Discover the Magic of a Fun and Quirky Kansas Road Trip

Wander With Wonder – Discovering Wow Moments Around the World or Across the Street

Embark on an unforgettable journey through nature, history, and art on a Kansas road trip. Explore the best of Kansas from covered wagons and the Oregon Trail to the Oz Museum and a giant ball of twine!

I thought of north central Kansas as flat and boring until I took a road trip down the Yellow Brick Road to some unique places. Starting in Wamego, about 100 miles west of my starting point at Kansas City Airport, I was mainly on I-70 with a few detours on side roads.  From museums and art exhibits to natural phenomena and unique Kansas roadside attractions, this part of Kansas will entertain, enlighten, and surprise you with something different every few miles.

Wamego, Kansas

My first stop on our Kansas road trip was Wamego, Kansas, a small town near Manhattan, Kansas, in the state’s northeastern corner. The historic downtown is filled with historic landmarks and adorable shops. The town is a great family-friendly destination where you can follow the Oregon trail, hang out at the Splash Park & Aquatic Center, or catch a show at the classic old Columbian Theater.

Oz  Museum

We started our visit at the Oz Museum. It brought back memories of reading Frank Baum’s Wizard of Oz and seeing Judy Garland in the movie. The museum has original costumes, an interactive section, artifacts from the movie, and all the spin-offs that the Wizard of Oz caused over the years.

Yellow Brick Road

I discovered there really is a Yellow Brick Road. It’s across the street from the museum. I loved walking through it and admiring the murals. My favorite is the Tinman holding an ax and eating an apple from a tree he chopped down. Toto guards the entrance. I discovered painted Totos all over town by local artists.

Oz Winery

Just down the street, I visited Oz Winery. Kristin Philip, the operation manager, told me the winery building was a hotel in the early 1900s and has a resident spirit, Frank, an actor who died at the hotel. He was performing at the nearby Columbian Theatre, a popular site for paranormal investigators. I wish I had time to explore the many Victorian-era buildings in Wamego.

The winery makes all its wines on-site. I sampled a glass of Squished Witch, a semi-sweet red wine with berry flavors, one of their best sellers.

Manhattan

Nearby Manhattan, Kansas, sits at the junction of two rivers and is home to about 54,000 residents. Manhattan, known as the Little Apple, is an energetic town, largely because it’s a college town, home to Kansas State University and Manhattan Christian College.

Flint Hills Discovery Center

We left the fiction and fantasy behind us in Wamego. Here in Manhattan, nature called to me. I wanted to learn about the prairie tallgrass that once covered over 170 million acres from Canada through Texas, so my first stop was Flint Hills Discovery Center.

Inside the lobby of the three-story building, I realized I was standing on the state of Kansas. Yes, I know I was in Kansas, but on the floor, there’s a mosaic telling where the tallgrass once was and where it is now.

I watched a film about the history of the tallgrass in Horizon Ranch Flint Hills Immersive Experience Theater, where I could feel the wind blowing the prairie fire across the Flint Hills and smell the smoke.

The first floor has exhibits about Kansas from prehistoric times to the present. I thought tallgrass was just one species, but I learned it has many varieties.

The second floor is the children’s discovery section. Be sure to see the rooftop garden. It has native plants and stairs leading down to a garden trail. From the rooftop, I got a glimpse of the new Museum of Art and Light, set to open in November 2024.

Konza Prairie

Just about eight miles away, Konza Prairie got me outdoors. I met with 24-year Konza Prairie volunteer and veteran Chod Hedinger at the Konza Prairie Nature Trail and hiked the trail, where he showed me different varieties of tallgrass. I was hoping to see bison, but they were at a different location, but there were lots of songbirds.

Manhattan Dining

Since Manhattan is home to Kansas State University, I explored Aggieville, a shopping, restaurant, and entertainment district near the university. Be sure to treat your sweet tooth with a stop at Varsity Donuts in Aggieville. It’s housed in the Palace Drug Store built in 1929. The chocolate eclair was my favorite.

Breakfast at The Chef is a local tradition. I went with Homemade Biscuits and Gravy and The Chef Fruit Bowl. Many restaurants had outdoor platform-style dining on what looked like parking spaces or sidewalks. Marcia Rozell, Manhattan CVB Director, explained, “The city government paid to build and install the platforms during the pandemic.”

Tallgrass Taphouse is perfect for dinner. It’s a brewhouse and upscale restaurant with ten brewing tanks as part of the restaurant. One of my friends went with their legendary Triple Dog Dare Ya, a bratwurst, an andouille sausage, and a bacon-wrapped beef hot dog on buns topped with about everything imaginable. I wasn’t up to that challenge, so I went with meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and Brussels sprouts.

Milford

Head west about 35 miles, and you’ll find yourself in Milford, Kansas. Known as the “City of Beautiful Sunsets,” the original Milford disappeared when Milford Lake—the largest man-made lake in Kansas—was created with the construction of Milford Dam in the early 60s. Today’s town sits on the shores of Milford Lake, providing ample water recreation opportunities with sandy beaches for swimming, along with great fishing and boating.

The Acorn Resort offers RVing, tent camping, and cabin rental. The Cove Restaurant and Bar will keep you well-fed during your visit.

While in Milford, don’t miss the Milford Nature Center, which is a combination museum and wildlife center. The Birds of Prey was my favorite part. Be sure to walk around back to view the Milford Fish Hatchery.

Concordia

We next headed west toward Concordia, in North Central Kansas. Concordia is home to several attractions, including The Brown Grand Theatre, the Nazareth Motherhouse, WWII German POW Camp Concordia, the National Orphan Trail Complex Museum & Research Center, Orphan Train Statue Stroll, Cloud County Historical Museum, The Whole Wall Mural, and The Concordia Broadway Plaza. Three of the attractions—The Brown Grand Theatre, the Nazareth Motherhouse, and The National Orphan Trail Complex Museum—are on the National Register of Historic Places.

National Orphan Train Complex

The National Orphan Train Complex Museum & Research Center was one of my favorite stops on this trip. I hadn’t heard of the Orphan Trains before, but here, I was once more engrossed in history. The complex has three buildings that tell the story of the orphans brought from the overcrowded East, mainly New York City, to the West to be adopted.

The 1917 Union Pacific Depot is the main museum, with exhibits about orphans and the people who helped them. Don’t miss the other two buildings in the complex. Start with the video in the Morgan Dowell Welcome Center. The Jones Education Station houses the Legend Train Car, which you can walk through.

Look for the statues of the orphans at the complex and scattered around the city. One at Cloud County Historical Society Museum Annex, which shares space with the visitor’s center, is of note. It’s a statue of Agent Anna Laura Hill, who traveled with and cared for the orphans with orphan Anna Louise Doherty. The outside of the museum is the Whole Wall Mural, the largest hand-sculpted brick mural in the US, depicting the Orphan Train and Concordia’s history. The curator told me some male workers didn’t like taking orders from the two women artists who created the wall.

Lebanon

I took a short detour to Lebanon, KS, to see the Geographic Center of Continental US. There’s a rock marking the spot, a plaque, and a chapel. (The actual center is two miles out in the field.)

Cawker City

Next on the Kansas road trip was Cawker City, Kansas. This little town was named by Colonel Cawker, who won the right to name the town in a poker game. It became incorporated in 1874. Cawker City’s claim to fame is as home to The World’s Largest Ball of Twine (a claim also shared by Darwin, MN, home to the largest ball of baler twine; Lake Nebagamon, WI, home to the heaviest ball of twine; and Branson, MO, home to the largest nylon twine ball).

Cawker City hosts the annual Twine-a-Thon each August, where visitors pitch in to keep increasing the size of the ball of twine.

Linda Clover, known as The Belle of the Ball, met me at the massive ball of twine. She brought a roll of twine and let my friends and me wrap some twine around the ball. We enjoyed playing a part in increasing the size of the largest ball of twine!

Eyegore’s Curiosities and Monster Museum

Eyegore’s Curiosities and Monster Museum, a very different experience, is just down the block. Matt Alford and Julie Agee, who own the museum/gift shop, first came to Cawker City on a road trip. Matt assured me the Frankenstein skeleton and the Bigfoot mummy are authentic. I’m not totally convinced, but there is a lot there, including some weird animal exhibits.  Walk around outside the building, as there are some intriguing objects and a few gnomes.

The Cawker City Museum, housed in an 1884 limestone building across the street, looked interesting but was open by appointment only.

Lucas

Lucas, Kansas, gets my vote as the weirdest place ever. Known as the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas, it takes recycling to a new level.

While the town’s grassroots art movement began in 1907, today, it showcases art from more than 20 artists. The town has been named one of the 8 Wonders of Art by the Kansas Sampler Foundation.

Grassroots Art

Grassroots Art Center has its main museum downtown but consists of multiple locations. It defines Grassroots Art as something created from recycled material by artists without professional training.

Just around the block, I explored Florence Deeble House and Rock Garden. Inside, the walls and ceiling are coated with an aluminum foil-type material and filled with art from recycled materials. In the backyard, you’ll find a mini–Mount Rushmore and other art. The docent told us it’s on the National Register of Historic Places.

At Bowl Plaza, I walked down an unrolled toilet paper path, through a toilet lid door, into a giant tank containing the world’s most unique toilets. The ladies’ room wall is covered with a beautiful mosaic of faces, cherubs, and beadwork, but ladies, get someone to watch the door and check out the men’s room. It’s amazing, with a collection of tiny model cars set into the wall mural.

Outside, the Fork Art Garden lives up to its name.

Garden of Eden

The Garden of Eden, a cement art installation created by Civil War veteran S.P. Dinsmoor, is about a mile away. His art protested people taking money from the poor.

What I found most interesting was his mausoleum. I entered and viewed his remains through his glass-fronted coffin. Yes, I like weird things. If you don’t want to look, I can tell you that his clothing held up better than his body.

For something equally as interesting, Lucas is also home to the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things Roadside Attraction & Museum. This is a perfect stop on your road trip, as the entire interactive museum is dedicated to roadside attractions. It features mini-monuments to some of the quirkiest roadside attractions across the US.

Wilson

Wilson, Kansas, situated near the state’s center, is the “Czech Capital of Kansas,” thanks to the Czech immigrants who settled in the town in the mid-1870s to work on the Kansas Pacific Railway. Each July, there is an annual After Harvest Czech Festival. The town is an ideal outdoor recreation destination since it sits adjacent to Wilson State Park, where you can go hiking, biking, boating, and camping.

Rock Town Trail

Hiking the 2.75-mile loop of Rock Town Trail near Wilson State Park was challenging, but the view of the rock formation at Lake Wilson made it worthwhile.

Ad Astra Missile Silo

At Atlas Ad Astra Adventure Resort, Matthew Fulkerson has created a resort in an old missile silo. Situated on 24 acres, only about four miles off I-70, it is about two miles from Wilson and close to Wilson State Park and Reservoir. There are walking and biking paths and plenty of room to sit outdoors at night under the starry sky.

Fulkerson, accompanied by the missile silo dogs, Buddy and Bing, gave me a tour of the silo and told me about his plans for it. He plans to open a full-fledged RV park. The Launch Control Center will become an Educational Center for Space Habitat Studies. Other plans include a gift shop, gourmet coffee shop, wine/whiskey bar, campground showers, laundry center, and an event center.

Today, Atlas Ad Astra Adventure Resort can accommodate a few RVs and car or van campers without hookups, although water, electrical, and WiFi should arrive soon. The Airbnb apartment is situated where the military personnel once lived. It was a thrill to walk through the narrow tunnel and stare down into the storage area where the missile was stored.

Midland Lodging and Dining

Midland Railroad Hotel was a refreshing change from chain hotels. The three-story limestone building was built in 1899 as a stop along the Union Pacific Railroad between Kansas City and Denver. During the Depression, the third floor was used to house chickens for meals.

Today, Midland Railroad Hotel’s Sample Room Tavern has much more than chicken—although I did enjoy the chicken-fried steak. You can get a cocktail and take it to the outside patio. The chickens, as do some cute goats, reside just behind the patio. Betty Kepka Art Gallery and Museum, the World’s Largest Czech Egg, and a Statue of Liberty are just across the street.

My bed was so comfortable I was asleep when I closed my eyes.

Made from Scratch is famous for traditional breakfasts, but next morning, I had to break tradition and have a slice of their fantastic lemon meringue pie.

Minneapolis, Kansas

Next, we drove a couple of hours west to Minneapolis, Kansas. Energized by my high-sugar breakfast, I toured Rock City, a park about eight miles from town, covered with giant calcite-cemented concretions formed eons ago when Kansas was an enormous inland sea. I accepted caretaker Evon Clark’s offer for a tour of the formations on his golf cart.

After bouncing around on the golf cart, the sugar high wore off, so I was ready for lunch. The Farm & The Odd Fellows, housed in a 1916 three-story building that originally was home to The Odd Fellows, is four venues in one. If you order the Brewhouse Cheese Fondue, as I did, be sure to have lots of friends to share it with.

Salina

We headed back about 30 miles south and made our way to Salina, KS. Salina is a comfortable small town with a lovely, walkable downtown filled with murals and statues.

Walk down the alley behind The Gallery and look up so you don’t miss any murals. Be sure to catch the mural at H.D. Lee Mill. It’s a bit off the main trail, but worth seeing.

The Garage Automotive Museum reminded me of the big-finned cars of my youth. I fell in love with a red Cadillac convertible.

Since it was a hot day, we stopped at Ad Astra Books and Coffee House. A refreshing iced tea was just what I needed.

Editor’s Note: If you have extra time in Salina, spend a day at Rolling Hills Zoo. There are some fun animal encounters, and you’ll want to take additional time inside to go through the Wildlife Museum, which showcases animals in their original habitats. If you’re around town for dinner, make a reservation at Barolo Grille. It offers some of the best flavors in the Midwest and a great wine list—completely unexpected in tiny Salina!

Abilene

Heading about 30 miles east on I-70, our next stop was in Abilene, KS. Abilene has a great history dating from its cattle days. Abilene stood at the end of the Chisholm Trail, and cowboys brought massive herds of longhorns from Texas to get to the railroad. Wild Bill Hickok set up his unofficial headquarters in the town’s Alamo Saloon, keeping the town peaceful.

Abilene was also the home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and is now home to the Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum.

My guide gave me an “I Like Ike” pin that brought back childhood memories. She pointed out Eisenhower’s boyhood home on its original site. Together with the other buildings on site—the museum, library, and Place of Meditation, where he and Mamie are buried—it tells his life story and the history of WWII and the Cold War.

I had to stop for the World’s Largest Belt Buckle, part of Abilene’s Cowboy Art. It’s one of the newest Kansas roadside attractions. Dedicated in December 2022, it’s just under 20 feet wide and 14 feet high.

Council Grove

Walking along Main Street in Council Grove, you are walking the Santa Fe Trail. While Council Grove is a small town with a small-town feel, it offers great opportunities for outdoor recreation, stepping back in history, and exploring the walkable downtown.

Neosha Riverwalk parallels the Neosha River and connects to Flint Hills Trail State Park.

Near the entrance to the Riverwalk, the “Madonna of the Trail” reminded me of the courage of the women who walked this trail heading west. Facing her is a bronze statue of a Kaw Warrior, “The Guardian of the Grove,” that reminded me of the people who lived here before the white settlers. Here, art and nature combine.

Dining and Lodging in Council Grove

Riverbanks Brewing, next to the riverwalk, offers a chance to relax and enjoy craft beers, wine, or a cocktail. Their oak barrel-aged Margarita was so refreshing.

For dining, Hays House is the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi. I loved the meatloaf, but there were lots of choices. Be sure to go down to the basement and see the old bar that cowboys and western-bound settlers used to belly up to.

From the outside, Saddlerock Café still looks like the 1800s barn that once fed railroad workers. When I stepped inside, the smell of home-baked bread and cinnamon rolls told a different story. My homemade French toast was fantastic.

For some late-night entertainment, I enjoyed The Dealership. It was a livery stable in 1910, before becoming a Dodge dealership, and is still many things. There’s a retail store, a bar with a stage, an antique and architectural salvage store, a small art gallery, and an incubator kitchen. Rudy and The Lost Boys were playing the night I visited.

My stay at Cottage House, dating back to 1857, was a treat. History plus amenities made for a delightful experience.

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When Visiting Kansas

That’s the amazing thing I discovered about Kansas—drive a few miles, and you go from nature to history to art, from covered wagons on the Santa Fe Trail to Eisenhower and WWII. Each stop will take you to a totally different experience from your previous stop. While there are definitely some quirky places in Kansas, I also discovered great history, great people, and great food along the way. If planning a Kansas road trip, allow at least a week to avoid missing anything. My trip was done as a circle, but it could also be done driving from Wamego to Wilson.

We invite you to explore Wander With Wonder to see more of our favorite stops in Kansas. We also share more fun road trips and other family-friendly itineraries.