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Kansas

Wicked witches and yellow-brick roads, pitched battles over slavery and tornadoes powerful enough to pulverize entire towns are some of the more vivid images of Kansas. But the common image – amber waves of grain from north to south and east to west – is closer to modern reality.

There's a simple beauty to the green rolling hills and limitless horizons. Places such as Chase County beguile those who value understatement. Gems abound, from the superb space museum in Hutchinson to the indie music clubs of Lawrence. Most importantly, follow the Great Plains credo of ditching the interstate for the two-laners and make your own discoveries.

Explore Kansas

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Latest Stories from Kansas

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kansas.

  • Museum

    Cosmosphere

    Possibly the most surprising sight in Kansas, this amazing museum captures the race to the moon better than any museum on the planet. Absorbing displays…

  • Nature Reserve

    Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

    This 11,000-acre national preserve, 2 miles northwest of Strong City, is a perfect place to hike the prairie, with its 40 miles of scenic trails. Bison…

  • Historic Site

    Fort Larned National Historic Site

    Six miles west of town, Fort Larned National Historic Site is a remarkably well-preserved 1860s fort in an evocative setting. It's well worth the trip to…

  • Gallery

    Garden of Eden

    In 1907 Samuel Dinsmoor began filling his yard with enormous concrete sculptures reflecting his eccentric philosophies relating to contemporary life and…

  • Museum

    Old Cowtown Museum

    An open-air museum that re-creates the Wild West (as seen on TV…). Over 50 pioneer-era buildings, staged gunfights (April to October) and guides in cowboy…

  • Museum

    Eisenhower Presidential Center

    Fittingly set against a backdrop of grain elevators, the rather regal Eisenhower Presidential Center includes Ike's boyhood home, a recently redesigned…

  • Historic Site

    Home on the Range Cabin

    The iconic song of the American West, 'Home on the Range,' was written by Brewster M Higley in 1871 at a remote cabin in northern Kansas. Today you can…

  • Museum

    Exploration Place

    Right on the river confluence, this architecturally striking children's museum has no end of cool exhibits, including a tornado chamber where you can feel…

  • Historic Site

    Fort Scott

    This restored fort near the Missouri border dates to 1842. While the parade grounds and buildings in the heart of its namesake city are interesting, the…

  • Historic Building

    County Courthouse

    Don't miss the showstopping County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls. Completed in 1873, it is a fantasy of French Renaissance style.

  • Museum

    Kansas Museum of History

    From a Cheyenne war lance to temperance advocate Carrie Nation's hammer, this engaging center is packed with Kansas stories.

  • Gallery

    Grassroots Art Center

    An intriguing collection of works made by amateur artists using recycled goods such as buttons, barbed wire and pull-tabs.

  • Museum

    Mid-America All-Indian Center

    Guarded by Wichita artist Blackbear Bosin's 44ft statue Keeper of the Plains, this museum has exhibits of Native American art and artifacts, as well as a…

  • Museum

    Boot Hill Museum

    This studio-backlot-like attraction includes a cemetery, jail and saloon, where gunslingers reenact (blood-free) shootouts while Miss Kitty and her…

  • Museum

    Chase County Historical Society

    In a historic corner brick commercial building, this small museum has engaging displays about the county's history including the nearby 1931 plane crash…

  • Museum

    Santa Fe Trail Center Museum

    Two miles west of town, this open-air museum details the vital route linking the US and Mexico for much of the 19th century. Other exhibits include…

  • Gallery

    Spencer Museum of Art

    Encompassing works by American Old West artist Frederic Remington, Plains painter Thomas Hart Benton and others, this museum on the University of Kansas…

  • Landmark

    State Capitol

    Under the huge copper dome, don't miss the fiery John Steuart Curry mural of abolitionist John Brown. Climb 296 steps for great views outside. Enter via…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Kansas.

  • Activities