Plan Your Vacation!

January 28 is National Plan Your Vacation Day, and while it might take more than a day to sort through all the options the beautiful state of Kansas offers, it marks the perfect occasion to get started! It's also the day before Kansas Day, which is when Kansans celebrate their state's entry into the Union back in 1861. 

Missed the day? No problem; we have all the information you need to plan your dream vacation here in Sunflower State any time of year on travelks.com and our digital travel guide.

Shake The Winter Blues

If you’re feeling a bit of cabin fever, shake off the winter blues with a trip to one of Kansas’ homegrown performance destinations, including Plaza 1907 in Ottawa, which has been named the "oldest purpose-built cinema in operation in the world," for which it was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in June 2017 (beating out a theatre in Denmark by only two days!), and the historic Jayhawk Theatre in downtown Topeka, which is currently undergoing a major revitalization project. Make sure you check out what programming they have to offer during your trip to ensure you’re getting the most out of your entertainment experience.

Plaza 1907

INDOOR ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS

If the chilly winter weather is getting you down, warm up with some local brews at Gella’s Diner and Lb. Brewing Company in Hays, Fly Boy Brewery and Eats in Sylvan Grove, or Walnut River Brewing Company in El Dorado. Or survey the abundance of options and plan your own brewery tour across the state – just make sure you appoint a designated driver first!

For a warm-weather experience even when there is snow on the ground, check into one of Kansas’ indoor water park lodges. Parrot Cove in Garden City is the only indoor water park between Kansas City and Denver. Let the kids burn off some excess energy with a wet weekend. Or check out Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City for pruny family fun.

great wolf lodge

Sun Shiny Adventures

Prefer to save up your vacation days and maximize your daylight hours of relaxation? You can get started planning now for a trip during the warmer months, like a tour of the state’s water parks, including the Long Branch Lagoon in Dodge City, Adventure Bay Family Water Park in Liberal, All-Star Adventures in Wichita, and Winfield Aquatic Park in (of course) Winfield. For a getaway a bit more in tune with nature, head west to Cedar Bluff Lake and State Park. Featuring 150-foot tall, cedar-covered lakeside limestone bluffs, this hidden gem offers swimming, boating, windsurfing, fishing, hunting, and historic sites, including carvings dating back to the mid-1800s. Just a few miles down the highway, you’ll find the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, where you can explore their displays of live animals, fossils of 80 million-year-old sea monsters, and interactive exhibits.

Girl going down water slide at Long Branch Lagoon

PET-FRIENDLY PLACES!

Furbabies feel the stress of being confined all winter, too. So if your travel plans include your best friend as a travel companion, check out some doggy travel tips straight from the source. For starters, make sure you have pet-friendly lodging. Kansas offers plenty of options for traveling with pets. Work off some of the winter weight (no judgment, we all do it) on the nearly 2,500 miles of Kansas trails. Visit one of our 28 state parks and explore the beauty and freedom of the state’s landscapes.

Kansas State Parks

These public lands are a perfect escape for you and your furry friends no matter what your interest may be. You'll find epic adventures when you…

Kansas Food & History

The Louisburg Cider Mill in Louisburg operates a year-round country store offering apple cider, Lost Trail craft soda, fresh cider donuts, and custom gift baskets. If you’re planning to travel in the autumn, you can enjoy their 10-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, fire pits, and play areas in addition to their tasty treats.

Louisburg Cider Mill

If you’re a history buff, you can head south on 69 Highway from Kansas City, where you’ll find a plethora of interesting sites. The Mine Creek Civil War Battlefield State Historic Site in Pleasanton allows you to walk the battlefield guided by signage to indicate specific areas relevant to the 1864 battle that took place there between the Union cavalry and Confederate General Sterling Price's supply train returning from a raid. Stop by Frontenac Bakery for a taste of George Vacca’s original no-preservative bread (which is served at all chicken restaurants in Crawford County!) on your way to the very southern edge of the state to visit the Marsh Arch Bridge in Baxter Springs; commonly known as Rainbow Bridge, it is the only drive-able bridge of its kind remaining along the historic Route 66.

Mine Creek

MONUMENT ROCKS

You may think you’ve already considered everything Kansas has to offer, but we guarantee a few minutes spent exploring travelks.com will open your eyes to things you never knew you could find here. The tourism office regularly hears from travelers who recently visited the Monument Rocks National Landmark in Oakley, even after living in Kansas for over a decade, they were oblivious to their existence. These impressive Cretaceous chalk formations rise from the prairie in a spectacular testament to the state’s geologic history and humble the viewer with the realization that our familiar landscape was once a vast ocean teeming with aquatic life. They are among the 8 Wonders of Kansas – another road trip possibility!

Monument Rocks National Landmark

Kansas' first National Natural Monument is one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. The Niobrara chalk formation, rich in fossils, some reaching up to 50…