10 Stunning Small Towns In Kansas
The most stunning small towns in Kansas are as gorgeous and wonderful as the imaginary land of Oz. Not only is a town like Wamego literally showcasing movie references and mementos from The Wizard of Oz, but other small towns like Lindsborg promote the amazing features of Sweden, while Council Grove offers insights into the Native American peoples who inhabit the Wheat and Sunflower State. From destinations like Atchison and Abilene, you can learn more about historic personalities like Amelia Earhart and President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Then, in places like Lucas and Cottonwood Falls, you will be astounded by the natural landscapes and art sceneries these towns protect and promote. In this corner of Tornado Alley, you will be swept away not from the dangerous twisters in the area but by exhilarating and stunning small towns in Kansas.
Lindsborg
When it comes to expressing the enchanting cultural affinities of Sweden, the small town of Lindsborg lives up to its title as the "Little Sweden of the US." As the Lindsborg Old Mill & Swedish Heritage Museum explains, many immigrants from both Germany and the Scandinavian country of Sweden migrated to America in 1868. Since then, these German and Swedish townsfolks have elevated Lindsborg into a thriving community with biennial celebrations like the Svensk Hyllningsfest, which you can attend in October 2025. The Coronado Heights Park and the Swedish Pavilion are athwart with several Swedish homes, which you can explore.
There are also historic landmarks like Coronado Heights Castle and Hoglund Dugout for you to go gallivanting around. Most of all, you can gawk and ogle at stunning artworks at the Birger Sandzén Memorial Art Gallery. So, for those of you wishing to get an initial sense of what Sweden is like, then you should definitely book a room in one of Lindsborg's delightful establishments, such as the Rosberg House Bed & Breakfast or the Drom Sott Inn (Sweet Dreams Inn).
Council Grove
Council Grove is one of many stunning small towns located along the influential and historic Santa Fe Trail. This particular town was once a Native American settlement of the Osage nation, and areas like the Kaw Mission State Historic Site and the Allegawaho Memorial Heritage Park preserve much of the cultural connections that Council Grove had with the Kaw Native Americans. Council Grove's Main Street in the Flint Hills contains destinations such as the Hays House Restaurant and the Post Office Oak that elaborate on the town’s pioneering legacies. The Post Office Oak, specifically, provides names of Council Grove’s founders.
Some of you might be invested in scenic strolls along the Twin Lakes of Council Grove Lake and especially the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. On the other hand, you might be more eager for the annual Gathering in the Grove in November, when dozens of artists from the Flint Hills flock to Council Grove in commemoration of the town's founding. In any case, riveting lodgings like the Cottage House Hotel will make your vacation in Council Grove comfortable and memorable.
Wamego
Fans of The Wizard of Oz and other stories by Frank L. Baum will be enchanted and mesmerized by the stunning small town of Wamego. Only about 45 miles away from the city of Topeka on the Kansas River, Wamego's chief attractions are everything related to The Wizard of Oz. For example, travelers can walk down Yellow Brick-themed Road, where dozens of murals depict scenes and characters from the movie. If you keep on exploring, you might come across statues of the dog Toto in several locations. You can also head to the land of Oz in the Oz Museum, which also elaborates on the strange and unusual happenings that occurred during the movie's filming. Additionally, you can participate in the annual OZtoberFest in October for more motifs and moments from The Wizard of Oz.
In contrast, you might be curious about the annual Tulip Festival, occurring in April for those with a penchant for tulips. Not everything in Wamego is purely dedicated to The Wizard of Oz, as the Schonhoff Dutch Mill and the historic Columbian Theatre are two notable destinations that focus more on Wamego's local histories than on making more movie references. Should you ever wish to spend a longer time in this facsimile of the Emerald City, then you can seek out accommodations at either the Simmer Motel or the Victory Inn Bed & Breakfast.
Abilene
Abilene is a town with many stunning landmarks and attractions that each represent moments and figures in American history. Only about 46 miles away from Lindsborg, travelers can start their journey through America's monumental epochs at the Greyhound Hall of Fame, which highlights the winners of many races and the origins of the racetrack in America. Those with a patriotic sense of wonderment can learn all about President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home, where the man himself used to reside. There is also Eisenhower Park, renowned mostly for having the World's Largest Belt Buckle, which you can photograph.
The Wild West certainly touched upon Abilene at one point, and you can see how this violent period has affected Abilene and its townsfolks in locations like the Seelye Mansion and the Old Abilene Town. However, if you are one for romantic ventures, then you can hop aboard the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad Valentine Dinner Train for scenic and lovely trips around Abilene. Individuals who are fit or who wish to get fit can try out the Abilene Marathon every April. Finally, those of you who wish to spend your evenings in this stunning small town can find accommodations at places like the Budget Lodge Inn Abilene or Abilene's Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast.
Cottonwood Falls
People will fall in love with Cottonwood Falls, a stunning small town deep in the tallgrass prairies of the Flint Hills. You can go traipsing through the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, a prosperous and verdant land filled with evergreen delights. You can go fishing and kayaking in locations such as the Chase Lake Falls and the Chase State Fishing Lake. Most of all, you can admire several historic structures throughout Cottonwood Falls, like the Chase County Courthouse, a French Renaissance building that offers a glimpse into the judicial system in 1872. The Roniger Museum, on the other hand, presents artifacts and exhibits from 1854 for those curious about how people used to live in Cottonwood Falls.
Most importantly, the Chase County Veterans Memorial commemorates the many American soldiers who perished in Kansas. The Flint Hills around Cottonwood Falls will be filled with music when the Symphony in the Flint Hills and the Folklife Festival transpire in June, so let your spirit soar and your feet fly when dancing about in the tallgrass prairies around Cottonwood Falls.
Lucas
Grassroots organizations are vital movements in a community to engage and enact changes to society, and the small town of Lucas is lauded for being the "Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas" for its mission and vision of providing aesthetics to the world. The Grassroots Art Center is the main organization spearheading Lucas' aesthetic efforts, and much of the artworks and masterpieces you will find all over Lucas are due to the Grassroots Art Center. Among these remarkable and pleasing works is the Garden of Eden, a folk-art area that Civil War Veteran Samuel P. Dinsmoor fashioned out of wooden sculptures inspired by figures and motifs in the Bible.
The Bowl Plaza is also a notable and unorthodox piece for you to see, considering it won the 2nd best Public Restroom in the US award in the year 2014. Miller's Park, meanwhile, showcases a beautiful arrangement of rocks. Finally, you can go and see the World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things. There are many more artistic and creative endeavors to admire in the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas, so do consider staying a long while in Lucas, particularly at one of the lovely lodgings in the town, like the Horseshoe Lodge.
Fort Scott
Fort Scott is a well-protected and well-loved small town on the Marmaton River. Only about an hour and a half from Kansas City, this small town was instrumental to the defense of Kansas. Old military bases at the Fort Scott National Historic Site memorialize the many battles fought during Bleeding Kansas and the American Civil War. These same fortresses also contributed to the Railroad Expansion since they repelled many raids and sabotages on Kansas' railroads. The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes occasionally hosts a play called Life in a Jar, where one can learn all about the many heroes and historical moments that led to modern-day Fort Scott.
Additionally, a 50-minute-long trolley tour gives a more thorough and detailed explanation of Fort Scott's past. Some of you might also be interested in attending the annual Veterans Celebration in November in honor of the many soldiers who gave their lives in defense of Kansas. In stark contrast to all the war that shaped Fort Scott, the town was also home to Gordon Parks, a renowned photographer and filmmaker whose works and life you can learn all about from the Gordon Parks Museum. There is much more to learn and see in Fort Scott, so you should definitely find a good place to spend your evenings, like the Courtland Hotel.
Atchison
Atchison, situated on the Missouri River, which delineates the border of Missouri, is a stunning small town that once accommodated three of America's historical figures who resided in Atchison: the first two were Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who stopped by Atchison on their westward journey through America. The last was Amelia Earhart, the renowned aviator whose home can be found in the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum offers more details into the life and career of the famous woman aviator.
Furthermore, The Ninety-Nine Incorporated, an organization of female pilots, has created both the International Forest of Friendship and a bronze statue of Earhart to further celebrate femininity in the skies. Many will undoubtedly feel elevated by the Amelia Earhart Festival in July. Strangely enough, some of the abodes in Atchison are rumored to be haunted houses, and you might be curious to explore sites like the Dilgert House, the McInteer Villa, and the Sallie House. In any case, you will not be spooked by ghosts in Atchison's many fine lodgings like the Hotel Eastin Atchison.
Pittsburg
Pittsburg, about 30 miles from Fort Scott, is a great place for those interested in the many stunning activities and festivities that can only be experienced in the state of Kansas. On Labor Day, you can feel free to attend the Little Balkans Day festival in celebration of the cultures and attitudes of Europe's collective nations, the Balkans. Moreover, you can wait for the spring to return or for autumn to fall so that you can partake in the annual Pittsburg ArtWalk, a grand time to express the artist within yourself.
Those of you with scholarly interests can tour the college grounds of the Pittsburg State University. On the other hand, those of you with a knack for luck and chance can put your fortunes to the test at the Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Whether you are traipsing through the verdant areas of the Pittsburg Parks & Recreation or the Shawnee Trail Conservation Area, you will doubtlessly be fulfilled and satisfied by your explorations throughout Pittsburg.
Dodge City
Dodge City is not the type of destination one should avoid. This stunning small town, about two and a half hours from Wichita, has been a significant frontier town during the heydays of the Wild West. Settled in 1872 with the arrival of the Santa Fe Railway, Dodge City was notorious for its lawless gunfights, which accrued many deceased, which you can find in the Boot Hill Cemetery. Men like Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp acted as sheriffs and marshals during this violent period, and the Boot Hill Museum contains a recreation of an Old West street complete with gunfight re-enactments and historic buildings like the former Fort Dodge jail.
There is also the Gunfighters Wax Museum, right next to the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame, where one can see life-sized figures like Sitting Bull and Doc Holliday, who contributed much to Dodge City's safety or chaos. Beeson Museum and the "Home of Stone" are additional places of interest to see the pioneering era of Dodge City. Plenty more surprises and attractions await in this dusty and stunning small town, and you can stay a long while in one of Dodge City's amicable establishments like the Nendels Inn & Suites, Wyatt Earp Hotel, or Dodge House Hotel and Convention Center.
Visitors to the state of Kansas, where sunflowers and wheat grow in great abundance right next to tornadoes, will be stunned and enamored by the many beautiful small towns worth visiting. From Dodge City's insightful and informative memorabilia of the Wild West to Fort Scott's lessons concerning the bygone wars for the territories and soul of America, these stunning small towns in Kansas do not disappoint when it comes to the breathtaking tallgrass prairies of the region and the memorable histories worth learning. Even though Kansas is dangerously fixed on Tornado Alley, you will only be swept off your feet by the stupendous sights and experiences worth savoring from the stunning small towns in the Wheat and Sunflower State.
