Kansas

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Kansas

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About

Discover Kansas

Kansas is a state in the Great Plains region of the United States of America. Thanks to The Wizard of Oz, many non-Kansans (and some Kansans as well) think of it as a place from which to escape; however, there are a lot of great places to visit, particularly if you are interested in the history of the American West. With a little exploration, almost every little town has something of interest. Kansas is named after the Kansa Native American Tribe that lived in the region. It is generally considered the center of the country in geographical terms, and one of its nicknames is "the Heart of America." The state's official nickname is "The Sunflower State", due to the abundance of wild sunflower fields in the state, but other nicknames include "The Free State", a homage to the Jayhawker movement that fought against slavery, and "The Wheat State", the most popular crop from Kansas.

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What to Experience in Kansas

A great urban view of the Kansas City skyline. Shot in Mid July.

Cuisine

Taste of Kansas...

Kansas is regarded to have some of the best BBQ in the nation, particularly on the eastern side of the state, the best known regional food being Kansas City-style BBQ, associated with the metropolitan Kansas City area including Wyandotte County and Johnson County, as well as portions of Missouri. It is a slow "pit" style barbecue; sauce is usually an important component to the finished meal. Well-known restaurants include Rosedale and Wyandotte BBQ in Kansas City, Kansas, Hayward's Pit BBQ and KC Masterpiece and Gates BBQ in Overland Park (Gates, however, is based in Kansas City, Missouri -- an important distinction to some), and Zarda BBQ in Lenexa. KC Masterpiece in Overland Park is the original restaurant that started the chain and its nationally distributed "sweet sauce." In the small town of Spring Hill, K&M BBQ was voted the best BBQ in the Kansas City metro area. A less famous, but even more traditional, Kansas favorite is the bierock. This is a hot, savory pastry usually containing hamburger, onions, and cabbage that was imported to the state by Volga Germans in the late 19th century, and which has become so well loved that it's even served in schools. It is similar to a Polish pierogi, and perfect for cool fall evenings. In Crawford County, in the extreme Southeastern corner, there are six "chicken houses." These serve fried chicken dinners, and the side dishes differ from each house.

Plan Your Trip

Essential Information

Getting There

Multiple Options

If you are driving to Kansas from the east or west, it would be best to take Interstate 70, which runs east to west across the state, running through many towns. There are tolls from Kansas City to Topeka along I-70, amounting to a couple of dollars for a standard passenger vehicle. I-35 travels from the south center of the state and passes northeast, meeting I-70 in Kansas City. It is the obvious route if you are driving between Oklahoma City and Wichita or Kansas City, and there are tolls on this road. I-135 travels from Wichita to Salina, connecting the other two major interstate highways. The vast majority of people flying in to Kansas enter through Kansas City International (IATA: MCI), which is in Kansas City, Missouri. Wichita has the only major airport in the state, with service to about a dozen cities. Several other smaller cities have very limited commercial service....

Regions

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Kansas is named after the Kansa Native American Tribe that lived in the region. It is generally considered the center of the country in geographical terms, and one of its nicknames is "the Heart of Am…...

Travel Tips

Getting Around & Staying

Getting Around

The only way to travel in Kansas is to drive. Part of the experience of being in the state is to spend time on the road, which is as interesting an experience as you make it. Take the time to plan a route off of the main highways and see the country. Otherwise, if you require public transportation, Kansas may not be a place for you. Even the larger cities like Wichita, Topeka, and Kansas City, buses offer very limited public transportation. Intercity bus transportation in central and western Kansas is provided by Bee Line Express (+1 316-201-6700). Beeline Express is part of Prestige Bus Lines). Keep in mind that these buses do not have frequent departures. Beeline Express has two routes: blue and red. The blue line runs from Salina to Wichita with stops in Lindsborg, McPherson, Hutchinson and Newton. The redline runes between Wichita and Syracuse with stops in Kingman, Pratt, Greensburg, Dodge City and Garden City.

Communication

Language & Talk

Most residents of Kansas speak a neutral American Standard English. However, in the southeastern region there is a faint southern influence – both in accent and word choice. This dates back to the Civil War era; many pro-slavery citizens moved into this part of the state to land grab and sway elections. Many of the communities in the area still have connections to southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas communities. Curiously, the farther west you go you may increasingly run into German, Russian, or even Swedish speakers. This is due to the large number of immigrants that settled in Kansas during the late 1800s. However, this tends to be a dying trend as younger generations switch to standard English.

Stay Safe

Safety Information

Safety Overview

Crime rates in Kansas are some of the lowest in the nation. Accordingly there is hardly any crime in the state; however, this does not mean that one should be naive during their travel to the state. Always take common sense precautions no matter where you find yourself, but pay particular attention in the more populous areas such as East Topeka, older areas of Kansas City, and North Wichita. All in all, you are very unlikely to experience any problems while traveling through the state. Kansas is part of Tornado Alley where strong thunderstorms and violent tornadoes develop. They usually occur in the spring but can occur any time of year. If you are visiting Kansas for a long period of time, it is a very sensible idea to learn about tornado safety and safety for severe thunderstorms. One day could be hot and sunny, another could have violent storms forecasted.

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