Kansas Driving Adventure - Kansas

Driving around the state of Kansas, you’ll find all sorts of hidden spots that are just waiting to be discovered. Spending just two days driving, you’ll see state parks, museums, and stunning monument rocks. These are all the things you’ve always wondered about, but never took the time to explore.

Starting in Ellsworth County, you can walk through and explore the Mushroom Rock State Park. These rocks have a very unique appearance, as they look like huge mushrooms, yet they have great historical value, being used as meeting places for the Indians and early pioneers. Driving to Ellinwood, you’ll come across the underground tunnels. Examining the Main Streets shops, you’ll enjoy the German-Austrian architecture. All of these shops are underground and connected by tunnels.

In Kinsley, you’ll find what has become known as Midway U.S.A, so named because it is 1,561 miles from San Francisco on the west coast and 1,561 miles from New York on the east coast. The Saturday Evening Post once featured two cars pointing to differents side of the country, with a sign that said, “World’s Fair or Bust.” This was because in 1939 there were World Fairs in both New York and San Francisco. Also located in Kinsley is the Carnival Heritage Center that pays homage to the country’s carnivals and famous carnival people, known as “Carnies.”

Greensburg brings you to the world’s largest hand-dug well, The Big Well. This was created when the Santa Fe railroad was looking for a place to supply water to its steam locomotives. Construction on this well began in 1897, with the only tools used being shovels, picks, half barrels, pulleys, and rope. Completed one year later, it’s 109 feet deep, and 32 feet in diameter.

This takes you to the end of your first day, allowing you to relax in full comfort with a room at the Boot Hill Bed and Breakfast in Dodge City. Remodeled in 1994, you’ll have your choice of five different rooms – The Wild West Suite with king size bed, fireplace and jacuzzi, Doc Holliday’s Hideaway, The Wyatt Earp Suite, The Matt Dillon Suite with whirlpool tub and shower and a deck, or the Annie Oakley Suite.

Leaving refreshed the next morning, you can relax a little more at the World’s Largest Outdoor Concrete Municipal Swimming Pool. Holding 2.5 million gallons of water, it’s about the size of a football field. Traveling on to Scott City, in the western Kansas prairie, you’ll find the Lake Scott State Park & Wildlife Area, an area full of natural springs, deep canyons, and bluffs. Take in a little angling while you’re here at the Scott State Fishing Lake.

Finishing up your adventure, you can spend as long as you want taking in the beauty of the Monument Rocks. This is the first landmark chosen by the U.S. Interior as a national natural landmark. These 80 million year old rocks rise 70 feet in the sky and are easily seen along the Kansas skyline.

Kansas Driving Adventure - Kansas