12 Incredible Hidden Gems In Kansas You’ll Want To Discover This Year

If you ask us, practically the entire state of Kansas is a hidden gem. It’s not too hard to come up with a list of non-touristy things to do in Kansas because we don’t have nearly the number of tourists that some of the more popular travel destinations tend to get. Is your 2024 resolution to explore some of the great attractions all over our amazing state? Next time you’re looking for a few hidden gems in Kansas, check out these great Sunflower State secret spots:

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, 2565 Pueblo Rd, Canton, KS 67428, USA

Maxwell Wildlife Refuge

The Maxwell Wildlife Refuge is a unique park that's home to a herd of American bison, plus 60 elk. Tours are offered all year and this is such a great way to experience the amazing scenery our state has to offer.

Saint Francis, St Francis, KS 67756, USA

Travel Kansas

It might seem a little strange to call one of the state's official wonders a hidden gem, but Arikaree Breaks really is off the beaten path in Kansas. Tucked away in the quiet northwest corner near St. Francis, this area of badlands features remarkably majestic canyons. This is such a unique landscape!

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Johnson County Arts And Heritage Center, 8788 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66212, USA

Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center

The Johnson County Arts & Heritage Center is one of our favorite indoor attractions in Overland Park. This place has so much to offer visitors, with tons of information about local history, plus cultural programs like dance classes and theater. My personal favorite exhibit here is the model 1950s all-electric home, a fascinating peek into what we once thought would be the future of society.

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Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, 223 N Terrace St, Atchison, KS 66002, USA

Sheradee Brown/Google Reviews

Amelia Earhart is one of the most famous people born in Kansas. Her childhood home in Atchinson is now the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, and it's one of our favorite cool places to visit in Kansas. The home was constructed around 1860 and has tons of cool artifacts from the time period, as well as plenty of information about the famed pilot's life.

The Lessman Farm & Truckhenge, 4124 NE Brier Rd, Topeka, KS 66616, USA

Paul Juser/Google Reviews

Truckhenge is one of the Sunflower State's strangest attractions. This folk art display is made up of trucks and other vehicles stuck into the dirt at odd angles, plus plenty of unique sculptures and other oddities.

Big Well Museum, 315 S Sycamore St, Greensburg, KS 67054, USA

The Big Well Museum

Did you know that the largest hand-dug well in the world is in Kansas? The well is 109 feet deep and 32 feet wide. It was completed in 1888 and is now home to a cool museum with tons of local history on display.

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Mushroom Rock State Park, Ave K, Brookville, KS 67425, USA

Mark Alexander/Google Reviews

Mushroom Rock State Park is the smallest state park in Kansas, with only about five acres in its borders. However, it's home to some really neat rock formations that definitely make it worth a visit. The rocks date back to the Cretaceous Period, and are made of sandstone and natural cement. The trail to check out the park's sights is only about 0.2 miles in length, and it's one of the best easy trails in Kansas.

Barbed Wire Museum, 120 1st St, La Crosse, KS 67548, USA

Barbed Wire Museum/Google Reviews

La Crosse, Kansas is the barbed wire capital of the world, so it's only fitting that this little town is home to the Barbed Wire Museum. I love visiting museums with hyper-specific topics: it's truly fascinating how many things people have strong passions about! Every imaginable type of barbed wire is on display at this museum, plus lots of interesting old tools.

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OZ Museum, 511 Road to Oz Highway, Wamego, KS 66547, USA

OZ Museum/Google Reviews

One of history's most beloved films is The Wizard of Oz, and it's a movie that's closely associated with Kansas. You'll find a wonderful OZ Museum in Wamego. This spot features exhibits from not only the Judy Garland film, but also the books and other iterations from throughout history. Follow it up with a visit to the nearby Lincoln Street Lanes and you've got one of the best secret getaways in Kansas.

Monument Rocks, Lewis, KS 67748, USA

Al Risden/Google Reviews

Another incredible cool place to visit in Kansas that we think everyone should check out is the mighty Monument Rocks. These massive structures are actually made of Niobrara chalk, and are the remnants of what was once an ancient sea. Over the years, they've eroded to their current shapes, and are nearly 70 feet tall in some areas.

Strataca, 3650 E Ave G, Hutchinson, KS 67501, USA

Strataca/Google Reviews

Strataca may be one of the most-visited attractions in Kansas, but the fact that we aren't exactly a hotbed of tourism means that even that doesn't mean that it's particularly well-known outside of the state. This is one of just 15 salt mines in the country, and it's actually the only one open to the public. There's a great museum here that has information about the salt mine, plus artifacts from history and even a few movie costumes.

Big Brutus Inc, 6509 NW 60th St, West Mineral, KS 66782, USA

T. Stevens/Google Reviews

Big Brutus is a massive electric shovel that was once used for coal excavation. It's the largest electric shovel still in existence and is now the crown jewel of a mining museum here.

Want to check out even more of the most unique places to visit in Kansas? Check out this great road trip to some of the best kept secrets in Kansas.

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