Don’t let the title of this article fool you; I’m definitely not bashing Netflix sessions in any way, shape, or form (in fact, I’m pretty sure my husband and I binge-watched the 3rd season of OITNB in record time… but that’s a story for another day). However, I am saying that we live in an exciting state that has so much to offer, including:
- Roaming the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve.
Flickr/Curtis Abert Located in the Flint Hills, this lush Preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
- Fishing at one of the many Kansas State Parks.
Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism - Clinton State Park Facebook The beauty of fishing? You can do it year round! (This Goliath was caught at Clinton State Park last summer.)
- Sinking your teeth into a Bobo’s Burger.
Bobos Drive In Facebook If you don’t live close to this Topeka institution, don’t stress; Kansas is home to MANY delicious burger joints!
- Chasing waterfalls.
AARP/Creative Commons The Cowley Lake Waterfall in Dexter has earned a spot on several national “Must See” lists including AARP, Yahoo, and Most Amazing in the World.
- Seeing four different states at once.
Harland Schuster/Doniphan County Why see only Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, or Iowa when you can see all four at the same time? The Four State lookout in White Cloud offers incredible views that you won’t find anywhere else.
- Exploring a castle.
Flickr/Darah The castle, located just north of Lindsborg, is said to be near where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado gave up on his search for the seven cities of gold.
- Taking a hike.
Flickr/Granger Meador Who says you have to travel west to hike? Kansas is home to several scenic areas just waiting to be explored, including Table Mound Hiking Trail (pictured).
- Watching the sun set behind the Keeper of the Plains.
Flickr/sandra The magnificent 44-foot tall steel sculpture, which resides in the heart of Wichita, is the perfect foreground to any colorful Kansas sunset. Something else to experience? Witnessing the Keeper’s spectacular “ring of fire”!
- Camping under a starry Kansas sky.
Flickr/Thad Ligon Pitch a tent; you won’t regret it!
- Discovering one of our many natural landmarks.
Flickr/Patrick Emerson Kansas is home to several unexpected jewels, including the Arikaree Breaks, Mushroom Rock State Park, and Castle Rock (pictured).
- Channeling your inner Van Gogh.
Creative Fusion Facebook Afraid to let your inner artist shine? Fear not, for Kansas is home to several laid back art studios, including Creative Fusion in Wilson (pictured). Speaking of artists…
- Admiring local talent.
Hays Arts Council Facebook Did you know that Kansans are pretty dang talented? It’s true! Support local artists by attending area art walks in Topeka, Pittsburg, Hays (pictured), or whichever city is closest to you.
- Playing tourist.
Flickr/Kansas Tourism The Sunflower State is the poster child for quirky, road side attractions… and I’m not complaining! Make plants to visit one (or all) this weekend. (Pictured is the Garden of Eden in Lucas.)
- Hunting ghosts.
Flickr/Michael Fienen Need a spooky place to visit? Try LeHunt, an abandoned small town that thrived on the United Kansas Portland Cement Company. The old cement plant, which closed its doors after the Great Depression, is said to be haunted by one of the ghosts of a former employee who died in a tragic accident at the plant. The employee, known only as Bohr, fell into a vat of concrete and was never seen again. After the accident, his co-workers encapsulated his wheelbarrow, pick, and shovel into a wall of concrete that can still be seen today.
- Riding the world’s tallest water slide.
Schlitterbahn Kansas City Facebook You only live once…so why not ride down the world’s tallest (168 foot, 7 inch) water slide at 65 mph?!
- Playing photographer at a local spot.
Flicky/Adam Sparks Drinkwater & Schriver Flour Mill, anyone?
- Driving the Flint Hills.
Flickr/Kansas Tourism Nowhere else will you find a drive nearly as peaceful and beautiful as the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway.
- Posing for this picture.
Wikimedia Commons Your gallery wall called; it wants you to take (and frame) this stereotypical picture in Cawker City!
- Licking BBQ sauce off your fingers.
Woodyard Bar B Que Facebook Challenge: Try a different kind of KC-style BBQ every day for a week and then come back here and tell us which is your favorite.
Obviously, this is just one Kansas writers opinion. What would YOU say is better than sitting around watching Netflix?
Flickr/Curtis Abert
Located in the Flint Hills, this lush Preserve protects a nationally significant example of the once vast tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism - Clinton State Park Facebook
The beauty of fishing? You can do it year round! (This Goliath was caught at Clinton State Park last summer.)
Bobos Drive In Facebook
If you don’t live close to this Topeka institution, don’t stress; Kansas is home to MANY delicious burger joints!
AARP/Creative Commons
The Cowley Lake Waterfall in Dexter has earned a spot on several national “Must See” lists including AARP, Yahoo, and Most Amazing in the World.
Harland Schuster/Doniphan County
Why see only Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, or Iowa when you can see all four at the same time? The Four State lookout in White Cloud offers incredible views that you won’t find anywhere else.
Flickr/Darah
The castle, located just north of Lindsborg, is said to be near where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado gave up on his search for the seven cities of gold.
Flickr/Granger Meador
Who says you have to travel west to hike? Kansas is home to several scenic areas just waiting to be explored, including Table Mound Hiking Trail (pictured).
Flickr/sandra
The magnificent 44-foot tall steel sculpture, which resides in the heart of Wichita, is the perfect foreground to any colorful Kansas sunset. Something else to experience? Witnessing the Keeper’s spectacular “ring of fire”!
Flickr/Thad Ligon
Pitch a tent; you won’t regret it!
Flickr/Patrick Emerson
Kansas is home to several unexpected jewels, including the Arikaree Breaks, Mushroom Rock State Park, and Castle Rock (pictured).
Creative Fusion Facebook
Afraid to let your inner artist shine? Fear not, for Kansas is home to several laid back art studios, including Creative Fusion in Wilson (pictured). Speaking of artists…
Hays Arts Council Facebook
Did you know that Kansans are pretty dang talented? It’s true! Support local artists by attending area art walks in Topeka, Pittsburg, Hays (pictured), or whichever city is closest to you.
Flickr/Kansas Tourism
The Sunflower State is the poster child for quirky, road side attractions… and I’m not complaining! Make plants to visit one (or all) this weekend. (Pictured is the Garden of Eden in Lucas.)
Flickr/Michael Fienen
Need a spooky place to visit? Try LeHunt, an abandoned small town that thrived on the United Kansas Portland Cement Company. The old cement plant, which closed its doors after the Great Depression, is said to be haunted by one of the ghosts of a former employee who died in a tragic accident at the plant. The employee, known only as Bohr, fell into a vat of concrete and was never seen again. After the accident, his co-workers encapsulated his wheelbarrow, pick, and shovel into a wall of concrete that can still be seen today.
Schlitterbahn Kansas City Facebook
You only live once…so why not ride down the world’s tallest (168 foot, 7 inch) water slide at 65 mph?!
Flicky/Adam Sparks
Drinkwater & Schriver Flour Mill, anyone?
Nowhere else will you find a drive nearly as peaceful and beautiful as the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway.
Wikimedia Commons
Your gallery wall called; it wants you to take (and frame) this stereotypical picture in Cawker City!
Woodyard Bar B Que Facebook
Challenge: Try a different kind of KC-style BBQ every day for a week and then come back here and tell us which is your favorite.
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