You’ll find that Kansas is home to dozens of hidden gems and great attractions such as the popular Boot Hill Museum and the Sedgwick County Zoo, which are two of the most visited attractions in Kansas.
Saying this, Boot Hill and Sedgwick are just the tip of the iceberg! Kansas boasts many more awesome places to go and the following list covers just about all the places worth checking out in the state of Kansas. Be sure to print out the following list of top 10 places to go in Kansas to take with you!
Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, Overland Park
Tourist attractions in Kansas don’t get more fascinating than the historic Deanna Rose farmstead in Overland Park (just 30 minutes south of Kansas City). This farmstead is a beautiful reconstruction of a typical 19th century Midwestern farm and it’s complete with a general store, school house, tipi and folks dressed in period clothes.
Visiting the Deanna Rose farmstead is like stepping back in 1800's Kansas and offers one of the best Midwestern farm experiences in Kansas. Besides taking photos of the buildings, you’ll also be able to pet lots of farm animals and enjoy traditional hay rides.
Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, Abilene
The Eisenhower museum is another popular attraction in Kansas and a must see for war buffs and anyone interested in American history. The Eisenhower museum is a great place to learn about the upbringing and presidential life of Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th President of the USA).
The tour of the Eisenhower museum includes a visit to the home Eisenhower grew up as a boy and Eisenhower’s Presidential library where you can learn about Eisenhower’s military career as Supreme Allied Commander during WWII.
Oz Museum, Wamego
Whether you’re a fan of the Wizard of Oz or not the Oz Museum is, most definitely, one of the top 10 places to go in Kansas. The Oz Museum houses one of the largest private collections of “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia in the world.
The Oz memorabilia collection includes Oz toys, board games, autographs, the famous Baum books, original props from the movie and various displays of Dorothy, Tin Man and the rest of the gang.
Exploration Place, Wichita
Exploration Place is probably one of the best places in Kansas where everyone (regardless of age) can have a fun time.
Exploration Place boasts fun areas for kids, science shows and many interactive exhibits such as a “Titanic” display and a “Star Wars” exhibit displaying cool “Star Wars” memorabilia such as a replica Millenium Falcon spacecraft that you can ride.
Livestrong Sporting Park, Kansas City
Livestrong Sporting Park is one of the most popular sporting venues in Kansas and the best place in the Midwest region to watch a cup game or a major league soccer game. Even if you aren’t a huge soccer aficionado, you’ll love soaking in the atmosphere among the sporting Kansas City fans.
Besides watching a soccer game, you can also do walk up tours and group tours (by appointment only) of the facilities.
Botanica, Sim Park
Wichita’s Botanica is right up there with the best botanical gardens in the Midwest and it’s without a doubt, one of the top 10 places to go in Kansas. Botanica boasts dozens of gardens and green areas such as a butterfly garden/house and a children’s garden area for kids to play.
The garden flowers beds are always in bloom so no matter what time of the year you visit Botanica you’ll have a lovely time there. Saying this, Christmas is a particularly nice time to be at Botanica because the gardens are beautifully decorated with hundreds of Christmas lights.
Kansas Museum of History, Topeka
The Kansas Museum of History is another interesting place in Kansas to go and learn about the prairie days of Kansas.
The museum features dozens of interesting exhibits on display such as an 1800’s steam engine belonging to the Santa Fe Railway, a stagecoach used by the Southwestern Stage Company, a full size replica of a Cheyenne tipi, a covered wagon used on the Oregon Trail, Civil War uniforms, a 1900’s biplane and a 1950’s diner vignette.
Kansas Speedway, Kansas City
NASCAR fan or not, if you’re looking for cool things to do in Kansas you cannot miss going to the Kansas Speedway for a bit of fun racing action. You can bring your own cooler with drinks and snacks and enjoy a race in the company of other NASCAR fans.
NASCAR races isn't the only attraction, you can also catch other cool events at the Kansas Speedway such as the annual Kansas City Bikers for Babies on September 16, which draws hundreds of “Hog” riders from across the US.
Massachusetts Street, Lawrence
Massachusetts Street is easily the nicest place in Kansas to go for shopping and enjoy an evening out. Massachusetts St is located in the old part of downtown Lawrence and boasts a vibe and atmosphere like no other district in Kansas.
You’ll find dozens of variety shops (including an old fashioned toy store), bars, restaurants, coffee shops, street performers, music stores, farmer’s market (Saturdays 7am-11am) and, even a small Japanese garden. Summertime is definitely, the best time to experience Massachusetts Street because of the summer concert series (held at South Park) and the Busker Festival (Aug 24-26).
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