Start the weekend with a roaring good time at Lee Richardson Zoo. Make new friends with a Bactrian camel in Wild Asia, a kangaroo in Down Under and a menagerie of other creatures in 50 landscaped areas. Guests can walk through the park for free or drive through for a fee.

Skip the ordinary food spots and opt for an immersive culinary experience. Garden City is known for its robust lineup of Mexican restaurants, and El Zarape was the first. Diners frequent the spot for chile rellenos, sizzling fajitas and tacos loaded with tender carne asada. Pro tip: Buy a jar of their salsa to top leftovers. Slurping noodles is encouraged at Pho Hoa One Restaurant, a family-owned Vietnamese eatery. Steaming bowls of pho with spring rolls are a sought-after meal, as are entrees like stir-fried broken rice and pan-fried noodles with squid.

After-dinner libations at Hidden Trail Brewing satisfy the craft beer and cocktail-loving crowd. Toast to new experiences with a Dark Necessities imperial stout or the Sherman’s Old Fashioned. Arcade games, foosball and a dog-friendly patio round out the fun.

An adrenaline-pumping activity, Escape the cLock sets teams on quests to solve puzzles and exit a room before the time expires. Thematic spaces, such as Alice in Wonderland and The Vanished, transport gamers to imaginary worlds. Continue the high-energy weekend at Parrot Cove Water Park, a splish-splash playland of twisting waterslides and swimming pools. Grown-ups will appreciate the lazy river and poolside frozen beverages.

Mark Your Calendar

For 99 years, the city’s Mexican American residents have showcased their heritage through savory street food, a parade, music and pageantry at the Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta, held the second weekend in September.
 

Continue your grand tour across the state with the 2025 Official Kansas Travel Guide.