Fort Larned National Historic Site · NPS Photo · Public domain (US federal government)

Road Trip Guide:
Kansas

Explore Kansas

Route 66 stretches 2,400 miles across the country, but fewer than 14 of those miles are in Kansas, in the state's southeast corner. According to the National Park Service, Kansas is the only state that was completely bypassed when the interstate replaced Route 66 in 1961, because I-44 runs from Missouri to Oklahoma just east of the state line.

Around 12 breweries sit near the stops we cover in Kansas. 5 of them are brewpubs with a kitchen, which off the motorway is often the useful part. The kitchen figure is a floor: the source lists some full restaurants as production sites.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

Around 12 public campgrounds sit near the stops we cover in Kansas. All of them take reservations. Public campgrounds run by federal agencies. State-park and private campgrounds are not included.

Outdoors

Public land, water and snow — the places that are the reason for the drive.

National parks and federal sites in Kansas

10 National Park Service sites in Kansas. We have written guides to only a few of these — the rest are here so you can see what is in the state.

*Check before you go. Entrance fees, seasonal road closures, timed-entry reservations and whether a site suits your family are set by each park and change through the year. Follow the link and check with the park itself.

Park register from the National Park Service (public domain)

State parks in Kansas

30 state parks we know of in Kansas. We have not visited these and have no guide to them — this is a list of what exists, so you can look one up.

See all 30

Cedar Bluff State Park
Cheney State Park
Clinton State Park
Crawford State Park
Cross Timbers State Park
Eisenhower State Park
El Dorado State Park
Elk City State Park
Fall River State Park
George Dudley Seymour State Park
Hillsdale State Park
Kanopolis State Park
Kaw Mission
Kaw River State Park
Lake Scott State Park
Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park
Lovewell State Park
Marais des Cygnes Massacre Site
Meade State Park
Milford State Park
Mine Creek Battlefield State Historic Site
Mushroom Rock State Park
Pawnee Indian Museum State Historic Site
Perry State Park
Pomona State Park
Prairie Dog State Park
Prairie Spirit Trail State Park
Sand Hills State Park
Webster State Park
Wilson State Park

*Check before you go. Opening hours, entry fees, campsite availability and whether a park suits your family are not in this data and change with the season. Several of these are day-use only. Please confirm with the park before setting out.

State park locations from Wikidata (CC0)

Lakes in Kansas

1 lake in Kansas that we have checked. These are the ones from our research that we could check against an official page — not every lake there is. We have not been to these; this is what the official pages say, so you can look one up.

Harlan County Lake
near Republican City; Alma · 13,250 acres · reservoir
- Fishingyes - fish cleaning station at Corps parks
- BoatingBoat ramps at Corps parks
- Rentals & marinayes - North Shore and Patterson Harbor marinas
- Swimmingyes - Corps park beaches
- Campingyes - Methodist Cove and Hunter Cove sites with utilities
- EntryAnnual day-use pass $40; day-use fees not collected per page notice
- SeasonDesignated campsites open May through October
Hunter Cove low-water boat ramp closed per page notice
Run by US Army Corps of Engineers with Nebraska Game and Parks

*Check before you go. Every lake here links to the official page we checked it against. Each states a price we read off that page on the date we checked. Fees, seasons, water levels, algal advisories and ramp closures change without notice and belong to the agency that runs the water. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something the lake lacks. Never assume a lifeguard. Whether a beach is staffed turns on the season, the day, and which agency runs that particular beach — two beaches on one lake can differ. If that matters to your family, confirm it with the agency before you set out.

Long Bike Trails

2 in this state.

Flint Hills Trail State Park
Length
117 miles
Surface
Crushed stone
End to end
Osawatomie KS – Herington KS
Long rural ride across the Flint Hills prairie
Prairie Spirit Trail
Length
51 miles
Surface
Crushed stone
End to end
Ottawa KS – Iola KS
Tallgrass prairie and small-town depots

This is a list of what is there, not a recommendation of any of it. Opening dates, lift schedules and trail conditions move every year and we hold none of them, so check before you build a day around it. Every name above links to the operator’s own site.

Days out with the family

Gated attractions with a front door, a ticket and a car park.

Zoos and Wildlife Parks

8 across Kansas, by town.

David Traylor Zoo of Emporia — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedEmporia
* We could not confirm: official site blocked automated reading; details not checked; hours/admission not checked. Check their site before you go.
Lee Richardson Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedGarden City
* We could not confirm: hours/admission not shown on homepage. Check their site before you go.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park — some details below are unconfirmedGoddard
Season
seasonal
* We could not confirm: season, hours and prices not shown on homepage. Check their site before you go.
Hutchinson Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedHutchinson
Hours
Daily 10am-4:45pm
* We could not confirm: admission not shown on homepage. Check their site before you go.
Sunset Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedManhattan
Hours
Apr-Oct 9:30am-5pm; Nov-Mar noon-5pm
Season
year-round
* We could not confirm: admission not shown on homepage. Check their site before you go.
Rolling Hills ZooAZA-accreditedSalina
Hours
Peak season 9am-5pm; off-season (Nov-Mar) 10am-4pm
Season
year-round
Admission
Adult from $16 (ages 19-64) · Child $12 (ages 3-18)
Closed major winter holidays
Topeka Zoo and Conservation CenterAZA-accreditedTopeka
Hours
Daily 9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)
Season
year-round
Admission
Adult $10.00 (before tax) · Child $8.50 (ages 3-12)
Reservations
Not required
Holiday lights event Nov 20-Dec 27, 2026
Sedgwick County Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedWichita
Hours
9am-5pm
Season
year-round
* We could not confirm: admission prices on separate ticket site not read. Check their site before you go.

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 7 of these carry an accreditation we confirmed against the accrediting body’s own register. Where there is no badge we did not confirm one — that is not a judgement on the place, and a good many municipal, state and university sites belong to no register we check. 6 entries are marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.

Water Parks

1 across Kansas, by town.

Great Wolf Lodge Kansas Citywater parkKansas City
indoor water park resort

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Prices, hours and ride closures change without notice — every name above links to the park’s own site.

Wineries in Kansas

2 producers in Kansas that we have checked. These are the ones from our research we could check against their own site — not every producer there is. We have not been to these; this is what their own sites say, so you can look one up.

Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
winery · Basehor, KS · Kansas City metro (KS side)
Year-round winery west of Kansas City with vineyard, banquet hall and gazebo.
- HoursMon-Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 9:30am-6pm; Sun 12-6pm (year-round)
- Toursno - vineyard strolls; seasonal harvest/crush experience Aug-Oct
- Phone(913) 724-9463
18807 158th Street, Basehor, KS 66007
Smoky Hill Vineyards & Winery
winery · Salina, KS · Central Kansas
Central Kansas winery offering staff-led tastings.
- HoursFri-Sat 11am-6pm
- Reservationsrecommended
- Phone(785) 825-8466
2771 Centennial Road, Salina, KS 67401

*Check before you go. Every producer here links to its own site, which is where we read these details on the date we checked. Opening hours, tour times, tasting fees and who may come in change without notice and belong to the producer. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something they lack. None of these say anything about children, so do not plan around it without asking them.

Roadside oddities in Kansas

Big BrutusGiant statue / World's largestWest Mineral
Cost to see it
Costs something — we did not find the price published
When you can see it
Only while it is open, and we did not find its hours published
Nearest road
K-7 / K-102
16-story electric coal shovel you can walk around and in
Read on the page we checked

These are things you can go and look at, not a recommendation of any of them. Oddities move, get sold and quietly disappear more than anything else we list, so check anything you are driving a long way for. Where this list says we did not find a price or opening times published, that is exactly what we mean. A blank is not “free” and not “always open”. Some sit on private land and can only be seen from the road — please do not go onto anyone’s property. Every entry links the page we read it off.

Venues and Annual Events

19 across Kansas, by town.

Where to see something

Kansas SpeedwayKansas City
Address
400 Speedway Blvd.
Capacity
48,000
Two NASCAR Cup weekends per year.
Cotillion BallroomWichita
Address
11120 W. Kellogg Dr.
Capacity
2,000
Wichita concert and dance hall.

What is on, and when

Central Kansas Free FairfairAbilene
Usually
Late July–early August, over several days
Held at
Eisenhower Park fairgrounds
Sedgwick County FairfairCheney
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Sedgwick County Fairgrounds
Ford County FairfairDodge City
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Western State Bank Expo Center
Butler County FairfairEl Dorado
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Butler County Fairgrounds
Finney County FairfairGarden City
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Finney County Fairgrounds
Johnson County FairfairGardner
Usually
Late July–early August, over several days
Held at
Johnson County Fairgrounds

See the other 11

Ellis County FairfairHays
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Ellis County Fairgrounds
Kansas State FairfairHutchinson
Usually
September, over several days
Held at
Kansas State Fairgrounds (2000 N Poplar St)
Since
First 'official' fair 1913
Reno County FairfairHutchinson
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Kansas State Fairgrounds
NASCAR Cup weekends at Kansas Speedwaysports-motorsportKansas City
Usually
Spring and fall (two weekends), over several days
Held at
Kansas Speedway
Since
Cup racing since 2001
Douglas County FairfairLawrence
Usually
Late July–early August, over several days
Held at
Douglas County Fairgrounds
Riley County FairfairManhattan
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
CiCo Park
Tri-Rivers Fair (Saline County)fairSalina
Usually
Late July–early August, over several days
Held at
Tony's Pizza Events Center / Kenwood Park
Leavenworth County FairfairTonganoxie
Usually
Late July–early August, over several days
Held at
Leavenworth County Fairgrounds
Shawnee County FairfairTopeka
Usually
July, over several days
Held at
Stormont Vail Events Center
Cowley County FairfairWinfield
Usually
Late July–early August, over several days
Held at
Winfield Fairgrounds
Walnut Valley Festivalmusic festivalWinfield
Usually
September, over several days
Since
First held 1972

This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.

What to wear in Kansas

Illustrated outfit board for Kansas: four seasonal panels of clothing with average temperatures.

Spring 67°/41°F (19°/5°C)

Spring can shift quickly between warm afternoons and chilly, windy weather.

Wear: Start with a long-sleeve tee, stretch pants, and a fleece or sweater. Add a rain shell when the wind or showers pick up.
Shoes: Water-resistant walking shoes with grip; boots for muddy stops.
Pack: fleece or sweater
rain shell
light beanie
spare dry socks

Summer 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)

Summer is hot; eastern areas are generally more humid than the west.

Wear: Choose a loose, breathable tee or shirt with quick-drying shorts, lightweight pants, or an airy dress. Carry a thin layer for chilly indoor stops.
Shoes: Breathable walking sneakers; secure sandals for casual paved stops.
Pack: sun hat
sunglasses
light indoor layer
light rain shell
spare tee

Fall 69°/43°F (21°/6°C)

Fall brings comfortable afternoons mixed with cold fronts and chilly starts.

Wear: Build around a long-sleeve tee, comfortable pants, and a sweater or fleece. Add a wind-resistant jacket for breezy overlooks.
Shoes: Walking shoes with grip; water-resistant boots for wet or muddy routes.
Pack: sweater or fleece
wind and rain shell
beanie
light gloves
spare socks

Winter 45°/21°F (7°/-6°C)

Winter is cold and can be windy, with snow or ice possible.

Wear: Layer a moisture-wicking long-sleeve top under a sweater or fleece and an insulated coat. Wear long pants; add thermal bottoms when the forecast calls for them.
Shoes: Waterproof insulated boots for snowy stops, with warm wool or synthetic socks.
Pack: thermal base layers
insulated coat
beanie
gloves or mittens
warm spare socks

Adjust for your route. Eastern Kansas calls for more rain-ready packing; western Kansas calls for sun and wind coverage. Breathable pants work well across both.

Climate background: NOAA State Climate Summary

See what to wear in every state →

Keep exploring

See It in the Book

Explore Kansas

Locations in Kansas

Abilene

Dodge City

Hutchinson (Cosmosphere)

Topeka

Wichita

National parks and federal sites in Kansas

State parks in Kansas

Lakes in Kansas

Harlan County Lake

Long Bike Trails

Flint Hills Trail State Park

Prairie Spirit Trail

Zoos and Wildlife Parks

David Traylor Zoo of Emporia* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedEmporia

Lee Richardson Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedGarden City

Tanganyika Wildlife Park* — some details below are unconfirmedGoddard

Hutchinson Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedHutchinson

Sunset Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedManhattan

Rolling Hills ZooAZA-accreditedSalina

Topeka Zoo and Conservation CenterAZA-accreditedTopeka

Sedgwick County Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedWichita

Water Parks

Great Wolf Lodge Kansas Citywater parkKansas City

Wineries in Kansas

Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery

Smoky Hill Vineyards & Winery

Roadside oddities in Kansas

Big BrutusGiant statue / World's largestWest Mineral

Venues and Annual Events

Where to see something

Kansas SpeedwayKansas City

Cotillion BallroomWichita

What is on, and when

Central Kansas Free FairfairAbilene

Sedgwick County FairfairCheney

Ford County FairfairDodge City

Butler County FairfairEl Dorado

Finney County FairfairGarden City

Johnson County FairfairGardner

Ellis County FairfairHays

Kansas State FairfairHutchinson

Reno County FairfairHutchinson

NASCAR Cup weekends at Kansas Speedwaysports-motorsportKansas City

Douglas County FairfairLawrence

Riley County FairfairManhattan

Tri-Rivers Fair (Saline County)fairSalina

Leavenworth County FairfairTonganoxie

Shawnee County FairfairTopeka

Cowley County FairfairWinfield

Walnut Valley Festivalmusic festivalWinfield

What to wear in Kansas

Spring 67°/41°F (19°/5°C)

Summer 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)

Fall 69°/43°F (21°/6°C)

Winter 45°/21°F (7°/-6°C)

Keep exploring

David Traylor Zoo of Emporia — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedEmporia

Lee Richardson Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedGarden City

Tanganyika Wildlife Park — some details below are unconfirmedGoddard

Hutchinson Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedHutchinson

Sunset Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedManhattan

Sedgwick County Zoo — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedWichita