Travel in Kansas
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Kansas is a state in the Great Plains region of the United States of America. It is generally considered the center of the country, at least in geographical terms. Thanks to the Wizard of Oz, many non-Kansans (and some Kansans as well) think of it as a place to escape from. However, there are a lot of great places to visit, particularly if you are interested in the history of the American_West.
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Regions
There is no clear division between Eastern and Western Kansas, but there are clear regional distinctions.
- Eastern_Kansas -- Most of the larger cities are in Eastern Kansas, which tends to be more hilly and have more trees and water.
- Western_Kansas -- Generally, Western Kansas is more rural, with a lot of open land. It is drier and flatter.
- Flint_Hills -- Down the center of Eastern Kansas run the Flint Hills, an area of great geological interest, with some of the last living grasslands of the true Great Plains. See more information at The University of Kansas website (http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Extension/flinthills/flinthills.html)
- Southeastern_Kansas -- Far southeastern Kansas is part of the Ozarks region, with beautiful hills, coal mining, and endemic rural poverty. Ozark influence wanes the further you get from the southeast corner of the state.
Cities
- Topeka -- Capital city of Kansas, also site of the Kansas State Historical Society Museum
- Wichita -- Largest city in Kansas.
- Lawrence -- Medium-sized city midway between Topeka and Kansas City (Kansas). Very artsy and bohemian, for Kansas. Home of the University of Kansas.
- Kansas City and Environs -- Smaller half of Metro Kansas City, which spills across the border into Missouri. Kansas City as a whole is much larger and more cosmopolitan than Wichita. Actually, the second largest city in Kansas is not Kansas City, Kansas, but Overland_Park, Kansas, a wealthy, yet non-descript suburb of Kansas City. Overland Park, along with Kansas City suburbs like Shawnee (Kansas), Olathe, and Lenexa make up Johnson County (Kansas), which is the largest county by population in Kansas.
- Hutchinson -- home to the second largest space museum in the world, The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center (http://www.did-you-mean.com/Kansas_Cosmosphere_and_Space_Center.html))
Other cities in Kansas include:
Other destinations
Understand
Talk
Broadcasters across the USA try to adopt a flat, unaccented English. They are all trying to talk like Kansans. The only regional dialect is the complete lack of a regional dialect.
Get in
If you are driving to Kansas from the east or west, it would be best to take Interstate 70. From the north or south, I-35 might work, but consult a good atlas.
Wichita and Topeka have municipal airports, but most people flying into the state would come through Kansas City (Missouri). Amtrak's Southwest Chief travels through the state as well, if you want to take a train.
Get around
The only way to travel in Kansas is to drive. It's part of the experience of being in the state to spend time on the road. Take the time to plan a route off of the main highways and see the country.
Eat
Kansas has no real regional cuisine, with the exception of buffalo meat.
In Yoder (just outside Hutchinson), the Carriage Crossing restaurant offers Amish fare (Fried chicken, meat loaf, etc.) (except on Sundays, when they are closed).
In Newton, Charlie's Restaurant (part of the Newell's Truck Plaza) offers excellent breakfast burritos 24 hours a day.
Stay safe
Kansas is in "Tornado Alley." Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes are not uncommon during the spring and summer months. Make sure you keep a radio on in the car. Should you hear the tornado sirens sounding, locate a suitable tornado shelter at once - DO NOT stay out of doors to get a picture!
Should the skys be cloudy, and the light take on a greenish-yellow cast, this is an indication of an imminent hail storm - again, seek shelter at once.
External links
- Official state tourism Web site (http://www.travelks.org/)