Botanical Wichita Gardens

Opened in 1987, the Wichita Gardens originally had four gardens. There are around 4000 species of plants and 30 themed gardens, including the Shakespeare Garden, Monster Woods, Butterfly Garden, and Rose and Wildflower Garden. The garden offers unique programs for children to learn about science and participate in activities.

Strataca

Strataca is a salt mine museum with the world’s largest salt deposits. These mines were formed nearly 300 million years ago and stretch 25,000 miles of land. You can experience the otherworldly beauty of the salt mines by taking a guided tour through a train ride. When you reach the end of the dark passage, you get to take a rock with you as a souvenir.

Flint Hills Discovery Center

Flint Hills Discovery Center has one of the most interactive centers in Kansas. The museum is part culture and part science as it focuses on the history of Flint Hills as well as some of America’s most essential wildlife, pop culture, and inventions. In addition, you can go inside the Immersive Experience Theater, where you can feel the winds of the Flint Hills blowing on you.

Monument Rocks

Monument Rocks, or the Chalk Pyramids, are located in western Kansas, and are a collection of colossal chalk formations rich in fossils. It is believed that the area was under water 80 million years ago, which is when these massive formations developed. The gigantic rocks provide a unique site as they stand in the middle of the Kansas plains. This site was also the first landmark to be declared a National Natural Landmark.

Keeper of the Plains

Kansas’ culture is very much influenced by the Native Americans that used to live here. The Keeper of the Plains is a steel sculpture built by a native artist Blackbear Bosin. The statue is surrounded by a plaza where the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers merge. The land is sacred to the Natives, and the plaza commemorates the importance of Native Americans and their history.

Some other notable places and attractions:

Sedgwick County Zoo
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
Fort Larned National Historic Site
Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum, and Boyhood Home
Evel Knievel Museum