After interest in a past staff meeting, Carlie reached out to Sarah Green for ideas on fun Kansas road trips to take this summer since many of us will be forgoing typical vacation plans. She includes places to check out in Lindsborg, Marysville and many more. Check out the full set of recommendations from Sarah.
From Sarah: Be sure to check things out ahead of time (advice I would have given even BEFORE the pandemic!) Hours often change based on local business schedules.
Lindsborg
This is always a great trip for getting out and strolling through a great downtown area. Don't miss the Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery at Bethany College, the Small World Gallery (home of National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson) and stopping for treats at the coffee shops and bakeries. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the Ol Stuga — a proper college dive bar with great sandwiches.
Abilene
The Eisenhower Presidential Library has undergone extensive renovations and is worth a stop. Abilene has a nice downtown and several good places to eat, but the Brookville Hotel's family-style chicken dinners are famous.
Marysville
Take bikes up to the Blue River Rail Trail for gorgeous scenery on a great bike path that the locals are really proud of. There are lots of places along the way to stop for a bite. Stopping at Alcove Springs on the way to Marysville is a neat place to see some pretty country and take a picnic.
Concordia/Cuba/Belleville/Courtland
There are some hidden gems up north — the National Orphan Train Museum in Concordia, the Jamestown Wildlife Refuge, the small town of Cuba (stop at the grocery store!), the awesome town square in Belleville, and the Depot Market farm stand in Courtland. There are some AirBnB's up here — if you are looking for a very, very, very quiet place to get away — this should be on the list. (Also, make sure to stop at Pinky's in Courtland).
Pittsburg
This is just a good drive, and there's so much to see along the way — including stopping in Ft. Scott to see the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes or the fort or the trails at Gunn Park— but in Pittsburg, it's always fun to eat at one of the fried chicken houses (my vote is always for Chicken Annie's), wander around their downtown, eat lunch at the Mall Deli... and they have a new brewery in town that looks very promising. Also, I'd put Guy and Mae's Tavern on this list just in case anyone is looking for a destination restaurant for great BBQ.
Other road trip ideas shared by Staff:
Rock City (Minneapolis)
Hiking trails at the Konza Prairie (Manhattan)
Hiking trails at Lake Perry (Perry)
Birdwatching at the Kansas Wetlands Education Center (Great Bend)
Truckhenge (Topeka)
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park (Oakley)
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (Strong City)
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge (Forest City, MO. Not Kansas, but close!)
Book suggestions:
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