"Kansas, My Home" Top 5 Page for this destination Kansas by basstbn

Kansas Travel Guide: 2,744 reviews and 5,132 photos

Greetings from Kansas - 50s postcard style

I write about Kansas with fondness. I have lived here for all but four of my 63 years, and have at times muttered that it had no mountains or fantastic scenery, or that its people were a little on the conservative side. Its natural beauty is more subtle than majestic, but the people are the best you'll find anywhere. I wouldn't live anywhere else in the USA.

Most people know Kansas as an obstacle on the way to someplace else - they're either flying over or "flying" through on one of the interstates that intersects the state . Kansas is rarely a destination.

I hope you'll look at some of my Kansas pages, and if you never have the opportunity to see those places first hand, you'll at least appreciate my state a little more when you're whizzing down I-70 on the way to the mountains. Or maybe you'll break for more than a pit stop or to look at something other than the idiotic museum with the two-headed calf or the giant concrete prairie dog/tourist trap.

The State Flag

To the Stars Through Difficulties

The state flag of Kansas plays homage to our heritage as an agricultural state as well as our history.

The motto (ad astra per aspera) translates "to the stars through difficulties" - a reference to the years of bloodshed as pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces fought to bring the territory in line with their philosophies. Read about "Bleeding Kansas" and visit some of the historical sites in the eastern part of the state such as Lawrence and Osawatomie.

Although Indian tribes were in Kansas as long ago as 10,000 BC, and the Spanish explorer Coronado looked upon the Kansas prairie long before the first European settlers migrated from the east, the state has a short recorded history when compared to other parts of our country or the world.

Wheat, Sunflowers, and Meadowlarks

Sunflowers and Meadowlarks

There is a lot of gold in Kansas. Not in precious metals, but in the ripened field of wheat, the glory of the sunflower, and the breast of the western meadowlark.

The sunflower, appropriately, is the state flower. It can be seen in abundance along the roadside or in fields from midsummer until frost, always looking toward the sun.

Travelers will see meadowlarks on the fence posts, but would enjoy them a lot more if they got out and took a walk in the prairie. Their complex, but melodic song is a burst of joy.

To see the gold of wheat, you have to be in Kansas at just the right time of year - from early to late June, depending upon whether you are in southern Kansas or northern Kansas. The wheat is at its peak of ripeness (and a certain golden color) for just a short time, and the harvest crews must move their convoys of combines to the right place at the right time - from south to north.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Great people, short but interesting history. There is subtle scenic beauty, if you look for it.
Cons:Most people only look at it from the Interstate highway.
In a nutshell:Get off the interstate, open your eyes, see a Kansas you didn't know existed.

Last visit to Kansas: Jan 2008
Intro Updated Jan 16, 2008
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Reviews (62)

Post Rock Scenic Byway Off The Beaten Path (19)

On a recent autumn weekend, I led a group of retired friends on a two-day outing of north central Kansas. One of the... more travel advice

The Vieux (or Vermillion) Crossing Off The Beaten Path (19)

Sharp-eyed travelers in north east sections of Kansas will see numerous signs indicating that you are on or crossing the... more travel advice

Pillsbury Crossing Off The Beaten Path (19)

Located in a scenic area of the northern Flint Hills in Riley County, Pillsbury Crossing is a natural, flat rock... more travel advice

Museum of Natural History ~ University... Things to Do (29)

I recommend this museum as a great stop for families with small children. The most popular feature is a giant diorama... more travel advice

Restaurants (6)
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Local Customs (3)
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Sports & Outdoors (2)
See All Tinker to Evers to Chance

Favorites (2)
See All Kansas Guidebook for Explorers
Warnings Or Dangers (1)
Caution: Wind Currents
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Written Sep 3, 2007

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Comments (14)

mtncorg Nov 4, 2009 at 10:31 AM Report Abuse

Nice to see that there is more than meets the eye from I 70! ;-]
Florida999 Jul 5, 2006 at 9:03 AM Report Abuse

Lol! Yeah, I am one of those people that only saw Kansas from the interstate mostly. I have not a single photo outside of KC, so I am not even going to make a travel page on it. But, glad somebody did!
VeronicaG Jan 26, 2006 at 4:20 PM Report Abuse

There are some interesting sites in Kansas!! Thanks for sharing some of them....
tiger9090a Jan 26, 2006 at 8:07 AM Report Abuse

Beautíful page Frank! St. Fidelis Church looks great. You don't happen to have more information on that place of worship, do you?
Yarusa Jan 8, 2006 at 1:35 AM Report Abuse

Hi! Really nice page. History of my region has tight ties with hystory of Kansas. So it's twice more interesting to see a real picture of Kansas.Thx!
deecat Jul 21, 2005 at 2:00 PM Report Abuse

Wow, Frank, these are astonishing pages on Kansas: attractive, captivating, informative, sometimes enchanting, endearing, varied, heartfelt, knowledgeable, picturesque, and quite praise-worthy pages. Superior restaurant tips.
aramat Jul 7, 2005 at 3:00 PM Report Abuse

Great page, I've learnt a lot about Kansas and hope to visit it one day! Thanks :-)
danielinnz Jan 11, 2005 at 7:37 PM Report Abuse

Enjoyed your pages Frank. I would like to do a USA roadtrip sometime focusing on smalltown America i.e staying off the freeways!!
K.Knight Dec 17, 2004 at 7:14 PM Report Abuse

Hi Frank. Thankyou for providing us with and interesting read on Kansas. Anne and I just traveled through Africa with a young lady from the Kansas zoo!
Bwana_Brown Dec 15, 2004 at 2:29 AM Report Abuse

A great tribute to Kansas, starting from your excellent and accurate introduction all the way through your many Tips and Photos! Indeed a state worth visiting!!