9 Cutest Small Towns In Kansas For 2025

Everyone recognizes Kansas for its Kansas City-style BBQ and The Wizard of Oz location, but few can attest to its real charms. One thing that can be said for certain about the Sunflower State is that it fosters a sense of community, the likes of which few places can claim to possess. As you will come to realize, there is a richness of pride and unity flowing through Kansas' core. There is no place more appropriate to experience these qualities in 2025 than in Kansas' cutest small towns.

Leawood

Leawood prides itself on its beauty and quality of life. The population rises year over year in this tiny town, likely because it is very welcoming. Leawood is the most prosperous in Kansas and is said to have set the standard for surrounding cities. One of these standards is its proclivity for community building. Ironwoods Park is a 115-acre space dedicated to group activities. In it are the Ironwoods Amphitheater and the Prairie Oak Nature Center, a cottage-style building displaying Leawood's beautiful flora year-round and providing hands-on learning about the great outdoors.

In the mood to try rock climbing? Newcomers should check out the park's Ironwoods Challenge Course, a program of the park's recreational facility. In it are 3 of the highest structures in the Midwest, standing at 50 feet tall. The rock walls all provide versatile experiences for their climbers and are trainer-led experiences. There are also low-intensity group activities for folks who like to stay close to the ground.

Abilene

Much of Abilene's beauty lies in its historical architecture; for example, Abilene's Victorian Inn. Built in 1887 by a local physician, this old bed and breakfast offers a sneek peek into domestic life during the Romantic era. Or Abilene's 20th-century Seelye Mansion, a Georgian-style home created by famous Kansas architect, James C. Holland.

The most fascinating may be the preserved home of former president Dwight D. Eisenhower due to its rich history. He and his family spent nearly a century in the modest Georgian-style structure. He famously remarked, "The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene." Donated after the death of Mrs. Eisenhower by her sons in 1946 to the Eisenhower Foundation, the family home was converted into a museum. Guided tours occur seasonally and include a stop in the Presidential Library, Angus cattle barns, teahouse, and skeet range.

Downtown Abilene also offers little delights. Abilene's signature pizza shop, Tossed n Sauced Pizza has a 31-year hold on the local's tastebuds. Alternatively, there is Abilene Nutrition, which specializes in healthy teas and personalized shakes packed with protein for the health-conscious.

Cottonwood Falls

If you see the rolling hills of greenery and cattle grazing, you are likely on the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway. Besides grazing bison, Cottonwood Falls is one of the cities along its route, and it does not disappoint. There, you can head to Chase State Fishing Lake, a 109-acre lake surrounded by nearly 400 acres of wildlife area. This includes Chase Lake Falls, a collection of cascading waterfalls just across a spillway.

Are you in the mood for Kansas country music but in nature? Symphony in the Flint Hills is a nonprofit that hosts annual music performances with local Kansas artists and musicians. Help preserve Cottonwood Falls' prairie lands while listening to Kansas country tunes at their annual prairie concert, held in an amphitheater in the middle of the Flint Hills. Attire includes cowboy hats, boots, and pastoral colors.

Wamego

Wamego considers itself an "Oz-themed" community. Visit the vibrant Oz Museum to walk the yellow brick road to get up close and personal with props from the 1939 original movie, The Wizard of Oz, and the Broadway musical, Wicked. What's more, Wamego artists have constructed inspired renditions of Toto in a city-wide art project called "Totos Around Town," each with a backstory. You can find Healthcare Toto, Toto in Tulips (inspired by Dutch Hill in Wamego City Park), Emerald City Toto, Wizard Toto, and over a dozen more around town. Families can play a sightseeing game and discover all 18 while they peruse Wamego.

One cannot mention Wamego without mentioning the famous Oregon Trail. Take on America's largest migration trail at Oregon Trail Nature Park, where old-world wagon ruts remain nearby. Only a few miles north of Wamego, the trail eventually breaks off into hiking paths, with a shelter house and picnic tables where you can take in the entirety of the Kansas River Valley.

Atchison

Atchison is a riverside getaway for Kansans, complete with scenic riverscapes of the Missouri River. But Kansas' best-kept secret is Aviatrix Amelia Earhart, who grew up in Atchison. As an aviation pioneer during the 30s, Earhart's legacy as the first woman to fly solo non-stop across the Atlantic is widely celebrated in Atchison. Amelia Earhart Memorial Airport, Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, and Hangar Museum in Atchison say as much. Not to mention, "Atchinson's favorite daughter" has a bronze statue in her likeness at Atchison's International Forest of Friendship, a park celebrating the history of aviation and aerospace.

All avenues lead to fun, but the town's best-kept secret may be the annual Amelia Earhart Festival. Every summer, downtown Atchison comes alive with aviation lovers and locals as they gather for local musical performances, delicious street foods, and competitive art competitions. Atchison's "Concert in the Sky" fireworks show sends off the festivities, complete with aerobatic performances, Earhart education, and an awards and honors section.

McPherson

For a good look at Kansas history, consider McPherson. It remained strong during the Great Depression when it struck oil, which one can learn about at the McPherson Museum and Arts Foundation. In terms of art itself, McPherson boasts a 19th-century opera house that only reopened for the second time in the 21st century after a long rehabilitation process. Since then, the McPherson Opera House has accumulated many accolades for its architectural design, though it retains much of its original charm. Today, the opera house keeps afloat with its rentable facilities and other modern accommodations.

If a piece of history is what you want, "Shop the Night Away" is an all-day summer sidewalk sale for locals and visitors in downtown McPherson. Special sales take place, and food is available for purchase all day. Just bring enough pocket change as you browse for new wares; you might just find the perfect treasure, or even win a gift card.

Hutchinson

Hutchinson is a hotspot for lovers of science, technology, math, and engineering. This is due to having one of the largest planetariums in the Midwest: the Cosmosphere. You may find it impossible to avoid the awe of Cosmosphere's technically advanced interactive shows, one of which is a 3-D tour of the galaxy and another a visual tour of the International Space Station. This tour specifically includes NASA's most recent advancements in making Mars a liveable planet.

Not to be outdone by the other towns, Hutchinson also has its fair share of festivals. One of which is the Kansas State Fair. The event is so popular that those who purchase tickets may want to consider purchasing the "dry camping" option. Along with reserving a good spot, the option allows for overnight camping in the fair's designated parking lots for $10 a night. Families typically pitch tents or recline in an RV. Either way, be sure to observe dry camping rules. Besides the Kansas State Fair, the fairgrounds hosts 600 events year-round and acts as a wedding venue on occasion.

Leavenworth

Leavenworth is located on the west bank of the Missouri River. Most notably, it houses the CW Parker Carousel Museum, which is exactly what you think. The museum is a nonprofit dedicated exclusively to the history of carousels. It is an oddity in Leavenworth that locals love, as it exists solely on community donations and volunteering. Finish off a self-guided tour with a ride on a hundred-year-old carousel, built in 1913 and recently restored.

If you desire a break from the heat, the Wollman Aquatic Center in Leavenworth is open every weekend. The center also flips as a Dive-in during the summer months, providing purchaseable food and beverages. Chill in the pool while the movie plays for this ticketed event. Tickets are available both online and in person, and both adult and family movie nights are separate.

Salina

Salina is one of the largest cities in Kansas and is known in-state as a vibrant art community. Witness it yourself in downtown Salina, a pedestrian-friendly street with an Art Deco theme. Much of the art you would see on downtown businesses and buildings is a product of Salina's yearly Street Art and Mural Festival. Watch world-renowned muralists show off their skills live for an entire weekend every October.

Fall in Salina means the annual SaWINEa Wine Walk, where downtown shops transform into tasting rooms. This also means endless sips from five Kansas wineries and three local breweries. Depending on your ticket, you may get a free wine-tasting cup, wine tumbler, wine cork stopper, or bottle opener. The experience is perfect for couples or travelers wanting to meet the community while browsing Salina's downtown shops and boutiques and viewing Salina's murals.

A close look at these cute small towns in 2025 could not cover the entirety of Kansas' beauty. Much of Kansas is nonstop flatland. For the typical traveler, that means unobstructed sunsets and peaceful outdoor activities. Yet, one cannot neglect Kansas' tendency towards gently sloping hills, pastures, and prairies. A peaceful picture is made from the view of a car; it is irresistible. With over 10,000 campsites in the state, rest assured that wherever you go, beauty will follow.