There’s a lot to do in Kansas if you’ve just moved here, but even longtime Kansans still haven’t crossed everything off their lists. For those of us who like to remake bucket lists each year to make sure it’s everything we want it to be, this long list of awesome attractions in Kansas is the perfect place to start.
- Mt. Sunflower
C.K. Hartman/Flickr The highest place in Kansas is named a mountain, even though we can plainly see it’s surrounded by flat land. Pop in and sign the guestbook before getting a postcard-worthy photo and a lifetime memory.
- Hedrick’s Exotic Animal Farm Bed & Breakfast
Hedrick Exotic Animal Farm Facebook This wacky bed and breakfast has a miniature zoo attached with all sorts of animals living here. Giraffes, camels, and more live here ready to greet guests.Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum
Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum Facebook This beautiful lady who fell in love with flying started by growing up in small-town Kansas. Visiting her home where she grew up really makes you feel like you’re witnessing history.
- The Konza Prairie
Vincent Parsons/Flickr This gorgeous area of prairie land is wonderful in any season, but spring is my personal favorite. The wildflowers in spring and summer really make this one of our most beautiful scenes.
- Lucas, KS and the Garden of Eden
Patrick Emerson/Flickr Lucas is one of our oddest towns, and the Garden of Eden is a must-see for any Kansas traveler. It’s simply the most unique sculpture many of us have seen!Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Elk Falls iron bridge, waterfall, and Outhouse Decorating Competition.
Emmanuel Mccalister/Google Yes, you read that correctly. Not only is there an iron bridge and a beautiful waterfall, but they hold an annual outhouse decoration competition every fall. Maybe you should enter this year?Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Moon Marble Company
Moon Marble Company Facebook This vintage toy store and marble shop make an amazing stop on any road trip, especially when you can watch a marble being made live in front of you. Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Rock City Park
Rock City Park Facebook It sounds like a city full of garage bands, but instead, it’s giant sandstone concretions in the shape of giant spheres. They were left hear so many years ago, and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Oz Museum
Oz Museum Facebook This museum straight out of fiction covers the book series, film adaptations, and plays that have made this fictional universe something we can all relate to. Come in some time to learn about one of Kansas’ most famous movies.
- Famous Gunfighters Wax Museum
Zantosa/TripAdvisor Located in the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame museum, these creepy old wax figures make their home in silence. Some are more gory than others, but their likeness to who they represent is still uncanny.
- Museum at Prairiefire
Museum at Prairiefire Facebook With rotating exhibits and a giant t-rex skeleton when you enter, this museum does seem more beautiful on the outside. We recommend visiting near sunset for the ultimate experience. This NASA-created glass changes colors like nothing you’ve seen before.
- Strataca
Strataca Facebook It wouldn’t be a bucket list without the Kansas Underground Salt Museum. Journey hundreds of feet below the surface to see how a salt mine used to work throughout history. Maybe you’ll even bring back some salt for yourself?Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Coronado Heights
Darla Abernathy/Flickr This miniature castle is perfect for spring and fall picnics, or just a quick hike to explore if you’re visiting neighboring Lindsborg.
- Lindsborg, KS and the Wild Dala Horses
Chris Murphy/Flickr Speaking of Lindsborg, also known as “little Sweden,” you’ll find plenty to see and do here. Taking a photo with each of their wild dala herd is always on my list, however.
- Monument Rocks
meltedplastic/Flickr This gorgeous rock formation changes over the years as the wind and rain erode more of it. Today it stands more than 70 feet tall in some places, made of fragile chalk left behind after the great inland sea was no more.Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory
Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory & Education Center Facebook Big cats in need of rescue find their home here at Cedar Cove, where you’ll find plenty of friendly felines of all shapes and sizes on display. They’re here to keep them safe and to help keep their populations alive.
- C.W. Parker Carousel Museum
Jeanine Wallace/Google This amazing carousel museum takes you back to when carousels were the best part of a carnival. They also house what might be the oldest still-working carousel in the country. They’ve come a long way!Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Old Cowtown Museum
Old Cowntown Museum Facebook Experience a small town from the days of the wild west, when you knew everyone’s family, and all of your goods came from one general store. It’s even more fun if you dress the part!
- Wilson, KS and the World’s Largest Hand-Painted Czech Egg
Duncan RawlinsonF/lickr Wilson, also known as the Czech capital of Kansas, is home to the World’s Largest Hand-Painted Czech Egg, as well as plenty of other cultural things to see and do here in town. Why not spend the day exploring?
- The Santa Fe Trail wagon ruts
Deborah Lee Soltesz/Flickr Near Dodge City, there’s an area where you can see the marks left in the ground from all of the wagons that made their way along the Santa Fe trail. they may be a little faint, but the marks are a physical reminder of how we got here.Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Mushroom Rock State Park
craig clifton/Google Remember the sandstone concretions from Rock City before? These are similar, except they haven’t completely separated from the original stone. With a little luck on their side, they’ve stuck around for years looking like giant mushrooms as they stand the test of time. Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
- Truckhenge
Stefan Powell/Flickr One man, in an effort to keep his trucks despite the city telling him to pick them up, decided to hoist them in the air instead. Burying one end in the ground, he did indeed “pick up” his trucks, but not the way they intended.
- Arikaree Breaks
Kansas Tourism/Flickr Way up in the northwest corner of Kansas there sits a wide expanse of area called Arikaree Breaks. There’s not a lot of maps to the locations themselves, but your car side view is bound to be amazing.
- Maxwell Wildlife Refuge
Kansas Tourism When you’re in the mood for a nature tour, look no further than Maxwell for an up-close view of bison in their natural habitat. Well, not too close.
- Grinter Farms
Patrick Emerson/Flickr Finally, Grinter Farms is one sunflower field that we all wish to see every year. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to see them, maybe this fall will be your year? Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
If you want to check out the full map listing every location in this article, click here. Otherwise, feel free to navigate the map below!
C.K. Hartman/Flickr
The highest place in Kansas is named a mountain, even though we can plainly see it’s surrounded by flat land. Pop in and sign the guestbook before getting a postcard-worthy photo and a lifetime memory.
Hedrick Exotic Animal Farm Facebook
This wacky bed and breakfast has a miniature zoo attached with all sorts of animals living here. Giraffes, camels, and more live here ready to greet guests.Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum Facebook
This beautiful lady who fell in love with flying started by growing up in small-town Kansas. Visiting her home where she grew up really makes you feel like you’re witnessing history.
Vincent Parsons/Flickr
This gorgeous area of prairie land is wonderful in any season, but spring is my personal favorite. The wildflowers in spring and summer really make this one of our most beautiful scenes.
Patrick Emerson/Flickr
Lucas is one of our oddest towns, and the Garden of Eden is a must-see for any Kansas traveler. It’s simply the most unique sculpture many of us have seen!Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Emmanuel Mccalister/Google
Yes, you read that correctly. Not only is there an iron bridge and a beautiful waterfall, but they hold an annual outhouse decoration competition every fall. Maybe you should enter this year?Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Moon Marble Company Facebook
This vintage toy store and marble shop make an amazing stop on any road trip, especially when you can watch a marble being made live in front of you. Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Rock City Park Facebook
It sounds like a city full of garage bands, but instead, it’s giant sandstone concretions in the shape of giant spheres. They were left hear so many years ago, and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon. Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Oz Museum Facebook
This museum straight out of fiction covers the book series, film adaptations, and plays that have made this fictional universe something we can all relate to. Come in some time to learn about one of Kansas’ most famous movies.
Zantosa/TripAdvisor
Located in the Kansas Teachers Hall of Fame museum, these creepy old wax figures make their home in silence. Some are more gory than others, but their likeness to who they represent is still uncanny.
Museum at Prairiefire Facebook
With rotating exhibits and a giant t-rex skeleton when you enter, this museum does seem more beautiful on the outside. We recommend visiting near sunset for the ultimate experience. This NASA-created glass changes colors like nothing you’ve seen before.
Strataca Facebook
It wouldn’t be a bucket list without the Kansas Underground Salt Museum. Journey hundreds of feet below the surface to see how a salt mine used to work throughout history. Maybe you’ll even bring back some salt for yourself?Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Darla Abernathy/Flickr
This miniature castle is perfect for spring and fall picnics, or just a quick hike to explore if you’re visiting neighboring Lindsborg.
Chris Murphy/Flickr
Speaking of Lindsborg, also known as “little Sweden,” you’ll find plenty to see and do here. Taking a photo with each of their wild dala herd is always on my list, however.
meltedplastic/Flickr
This gorgeous rock formation changes over the years as the wind and rain erode more of it. Today it stands more than 70 feet tall in some places, made of fragile chalk left behind after the great inland sea was no more.Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory & Education Center Facebook
Big cats in need of rescue find their home here at Cedar Cove, where you’ll find plenty of friendly felines of all shapes and sizes on display. They’re here to keep them safe and to help keep their populations alive.
Jeanine Wallace/Google
This amazing carousel museum takes you back to when carousels were the best part of a carnival. They also house what might be the oldest still-working carousel in the country. They’ve come a long way!Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Old Cowntown Museum Facebook
Experience a small town from the days of the wild west, when you knew everyone’s family, and all of your goods came from one general store. It’s even more fun if you dress the part!
Duncan RawlinsonF/lickr
Wilson, also known as the Czech capital of Kansas, is home to the World’s Largest Hand-Painted Czech Egg, as well as plenty of other cultural things to see and do here in town. Why not spend the day exploring?
Deborah Lee Soltesz/Flickr
Near Dodge City, there’s an area where you can see the marks left in the ground from all of the wagons that made their way along the Santa Fe trail. they may be a little faint, but the marks are a physical reminder of how we got here.Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
craig clifton/Google
Remember the sandstone concretions from Rock City before? These are similar, except they haven’t completely separated from the original stone. With a little luck on their side, they’ve stuck around for years looking like giant mushrooms as they stand the test of time. Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
Stefan Powell/Flickr
One man, in an effort to keep his trucks despite the city telling him to pick them up, decided to hoist them in the air instead. Burying one end in the ground, he did indeed “pick up” his trucks, but not the way they intended.
Kansas Tourism/Flickr
Way up in the northwest corner of Kansas there sits a wide expanse of area called Arikaree Breaks. There’s not a lot of maps to the locations themselves, but your car side view is bound to be amazing.
Kansas Tourism
When you’re in the mood for a nature tour, look no further than Maxwell for an up-close view of bison in their natural habitat. Well, not too close.
Finally, Grinter Farms is one sunflower field that we all wish to see every year. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to see them, maybe this fall will be your year? Here’s a link to a full article about this attraction.
If you’ve been looking forward to our new bucket lists for the year but can’t wait for a restaurant edition, check out this list of amazing places that make soup so good you’ll want to take home extras.
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