Now is a great time to explore natural areas near us here in Wichita by taking a nice scenic drive with the family. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been writing about fantastic places to see in our Kansas Road Trips series. I thought it would be a good time to reshare these since gas is so cheap and taking a country drive is good entertainment.
…Just remember that it was a different time when we wrote them! Visitors Centers and other buildings may or may not be open, or restrictions might be in place. You might find other information that doesn’t apply at this time. You might have to modify your plans to ensure that you’re following recommended best practices for keeping healthy, but if there’s one thing Kansas has, it’s room to spread out.
Short trips will be easier to manage so you don’t have to make any stops along the way.
Before you go anywhere, make sure you read Emily’s “Kansas Road Trip Travel Essentials” for a list of very good ideas that will make the difference between a great trip and a fiasco. 🙂 You’ll be glad you did!
Since writing the articles below, we’ve visited even more awesome natural areas and will be adding to this list soon. What are your favorite scenic drives near Wichita? Please share them with us in the comments.
Kansas Scenic Drives
Take the family for a scenic drive, day trip from Wichita, or inexpensive weekend getaway in Kansas. First, check out the extremely handy list of Kansas Road Trip Travel Essentials so you're prepared for everything!
One of the great things about our state is that so much of it has been kept in its natural state or close to it. This makes for some great outdoor adventures. Of course, with outdoor adventures, that means we need to be prepared for anything, especially since many of these sites are in rural parts of the state where modern conveniences are not always easily accessible.
Enjoy this picnic area known by locals as Coronado Heights Castle. Find out how to get there, what you can do at Coronado Heights, and how to prepare for your trip.
Want to see a spectacular Kansas waterfall without traveling very far? Check out the Cowley County Lake waterfall that's only about an hour away from Wichita! But read up on it first or you might be disappointed...
Kids need to get the wiggles out? Take them for a hike and a swim at Kanopolis Lake and then let them run around to view the unusual rock formations at Mushroom Rock State Park.
What's more "Kansas" than bison roaming the prairie? Bring your friends from out of state on this day trip. If you go at the right time of the year, you could show them bison and sunflowers in the same trip.
Hidden away behind Chase State Fishing Lake along the Kansas Flint Hills Scenic Byway is a glorious natural area with several levels of rushing waterfalls. This isn't child-proofed - or even adult-proof - so be sure to take care as you explore this stunningly beautiful area.
One of America's national parks is just a short drive up the Flint Hills Scenic Byway from Wichita. At Tallgrass National Preserve you can see a historic home and barn and a portion of one of the largest remaining stand of tallgrass prairie in existence today. And it's always FREE.
Check out Monument Rocks in western Kansas and spend a day at Lake Scott State Park on this affordable weekend getaway from Wichita. Our family had a great time on this trip and we can't wait to go again.
A fun and easy trail tucked away inside Cheney State Park. The treasure at the end of the trail is a beach! Less than an hour from Wichita.
You might be surprised next time you're taking a late summer drive on the highways of Kansas. The sunflower fields bloom from late July to early October, depending on when they were planted. Here's where we keep track of several fields we know of!
Check out the state and local tourism resources for more information about places to visit in Kansas. TravelKS has released its latest Kansas guide books and they’re as pretty as they are informative. They are also FREE for the asking.
