10 Charming Kansas Towns For The Perfect Getaway
Kansas, the 34th State of the Union, is an eye-catching, doubly landlocked Midwestern State located amidst a westwardly ascending terrain of North America’s Great Plains. Formerly regarded as the nation's agricultural heartland with plentiful wheat fields in the west and hills and forests in the east, the Sunflower State lures excursionists from every corner of the globe. Considering the fact that most of the time, thriving metropolises, namely Kansas City, Overland Park, Wichita, the state's most populous city, and Topeka, the state capital, get the maximal tourist attention, the numberless charming communities peppering America’s Heartland are worth escaping to on your next getaway far away from busy urban centers.
Colby
Colby, named for the native land assessor J. R. Colby, is the Thomas County seat set in the High Plains region of Northwest Kansas by the Prairie Dog Creek’s southern side, roughly 280 miles northwest of Wichita. This developing agrarian community invites travelers to take note of the historic Thomas County Courthouse, the 1920-built art-deco style Colby City Hall, and the Thomas County Historical Society-managed Prairie Museum of Art & History, which spread over 24 acres also features ‘The Cooper Barn’- the ‘Largest Barn in Kansas.’
Addedly, partake in ample recreation at Colby Aquatic Park, Fike Park, and Villa High Park; attend the annual Pickin’ on the Plains Bluegrass Festival; and rest for the night at Hampton Inn Colby.
Wamego
A ‘Small Town with Big Experience,’ this 4,841-inhabitant settlement in Pottawatomie County sits at the meeting of K-99 and US Highway 24 next to the Kansas River, 15 miles east of Manhattan, Kansas. Sightseers on a tour of this town christened after the Indigenous Potawatomi tribe leader must peruse the Downtown District’s many local businesses, including antique stores like Audity Ally Emporium, clothing stores like Jabez Boutique, and diners like Friendly Cooker Restaurant, besides interesting sites such as the Oz Museum, the Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie Park, and Wamego City Park.
De-stress at Wamego Inn & Suites plus free time to be present at the annual Fourth of July festivities and OZtoberFEST.
Lucas
Placed at the crossroads of K-18 and K-232 highways in Russell County of north-central Kansas, Lucas is an offbeat community around 140 miles northwest of the state's most populous city. Well-publicized for its myriad sites attached to regional folk art, Lucas adroitly promotes itself as the ‘Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas.’ In addition to the captivating ‘Garden of Eden’ set up Downtown by the eminent sculptor Samuel Perry Dinsmoor, Lucas’s diverse art-centric tourist lures include the Grassroots Art Center and the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things Traveling Roadside Attraction and Museum.
Unwind in the comfy rooms of Horseshoe Lodge and join in for the day-long April-Fools-A-Palooza on April 1st and Adam’s Apple Festival in August.
Dodge City
Ford County’s administrative capital, Dodge City, baptized after the neighboring Fort Dodge (in turn titled after the Union Army officer Grenville Mellen Dodge), is situated alongside the Arkansas River. In the first few years, Dodge City gained a shady reputation as a Wild West frontier settlement on the Santa Fe Trail, famed for gun fighting and disorderliness and housing gambling halls, saloons, and brothels.
From the first half of the 19th century, this lawless town gradually transformed into a placid community, welcoming tourists to explore the Old Dodge City Downtown Business District aside from the House of Stone/Mueller-Schmidt House, El Capitan, and the Santa Fe Trail remains. Have an enjoyable stay at the Best Western Plus Country Inn & Suites, and take part in the Dodge City Days celebrations held every summer.
Norton
The seat of government of Norton County, Norton occupies the High Plains on the northern side of Prairie Dog Creek, just 11 miles from the Kansas-Nebraska state boundary. The National Register-listed 19-acre Norton Downtown Historic District encompasses a substantial portion of the town, featuring superbly renovated structures such as the Norton County Courthouse together with plethoric small businesses filing its brick-paved streets.
Likewise, many businesses on US Highway 36 also provide trippers excellent retailertainment. When touring the town, the Prairie Dog State Park, Norton County Historical Museum, and Norton Aquatic Center are must-visits, side-by-side lodging at Sleep Inn & Suites Norton and participating in the various events organized by the Norton County Arts Council.
Lindsborg
Primarily settled by immigrant families hailing from the Värmland province of Sweden, Lindsborg is a teeny McPherson County town located around an hour north of Wichita. Holiday-makers sojourning this ‘Little Sweden, USA’ lauded for its strong Scandinavian roots and creative settings should not miss the Swedish souvenir-selling Downtown shops, the slew of Dala horse statues embellishing the passageways, and the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum telling stories about the town’s past. Conjointly, check out the Freemount Lutheran Church, the International Chess Institute of the Midwest, and the Swedish-born painter Birger Sandzén’s memorial art gallery at the Bethany College campus.
Enjoy a peaceful slumber at the Viking Motel and try to be there at any of Lindsborg’s fun-filled annual programs like the Chocolate Lovers Affair & Art Auction in February, Våffeldagen/Waffle Day in March, and Millfest on the first Saturday in May.
Abilene
Dickinson County’s administrative center, this American frontier town in the Flint Hills region of east-central Kansas, sits on the Smoky Hill River’s northern side. Called ‘Mud Creek’ at the time of its founding as a stagecoach stop, the town was rebaptized ‘Abilene’ (‘grassy plains’), a name derived from a verse in the Holy Bible. Flaunting a Wild West way of life, Abilene is immensely popular for being the childhood home of Dwight David Eisenhower, the 34th President of the country.
Vacationers can repose at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Abilene after a hectic tour of the World’s Largest Belt Buckle, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum, the Great Plains Theatre, and the Heritage Center of Dickinson County.
Fort Scott
Originally established in the 1850s as a US Army garrison, Fort Scott, located on the Osage Plains on the Marmaton River’s southern side, steadily advanced from a pivotal frontier city post-American Civil War to a small industrial hub in the early years of the 20th century. Retro buffs are especially attracted to the Fort Scott Historic Site and Fort Scott National Cemetery, coupled with the Downtown art galleries like The Artificers, boutiques like Sunshine Boutique, live performance venues like Liberty Theatre, and meticulously preserved historic estates.
Engage in golfing, camping, fishing, and hiking activities in the 155-acre Gunn Park before relaxing at The Courtland Hotel & Spa.
Atchison
An entrancing settlement on the Missouri River’s western banks at the crossing of US Route 73 and US Route 59 highways is Atchison, the Atchison County shire town named in remembrance of the Missouri Senator David Rice Atchison. Jointly captivating visitors with its mind-boggling riverfront location proffering splendiferous views of the Missouri River bend and Victorian properties lining the streets, sightseers in Atchison should stop by the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, St. Benedict’s Abbey, Muchnic Art Gallery, contemporary budget lodges like Super 8 by Wyndham Atchison, and Paolucci Restaurant Deli & Lounge serving fine cuisines.
Cottonwood Falls
Cottonwood Falls, the Chase County seat and its biggest community, is situated at the nucleus of the Flint Hills region by the southern shores of Cottonwood River. Constructed in 1873 using locally quarried limestone in Second Empire style is the National Register-listed Chase County Courthouse, Kansas’ ancientest uninterruptedly functioning courthouse and the sublimest structure in Cottonwood Falls.
Scour the brick-laid streets leafing through the Downtown Flint Hills Art Gallery, vintage stores like Tallgrass Antiques, accommodations like Lark Inn on Main, and prize-winning eateries like the Grand Grill in the Grand Central Hotel, other than the Chase County Historical Society Museum & Library, the hiking paths of Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, and Cottonwood River Dam & Bridge.
From the cowboy cultures of Abilene and Dodge City to Lindsborg’s Swedish heritage, each of these less-explored communities in the 36th most populous and 15th most extensive state of the nation provides the perfect getaway options. Whether you are interested in inspecting the numerous century-old landmarks, scanning the idiosyncratic boutiques in the graphic downtowns, marveling at the multitudinous roadside spectacles, and traversing the stunning tallgrass prairies landscape, pursue no further than these tantalizing Wheat State towns for hassle-free minibreaks or lengthy recesses.
