Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to Kansas! Hopefully this page and its information helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to Kansas.
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People often joke about Kansas being a boring state, but the truth is that it has many fantastic attractions and a heck of a lot of great natural scenery. There's more great museums that I think anyone would expect, and several geologic wonders lie in the western side of the state. And of course Kansas is home to various Wizard of Oz attractions and the World's Largest Ball of Twine.
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TOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN KANSAS
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Are you short on time or struggling to choose something to do or see in Kansas? Here are my selections for the top 10 attractions or experiences in Kansas, in no particular order:
✮ Enjoy the excellent museums and gardens of Wichita
✮ Stop at some of the Wizard of Oz attractions in the state, including the OZ Museum in Wamego
✮ Visit one of the best space museums in the U.S., the Cosmosphere
✮ See the natural rock formations at Monument Rocks in western Kansas
✮ Mountain bike the famous Switchgrass Trail in Wilson State Park
✮ Explore an old mine at Strataca in Hutchingson
✮ See the World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City
✮ Go hiking, boating, or swimming in Elk City State Park, arguably Kansas's best state park
✮ Wander around Lawrence's lively downtown district, often called "one of the most beautiful main streets in the U.S."
✮ Visit the Mid-America Air Museum, one of the largest and best aviation museums in the country
If I could select only one place to visit in Kansas, I would choose Wichita. There are several excellent museums there, along with some great cycling trails.
For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here.
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5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN KANSAS
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Here is my opinionated list of 5-star attractions in Kansas. I believe each of these attractions should be on your Kansas bucket list since they are all noteworthy from a national perspective:
Western Kansas
✮ American Easel, The / Giant van Gogh Painting, Goodland - a giant roadside attraction replica of a Van Gogh's painting; 0.5 mile from I-70
✮ Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park - features interesting rock/geologic formations (e.g. Niobrara chalk formations)
✮ Mid-America Air Museum, Liberal - one of the largest aviation museums in the U.S.
✮ Monument Rocks / Chalk Pyramids, Scott City - a geologic wonder and some of Kansas best natural scenery
✮ Mount Sunflower, Weskan - the highpoint of Kansas, which you can drive up to; a small monument makes for a quick and fun photo-op
Central Kansas (including Dodge City and Wichita)
✮ Arkansas River Bike Path, Wichita - an excellent 10-mile rail trail that provides access to many of Wichita's attractions
✮ Barbed Wire Museum, La Crosse - a quirky museum that is probably the only museum of its kind
✮ Blue River Rail Trail - one of the best rail trails in KS; you can connect with the Chief Standing Bear Trail in NE to make a longer journey
✮ Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City - a historical museum focusing on the Old West
✮ Botanica: The Wichita Gardens, Wichita - a beautiful botanical gardens located in Sim Park
✮ Castle Rock Badlands, Quinter - offers some of the best natural scenery in Kansas
✮ Cosmosphere International SciEd Center & Space Museum, Hutchinson - often called "America's best space museum"
✮ Eisenhower Library, Museum & Boyhood Home, Abilene - a good presidential history museum
✮ Exploration Place, Wichita - an excellent science museum
✮ Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan - a great science and culture museum
✮ Fort Larned National Historic Site, Larned - a preserved army fort from the 1860s-1870s with several buildings to explore
✮ Keeper of the Plains, Wichita - a 44-foot steel structure at the confluence of two rivers
✮ Konza Prairie Research Natural Area, Manhattan - some of the best hiking/nature trails in Kansas; great tall grass scenery; bison viewing
✮ Mountain biking the Switchgrass Trail in Wilson State Park, Sylvan Grove - the "undisputed king of Kansas singletrack mountain biking"
✮ Museum of World Treasures, Wichita - features three floors of historical exhibits
✮ Mushroom Rock State Park, Marquette - unique rock formations accessible via a short and easy walk
✮ Nifty Nut House, Wichita - one of the largest nut and candy stores in the U.S.
✮ Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita - a replica of a Wild West town
✮ Rock City, Minneapolis - a privately-owned attraction with unique spherical boulders/rock formations; popular for bouldering
✮ Sedgwick Country Zoo, Wichita - one of the top 25 zoos in the U.S.
✮ Starlite Drive-In, Wichita - an excellent surviving drive-in movie theater
✮ Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays - a museum focusing on paleontology, zoology, and geology; tons of fossils
✮ Strataca, Hutchinson - travel 650 feet below the surface into an old mine
✮ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Strong Township - the last remaining intact prairie lands; several hiking trails and wildlife viewing (bison)
✮ Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Goddard - offers intimate animal attractions
✮ Wildwood Adventure Park, Manhattan - an excellent aerial adventure park in the Flint Hills
✮ Wilson State Park - famous for its 24-mile Switchgrass mtn biking trail; has a rugged shoreline with scenic cliffs; great fishing and kayaking
✮ World's Largest Ball of Twine, Cawker City - the world's largest ball of twine; one of the most famous roadside attractions in the U.S.
✮ World's Largest Czech Egg, Wilson - a roadside attraction of a giant egg
Eastern Kansas (including Kansas City and Topeka)
✮ Big Brutus, West Mineral - see a retired, gigantic piece of mining equipment
✮ Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, Topeka - a site/museum commemorating the end of racial segregation in public schools
✮ Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, Overland Park - a half-farm, half-amusement park with farm animals
✮ Downtown Lawrence / Massachusetts Street - an attractive tourist district with many boutique shops and restaurants
✮ Elk City State Park, Independence - limestone bluffs; boating, camping, swimming; hiking trails; probably the premier state park in Kansas
✮ Equality House, Topeka - a rainbow-colored house located across the street from the (uber-conservative) Westboro Baptist Church
✮ Evel Knievel Museum, Topeka - a museum honoring the famous motorcycle daredevil
✮ Fort Scott National Historic Site, Fort Scott - features 20 historic structures of a 19th century fort
✮ Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail - an excellent 26-mile paved rail trail from Leawood, Kansas to Kansas City, Missouri
✮ Kansas Speedway, Kansas City - a famous NASCAR track
✮ Kansas State Capitol Building, Topeka - one of the most impressive U.S. state capitol buildings
✮ New Theatre, Overland Park - a dinner-theater venue featuring Broadway musicals & comedies
✮ Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Overland Park - impressive gardens
✮ Oz Museum, Wamego - features tons of Wizard of OZ memorabilia
✮ Prairie Spirit Trail State Park - a 51-mile linear park for walkers and bicyclists; travels between Iola and Ottawa, Kansas
✮ Safari Zoological Park, Caney - a private zoo with up-close-and-personal animal encounters
✮ Zip KC, Bonner Springs - offers awesome zip-lining adventures
Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in Kansas? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com.
For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links:
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MO |
NE |
OK
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BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN KANSAS
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These towns and cities in Kansas are generally regarded as the most interesting to travelers:
✮ Lawrence - an artsy medium-sized city with a lively downtown district; has "one of the most beautiful main streets in the U.S."
✮ Lindsborg - an art-loving small town known as "Little Sweden USA"; the downtown area is full of art galleries, shops, and restaurants
✮ Topeka - a medium-sized city with several good museums and strong Civil Rights history
✮ Wichita - a alrge city with several excellent museums, art galleries, performing arts venues, and other attractions
My favorite city in Kansas is Wichita - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least 1-2 nights there
My favorite small town in Kansas is Lindsborg.
I haven't visited Dodge City yet, and so I'm not sure if I should add it to my list of interesting towns/cities in Kansas or not.
Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S.
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WHAT IS KANSAS FAMOUS FOR?
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Here are some things that Kansas is famous or well known for:
✮ aircraft manufacturing
✮ beef cattle
✮ oil wells
✮ prairies / tallgrass prairies
✮ state in the center of the U.S.
✮ sunflowers
✮ tornadoes
✮ wheat
✮ Wizard of Oz
Click here if you'd like to learn what other U.S. states are famous for.
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There are currently no national parks, national monuments, or national forests in Kansas, but there are many other federally-managed parks and properties in the state, including:
National Wildlife Refuges
✮ Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge
✮ Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge
✮ Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge
✮ Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
National Historical Parks / Other National Parks
✮ Brown vs. Board of Education National Historical Park
✮ California National Historic Trail
✮ Cimarron National Grassland
✮ Fort Larned National Historic Site
✮ Fort Scott National Historic Site
✮ Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
✮ Nicodemus National Historic Site
✮ Oregon National Historic Trail
✮ Pony Express National Historic Trail
✮ Santa Fe National Historic Trail
✮ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
For more information on Kansas's national parks, visit the Kansas page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here.
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Kansas has nearly 30 state parks. Many would agree that these represent Kansas's finest state parks:
Flagship / Premier State Parks:
✮ Elk City State Park - limestone bluffs; boating, camping, swimming; lots of hiking trails; most would say it's the premier state park in Kansas
✮ Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park - interesting rock formations/geologic features (e.g. Niobrara chalk formations)
✮ Mushroom Rock State Park - otherworldly rock formations that you wouldn't expect to see in Kansas
✮ Wilson State Park - famous 24-mile Switchgrass mountain biking trail; rugged shoreline with scenic cliffs; great fishing and kayaking; camping
Other Notable State Parks:
✮ Cheney State Park - some of the best boating, fishing, and swimming in the state
✮ Kanapolis State Park - sandstone bluffs; lots of hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails
✮ Lake Scott State Park - natural springs, canyons, craggy bluffs, and archaeological sites; camping, swimming, hiking, fishing and more
To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the
country, click here.
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BEST WATERFALLS IN KANSAS
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Kansas has a surprising amount of natural waterfalls, although many are considered seasonal. Some of the best waterfalls in Kansas include:
✮ Chautauqua Falls in Sedan
✮ Cowley Falls in Parkerfield
✮ Geary Lake Falls in Geary State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, Junction City
✮ Prather Creek Falls (aka Chase Lake Falls) in Cottonwood Falls
✮ Rock Creek Falls in Fort Scott
✮ Santa Fe Lake Falls in Augusta
For a listing of all known waterfalls in Kansas, visit the World Waterfall Database or the excellent website of Mickey Shannon.
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BEST SCENIC DRIVES IN KANSAS
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Here is a list of the best scenic drives in Kansas:
✮ Flint Hills National Scenic Byway - a 47-mile paved route from Council Grove to Cassoday featuring beautiful tallgrass prairies
The 77-mile Wetlands & Wildlife National Scenic Byway in central Kansas may also be noteworthy, but I haven't driven it yet. There are also a few interesting attractions along the 102-mile Western Vistas Historic Byway in western Kansas (e.g. Monument Rocks), but in general it's not all that scenic.
For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here.
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BEST RAIL TRAILS IN KANSAS
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Here is a list of some of the best rail trails (or similar cycling paths) in Kansas:
✮ Blue River Rail Trail - northeastern Kansas
✮ Prairie Spirit Trail State Park - eastern Kansas; often rated one of the best rail trails in the U.S.
✮ Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail - eastern Kansas; often rated one of the best rail trails in the U.S.
For detailed information on all known rail trails in Kansas, visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website.
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BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS IN KANSAS
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Kansas currently doesn't have any notable amusement parks. There are a few indoor water parks and small aquatic parks, but nothing I would say is nationally substantial. However, Kansas City, MO is very close and there's a few amusement parks there (or near there).
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Kansas has many excellent museums - probably more than you'd expect. The best museums in Kansas include:
Western Kansas
✮ Mid-America Air Museum, Liberal
✮ OZ Museum, Liberal
Central Kansas (including Dodge City and Wichita)
✮ Barbed Wire Museum, La Crosse
✮ Boot Hill Museum, Dodge City
✮ Cosmosphere International SciEd Center & Space Museum, Hutchinson
✮ Dwight D. Eisenhower Library and Museum, Abilene
✮ Exploration Place, Wichita
✮ Flint Hills Discovery Center, Manhattan
✮ Museum of World Treasures, Wichita
✮ Old Cowtown Museum, Wichita
✮ Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Hays
✮ Strataca, Hutchinson
✮ Wichita Art Museum, Wichita
Eastern Kansas (including Kansas City and Topeka)
✮ Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, Atchison
✮ Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, Topeka
✮ Evel Knievel Museum, Topeka
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Kansas has some interesting hiking trails, but in full disclosure there's not all that much that is of national significance. Here are some of the best day hikes in the state:
Western Kansas
✮ Castle Rock
✮ Life on the Rocks Trail, Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park
Central Kansas (including Dodge City and Wichita)
✮ Kanopolis Lake State Park trails
✮ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve trails
Eastern Kansas (including Kansas City and Topeka)
✮ Elk River Hiking Trail
✮ Konza Prairie Preserve (e.g. Godwin Hill Loop)
✮ Table Mound Trail, Elk City State Park
The highpoint of Kansas is Mount Sunflower (4,039'). You can drive right to the spot on a long gravel road, and so no hiking is required.
To find more hikes in Kansas or to learn more about the hikes I've listed above, I recommend purchasing hiking guidebooks on Amazon (or from your local retailer). Another option is using alltrails.com, but you have to be very careful when using that website as its information is often wrong or incomplete. Published hiking guidebooks will likely always be significantly better than the information you find online.
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BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN KANSAS
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Kansas only offers a few backpacking opportunities. Here are the only trails/places that I know of:
✮ Elk River Trail, Elk City State Park - southeastern Kansas; 15 miles one-way; this is the premier backpacking trip in Kansas
✮ Woodridge Park - eastern Kansas near Topeka
If you know of any other backpacking opportunities in Kansas, please let me know! gparsons66@hotmail.com.
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CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN KANSAS
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Kansas offers a few excellent adventures, including these classics:
✮ ATV/ORV-ing in Kansas Badlands Off Road Park
✮ ATV/ORV-ing in Syracuse Sand Dunes Park
✮ ATV/ORV-ing in Tuttle Creek ORV Area
✮ Backpacking the 15-mile Elk River Trail
✮ Bouldering at Rock City
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Kansas River (also called "the Kaw") - multi-day trips are possible
✮ Canoeing/kayaking the Walnut River
✮ Cycling the Arkansas River Bike Path - 100% paved
✮ Cycling the Blue River Rail Trail - mix of paved and unpaved
✮ Cycling the Flint Hills Nature Trail - some sections are still under development, but one day this trail should be 118 miles long
✮ Cycling the Indian Creek Bike/Hike Trail - 100% paved
✮ Cycling the Prairie Spirit Trail - mix of paved and unpaved
✮ Horseback riding in Clinton State Park
✮ Horseback riding in El Dorado State Park
✮ Horseback riding at Hillsdale State Park in Paola
✮ Jet skiing in Cedar Bluff State Park / Cedar Bluff Reservoir
✮ Mountain biking in Clinton State Park
✮ Mountain biking in Wilson State Park (e.g. the famous Switchgrass Trail)
✮ Mountain biking the Lawrence River Trails
✮ Skydiving in Derby
✮ Windsurfing/sailing in Cheney State Park / Cheney Reservoir
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For offbeat and unique Kansas attractions, visit one or both of these amazing websites: Atlas Obscura and Roadside America
If you are visiting Kansas, you might as well also visit Kansas City in Missouri since it's right over the border. Kansas City is one of my favorite cities in the Central region of the U.S., and not just because of their world-famous BBQ (although that is certainly part of it).
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UNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN KANSAS
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Here are some unique / specialty foods to try while you are in Kansas:
✮ chili con carne
✮ Kansas City-style ribs
✮ Kansas dirt cake
For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in Kansas (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website.
For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here.
For a list of the top-rated beers to try in Kansas (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website.
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OTHER KEY KANSAS INFORMATION
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Here is some helpful key information about Kansas:
State Capital:
Topeka
Major Airports:
Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT); take note that you can also fly into Kansas City, Missouri and then drive into Kansas
Largest Cities:
Wichita (400,564), Overland Park (202,012), Kansas City (158,771), Olathe (144,374), Topeka (126,409), Lawrence (96,392)
Primary U.S. Interstates:
I-35, I-70
State Highpoint:
Mount Sunflower (4,039') in the town of Weskan in northwestern Kansas; a long drive on a gravel road is required to reach the top (no hiking required)
Professional Sports Teams:
None (although Kansas City just over the border in Missouri has some)
Funny or Unique Town/City Names:
Liberal and Ransom
Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here.
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Monument Rocks, Kansas
sign in Kansas
one of thousands of wheat fields in Kansas
Monument Rocks, Kansas
Rock City, Kansas
Konza Prairie Research Natural Area in Manhattan, Kansas
cool sign (and great burgers) in Kansas
In addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.
 
 
 
 
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MORE U.S. STATE TRAVEL GUIDES
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Did you enjoy this state travel guide? If so, here are links to more of my comprehensive U.S. state travel guides:
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As an Amazon Associates affiliate, this website contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any products after clicking any Amazon.com link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. I only endorse products that I have personally used or those that come highly recommended by trusted peers.
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