays. Another favorite for history buffs is a ride aboard Pioneer Trails Adventures where you can take a horse-drawn wagon ride through the historic square while hearing stories of the city’s history.

Nature lovers enjoy a visit to Powell Gardens, home to a beautiful island garden, rock wall garden, conservatory, Heartland Harvest Garden and acres of trails with magnificent flowers, plants and prairie. In the fall, enjoy scarecrows in the gardens, Glow: A Jack-o’-Lantern Festival and cooking demos by local chefs. During the holiday season, enjoy the Festival of Lights, a magical holiday event. On your way, stop at Cockrell’s Mercantile, a quaint mini village of boutique shops where you’ll find special items for the home and kitchen. For a free outing, visit Burr Oak Woods Nature Center where you can walk miles of trails.

Downtown Lee’s Summit is home to shops and boutiques, including bookstores, hobby shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, cooking stores and more. Their quaint weekend farmers market is a favorite for locals. Visit Sky Zone in Lee’s Summit (additional locations available across the metro), a trampoline park with obstacle courses and games. Or, entertain the gang at Main Event in Independence, where you can enjoy arcades, bowling, billiards, laser tag, obstacle courses and more family fun. Independence Community Ice Rink is an indoor ice-skating rink open year-round.

• 1827 Log Courthouse

  For more than 40 years, this was the only courthouse between Independence and the Pacific Ocean. Harry S. Truman held court here in the 1930s. The building also served as a Mormon mercantile.

• 1859 Marshal’s Home and Jail Museum

  One-room schoolhouse, Marshal’s home, 1859 jail and museum.

• Joe Bastelli-A Moment In Time P

  Bingham-Waggoner Estate

  This 1855 museum depicts the history of George Caleb Bingham, one of Missouri’s most famous artists and politicians, and the mansion in which he lived.

• Burr Oak Woods Nature Center

  One of the largest nature centers in the Metro, Burr Oak Woods features hands-on exhibits for children, an aquarium with Missouri fish, live animals and nature trails.

• Downtown Lee's Summit

  Downtown is and will continue to be the historic, present and future heart of Lee’s Summit. It is a commercially vibrant, cultural, spiritual, and educational family destination.

• Downtown Lee's Summit Farmers Market

• Harry S. Truman Presidential Library

  One of 15 presidential libraries, visitors are able to experience engaging exhibits and programs, the library aspires to reach a broad and diverse audience in a continuous effort to keep President Truman’s life and legacy alive.

• Independence Center

  Boasting more than one million square feet of retail space and 12 million annual visitors, Independence Center is one of the largest regional shopping centers serving the local community since opening in 1974.

• Independence Community Ice

  The Independence Community Ice Rink is a year-round ice facility dedicated to ice sports and recreation.

• Independence Square

  Shop, Dine, Unwind with our unique shops, restaurants, services and tourist attractions on the historic downtown Independence Square.

• Main Event: Independence

  When you want to let your fun out with family and friends, Main Event is the best — and easiest — place to HEAD FOR FUN. With state-of-the-art bowling, multi-level laser tag, more than 100 games topped with handcrafted food and a full bar under on...

• National Frontier Trails Museum

  The National Frontier Trails Museum is a museum, interpretive center, and research library, operated by the City of Independence, dedicated to telling the rich history of America’s principle western trails.

• Kristina Light

  Pioneer Trails Adventures

  At Pioneer Trails Adventures, we are more than just a ride. Come visit Independence, where three trails began, two Civil War battles were fought and one President began his march to the White House.

• Powell Gardens

  Powell Gardens is a not-for-profit botanical garden located just east of Kansas City, Missouri. Our mission: to be an experience that embraces the Midwest’s spirit of place and inspires an appreciation for the importance of plants in our lives.

• Sky Zone Lee's Summit

  Sky Zone is the original indoor trampoline park, proud to bring the unmatched, out-of-this-world, and high-flyin' FUN of the world's first all-trampoline, walled playing court to the Lees Summit area.

• Truman Courtroom and Office

  Tour the office and courtroom used by Mr. Truman in his early years of elected politics.

• Truman Home

  The Truman Home offers a glimpse at the personal life of the 33rd President of the United States. Beautiful in its uncluttered commonness, the Truman Home showcases the simple life Truman and his wife Bess.

• Vaile Mansion

  The 31 room mansion was built in 1881 by tycoon Harvey Vaile. Recognized as one of the finest examples of Second Empire Victorian architecture in the U.S.