Kansas

This American Plains state is known for its farming, pioneer history and spectator sports. 

Kansas has many acres of wheat fields, the “amber waves of grain” mentioned in the song, America the Beautiful. Find an overlook to gaze across seemingly endless fields. Tour farms in the northeast Kaw Valley during October’s Farm Week to see how this product from the nation’s heartland is processed to reach America’s tables.

Visit Kansas City to enjoy spectator sports and family-friendly activities. See NASCAR motor racing at Kansas Speedway. Do a “Ride Along” or take driving lessons at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. Book tickets in advance to watch Sporting Kansas City play soccer at Sporting Park Kansas City. At the Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City, ride Verrückt, one of the world's tallest waterslides.

Wichita’s position on the Arkansas River offers miles of hiking and biking on shaded trails along the riverbank. Visit the Sedgwick Zoo and Botanica: The Wichita Gardens to see native flora and fauna.

Far from its parent Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson is one of the world’s largest space museums. See U.S. and Russian artifacts from the early days of outer space exploration. Investigate moon rocks, pieces of Sputnik 1 and 2 and the Apollo 13 command module Odyssey. Explore inner space at the Kansas Underground Salt Museum, 650 feet (198 kilometers) below the surface. Purchase a one-of-a-kind hand-made quilt at the Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale in April.

The Kansas Museum of History in the state capital of Topeka tells stories of the state’s past with exhibits of wagon trains, early railroad engines and “sodbuster” farm implements. See the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site, marking the 1954 Supreme Court decision ending public school segregation. Let kids use their hands at the exhibits of the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center. Multiple sections offer opportunities to build things, do art or science experiments, have outdoor adventures and participate in a simulated grain harvest.

Kansas is often identified as America’s Bread Basket, recognizing the importance of its farms to the U.S. economy. Across the state, find one of over 200 farm and ranch experiences featuring everything from apples and alpacas to wheat and wine.