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Kansas Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
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.
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
The four largest cities in Kansas are Topeka, Wichita, Lawrence and Kansas City (Kansas).
- 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 (Kansas) 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.
Other cities in Kansas include:
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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.
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.
External links
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Brown V Board of Education National Historic Site - Official National Park Service site. Located in Topeka, KS.
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Fort Larned National Historic Site - Official National Park Service site. Located in Larned, KS.
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Fort Scott National Historic Site - Official National Park Service site.
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Nicodemus National Historic Site - Official National Park Service site. Located in Nicodemus, KS.
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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve - Official National Park Service site. Located in Cottonwood Falls, KS.
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Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (NPT) - A project of the National Park Trust (NPT) in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS).
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The New Lewis and Clark Trail - Site gives travelers access to information on over 40,000 businesses that might be beneficial to them along the Lewis and Clark Trail.
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Proud to Lead Proud to Follow - Lewis & Clark audio tour tape. Produced in three parts, St. Louis to Pierre, South Dakota; Pierre to Great Falls, Montana; and Great Falls to the Pacific Ocean.
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Traveler's Guide to the Lewis and Clark Trail - Interactive maps and timeline for following the Lewis and Clark Trail today, describing what was happening with the Corps of Discovery, unchanged sites they visited, museums, reconstructions, historical attractions, events, and town-by-town travel aids.
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Kansas State Parks - Locate your nearest state park, information on park regulations, and current events.
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LASR - State Parks & Natural Attractions - Kansas - A listing of parks by region.
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ChefMoz Dining Guide: Kansas - Detailed restaurant listings with reviews submitted by the public, and links to outside reviews. Search by name, cuisine, rating or location.
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Restaurants.com: Kansas - Showing listings of restaurants in Kansas. Free registration for restaurants.
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America's Pub - Chain of live music bars and dance clubs in Kansas City and Wichita, Kansas, and St. Louis, Missouri.
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FirstBite Catering - Offers personalized catering services in Northeast Kansas, providing food and services for any type of event.
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K.C. Hopps, Ltd. - A restaurant and brewpub management company that owns and/or operates restaurants in Kansas and Missouri, United States.
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Taiwan Chinese Restaurant - Serving south central Kansas with two locations in Hutchinson and Wichita. Visit us today to view our extensive menu selection and giant daily buffet. Eat free on your birthday!
Thanks to wikitravel.org and dmoz.org
Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Kansas"
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