Kansas Vacation Planner

2024 Kansas Visitors Guide

The State of Kansas offers its visitors more than just tornadoes and small dogs. Kansas is known as the Wheat State, the Sunflower State, and the Jayhawker State. Famous for its flat landscape, Kansas consists of carpets of billowing wheat fields, herds of grazing cattle, humming oil derricks, and towering grain storage elevators. Around each corner, a piece of the Old West can be found in one of the novel landmarks or living history presentations. The raucous times of the Wild West are well depicted in Dodge City, settled by gunslingers, gamblers, and cattlemen. Lawless times inspired people such as Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson to take charge and clean up the area. The best of these times are reenacted at the annual Dodge City Days, complete with a rodeo. In eastern Kansas, visit Atchison, the birthplace of the famous aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, is home to the Old Cowtown Museum, where one can step back into the time period of 1865-1880. The state capital of Kansas is the city of Topeka, with its pride being the Topeka Zoo.

East Kansas Visitors Guide

East Kansas has areas of rich, fertile soil where endless fields of wheat sway in the wind and expanses of native prairie grassland where herds of cattle graze. Visitors to this region will find a proliferation of agriculture-based museums, outdoor adventures and many opportunities for hunting and fishing. Most of the entertainment and activity choices are centered in urban areas. Kansas City hosts the annual Wyandotte County Fair and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series at Kansas Speedway. Ballooning adventures are available in Overland Park and Salina is the home of the Rolling Hills Zoo.

Topeka Visitors Guide

Situated in Northeastern Kansas is the state capital, Topeka. Topeka is comprised of numerous return-to-the-past experiences as well as contemporary activities. Historic Ward-Meade Park propels visitors back to pioneer times. The Combat Air Museum provides a glimpse of the military aviation heritage of Kansas. A fabulous family attraction is the Topeka Zoo, which is credited with many world firsts, including the first American Golden Eagles, hatched and reared by their parents in captivity. For those with a need for speed, Heartland Park Topeka is the site of riveting motorsport action.

Wichita Visitors Guide

Wichita, the largest city in Kansas, is home to roughly one-fifth of the state’s population. Along with major industries and businesses, Wichita offers many attractions to the visitor. Catapult back into the time period of 1865-1880 at The Old Cowtown Museum. A change of pace for a traveler may be the Wichita Greyhound Park which offers thrilling greyhound races. While in the Wichita area, stop in at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, where the command module from the Apollo 13 space mission is housed. For lovers of culture, visit the Wichita Center for the Arts and its professional community theater, two galleries and art school.

Overland Park KS Visitors Guide

Overland Park is more than a convenient gateway to Kansas City’s points of interest. The principal center of business and commerce for the Johnson County portion of the Kansas City metropolitan area, Overland Park has a kaleidoscope of attractions ranging from sophisticated dinner theaters to scenic parks and family amusement centers. The jewel of the city’s tourism industry is the 300-acre Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, where nearly five miles of trails wind through several ecosystems, including dry-mesic prairie, dry oak savanna, and wooded draws. At the Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, families discover a number of entertaining ways to spend an afternoon, whether it is playing with the animals, fishing at the pond, or touring the grounds on a horse-drawn wagon. An epic dinner theater experience is provided at Overland Park’s New Theatre Restaurant, a 600-seat venue offering professional theater year-round.

Salina, KS Visitors Guide

Located in north-central Kansas, the city of Salina offers amenities characteristic of a large center while maintaining its small-city charm. Ideally situated just 90 mi (145 km) north of Wichita, Salina boasts a wide range of attractions that please visitors of all ages. Families, in particular, enjoy the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure, which houses a zoo with over 300 animals, as well as an interactive museum. History enthusiasts appreciate the Smoky Hill Museum, where the area’s history is commemorated through a variety of educational exhibits. Fans of stock car racing flock to the Salina Speedway, where events are held every Saturday from April until September. Central Mall whets the appetite of avid shoppers, as it features an array of stores, as well as restaurants and a movie theater. Every June Salina comes alive during the Smoky Hill River Festival, a four-day event filled with musical performances in a variety of genres, including jazz, blues, classical and reggae.