Stories of sea creatures, pioneers, entrepreneurs, and the last Black settlement west of the Mississippi defy expectations.

RUSSELL SPRINGS

Butterfield Trail Museum

A replica of a Butterfield Overland Despatch (sic) stagecoach reveals the cramped ride that gold fever-stricken passengers endured when traveling west on the Smoky Hill Trail.
 

PHILLIPSBURG

C&r Railroad Museum

Kids beam with joy watching five model trains chug along a quarter-mile track, crossing bridges, passing by a waterfall, and winding through a village and a 57-foot-long mountain range. 
 

OAKLEY

Fick Fossil And History Museum

Vi Fick used thousands of locally found fish bones, shells, fossils, and shark teeth to create intricate folk art displayed near fossils of extinct aquatic reptiles. It all adds up to proof that Kansas wasn’t always landlocked. 
 

HAYS

Fort Hays State Historic Site

A dumbbell forged for Gen. George Armstrong Custer remains at this former garrison established to protect railroad construction workers, traders and settlers traveling through the area.
 

WESKAN

Mount Sunflower

No hiking is needed to reach the highest point in Kansas, where the ranch cows’ occasional “moos” echo in the otherwise quiet pasture under vast skies. Peek at guest book signatures from around the globe.
 

NICODEMUS

Nicodemus National Historic Site

Hear LueCreasea Horne, a sixth-generation descendant of the town’s founders, share how this community of 20 (or so) residents became the first Black settlement on the western plains following the Civil War. The Visitor Center’s main floor, the church, and the Roadside Park’s portable restrooms are wheelchair accessible. 

Photography by Harland Schuster
 

WAKEENEY

North Pole Park

With countless yards of garland, decorations crafted by townspeople, and thousands of lights, WaKeeney celebrates Christmas in style. The season lingers all year in this town where candy canes lead into the alley-wide North Pole Park, complete with props for taking selfies. 

ELLIS

Walter P. Chrysler Boyhood Home And Museum

Shooting marbles, delivering milk, and helping build this family home occupied a young Walter Chrysler’s time before he became a self-taught engineer and pioneer in the automobile industry.

Beef-country staples (steaks, barbecue, and a polarizing delicacy) join forces with chic cocktail bars.
 

HAYS

Big Smoke Barbecue

Big Smoke Barbecue’s succulent meats are smoked for more than 12 hours. Choose one of four homemade sauces, then top your meal off with a treat from the soda fountain. 

Gella’s Diner And Lb. Brewing Co. 

Typically a hand-held food, bierocks here come smothered in creamy cheese sauce; order it with an award-winning brew, like the Oatmeal Stout. 

Sake2me

Sushi in Kansas? You bet. And this spot offers some of the best around. Try the Kansas Roll, covered in panko, deep-fried, and topped with eel sauce. 
 

GOODLAND

Crazy R’s Bar And Grill

Bicycles and toy wagons hang from the ceiling in this neighborhood bar and grill where chicken fried steak and Rocky Mountain oysters give diners a hearty and meaty taste of the heartland.
 

HOXIE

The Elephant Bistro And Bar

Small plates and locally sourced ingredients define this upscale showcase of the region’s bounty. Try a bison steak entree with The Elephant’s Signature Old Fashioned, jazzed up with house-made honey syrup.
 

Photography by Zach Bauman
 

NICODEMUS

Ernestine’s Bar-b-q

From April through October, visit this cafe-within-a-home for ribs smothered with in-house seasoning, barbecue beans, and potato salad. Save room for a decadent peach cobbler. 
 

COLBY

Orange. European Bar

No passport is required to get a swanky taste of Europe with intimate seating and a limited menu of small plates. Unique cocktails, espresso drinks, and music stars in this restaurant are influenced by the nightlife in Berlin.
 

WAKEENEY

Shiloh Vineyard And Winery

Shiloh creates wines made from mostly Kansas grapes. Sip a glass or two inside the gabled barn or on the chicken coop’s covered patio.
 

Photography by Doug Stremel 

A former church and century-old homes provide plenty of nostalgia to enjoy before lights out.
 

HAYS

The Buffalo Haus

Once owned by a buffalo hunter, this 1893 limestone home features a wraparound porch for guests to unwind. Spend the night in two-bedroom suites with modern amenities—right in the heart of downtown.
 

WAKEENEY

Kirch Haus

For a spiritual experience, spend the night in a church with stained-glass windows and a cathedral ceiling. The resurrected Kirch Haus welcomes up to 14 people and includes a gourmet kitchen with a central island made from the church’s altar.
 

SHARON SPRINGS

Mt. Sunflower Bed And Breakfast

Sleeping in the church is encouraged at this former house of worship built in 1922. Wake to homemade breakfasts or a workout at the Wallace County Recreation Center (located in the basement). Two of the eight guest rooms include a living room and kitchen. 
 

ST. FRANCIS

The Spencer House Bed And Breakfast

Soak up the soft music and candlelight as you tuck into breakfasts of crepes, souffles, and omelets served on fine china. Each bedroom showcases a different theme in the 100-year-old Craftsman-style home. Or stay in the carriage house with two bedrooms.

DISCOVER THE OTHER FIVE ADVENTURE-FILLED REGIONS OF KANSAS IN THE 2023 OFFICIAL KANSAS TRAVEL GUIDE.