Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Kids love machines that go vroom (and by kids, I mean both boys and girls--my daughter is totally into trains thanks to her rail fan dad, and she also loves airplanes), and boy oh boy does Philly got 'em. So where can you go to indulge in the transportation bug here in town?

First off, Philadelphia International Airport is a great place to watch planes; just hit the very end of Island Avenue and you'll have the perfect vantage point. For smaller planes you've got several little airports, such as Brandywine Airport in West Chester, Northeast Philadelphia Airport, and--at least for another year--the Air Force base in Willow Grove (this spot has a diner with big windows across the street for comfy indoor viewing). Of course, "plane spotting" comes with a warning--in this day and age, it's highly likely you'll be questioned by police.

For trains, Philadelphia is a hotbed. Philadelphia is host to subways, trolleys, regional rail, freight train, Amtrak passenger trains and of course local scenic railways. Your best spot is probably 30th Street station, although it's harder to go to the platforms and watch than it used to be. You can, however, venture down to the regional rail lines and watch them come and go. Apparently, you can view trains at 30th Street station from the parking lot of the new Cira Centre next door to 30th Street, but you didn't hear that from me. Also, weirdly enough, you can spot trains quite easily from the balloon at the Philadelphia Zoo. For a blast from the past, you can take a ride on the Route 15 trolley, which uses historic trolley cars from the 1930s on its route.

Then there are the boats! Philadelphia is home to many ports along the Delaware River, so head on down to Penn's Landing for some awesome viewing of large freight ships. If watching isn't enough, you can hop on board the Camden Ferry and cross back and forth over the Delaware as many times as you like. For a BIG ferry experience, head on down to Cape May, New Jersey and take the ferry across to Rehoboth, Delaware.

As for cars, well--some of Philadelphia hippest young folks are car geeks, and you'll frequently find car shows next door to the Silk City Diner at 6th & Spring Garden. This is hardly the only place you'll see cool cars--there are car shows all up and down the Philadelphia area, but my favorite is the 4th of July car show in Hatboro. I don't know why, but it's just cute. You'll also find a great selection of both antique cars and the latest car models at the annual Philadelphia International Auto Show every February.

As you can see, there are plenty of places to indulge the "vroom." Are there any other spots you enjoy?