Each year, I enjoy exploring a different US state during the “unofficial” start of the Summer season.. Memorial Day Weekend in May!! During 2022, I decided to visit the state of Kansas for some sightseeing and vegan dining.
On May 28th, I headed to Boston’s Logan Airport to set forth on my long weekend trip. My ” go to” breakfast at the airport is an avocado toast with tomatoes with a matcha latte,
Upon getting my auto rental, I drove to my accommodations in Wichita, checked in and freshened up, then proceeded onto my first excursion.. the town of Wamego. This touristy destination is located two and a half hours from Wichita, in the northeast direction. Wamego is known for its “Wizard of Oz” attractions and its historic prairie village.
When I arrived in Wamego, my first stop was the Oz Museum. The museum is home to a vast collection of “everything Oz” related to “The Wizard of Oz” book and film. Cast member autographed photos and costumes, sets commemorating the movie, and toy collectibles are found within the multiple rooms.
Autographs and hand print cement molds of the munchkins can be seen on the museum flooring.
A “wind machine” resides in the museum gift shop, where visitors may spend a minute experiencing a “Wizard of Oz” tornado simulation of high winds.
Across the road from the museum lies another Oz attraction.. the Yellow Brick Road. An alleyway comprised of yellow painted bricks with Oz scene murals painted on adjacent buildings’ exteriors, provides tourists with a fun, movie re-enactment walk!
Wizard of Oz’s Toto dog statues are found throughout the Yellow Brick Road and throughout town. The colorfully painted dogs in various patterns are document on a map for visitors to wander about and find them.
Downtown Wamego also is home to an Oz-themed restaurant called TacOz. My vegan lunch option was a tasty veggie taco consisting of guacamole, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa.
The casual restaurant is adorned with “Wizard of Oz” scene photos, Oz character cutouts, and other memorabilia.
Wamego is also home to a historic prairie village. The Wamego Historical Museum and Prairie Village showcases actual prairie buildings from the 1800s including a general store, pharmacy, a jail, and homes; along the railroad tracks. Its museum follows the histories of the first settlers, the Underground Railroad, the local indigenous population, and artifacts from the 1893 Columbian Exposition.
My visit to Wamego was very enjoyable. However, it was time to head back to Wichita for the night. For dinner, I ate at Lotus Leaf Cafe in Wichita. My flavorful meal was a vegout soup of carrot, potatoes, spinach, and corn with a side of bread and lemonade.
I concluded my first evening in town with a vegan vanilla and chocolate chip ice cream at Churn and Burn.
On day two of my long weekend vacation, I kicked off the morning with a wonderful breakfast at Leslie & Co. in Wichita. Their blueberry lemon scone was amazing. A matcha tea with rose and lemon, quenched my thirst.
I then “hit the road” and proceeded along my way to Dodge City. The landscape was dotted with haystacks, hay silos, and stunning prairie views.
After a two and a half hour drive, I arrived at Dodge City. This “Old West” town is known for its recreated village. Dodge City was settled in 1872, as it became a stopping point for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. Given its location near the Santa Fe Railroad and Fort Dodge, it was a commercially viable location for a new town.
The Boot Hill Museum is the first building that greets tourists. This museum highlights the days of the village during “Old West” era of the late 1800s.
Residing on the grounds of the Boot Hill Museum, is a 1903 steam locomotive. It commemorates the fact that Dodge City was an integral stop during the early railroad days.
Prior to visiting the “Old West” buildings, I opted for a trolley tour, leaving from the Visitor’s Center. The tour brings guests to view many historical sites such as the Dodge Chapel, Gospel Hill(site of early churches overlooking sinful “Boot Hill”), the deadline(railroad tracks and depot), Fort Dodge with its soldier barracks and Sutler’s Store, a settler’s residence, follow the path of the Santa Fe Trail, and hear fanciful tales of days gone by.
When the trolley tour had come to an end, I proceeded to walk up to Boot Hill’s Front Street. This is the main attraction in town. The grounds consist of multiple buildings including a general store, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, a chapel, a residence, and much more.
Actors re-enacted an “Old West” gunfight on the field in front of the shops.
After watching the faux gunfight, I headed over to the general store and perused its aisles of candy, prairie hats, and various other sundries.
I paid a visit to the saloon. Though a non-drinker of alcoholic beverages, I settled for a traditional sasparilla and to soak in the atmosphere of Old West cowboys and music.
A piano-playing instructor taught visitors how to do traditional can-can dancing.
One of the Boot Hill buildings was more of a museum, containing an old newspaper office and a telegraph office for guests to visit and observe the historic equipment and other memorabilia.
Lunchtime had arrived. I opted for a decent black bean burger wrapped in lettuce at Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steak Burger Restaurant in Dodge City. There weren’t many vegan options in town, especially on that day and hour, so this was a welcome offering.
My afternoon of sightseeing in Dodge City had come to an end. It was time to head back to Wichita for the night.
When I arrived in Wichita, there was some sightseeing in town that I wanted to experience. The Keeper of the Plains is a steel structure standing at 44 feet tall in the downtown area. A Native American artist created the sculpture in honor of the American Bicentennial. Around its base are depictions of the local Indigenous tribes that used to reside in the region. The “Rings of Fire” firepits are near for public safety.
In the heart of Wichita lies the Old Town Market, where locals and visitors alike can shop, dine, and view art.
A stroll around the Old Market completed the day’s sightseeing, so it was time to eat. For dinner, I chose to dine at Sabor Latin Grille. Their baked polenta with veggies, green beans, corn, onion, and quinoa was delicious. This was my gourmet meal of my trip and well worth the price. I returned to my hotel and called it a night.
I awoke bright and early on the last day of my Kansas mini-vacation, For my last breakfast in Wichita, I went to Reverie Coffee Roasters. My morning meal was a vegan bierock, a savory turnover with spinach.
On my day’s itinerary was a visit to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Strong City. The drive from Wichita is about an hour and twenty minutes northeast. Upon arrival, I was greeted at the entrance with a sign that marks its territory. This Preserve in the Flint Hills of Kansas, protects one of the last remaining areas of the once vast Tallgrass Prairie within the USA.
The former Jones 1881 ranch house of Spring Hill Farm is a large estate with gardens and its own gas station pump.
Visitors may tour the home’s rooms including the bedrooms, kitchen, and living room to get a taste of what home life was like in that era.
Directly outside the residence steps is the trail leading hikers through the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. I walked up and down the winding trails observing the tallgrasses, wildflowers, trees, and vast open fields. Towards the distance, I spotted a hilly area and made my way up there, before heading back down to the parking lot.
I then drove up the road to another section of the Tallgrass Prairie to visit the one room, Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse, erected in 1882 for settlers in the Old West.
After my visit to the tallgrass prairie, I made my way back to Wichita to catch my flight back home to Boston. For lunch at the Wichita airport, I stopped at the Dunkin Donuts for a hummus toast with tomatoes and a mango refresher juice.
Upon my arrival at Logan Airport in Boston, I decided to have dinner at Vino Volo Restaurant. Their veggie potstickers with dipping sauce were a delicious and filling meal after my flight.
I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend vacation in the state of Kansas. The breath-taking landscape, the whimsical Oz attractions in Wamego, the historic Old West town of Dodge City, the stunning Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, and the vegan dining options made this a trip to fondly remember!