Exploring Kansas: A Road Trip Adventure

Thank you [Music] if you missed our last video we’re exploring some brand new states for us on our way back down to Texas. We just spent five amazing days road tripping around Nebraska, which was full of super cool spots and experiences. For the next few days, we’re going to be road tripping around Kansas.

Kansas City, Kansas

Kansas City, Kansas is located right on the Kansas-Missouri border, right across from Kansas City, Missouri. Despite having the same name, they are two completely different cities. Back in the 1830s, a Riverboat Landing was founded on the Missouri side and was named the city of Kansas, later changing its name to Kansas City in 1889. The name comes from the Kansas River, which gets its name from the Kaw Nation Native Americans, also known as the Kansa people. In 1872, the town on the Kansas side was named Kansas City to capitalize on the growth on the Missouri side, but the Kansas politicians’ attempt to make Missouri’s Kansas City part of Kansas was unsuccessful.

Kansas City Barbecue

Today, we’re on the Kansas side for one very important activity: Kansas City Barbecue. As many of you know, we are huge barbecue fans; we even named our van Brisket after our favorite kind of barbecue. Lucky for us, Kansas City is famous for barbecue. We visited Joe’s Kansas City Barbecue, located in an old gas station.

Across the U.S., you can find all different styles of barbecue. In Kansas City, the sauce is thick, sweet, and tangy. Unlike some areas that specialize in one kind of meat, Kansas City cooks all the traditional cuts of meat, with burnt ends being especially popular. These little delicious fatty morsels are like meat candy. We also tried the Z-Man sandwich and some ribs, which were super tender and smoky.

Road Trip Through Kansas

We originally had a week-long road trip planned around Kansas, including more time in Kansas City. However, we’ve been very stressed and overwhelmed with various projects, so we had to cut a few things. But we still have tons of fun stops planned. Tomorrow, we’re hitting the road to explore more of the state.

Topeka and the Oz Museum

We drove through Topeka, the capital of Kansas. We had originally planned to stop here, but everything we wanted to check out was closed. So, we kept driving to the small town of Wamego in northeast Kansas to visit the Oz Museum, which costs ten dollars per person and showcases over a hundred years of Oz memorabilia.

A bit of history on The Wizard of Oz: It was first a book called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum and released in 1900. It was then turned into a Broadway show in 1903 before the famous film was released in 1939. Although the movie takes place in Kansas, they never specify where in Kansas Dorothy is from. The town of Liberal, Kansas, has deemed itself as Dorothy’s hometown, offering tours of an old farmhouse called Dorothy’s house.

Free Camping at Fishing Lakes

Normally, when traveling outside the western part of the U.S., our only options for free camping are parking lots. But in Kansas, there are 46 fishing lakes, 39 of which offer free camping. Tonight, we’re staying at Potawatomi Lake near Manhattan, Kansas. It’s primitive camping with no hookups, but it does have a pit toilet, picnic tables, and a fire ring. Plus, you get to camp by a lake, which is way more beautiful and peaceful than a Walmart parking lot.

Chili and Cinnamon Rolls

We recently stumbled upon maybe the most interesting food combination we’ve ever heard of: Chili and Cinnamon Rolls. There are a couple of theories on how this originated. One says it started in logging camps to provide loggers with high-calorie meals. Another theory is that it started in school cafeterias in the 1940s after the USDA National School Lunch Program was mandated.

We first learned about this combination when researching iconic foods to try in Kansas. Although it’s popular in other Midwest states, we had never heard of it before coming to Kansas. Surprisingly, it’s quite good, offering a sweet and spicy vibe. We tried dipping the cinnamon roll in the chili, and it turned out to be a delicious combination.

The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

This morning, we drove just under an hour and a half south to The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. This preserve protects 11,000 acres of prairie land. Many years ago, there were 170 million acres of prairie in North America, but today only four percent remain, with most of it in the Kansas Flint Hills.

The prairie grass grows all year long, with its height depending on the amount of rainfall. It can be as little as six inches in the spring and as tall as five feet in the fall. This time of year, around September and October, the grass reaches its maximum height and turns a golden brown, a period they call “tall in the fall.”

Bison Herds

Besides admiring the prairie, you can explore an old ranch and see bison that live here. There were up to 30 to 60 million bison grazing North America many years ago, but by 1884, only 325 wild bison remained in the U.S. Today, there are over 500,000 bison in the U.S., and the tallgrass plains are home to some of the 11,000 prairie bison.

Little Sweden USA: Lindsborg

We are back on the road and have a little over an hour drive to our next stop in Kansas: Lindsborg, also known as Little Sweden USA. This town was settled in the 1860s by Swedish immigrants and boasts a rich Swedish heritage. We grabbed some coffee from Blacksmith Coffee Shop and Roastery, located in an old blacksmith shop, and explored the town.

Dala Horses

As you wander around Lindsborg, you’ll notice decorated horses called Dala Horses, which originated from the Dalarna province in Sweden. These are traditionally wooden carved horses decorated and used as toys for kids. In 2000, Lindsborg created the nation’s only herd of wild Dala Horses, which are much bigger and made out of fiberglass. Each horse is uniquely decorated by local artists.

The Old Mill Museum

While in town, a local recommended we check out The Old Mill Museum, which operated from 1898 to 1955, turning wheat into flour. It’s now a museum that costs five dollars per person and offers exhibits on wheat, the area, and its heritage. The McPherson County Old Mill Museum is a fantastic stop if you’re interested in local history and old machinery.

Coronado Heights Castle

Just a few miles outside Lindsborg is the Coronado Heights Castle, built during the Great Depression by the Works Progress Administration. It’s a castle-like building made of native sandstone and offers nice views of the surrounding Smoky Hill River Valley. It’s named after Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, who visited Kansas in 1541 looking for the Native American community of Quivira and the Seven Cities of Gold.

Strataca: Underground Salt Mine Museum

We ended our day in Hutchinson at our first Harvest Host in Kansas: Strataca, an underground salt mine museum. There are 16 salt mines in the United States, and a handful of them are in Kansas. Millions of years ago, Kansas was covered by the salt waters of an inland sea. As the waters evaporated, the salt remained and was covered by earth and rock, eventually forming solid rock salt called halite.

Today, we’re taking a hoist 600 feet underground and a tram through some tunnels to learn all about salt mining. The first part of the tour is self-guided, where you learn about the rock and the mining process. The salt from this mine is rock salt, used to salt roads. There are four main steps to mine for rock salt: undercutting, drilling, blasting, and loading and crushing the salt rubble.

Salt Preservation

Salt mines provide the perfect environment to preserve important documents and artifacts. There are old movie reels, newspaper printings from 1865 when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, and even authentic costumes from movies like Batman and Superman. The museum also offers train and tram rides through the mine, giving you a closer look at the mining process and the history of salt mining.

Wichita: The Air Capital of the World

We ended our Kansas adventure in Wichita, the largest city in Kansas and the home of both Pizza Hut and White Castle. Known as the air capital of the world, Wichita has a rich history in aircraft manufacturing. We explored the Douglas Design District, a three-mile stretch along Douglas Avenue with tons of murals and other art.

The Nifty Nut House

We also visited The Nifty Nut House, a Wichita institution since 1937, offering nuts, candies, snacks, and treats. The smell of sugar hits you as soon as you walk in, and there’s so much to choose from. We got some Buckeyes, a Pez dispenser, Big League Chew, butter toffee-covered nuts, and Sour Razzles.

Old Cowtown Museum

We spent the night at the Old Cowtown Museum, another Harvest Host. This 23-acre open-air living history museum takes you back in time to what Wichita was like from 1865 to 1880. It costs nine dollars per adult and has over 40 buildings, with 27 being original. The museum offers different demonstrations and historical insights, making it a must-visit spot.

The Keeper of the Plains

We also visited The Keeper of the Plains, a 44-foot tall, 5-ton steel sculpture donated to Wichita by Native American artist Blackbear Bosin in 1974. It sits on a 30-foot pedestal overlooking the city on the Arkansas River. Every night, the fire pits around the Keeper are lit for 15 minutes, representing the relationship of earth, water, air, and fire.

Our time in Kansas has been filled with unique and fun experiences. We’ve explored new places, tried interesting foods, and learned a lot about the state’s history and culture. Although we couldn’t see everything, we had an amazing time and look forward to our next adventure in Oklahoma.