So many communities in Kansas host regular events on Memorial Day Weekend. From the Busker Festival in Lawrence, Fort Wallace Rodeo, to Yates Center Days, you'll have your pick of what to do this Memorial Day Weekend.
 

Shoutout to the Lawrence Busker Festival!

Last year, I attended the Lawrence Busker Festival for the first time and I had one of my best weekends ever in Lawrence! After living in Lawrence for 7 years, I finally decided that I needed to go. I was so entertained that there's no doubt that I will be back again this year. If you don't know what to expect, trust me, keep on guessing, because these are LIVE street performances where (almost) anything can happen. The best part? THE KIDS LOVE IT! I don't have kids myself, but I saw plenty of little ones running around the venue who looked like they were having a blast. It really is a great event for the entire family; just be ready, these performers are the real deal!

Kansas is a great destination for all outdoor enthusiasts, whether they enjoy fishing, hiking, mountain biking, gravel cycling, or disc golfing. One great thing about these activities in Kansas is that you can find all of them at our State Parks. These activities are surprisingly plentiful out here in the Sunflower State. Consider Kansas's "wide open space" more like a wide open invitation for adventure!

In Kansas, we have a lot of road miles. In fact, we have over 286,000 miles of roadways; that's the 5th most of any state, despite only being the 15th largest in terms of land area. Needless to say, we also have a lot of Byways & Highways for you to enjoy a road trip this weekend!
 

Historic Byways

Western Vistas Historic Byway

Another excellent road trip to cross off your bucket list is to drive along the Western Vistas Historic Byway. This byway provides you access to some of my two favorite spots in Kansas: Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park and Monument Rocks National Landmark.
 

Frontier Military Historic Byway

If you love military history then drive along the Frontier Military Historic Byway. This byway is the longest in our state and takes you through notable places like Fort Leavenworth, and Fort Scott. You can learn more about the historical attractions on the byway here.

Scenic Byways

Smoky Valley Scenic Byway

The Smoky Valley Scenic Byway is one of the "best little-known secrets" of Kansas. This Byway can easily be accessed off I-70 and spans across the Smoky Hills near Cedar Bluff State Park. The U-shaped route is easy to navigate and runs an ideal distance of about 60 miles. Go ahead and cross this little known secret off your bucket list?
 

Glacial Hills Scenic Byway

If you keep driving north on the Frontier Military Byway, you'll eventually transition to the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway. This beautiful scenery leads you through the very Northeast edge of the state to the city of Atchison. Both of these byways are excellent drives that really let you see the amazing greenery of the far eastern edge of Kansas.
 

Wetlands & Wildlife National Scenic Byway

The Wetlands & Wildlife Byway is one of the two nationally recognized scenic byways in Kansas (the other being the Flint Hills Byway). The Wetlands & Wildlife Byway is exactly what it sounds like in that the route weaves through two nationally protected wetlands, Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms, where wildlife is very abundant. While this route can be harder to navigate, it's 100% worth it, since getting lost will also take you to places you wish you had been before!