To this day, we are still amazed at how many fun stories we find in each new destination. A good example of this is Ol Stuga, in Lindsborg, Kansas. From the outside, it looks like just another bar and grill type place. Even the name, which is Swedish for Ale House, suggests that it is […]
One of the best things about visiting a new destination is the chance to immerse yourself in the history of the community. Lindsborg, Kansas has an interesting history tied to the Swedish immigrants who arrived here in the spring of 1869. Even today, around thirty percent of the local population can tie their lineage back
Perhaps you have seen the little red horses and wondered where they come from. Many years ago, we traveled to Lindsborg, Kansas with our children. During this visit, we stopped at Hemslöjd to check out these fun looking figures. Fast forward to the present, and we once again found ourselves in this quaint Swedish city.
We enjoy finding businesses that have re-purposed buildings but still retained a tie with the past. In Lindsborg, Kansas, we had an opportunity to enjoy a breakfast stop at Blacksmith Coffee. This homey city, referred to as “Little Sweden”, was founded in 1869. In the early days, it was the task of blacksmiths to keep
One of the key goals of Our Changing Lives is to showcase places that are often overlooked as potential destinations. Some are sites that are hidden gems inside of major cities. Others, like Lucas, Kansas, are smaller towns that hold some unique sights that are less known. While many people have never heard of this
Lucas, Kansas – Journey To Grassroots Art Central Read More »
We are pretty sure that most of you have heard of the Garden of Eden, but did you know there is one in Lucas, Kansas? When we first found out about this uniquely Kansas attraction, we knew a visit was in store. Samuel Dinsmoor, the creator of this site, built his masterpiece at an age
“I have to go to the bathroom!” It’s amazing the amount of dread that these seven words can create in a parent. How many road trips are interrupted in a mad pursuit of an acceptably clean public restroom? In Lucas, Kansas, the influx of tourists wanting to view the “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas” created
Taking Bathroom Selfies To Another Level At Bowl Plaza Read More »
We are betting that many of you have heard of the TV show Rare Visions & Roadside Revelations, which airs on public television. The dynamic trio searches out unique sights across the nation, but in Lucas, Kansas we found a collection that was the subject of one of their stops. At The World’s Largest Collection of
Our first knowledge of Lucas revolved around how artsy this Central Kansas town is known to be. With only this in mind, we began planning our visit. A “must see” we discovered is the Grassroots Art Center, which is located on Main Street. Opened in 1999, this unique attraction occupies the space of three historic
Grassroots Art Center Draws The Folk To Folk Art Read More »
Most everyone enjoys a vacation, but only has the opportunity to take a handful at most per year. In between these longer trips, it is fun to have a few day trip options in your back pocket. We have lots of small to medium size towns and cities within a two to three hour drive
Sweets, Treats, and Surprises In Chanute, Kansas Read More »
Throughout our lives we learn so many important historic names, but our guess is that most of you are unfamiliar with Octave Chanute. When we planned our visit to Chanute, Kansas it never occurred to us how the town had picked its name. A visit to the Chanute Historical Society Museum would help us better
We both enjoy watching nature programs and seeing animals in their native environments. Like most people, the only time we see many of these creatures in real life is at a zoo. A visit to Chanute, Kansas opened our eyes to the Martin & Osa Johnson Safari Museum. It’s fun to consider the experience of an
Untold Adventure Awaits At The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum Read More »
If we had a dollar for every time we have heard people remark that there is nothing to see in the middle of the country, we would be rich. While we will usually rebuke their claim, there are times we almost want to keep all of these special places to ourselves. What many don’t realize
When we first started the planning for our Dodge City visit, our heads were filled with pictures of gunfighters, cattle drives, and other Wild West scenes. Even though we live in the 21st Century, we were hopeful to have a chance to see some nostalgic recreations. The opportunity to time our visit during Dodge City
A stop at a restaurant can just be an opportunity to refuel for more exploring, but there are those times when it turns into something special. Our visit to Casey’s Cowtown Club, in Dodge City, Kansas was one of those special occasions. From the outside it looks like a restaurant one might find along Route
Have you ever visited a dual topic museum? We have been to a few, but none like the one we found in Dodge City, Kansas. At the Kansas Teachers’ Hall of Fame, we discovered a mix of teachers and lessons learned. They say we learn from history, and this place is filled with some interesting
Two For One – Kansas Teachers’ Hall Of Fame & Gunfighters Wax Museum Read More »
We found Dodge City, Kansas to be another great walking destination. The downtown section has lots of shops, sights, and eateries within close striking distance. The morning of the Dodge City Days Parade was a perfect time to get an up close view of many of these sights. After a nice stroll through the neighborhoods,
Usually when we tour around a new destination it requires one of us to do the driving. This makes it difficult to truly enjoy the sights. That is one of the reasons we strive to park and walk most of the time, as it helps us get a better lay of the land. In Dodge
We enjoy visiting destinations that can be reached in just a couple of hours. Living in the Midwest, we tend to space our cities a little farther apart than what is found on the coasts. Fortunately, the miles between them are filled with some beautiful landscape. Abilene, Kansas makes a perfect day trip from the
Abilene, Kansas – Presidents, Residents, and Plenty Of Chicken Read More »
The Wild West may have been many moons ago, but there is still a place that travelers can experience those long gone days. Dodge City, Kansas is one of the original cow towns in the Midwest and is home to the Boot Hill Museum. This living history space has a mix of static displays and
Gunfights, Graveyards, and Grit – Boot Hill Museum Read More »
Fate is fickle, but sometimes things come back around full circle. This story is about a group of Kansans who decided to launch a small batch distillery in the heart of a city that was once known as the “Queen of the Cow Towns”. Boot Hill Distillery sprang to life in 2014 as the first
On a warm summer day, we rolled into Abilene, Kansas. We arrived from the south, much like the cattle drives of old. The first destination on our itinerary was the Dickinson Heritage Center. This multi-subject museum is a good spot to learn the background of the area, as well as some extra informational tidbits. The
Cowboys, Calls, and Carousels – Dickinson Heritage Center Read More »
There is something engrossing about seeing history come to life. At Old Abilene Town visitors have the chance to witness this happen each weekend during the summer. This place is family-friendly and includes a mix of static museum-style displays with interactive activities. We dropped in on them on a Saturday afternoon and found that they
Those of us who live in or around Kansas City are blessed to have so many interesting destinations within easy striking distance for day trips. We love heading off in the morning for a new location with a list of places to explore. Sometimes we will even seize the opportunity for an overnight stay. There’s
Growing up neither of us had much opportunity to travel by train. The heyday of this mode of transportation had passed and most families navigated the countryside by automobile. Recently, we had the chance to take a lunch train ride that piqued our interest in experiencing more of this form of travel. When we laid
All Aboard The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad Read More »
We firmly believe that travel is an excellent way to continue our education in our adult years. With schooling behind us, we can still learn lots of interesting things about this big, blue marble we all call home. One of our favorite subjects is history, and Council Grove gave us plenty of it. When we
When visiting a historic city, it only makes sense to stay in a historic lodging location. In Council Grove, it ended up being The Cottage House for us. While it would be reasonable to make the visit to Council Grove a day trip, why not extend your visit to include an overnight? It certainly helps
Council Grove, Kansas opened up a wealth of historic sites for us. What we learned during our visit was that it wasn’t just limited to museums. Even the restaurants have stories to tell. Our stay in town was only long enough to sample three of their dining establishments, but it still gave us a historic
Council Grove, Kansas is a town that we have heard mentioned many times over the years, but had never visited. Like many small to mid-sized towns, it is filled with the history and stories of the people who persevered in the harsh environment of life on the prairie. In 1541, Coronado crossed the Neosho River
Kansas Citians are blessed to have so many things to do in the metro area. Of course, sometimes it is nice to get away from the city for the day and strike out to one of the nearby communities. With just a little planning, it’s easy to fill a day with new sights and some
On The History Trail in Miami County – A Kansas City Road Trip Read More »
Most Kansans have heard the name of John Brown. This iconic legend was a hero to some and a villain to others. Although he was not born in the state, many of his most notable actions occurred there. During our Miami County Road Trip, we stopped at the John Brown Museum to learn more about
A day trip to Osawatomie, Kansas was less than an hour drive from Kansas City, but landed us in a different era. This itinerary was designed to showcase a variety of historic sites in Miami County. The Osawatomie Museum Complex, located in the downtown, was one of our stops. This locally oriented twin museum tells
What We Learned At The Osawatomie Museum Complex Read More »
Our visit to Baxter Springs, Kansas occurred during the Route 66 Instameet sponsored by Travel Kansas. This was the last stop of the day, so we decided to wander off to explore away from the beaten path. Just a couple blocks from our meeting point, we found the Baxter Springs Historical Museum. We have visited
The Midwest portion of the United States is filled with a wide range of destination types. We find that college towns usually offer some interesting things to see, since they have a consistent flow of visitors. Manhattan is home to Kansas State University, and less than a two hour drive from our home in Kansas
Seeing Manhattan, Kansas – Exploring The Flint Hills Read More »
Our Travel Kansas Route 66 Instameet began in Galena, and would end in Baxter Springs. Of course, the space in between was not filled with empty miles. Even though the Mother Road only passes for 13 miles in the state of Kansas, it is filled with some unique sights. With Galena under our belt, it
When we received our invitation to join Travel Kansas for a Route 66 Instameet, it was an offer we couldn’t pass up. Our first Instameet was last year, when we toured various places in Kansas City, Kansas. (Read more about that event here>) This time we were visiting two towns in Southeast Kansas. We wanted
People who journey along the old “Mother Road”, known as Route 66, will periodically encounter some interesting sights. These bites of Americana hearken back to the golden age of automobile travel, and inspire feelings of nostalgia in many travelers. Galena, Kansas sits at the eastern edge of the Kansas portion of the route, which is
Our day trip to Manhattan, Kansas lasted a little longer than some visits, so we needed to make plans for a dinner meal. After reviewing our options, it was decided to sample the small plates at Bourbon & Baker located on the popular Poyntz Avenue. Scoping the Neighborhood Poyntz Avenue is bordered on one end
Living in Kansas City means that we have plenty of day trip destinations within a short drive from the metro. Lawrence, Kansas is only about 45 minutes away, but offers a dynamically different vibe. While many make this pilgrimage to witness the KU basketball team play at Allen Fieldhouse, we visited for a more historic
Visiting zoos in the Midwest during the winter can be a hit or miss activity. During our day trip to Manhattan, Kansas, we decided to drop in to the Sunset Zoo to see who was enjoying an unusually pleasant sunny day. This smaller zoological park is perfect for a shorter visit, and the lower admission
We have visited Manhattan, Kansas many times in the past, but our trips were always concentrated on the local university. Once that association ended, we never seemed to find the time to return. On a warmer than normal winter day, we made the just under two hour drive from Kansas City to the “Gateway City
Our visit to Manhattan, Kansas took a historical side-trip with a stop at the Riley County Historical Museum. This regional history center is a great place to gather a better understanding of the people and events that molded the city of Manhattan, as well as other towns in the area. An added bonus is that
Riley County History Museum – Flint Hill History Read More »
Most Kansas Citians have visited Lawrence, Kansas at least once in their life. For us, it has been quite a few times, and especially when our daughter worked at Kansas University. When we decided to plan a day-filled excursion, we knew our daughter would enjoy accompanying us to her old homestead. Our first stop was
With winter’s grip firmly on the Midwest, we thought it would be a nice time for a more temperate article. We happened to have overlooked this visit to the Ward Meade Botanical Garden in Topeka, Kansas. It was during a visit to Old Prairie Town that we stumbled upon this 2.5 acre park, which offers
Dreaming Of Spring At Ward-Meade Botanical Gardens Read More »
When we planned our latest Topeka visit, our first stop was at Old Prairie Town. This historic site is located on the original path of the Oregon Trail. The morning drive from Kansas City was wet with thunderstorms, but by the time we arrived they had passed by. Wet Start After a small argument with Siri
The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center ended up being a lot more than what we expected. This day-trip included our grandkids, so we had filled the itinerary with places we felt would be kid friendly. Our morning had been historic, and lunch was a visit to a local hangout. Now we had arrived at the place we
Tons Of Fun At Kansas Children’s Discovery Center Read More »
You may wonder how we ended up dining at Bobo’s Drive In during a recent day trip to Topeka, Kansas. We had planned to take our grand-kids, as there were some kid friendly attractions we wanted to research. To pick the right dining establishment, I reached out to our followers for suggestions. Before long, we
Are you tired of settling for a chain restaurant along the interstate during your vacation? One of the most difficult choices that travelers make is where to dine. We found dining options in Wichita to be numerous, and wonderful. Join us as we recap some of our top Wichita dining choices, as well as a
We know that the picture doesn’t necessarily exemplify non-stop action, but it was one of my favorite captures. There is a good chance that the gorilla is wondering just how much fun he would have checking out some Wichita attractions. Now we didn’t have time to do everything available in Wichita, but we certainly tried
The Museum of World Treasures is located in the Old Town section of Wichita. The first portion of our visit had us staying just across the street at Hotel at Old Town. Housed in a three-story converted paper warehouse, their collection spans a wide range of topics and time periods. We want to thank the
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