Although known for its flat landscape, Kansas has a lot of offer visitors. Nearly everywhere you go in Kansas you will find some piece of Old West history whether it is in a landmark or a living history presentation. Dodge City Days is held every year and the Wild West times are reenacted with a complete rodeo. Atchison, Kansas is the east is the birthplace of the famous aviator Amelia Earhart. An excellent museum can be found in Wichita with the Old Cowtown Museum which showcases the period between 1865 and 1880. The pride of Topeka is the large Topeka Zoo.
The largest city in Kansas is Wichita which has about one-fifth of the state’s population. Travelers can find a variety of attractions in this city. The most famous is the Old Cowtown Museum. Other options are the Wichita Greyhound Park that offer greyhound races. You can visit a piece of space history at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center where you can see the actual command module from the Apollo 13 space mission. For those who like culture there is the Wichita Center for the Arts that has a professional community theater, two art galleries and an art school.
Topeka is the state capital and not only features numerous historical experiences but also offers several contemporary activities. The Ward-Meade Park offers visitors a trip back to pioneer times. The military aviation of Kansas is showcased at the Combat Air Museum. The Topeka Zoo offers an excellent family attraction which has made many firsts in the animal world including the first captive breeding of American Golden Eagles. For the sports minded individual there is the Heartland Park which features various motor sports.
Lawrence has an excellent historic hotel for accommodations, the Eldridge Hotel. The entire hotel is designed for historic value including the lobby which features old style lighting, dark wood and rich fabrics. There are forty-eight suites that offer separate sitting areas, elegant furnishings and refrigerators. In addition to in room spas the hotel’s spa has a variety of services to choose from. The price of a room here includes a full breakfast.
Some additional attractions include the Tallgrass National Prairie Preserve which is an excellent option for those who like to enjoy outdoor activities and experiences. This the only preserve of its kind in the world and also has a nineteenth century ranch on site. There are variety of hikes that you can choose from and several times a year you can enjoy a living history program. If you enjoy outdoors and want to see a part of the rapidly disappearing prairies then you can’t pass up a visit to this preserve while staying in Kansas. No matter what you are looking for you will find it in Kansas.