15 Best Things to Do in Kansas

Kansas City is a large agricultural state with lots of historical places to visit as well as indoor and outdoor activities to try! Make the most out of your stay and check these Tourist Attractions.

Here are the 15 best things to do in Kansas City

1. Go to the Union Station

The Union Station is a 100-year old historic building that offers many family-friendly activities and sights, including the Science Center and model train exhibits. You can also come inside at the Grand Hall, and admire the beautiful, large sconces, and hanging chandeliers!

Kansas City is known as the City of Fountains, so you’ll see one of the tallest fountains, or the Henry Wollman Bloch Fountain, right outside the Union Station! If you’re coming to visit, the building is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight except on Mondays.

2. Plan Your Visit to the World War One Museum

The World War One Museum is highly educational and interactive to the visitors as it provides knowledge on the Great War and its enduring impact on the global community.

3. Try the Barbeque at Arthur Bryant’s

Arthur Bryant’s is a well known Barbeque place established in 1908. It serves casual cuisine and is known for its vinegar-based barbeque sauce and brunt ends.

Yes, this restaurant is old, and you must be thinking, why is eating at this place part of the best things to do in Kansas? Consider Arthur Bryant’s blessed with a Presidential touch. Barack Obama spent over an hour dining here way back 2014!

4. Wait for the Reopening of Harry S. Truman Library & Museum

Just so you know, Harry S. Truman is the 33rd President of The United States of America.

What to expect when you visit the Harry S Truman Library & Museum:

• The first floor of the Museum is mainly about his presidency from 1945 to 1953.
• There are lots of educational videos including that of the United States’ involvement with Japan and Korea.

The library is currently closed for renovation and will be reopened by the fall of 2020. Clearly, they are looking to improve the place so visitors can have a more enjoyable experience.

5. Be Amazed By the Botanica, The Wichita Gardens

The Botanica showcases several themed gardens with 3,600 species of plants, sculptures, fountains, and waterfalls. The Butterfly/Pansy House, Woodland Walk, Garden on the Rocks, as well as Sally Stone Sensory Garden are among the featured themed gardens. What a beautiful place for a quick stroll, huh?

6. Spend Your Day at the Sedgwick County Zoo

The Sedgwick County Zoo is known for its efforts in the conservation and breeding of rare species. You can take Tram tours and visit 2,500 animals of almost 500 species, too!

Up for a bigger challenge? You can also try feeding the Giraffes!

7. Learn About the Planet at the University of Kansas Natural Museum

Do you want to learn more about the planet? You’re in the right place.

The University of Kansas Natural Museum, located in Dyche Hall on the university’s main campus, is surely a natural history treat! It is most famous for the Panorama of North American Wildlife – the masterpiece pivotal for the funding and construction of Dyche Hall and its Natural History Museum between 1901 and 1903.

8. Time Travel Back to the Past at Boot Hill Museum and Front Street

You can still relive the Wild West Days at the Boot Hill Museum and soak in the atmosphere along Front Street.

Make sure to stop by for a drink in the Long Branch Saloon, or enjoy the night variety shows and cowboys, gunslingers or lawmen exhibits. If you can book your tickets or set your visit in advance, it’s best to be there by late July up to early August to attend the Annual Dodge City Days.

9. Expand your knowledge at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center

This space center is famous for restoring and exhibiting spaceships and organizing space camps.

It currently houses the largest collection of Russian and US space Artifacts, with over 13,000 artifacts. Some of these artifacts have been flown into space or were flight-ready backup. The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is located at Hutchinson Community College, Hutchinson, KS 67501,1100 N Plum St.

10. Discover the Best Artifacts at the Museum of World Treasures

The not-for-profit Museum of World Treasures provides educational exhibits and programs of historical pieces. Some examples of the famed pieces include the “Ivan the T-rex,” and the Egyptian mummies. Aside from that, it also displays a section of the Berlin Wall.

11. Take a Free Tour of the Kansas State Capitol Building

The building serves as the headquarters of the executive and legislative branches of government for the state of Kansas. Despite the place being the headquarters, visitors are still allowed to tour the building.

Fun fact: The dome of the building is modeled after the United States Capitol. It also involves a 296-step climb from the fifth floor.

Go join a tour today because it’s one of the best things to do in Kansas!

12. Journey From the Coast to Sea Depths at the SEA Life – Kansas City Aquarium

The Sea Life Kansas City Aquarium features fresh and saltwater exhibits that also act as homes for thousands of marine animals. Check out sea turtles, big-bellied seahorses, blacktip reef shark, and other sea creatures!

The place also allows its visitors to have an interactive and hands-on experience with the animals. Exciting? Absolutely!

13. Buy Tickets to the Kansas Speedway

The speedway hosts several annual NASCAR events in its 1.5-mile race track, including the Sprint Cup Series races. Besides, you won’t get bored here because the speedway is also surrounded by Hollywood hotels, casinos, and an outdoor shopping mall.

Tip: You can make your NASCAR racing dream come true by availing the racing experience offered by affiliated companies. It’s as real as it gets!

14. Experience Music and Performance Art at McPherson Opera House

This 500-seat auditorium is known to be Kansas’ premier performance venue and rental facility; a place providing the powerful bond between the audience and the performer.

You should also know that part of the money you pay for a show ticket ($3) will be used to preserve of the Opera house.

15. Find out What Happened to Amelia Earhart at the Birthplace Museum

The Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum displays Earhart’s and family memorabilia.

Amelia Earhart is a brave soul and the first-ever female to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She wrote best selling books, and also participated in the formation of The Ninety-Nines – an organization geared toward mentoring and creating opportunities for both recreational and professional female pilots.

Got any more secret destinations we can include in the best things to do in Kansas? Let us know in the comments below!