Things to do in Iola, Kansas

Iola sits at the crossroads of U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 169, nestled between Kansas’s Flint Hills and Ozark Plateau of Southeast Kansas. Enjoy Kansas’s quaint small-town and rural environment while staying within a 3-hour radius of five major cities. Hosting the largest downtown square in the United States, colorful historic buildings line the square’s eight blocks of unique shops, restaurants, and historical attractions. A large manicured lawn sits in the middle of the downtown square and provides a perfect place for a picnic and recreation.

In addition to Iola’s downtown square, its tree-lined streets reveal dozens of historic homes and churches displaying Victorian elegance to Craftsman aesthetics. Beyond its streets, Iola provides Kansas’ best walking, running, and biking trail network featuring the Prairie Spirit Trail, Southwind Rail Trail, Lehigh Portland Trail (now Lehigh Portland State Park), and MoPac Trail. Enjoy the Elm Creek Disc Golf course and the town’s eight public parks.

Iola provides plenty of fun family entertainment during its summer Allen County Fair, autumn Farm City Days, and multiple holiday events. Join the iconic Bowlus Fine Arts Center for one of its musical or theatrical performances and spend the night in one of Iola’s cozy downtown lofts. Stick around on summer Thursday evenings to listen to the city band play--the longest continuously-performing city band in Kansas.