The animals tend to be most active in the morning at David Traylor Zoo, a habitat for 80 species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Playful prairie dogs, big cats and winged creatures entertain among the zoo’s lush plants. A canopy of trees at Peter Pan Park provides a shaded respite for playing disc golf or watching the kiddos at the playground and splash pad. Add a bit of fun by stopping at Monkey Island, a one-time home for rhesus monkeys.

For some literary-infused history, visit Red Rocks State Historic Site, once the home of William Allen White and his family. See the Pulitzer Prize-winning editor’s desk and peer into a guest room where U.S. presidents slumbered. (Five have visited the home.)

Hospitality flows at Radius Brewing Company. Order a craft beer and The Radius pizza, topped with local ground beef. Time your visit right, and you may catch a band playing on the back patio. Within walking distance, Emporia Granada Theatre is another hot spot for live performances or movie screenings. Vaudeville acts graced the stage in the 1930s, and its original Spanish Colonial Revival architecture provides a spectacle all its own.

After a show, head next door to devour handmade chocolates at The Sweet Granada. The bestselling Pop-Choc (popcorn drizzled with thick ribbons of white and milk chocolate) makes a great gift. Ready for a nightcap? House-made spirits mixed in craft cocktails cap off the weekend at Trolley House Distillery. The distillery building housed mule-drawn passenger trolleys in the 1870s.

Mark Your Calendar

More than 4,000 cyclists brave Unbound Gravel, a grueling race with 25-, 50-, 100-, 200- and 350-mile courses May 29–June 1. Cheer from the starting line on Commercial Street.

Discover additional weekend inspiration in the 2025 Official Kansas Travel Guide.