Meeting planners in the know are already well aware of Kansas' affordability and central location. What might not be on everyone’s radar, however, is the bounty of natural attractions and settings ready-made for group events and exploration.
“From the eastern woodlands to endless High Plains grasslands out west, Kansas offers a surprising diversity of scenery,” says Becky Blake, director, Tourism Division, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. “Visitors looking for that perfect spot to experience Kansas in its natural state truly have an amazing array of options, destinations and recreational activities from which to choose.”
Here’s an overview of Kansas at its natural best.
Wichita
In the state’s largest city, nature retains a very special standing despite the abundant growth and ongoing progress.
“Kansans have always had a close relationship to nature,” says Dan Schemm, director of destination sales and services for Go Wichita. “There are places in the state where people can see the land much as it was when settlers crossed the prairie in covered wagons.”
Among these is the state’s No. 1 outdoor attraction, the Sedgwick County Zoo. The seventh-largest in the nation based on size, the facility showcases a recently added Tiger Trek, plus group tours and a 15,000-square-foot learning center available for meetings and events.
Other outdoor options include Botanica: The Wichita Gardens, with 24 themed gardens plus meeting rooms; the Mid-America All-Indian Center, which features a ceremonial “kiva” area ideal for meetings and receptions, plus the eye-catching, 44-foot-tall “Keeper of the Plains” statue; and the popular Great Plains Nature Center, home to indoor nature exhibitions and the 282-acre Chisholm Creek Park.
TOPEKA
The capital city of Topeka presents a blend of outdoor fun that runs the gamut from traditional outdoor recreation to unusual offerings sure to make some memories.
“On the northeast edge of Kansas’ rolling Flint Hills, Topeka is a city that celebrates green space with countless parks and walking trails,” says Olivia Simmons, president of Visit Topeka Inc.
Options abound at the Lake Shawnee Recreational Area, with its 411-acre man-made lake ringed by 1,100 acres of foot trails, a golf course, marina, tennis courts, horseback trails and much more. In fair weather, the lake itself comes alive with fishing, sailing and swimming alongside a sandy beach.
A few miles west of town stands Kansas Lavender, a farm that grows 12 varieties of lavender and has an array of lavender products from honey to jelly and neck pillows. Groups are welcome to walk through the fields and pick flowers, and can also learn about the lavender-growing process.
Other interesting outdoor offerings in the area include the Iwig Dairy, run by the same family since 1910 and offering group tours, and the Ravenwood Lodge, a short drive southwest of Topeka. The lodge hosts retreats and events, but also offers guided hunts, sporting clay shooting and shooting instruction.
Salina
Near the center of the state, Salina provides meeting groups with a trio of temptations for natural exploration, says Sylvia Rice, director for Visit Salina.
The Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure provides a wealth of experiences for groups, including tram tours, a giraffe feeding station, spacious picnicking areas and much more. The 64,000-square-foot museum even includes its own conference center, and the attraction’s zoo showcases exotic specimens ranging from Indian rhinos to rare white camels.
“With the outdoors zoo component, plus the indoor wildlife museum and conference center, it’s a great opportunity,” Rice says.
Another option is potentially perfect for a group retreat: the C&W Ranch, with an event center plus smaller meeting spaces, all located at a working family ranch. Group hunts for turkey, pheasant and deer are popular, and the rustic B&B with accommodations for 10 is also a frequent site of group gatherings.
Finally, the Webster Conference Center is a unique enclave of event-friendly structures dotting a landscape rich with outdoor adventure opportunities.
Kansas City
For Kansas City starters, planners might “naturally” consider Wyandotte County Lake, a 300-acre lake constructed in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration.
“The lake is home to the Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Schlagle Environmental Library, a year-round interactive library, nature center and nature trail related to nature and the environment,” says Bridgette Jobe, executive director for the Kansas City, KS CVB. “This is a perfect location for small meetings in a beautiful setting.”
Another nifty possibility is the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, chartered by Congress to honor America’s farmers.
“The beautiful 172-acre site hosts the Agricultural Hall of Fame, the Museum of Farming, the national Farmers Memorial, a Gallery of Rural Art and the National Poultry Museum,“ Jobe says, adding that the site’s Farm Town USA, a recreation of a 1900-era farm town, plus meeting space for groups of up to 750 are additional bonuses.
Like your nature with a side of pioneer history? Take your group to Lewis and Clark Historic Park at Kaw Point, the site where their expedition arrived and camped on June 26, 1804.
Jobe adds that the Kansas River (aka the Kaw) hosts boating and rowing events throughout the year.
Overland Park
Planners new to the Kansas landscape might be surprised to learn that Overland Park, just south of Kansas City, is the state’s second-most-populous metropolis. And its gamut of outdoor offerings and spectacular slices of nature is likely equally unexpected.
“Perfect for an outdoor getaway, Overland Park boasts 83 parks and four small lakes where visitors can run, walk, bike, hike, play and fish, including South Lake Park,” says Liron BenDor, vice president of marketing for the Overland Park CVB.
BenDor also highly recommends a stop at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, showing off 300 acres of walking trails, waterfalls, colorful flowers and a number of gardens.
“Open year-round, it truly is a gem as it mirrors a Monet painting,” she says.
Lawrence
The state’s most renowned college town, Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas and also boasts surrounding countryside that might shatter some preconceived notions about the region’s landscape.
“Many people think of Kansas as flat and dry, but in northeast Kansas nothing could be further from the truth,” says Susan Henderson, director of the Lawrence CVB. “Lawrence sits in a lush, green river valley with lots of rolling hills and wooded areas that defy the typical thinking.”
Great sites for communing with nature include Clinton Lake, three miles southwest of Lawrence, with 7,000 surface acres for boating, swimming and fishing, plus adjoining areas offering hiking and mountain biking trails, camping and picnic areas, fishing platforms, playing fields and a swimming beach. And at the Prairie Park Nature Center, groups can explore 72 acres that include a vast system of trails, a bird-watching area and a prairie observatory.
For groups wanting to convene amidst inviting scenery, Stony Hall is a historic structure enhanced by outlying forest that can host events of up to 300.
Manhattan
The “Little Apple,” just a short drive west of Topeka, resides at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River, with rolling hills and meadows circling the community all on sides.
“With Manhattan located in the heart of the Flint Hills, meeting attendees are surrounded by nature’s best,” says Karen Hibbard, director of the Manhattan CVB.
The city is currently abuzz over the imminent opening of the Flint Hills Discovery Center in April, a state-of-the-art, $25 million complex exploring the geology and biology of the region’s eco-system. The center will be a model of sustainability, including living green roofs, and dramatic meeting spaces will also be available.
Other natural lures in the area include Tuttle Creek Lake and State Park, Konza Prairie and its 8,600 acres of traversable prairielands, and Pillsbury Crossing, featuring a 60-foot-wide waterfall, hiking trails and excellent views of the surrounding hills.
Dodge City
“As far as nature is concerned in Dodge City, you’ll never see a more beautiful sunset than from the wide open spaces of western Kansas,” says Jan Stevens, director of the Dodge City CVB.
And the locale, also known for its rich cowboy heritage, offers plenty of viewpoints to take in the setting sun. One of the best might be Moore Ranch, where groups can experience the real-life daily adventure ofrun a cattle ranch—or even join in on two- or three-day cattle drives right out of the film City Slickers.
Similar offerings in the region include Hawes Ranch, where groups can participate in hunting treks for deer and boar, and Cecil’s Trails End Hunting Lodge, where pheasant hunts are the name of the game.
There are also 21 city parks on hand for exploring nature and the outdoors, including Wright Park, just south of downtown and site of the Dodge City Zoo.
