Back alleys don’t often make bucket lists, but Artwork Alley is a downtown Salina must-see, thanks to a team of regional artists who crafted bold murals capturing nature and the human spirit across several building exteriors. Artwork Alley joins SculptureTour, a free self-guided tour of outdoor artwork, with a fresh batch appearing downtown each spring. Vote for your favorite and see if it wins the coveted People’s Choice Award. (The city purchases the winner and keeps it on permanent display.) 

For art on stage and screen, get tickets to a Salina Symphony concert at the Art Deco Stiefel Theatre or catch an indie flick at the Salina Art Center Cinema. A blockbuster work of art, Mural at the Mill by Australian artist Guido van Helten wraps around three sides of a 100-foot-tall flour mill and depicts Salina children playing Ring-Around-the-Rosie. 

Kids of all ages get a kick out of the city’s other top draws, including The Garage (showcasing glistening vintage vehicles), Rolling Hills Zoo (home to an immersive lion encounter), and The Cozy Inn, which has been flipping silver-dollar-size burgers with onions for 102 years.

BRANCH OUT

A MURAL MOVEMENT

Clay Center

59 miles from downtown Salina
A local push for public art has led to 26 (and counting) multistory murals popping up around the area since 2020. 
    

BIRGER SANDZÉN MEMORIAL ART GALLERY

Lindsborg

22 miles from downtown Salina
Lose yourself in intricate paintings by the former Lindsborg resident, as well as unique works by active contemporary artists.    
 

GRASSROOTS ART CENTER

Lucas

65 miles from downtown Salina
This tiny town goes big on creativity. Start here, then see the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things.                     

Color your vacation with inspiring stops across the state. Start planning with the 2024 Official Kansas Travel Guide.