Lancaster KansasATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Lancaster, Kansas.
1. Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum
AVIATION HISTORY COMES ALIVE
The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum celebrates the life and legacy of the famous aviator who was born in Atchison. Visitors can explore exhibits showcasing her remarkable achievements and the history of early aviation. The museum offers an immersive experience that inspires future generations with Earhart's pioneering spirit.
2. International Forest of Friendship
GLOBAL AVIATION MEMORIAL
The International Forest of Friendship is a living memorial to those who have contributed to aviation and space exploration. The forest features trees from all 50 states and over 35 countries around the world, creating a peaceful sanctuary for reflection. Visitors can explore winding pathways that lead to plaques and monuments honoring aviation pioneers.
3. The Haunted 1889 McInteer Villa
HISTORIC PARANORMAL DESTINATION
The Haunted 1889 McInteer Villa is a Victorian mansion known for its paranormal activity and spooky history. This architectural masterpiece offers guided tours that delve into both its historical significance and reported supernatural occurrences. Brave visitors can experience one of Kansas's most famously haunted locations firsthand through regular tours or special paranormal investigation events.
4. Atchison Rail Museum
RAILROAD HERITAGE CENTER
The Atchison Rail Museum preserves the rich railroad history of the region through impressive displays of vintage locomotives and rail cars. Visitors can explore authentic train equipment and learn about the crucial role railways played in developing the American Midwest. The museum offers educational exhibits highlighting the technological innovations and cultural impact of train travel throughout Kansas history.
5. New Lancaster General Store & Winery
RUSTIC SHOPPING AND TASTING
New Lancaster General Store & Winery offers a delightful combination of country shopping and local wine tasting experiences. Visitors can browse through unique gifts, homemade foods, and rustic decor while enjoying the charm of a traditional general store. The attached winery provides tastings of Kansas-produced wines in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.
6. Strataca Underground Salt Museum
SUBTERRANEAN MINING ADVENTURE
Strataca Underground Salt Museum takes visitors nearly 200 meters below ground to explore one of the world's largest deposits of rock salt. The museum offers a fascinating journey through active salt mines with exhibits on mining techniques and geological formations. Visitors experience the unique environment of massive underground caverns while learning about this important Kansas industry.
7. Boot Hill Museum
WILD WEST HERITAGE
Boot Hill Museum recreates the legendary frontier town of Dodge City during its wild west heyday. Visitors can explore replica buildings, authentic artifacts, and interactive exhibits depicting life in the 1870s and 1880s. The museum regularly hosts gunfight reenactments, saloon shows, and other performances that bring Kansas's cowboy history to life.
8. Flint Hills Nature Trail
SCENIC PRAIRIE PATHWAY
The Flint Hills Nature Trail stretches 188 kilometers through the stunning tallgrass prairie landscapes of eastern Kansas. This converted rail-trail offers hikers, cyclists, and equestrians passage through diverse ecosystems and small historic towns along the old Santa Fe Trail route. Visitors can observe abundant wildlife and breathtaking vistas while experiencing the natural beauty of Kansas's signature prairie landscape.
9. Fort Larned National Historic Site
FRONTIER MILITARY OUTPOST
Fort Larned National Historic Site preserves one of the best-restored Indian Wars-era military posts in the United States. Visitors can explore ten original stone buildings that housed soldiers protecting travelers along the Santa Fe Trail in the 1860s and 1870s. The fort offers living history demonstrations, ranger-led programs, and authentic period furnishings that illustrate daily life at this frontier outpost.
10. Monument Rocks
ANCIENT CHALK FORMATIONS
Monument Rocks features spectacular 70-foot tall chalk formations that date back 80 million years to when Kansas was covered by a vast inland sea. These striking natural sculptures, also known as the Chalk Pyramids, were the first landmark in Kansas to be designated a National Natural Landmark. Visitors can walk among these towering formations and discover fossils embedded in the ancient seabed turned prairie landmark.
11. Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area
PREMIER BIRD WATCHING DESTINATION
Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area is the largest inland wetland in the United States and a critical stopover for millions of migrating birds. Visitors can observe over 350 bird species throughout the year from convenient viewing platforms and driving tours around the 19,000-acre preserve. The wetland offers spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities, particularly during spring and fall migrations when the skies fill with waterfowl and shorebirds.
12. Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
WORLD-CLASS SPACE MUSEUM
The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center houses one of the most significant collections of U.S. and Russian space artifacts in the world. Visitors can marvel at authentic spacecraft including the Apollo 13 command module, a Soviet Vostok spacecraft, and numerous rockets and space suits. The center offers immersive exhibits, live science demonstrations, and an IMAX theater that brings the excitement of space exploration to the heart of Kansas.
13. Old Cowtown Museum
LIVING HISTORY SETTLEMENT
Old Cowtown Museum transports visitors back to the 1870s with over 50 historic and recreated buildings forming an authentic frontier settlement. Costumed interpreters demonstrate traditional crafts, trades, and daily activities that would have been common during Wichita's early cattle town days. Visitors can explore period-correct shops, homes, and businesses while experiencing the sights, sounds, and even smells of Kansas's pioneering past.
14. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
PROTECTED NATIVE GRASSLAND
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve protects one of the last remaining stands of tallgrass prairie that once covered 170 million acres of North America. Visitors can hike over 40 miles of trails through rolling hills where bison herds have been reintroduced to their native habitat. The preserve offers a rare glimpse into the vast sea of grass that greeted early pioneers before agricultural development transformed the Midwest landscape.
15. Flint Hills Discovery Center
PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEM EDUCATION
The Flint Hills Discovery Center celebrates the ecology, culture, and history of the last major tallgrass prairie ecosystem in North America. Visitors experience immersive exhibits including a dramatic multimedia presentation that simulates a prairie fire and the seasonal changes of the grasslands. The center serves as both an educational resource and a gateway to exploring the surrounding Flint Hills region with its unique limestone geology and rich biodiversity.