Ever wondered where to find the 8 Wonders of Kansas? Some of these places I have been to, others I have never heard of. Most of the “Wonders” on this list are close to Wichita, making them an easy day trip. The furthest location on this list is four hours away (Monument Rocks). I highly recommend adding these wonderful places to your bucket list.
This is a statewide project of the Kansas Sampler Foundation.
8 Wonders of Kansas: Quick Review, Info, and Prices:
Prices and hours are subject to change, so please double-check before you head out. Also, be sure to check the Cheapest Gas in Wichita if you’re going exploring.
Big Well Museum in Greensburg, KS
- At 109 feet deep and 32 feet wide, this is the world’s largest hand-dug well!
- Location – 315 S Sycamore St, Greensburg, KS 67054
- Monday-Saturday: 9 am-5 pm
- Sunday: 1 pm-5 pm
- Adults: $8
- Seniors (60+) and Children: $6
- Kiowa County Residents: $4
- Family Pass (2 Adults + children under 18): $25
- Group Rate (15+): $5 each
The Big Well Fun Fact:
- It was dug in 1887-88 by men using picks, shovels, a pulley and rope, and half a barrel to haul up the dirt.
Cheyenne Bottoms, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
- North of Great Bend in Hoisington, KS, is home to a quarter of a million waterfowl during these migrations. This beautiful wetland wildlife area is 41,000 acres and is a sight to see.
- Location: Hoisington, KS
- Free tothe public
- 482 bird species
Cosmosphere in Hutchinson
- 50 miles from Wichita, soar into space at the Cosmophere. I personally love the Cosmophere because when I was a Girl Scout, I got to spend the night here and sleep under the stars. The Planetarium is excellent, Dr. Goddard’s Labs are so much fun, and the Hall of Space Museum is so fascinating.
- Location: 1100 N Plum St Hutchinson, KS 67501
- Monday & Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday & Thursday: 9 am-5 pm
- Friday & Saturday: 9 am-7 pm
- Sunday: 9 am-5 pm
- All-Access Mission Pass:
- Adults: $27.50 + tax
- Seniors (60+) and Military: $24.50 + tax
- Children (4-12): $18.50 + tax
- Children 3 + under: FREE
Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
- Discover the hometown, childhood home, and museum of our 34th president, Dwight D Eisenhower.
- Location: 200 S E 4th St, Abilene, KS 67410
- Tuesday – Saturday: 10 am-4:30 pm
- Sunday: 11 am-3 pm
- Research Room: Monday – Friday: 10 am-3:30 pm
- Adults: $15
- Seniors (62+): $12
- Student (K-12/College with ID): $10
- Free Admission Days: First Saturday in June, Fourth of July, Veterans Day (November 11)
Strataca: The Kansas Underground Salt Museum
- In my opinion, this is one of the most remarkable museums I’ve ever been to. It takes 2 hours to tour the underground salt mine, which descends 650 feet in 90 seconds and has 150 miles of tunnels.
- Location: 3650 E Ave G, Hutchinson, KS 67501
- Monday & Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday – Saturday: 9 am-5 pm
- Sunday: 1 pm-5 pm
- The last tours are at 3 pm
- Adults (13-59): $23
- Children (4-12): $16
- Seniors (60+) & Military: $21
- Reno County Residents: $17
- Learn more or plan your trip at https://underkansas.org/
Fun Facts about Strataca:
- There are around 15 salt mines in the country, but Strataca is the only one accessible to tourists
- The salt deposits (which are located 650 feet below the Earth’s surface) are thought to have formed 275 million years ago.
- A lot of movie films and memorabilia are preserved in the Salt Mines, they store the original negatives of “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz,” as well as images from Warner Bros., Disney, and all three seasons of “The Ann Southern Show.
- Among the treasures displayed are the Batman suit George Clooney wore in Batman and Robin, and the Mr. Freeze Costume worn by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Monument Rocks
- About an hour north of my hometown, Garden City, is Kansas’s most fascinating rock formations. It is so crazy to think that 80 million years ago, this was all underwater!
- Location: Gove 16, Oakley, KS 67748
- Free to explore during daylight hours
- Price: Free
- Remember: This is on private property, so respect the rules of no digging or carving into the chalk, and make sure to throw away your trash!
- See our Kansas Road Trip to Monument Rocks (and bonus trip to Lake Scott State Park, which is just down the road from these chalk rocks)
Can you see me in the picture above? We stopped on our way to Colorado! This helps show you the scale of how BIG the rock formations are.
Cathedral of the Plains – St. Fidelis Catholic Church
- This beautiful Cathedral is right outside of Hays. It was built in 1908-1911, making it the oldest church in Kansas. On February 21, 2014, Pope Francis declared that St Fidelis was a minor basilica.
- Location: 900 Cathedral, Victoria, KS 67671
- Hours: During the daylight
- Mass Times: Saturday – 5 pm and Sundays – 10 am
- Price: Free to look in and around the church
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve & The Flint Hills
- Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is made up of 11,000 acres of peace and quiet. Their motto is “Tall in the Fall,” when the grasses meet their maximum height.
- This is one of Kansas’ contributions to America’s National Parks
- Location: 2480B KS-177, Strong City, KS 66869
- Hours: 24/7 year-round (except during the times of prescribed fire).
- Price: Free
- When visiting, make sure you bring good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, bug spray
- See our Kansas Road Trip to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
- Bonus: The beautiful Chase State Fishing Lake waterfalls are just down the road from this prairie National Park.
