Kansas Tourism - Regional Travel information on tourist attractions
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Regions

The Southeast corner of the state is the Cherokee plains which extend from the Ozarks from Missouri. The Flint hills are a narrow band that extend from the northern border to the southern border. They are famous for bluestem pasture lands and rich in limestone deposits. West of the Flint Hills lie a transition area to the high plains. This area covers about one third of the state. The Smokey Hills are in the upland in the north. South of the Smoky Hills is the Great Bend prairie so named because of the bend in the Arkansas River at this point. South of Great Bend is the Red Hills Wellington area better known as Cimarron Breaks. Western Kansas is the high plains and is about a third of the state. Here there is a gradual rise towards the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

Eastern Kansas - Kansas City, Topeka, Lawrence ....

Flint Hills - Abilene, Salina ....

High Plains - Western region - Sharon Springs, Goodland, Colby, Ulysses

Osage Questas - Overland, Ottawa

Chautauqua Hills

Arkansas River Lowlands - Dodge City, Wichita, Arkansas City

Red Hills - Russell, Lincoln, Ellsworth, Hays

Smoky Hills - Medicine Lodge, Coldwater, Ashland, Anthony

Glaciated Region - Northeast - Kansas City, Leavenworth, Atchison, Troy, Holton

Wellington/McPherson Lowland - Wellington

Cherokee Lowlands - Pittsburg, Columbus, Oswego

Ozark Platueau - Baxter Springs

Highlights

Largest cities: Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, Salina, Lawrence

In Kansas City, watch a NASCAR race at the Speedway. July and October have race days. Olathe's Mahaffie Stage coach stop and farm is fun. The Shawnee Town and Museum is interesting with the costumed interpreters. Ride a stagecoach. See a blacksmith shop, an old jail, barn, barbershop and general store. Then Go to the Overland park Arboretum and Botanical gardens to enjoy its beauty.

Manhattan has a spa, specialty shops, art galleries, coffee shops and the University of Kansas.

Things to do and See

Go camping, hunting, fishing .... Golf. Hike. Bike. Watch a rodeo. Shop for antiques. Visit historic sites, art galleries or museums. Make a splash at a Water park. Play at an amusement park. See a car race. Attend a festival, concert or play. Ride horseback. Go on an old fashion cattle drive. Watch a rodeo. Work on a Ranch. Take a horse and wagon ride across the prairie. Eat a chuckwagon meal.  Dine at fine restaurants. View wildlife in a zoo or in the wild. Bird watch. Drive on a beautiful Scenic Byway through hills and prairies during the fall of the year .....

Hunt for turkeys, deer, pheasants and quail

Rivers:

Gypsum Hills is in South central Kansas. Here you can go mountain biking and view wildlife. There are prairie dogs, coyotes, snakes, lizards, owls and other wildlife. Lots of wildflowers are here too. Landmarks are: Medicine River, Cheyenne Rock and some Big ranches in the area.

Scott State Park is near Garden City on US 83 north of Scott City. there is a rocky canyon, a small lake, a campground.  Monument Rocks are northeast of Scott State Park. there are Falcons and wildlife here to watch.

Glacial Hills Scenic Byway is in the northwestern corner of the state and runs Bluffs along the Missouri River.

There are about 100 lakes and many springs.

There are 40 state parks and lakes, many historic sites and memorial. However, there are no National parks or memorials here.

Four state lookout is near the small town of White cloud. From this point, you can see 4 states.

Water Parks & Aquatic Centers

Kansas Splashdown Water Park - Spaced Themed located in Hutchinson.

Hiawatha Aquatic Park - 140 ft. Water slide - Hiawatha

Great Wolf's Water park - slides and pools - Kansas City.

McPherson Water Park - 500 ft. lazy river, pool, giant water slide - McPherson

Riverside Beach Family Aquatic Center - 120 ft flume slide and bowl side - Independence

Rock River Rapids - - 6 water slides including tube and a flume slide - Derby

Salt City Splash Aquatic Center - Flume and tube slides - Hutchinson

Wellington Family Aquatic Center - Tube Slides - Wellington

Corn Mazes

Corn mazes are a big attraction here. Farmers plant there corn on 5 to 10 acres in intricate designs. Some are shaped like lighthouses, statue of liberty, sunflowers, eagles and more. You enter a maze and try to find your way out using a map or your wits. Corn is 10 feet high so its not that easy.

you can find mazes here:

Springs

Guest or Dude Ranches

Go on a cattle drive, work on a ranch, ride a horse or relax. Stay on a ranch. Sleep under the stars. Be a cowboy. Eat chuckwagon dinners. Listen to the guitar or cowboy poetry around a fire. Some of these ranches you can work like a cow hand. Others you can relax with a hot tub, massages, hunting and fishing trips. It just depends on the ranch and what you want out of your vacation.

Other things Kansas is known for

Climate

Kansas has beautiful sunsets. The state is subject to floods, draughts and tornadoes.