CHEYENNE BOTTOMS WILDLIFE AREA

GREAT BEND

Drive around this popular migration destination, especially during spring and fall when ducks, geese and other shorebirds make pit stops among the wild wetlands.
 

CORONADO HEIGHTS

LINDSBORG

While royals never lived in this stone castle on a hill (it was constructed in the 1930s), the fortress provides a regal backdrop to picnics and short hikes overlooking the Smoky Valley.
 

COSMOSPHERE

HUTCHINSON

With the world’s largest combined collection of U.S. and Russian space artifacts, a planetarium, and a 4K digital dome theater, this Smithsonian-affiliate museum and education center is a blast for all ages.
           

FIELD STATION: DINOSAURS

DERBY

A 92-foot-long Sauroposeidon— one of the largest animatronic dinosaurs ever built—stands among more than 40 other life-size dinos in Kansas’ own Jurassic Park.
  

SEDGWICK COUNTY ZOO

WICHITA

No animatronics here: All 400 species of animals (more than 3,000 creatures total) receive diligent care and room to roam at the state’s most visited outdoor attraction.

Wake up your senses at a bustling breakfast joint in Wichita, then take things slow as you navigate small-town treasures in Newton, McPherson, and Lyons.

If you suffer from M.D.D. (morning decisiveness disorder), go for the Triple D at Wichita’s Doo-Dah Diner: It comes with smaller portions of their popular banana bread French toast, corned beef hash and eggs Benedict. You’ll be well-fueled for exploring Newton, a 30-minute straight shot north on Interstate 135.

The town’s Blue Sky Sculpture—by artists Terry Corbett, Phil Epp, and Conrad Snider—utilizes ceramic tile glazed in rich blue hues to harmonize with the sprawling Kansas sky. The sculpture sits just north of downtown, a makers’ haven with The Creation Station for yarn lovers and Main Street Company and Kitchen Corner for cooks. Grab a refreshing cold brew from Norm’s Coffee Bar and Pfeffernüsse (German spice cookies) at Prairy Market and Deli before heading up I-135 for more downtown delights in McPherson. 

Steps from the Queen Anne-style McPherson Opera House, accessorize like a bona fide rancher at A5 Western, get sugared up on freshly made cookie sandwiches at The Pink Flamingo, and purchase keepsake ceramics and paintings by artists with disabilities from The Clayworks. 

Wrap up your day by hanging with the locals at Brew 56 in Lyons (30 minutes west of McPherson). In addition to its craft brews, the watering hole serves coffee, Italian sodas and Kansas-made hard ciders alongside pizzas such as The K.C. with smoked meat, green onions and—of course—barbecue sauce.

Megan Holinde has called Great Bend home her entire life, and she isn’t going anywhere soon. As owner of HandleBar and Grill, a motorcycle-themed bar that caters to the whole family, she’s met a sizable portion of the town’s 14,500 residents. “Everyone is kind and always willing to lend a hand,” she says. On days off, Holinde hits up Dry Lake Brewing and Lumpy’s Home Field Bar and Grill with friends, but she’ll always send first-timers to HandleBar. “We hand-bread our chicken strips and steak fingers, and the roast beef is cooked in-house. It’s very tender,” she says.

Holinde also recommends Rosewood Wine Cellar, which, in addition to producing handcrafted wine, sells unique soaps, candles, and other gift items crafted by employees with disabilities. “Be sure to support the local businesses in town,” Holinde says. “We rely on it, and a little goes a long way.”

AIRPORT STEAKHOUSE AND BAR

HUTCHINSON

After you land on your choice of entree (a tomahawk pork chop, KC strip steak, and catfish filet are just a sampling), play the role of pretend air traffic controller as you watch small craft take off and land at Hutchinson Regional Airport.

CROWN AND RYE

LINDSBORG

Lingonberry-lovers, rejoice! Find the sweet-tart Scandinavian berry in jam form atop cabbage rolls stuffed with locally sourced lamb and as a mustard spread on turkey sandwiches. The Köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) are a perennial hit.

GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL AND GRILL

COTTONWOOD FALLS

Make this your lunch or dinner stop after trekking the trails of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills. Steaks (sometimes sourced from Creekstone Farms in Arkansas City) star on the menu, as well as veggie-forward fare such as hearty eggplant Parmesan. 

Float your cares away on a kayak, canoe or tube trek down the Arkansas (that’s Ar-KANSAS) River with Arkanoe in Hutchinson. They’ll hook you up with gear (or BYO kayak or canoe), then shuttle you to your launch point for a 5- or 11-mile journey. Bring a small cooler and fill it with snacks and beverages for a mid-float break on the shore. And always remember: Pack in what you pack out to preserve the natural beauty of this Mississippi River tributary. 

Start planning your next great adventure with the 2024 Official Kansas Travel Guide.