Where to Go Kansas

Look for these NTA members when planning your next tour. For a
complete list of potential partners associated with this destination,
take advantage of the member search on www.NTAonline.com.
WHERE TO GO
Kansas
COMPILED BY PAT HENDERSON
An Eventful Calendar of Festivals
No matter what time of year or which region of Kansas travelers visit, there are plenty of local festivals they can enjoy. Here is a look at
10 of the state’s diverse celebrations, as provided by Kelli Hilliard of the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism.
RiverFest (Wichita, May 31–June 8, 2013)
Scottish Festival & Highland Games
Riverfest, which is Kansas’ largest festival, includes nine days of food,
family events, competitions and nightly concerts in downtown Wichita.
(McPherson, Sept. 27–29, 2013)
(Salina, June 6–9, 2013)
The festival is renowned for its excellent
arts and cultural programming. In addition to its fine arts and crafts displays
and food vendors, it features four stages
of entertainment.
Festival-goers can watch Highland dancing, visit with dozens of
clans, listen to live bagpipe music, watch Celtic performers, ride a
barrel train, see a live rugby match and sample Scottish food.
OZtoberFest (Wagemo, Sept. 27–29, 2013)
The event celebrates the legacy of the 1939 film, “The Wizard of
Oz.” Activities include autograph sessions with celebrities, special
presentations by Oz and Judy Garland historians, and a live production of the show.
Amelia Earhart Festival (Atchison, July 19–20, 2013)
Svensk Hyllningsfest
Atchison celebrates the birthday of its favorite native daughter,
Amelia Earhart, each July. The festival has lectures for aviation
enthusiasts, live music, a car show and carriage rides.
(Lindsborg, Oct. 4–5, 2013)
This celebration pays homage
to the Swedish immigrants who
settled in Lindsborg and the
surrounding area. The festival
includes old-world fiddle tunes,
ethnic folk costumes, a parade
and Swedish cuisine.
Dodge City Days
(Dodge City, July 26–Aug. 4, 2013)
In addition to a professional rodeo, this 10-day
event includes a concert featuring major
country artists, parades, a barbecue contest, a
Western art show, chuckwagon breakfasts and
a crafts fair.
SVENSK HYLLNINGSFEST
Smoky Hill River Festival
Flames in the Flint Hills (Cedar Point, April 2014)
Central Kansas is home to most of the remaining tallgrass prairie
in North America. This April event brings together people for
food, music, education and the prescribed burning of the grasses.
Renaissance Festival
(Kansas City, Aug. 31–Oct. 14, 2013)
Held across seven fall weekends,
this event recreates Renaissance
England. Entertainment comes in
many forms, ranging from costumed
characters who juggle or eat fire to
jousting competitions and falconry
demonstrations.
Tulip Time
(Topeka, April 2014)
Topeka plants hundreds of
thousands of tulips and daffodils
by its beautiful lakes, lush gardens
and downtown in anticipation of
this springtime event.
Lee Richardson Zoo
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May 2013
LEE RICHARDSON ZOO
Located in the southwestern part of the state, Finney County
welcomes visitors with a mix of cultural and nature-based
attractions. Larry Johnson, event planner for the Finney County
CVB, said two of his area’s top spots for groups and FITs are the
Lee Richardson Zoo and the Finney County Museum.
The zoo, which is located in Garden City, has more than 350
animals spread across its 47 acres. Visitors can see elephants,
giraffes, lions, leopards, anteaters, North American elk and
a variety of birds and amphibians throughout the grounds.
Special group programs and tours are available at no cost
through the education department, and sessions with trained
zoo docents can be booked in advance. The attraction opened
a new African-spurred tortoise exhibit last year and will debut
its new Cat Canyon area this fall.
Located at the entrance of the zoo, the Finney County
Museum follows the story of the county’s founding in the
1870s to present times. Visitors can learn local history by
touring period buildings from the late 1800s and through temporary and permanent exhibits. Among the museum’s displays are Spirit of the Plains, which explores early life on the
Kansas plains; Take Stock in Finney County, which showcases
the area’s tie to the cattle industry; and C.J. “Buffalo” Jones:
Last of the Plainsmen, which focuses on Garden City’s most
flamboyant founding father.
AN EVENTFUL CALENDAR: KANSAS TOURISM, EXCEPT SVENSK HYLLNINGSFEST
Garden City Goodness
A Legendary Outlet
Dave & Buster’s
Legends Outlet Kansas City is an outdoor shopping and entertainment
center in the Kansas City area. Three NTA members—Dave and Buster’s,
T-REX and Ultra Diamonds—are among the complex’s list of more than 120
stores and restaurants.
T-REX Part attraction and part restaurant, T-REX is all about dinosaurs. It has
many dinosaur-themed dishes among its pastas, burgers, sandwiches, steaks
and seafood. In addition to its varied menu, T-REX has large animatronic dinos
and features the interactive Paleo Zone where guests can learn more about
Mesozoic Era creatures. Educational tours also can be scheduled in advance.
EMMA MORI
Dave and Buster’s Dave and Buster’s combines food and fun in a festival
atmosphere that includes tons of TVs showing live sporting events. The menu
includes starters, sandwiches and entrees as well as a selection of under
600-calorie dishes. The Million Dollar Midway is a popular spot where patrons
can go to play pool, shuffleboard, air hockey or one of the many arcade games
such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong.
T-REX
Ultra Diamonds Ultra Diamonds uses its global network of 400-plus
suppliers to buy directly from the source, which allows it to offer top quality
rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches and earrings at the lowest prices. Its
retail store in Legends Outlet Kansas City offers 5 percent cash back to tour
operators on all their guests’ in-store purchases.
Colby Oasis on the Plains 33
Kansas City, Kansas CVB 32
Discover Oakley 33
Manhattan CVB 32
Hays CVB 33
Merriam Visitors Bureau 33
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31
DMOs
restaurants,
historical attractions, shopping
and Kansas
State University.
The area also
offers many
outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, bird watching,
horseback riding and bicycling at local
parks and nature reserves.
Finney County CVB
Garden City
www.finneycountycvb.com
Finney County welcomes visitors with a
range of special events, including the Beef
Empire Days festival, which is a two-week
long event in early June. Two other top
events are the family-friendly Tumbleweed
Festival at the end of August at the Lee
Richardson Zoo and the Hot Air Balloon
Festival in mid-September.
Stilwell
www.carenscharters.com
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Kansas City
www.kincaidcoach.com
Kincaid’s travel department provides complete tour services that include transportation, lodging, dining, banquets, conference
planning, entertainment and sporting
events. Whether travelers prefer a domestic or international itinerary, the company
can design the tour to fit the needs of
groups and FITs.
Wichita
www.gowichita.com
Located in the heart of the scenic Flint
Hills west of Kansas City, Manhattan is
home to first-class accommodations,
32
May 2013
www.visitmanhattanks.org
Call for a free Visitors Guide - 800-759-0134
Manhattan Convention & Visitors Bureau
501 Poyntz Avenue • Manhattan, KS 66502
GO WICHITA CVB
Hillsboro
www.prudenttours.com
Prudent Tours is a small family-owned
tour provider that prides itself on service
and value. Since its first group departed
in 1964, the company has expanded its
product line to include motorcoach tours
throughout the United States, Canada and
Mexico. Tour directors accompany each
group, and local guides provide services at
certain locations.
Sam’s Tours Inc.
Topeka
www.TravelKS.com
Manhattan
www.visitmanhattanks.org
Come get to know the home of
Country Stampede; savor our local
dining; cheer Big XII sports;
wander into our quaint shops,
eclectic art galleries, museums
and outdoors. Get caught in the
beauty of The Little Apple®!
Prudent Travel and Tours Inc.
Kansas Department of Wildlife,
Parks & Tourism
Manhattan CVB
Since 1989, Caren Hall has been designing
tours for groups that take them around the
world. Her company, Caren’s Charters, is
based in the greater Kansas City area and
offers day trips as well as a variety of oneto two-week packages to national and
international destinations.
Kincaid Coach Lines Inc.
Go Wichita CVB
Salina
www.mytourchoice.com
KS UNDERGROUND SALT MUS.
Kansas boasts
a rich frontier
heritage and
Wild West history that dates
back to the
pioneers who
made their way
west in the mid- to late-1800s. Travelers
can visit attractions pertaining to that history, take part in outdoor recreation across
the state and see geological wonders such
as the Western Hemisphere’s only underground salt museum.
Big Attractions
Caren’s Charters Inc.
Junction City
www.junctioncity.org
Wichita seamlessly blends big-city life
and up-scale
amenities
with Old West
and Native
American heritage. Groups
can explore the
city’s cowboy
and aerospace
history at local museums, take in an exhibit
at one of the many art galleries and do
some shopping at national retailers or
local boutiques.
Little Apple ...
TOUR OPERATORS
Geary County CVB
Travelers heading to central
Kansas have
a good mix
of attractions
awaiting them.
They can see the
natural beauty
of the Flint Hills, visit the former home of U.S.
president Dwight D. Eisenhower, learn more
about the U.S. military at Fort Riley and follow the yellow brick road to the OZ Museum.
MANHATTAN CVB
WHERE TO GO KANSAS
The 37-year-old company offers a long list
of annual departures that range from local
bus tours to international cruise and land
packages. Holiday and seasonal programs
are popular, including Christmas trips to
San Antonio; Nashville, Tennessee; and
Branson, Missouri; and fall foliage itineraries to the northeastern United States.
COME ON!
GET HAPPY.
Village Tours LLC
Wichita
www.villagetours.net
The family-owned company, which was
established in 1980, has a fleet of 30 motorcoaches. Its more than 200 annual departures take travelers to top destinations
throughout the Midwest, and longer itineraries cover places across North America
such as the New England states, Alaska
and the Canadian Rockies.
VisitKansasCityKS.com
800-264-1563
Kansas City Kansas
Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.
NEXT DOOR NEIGHBORS TO KANSAS CITY
KANSAS
Free
historic church
tours
Magnificent area churches.
Step-on guide available.
From bakeries to instruments,
milkshakes to guitar lamps - we
invite you to tour Merriam!
Visit the group travel
section of our website
for a complete list of
tour options to
explore and
enjoy.
Call the CVB at 866-707-6534 to
schedule your next group tour.
www.exploremerriam.com
Explore the Western
Vistas Historic Byway
The First in Kansas
Buffalo Bill
Cultural/
Visitor’s
Center and
2X life size
bronze
sculpture.
Fick Fossil
and
History
Museum
Monument
Rocks the
badlands of
Kansas
www.DiscoverOakley.com
785-671-1000
www.haysusa.net
1-800-569-4505
Contact Ruben at
rschuckman@haysusa.com
Look for these NTA members when planning your next tour. For a
complete list of potential partners associated with this destination,
take advantage of the member search on www.NTAonline.com.
WHERE TO GO
Missouri
COMPILED BY DOUG RENTZ
Four to See in St. Louis
St. Louis is home to several NTA-member lodging properties
as well as four tour suppliers that offer a range of activities for
groups. Look into the programs and experiences at these association members when packaging the Gateway to the West.
NTA member:
Gateway Arch Riverfront
BRANSON/LAKES AREA CVB
Contact: Laura Tobey
ltobey@gatewayarch.com
Location: 50 S. LK Sullivan Blvd.
What’s on: Attractions offered by
this member include the Gateway
Arch, the Museum of Westward
Expansion, Old Courthouse, Gateway Arch Riverboat Cruises,
Citygarden, Riverfront Trail, Discovery Bike Rentals, Kiener Plaza
and Eads Bridge. It also features events and special exhibits by
the National Park Service.
NTA member:
Missouri Botanical Garden
Contact: Gene Peimann
tourism@mobot.org
Two Ways to Cruise Branson
Main Street Lake Cruises offers sightseeing tours around Lake
Taneycomo. Passengers enjoy panoramic views of the Ozark
Mountains while cruising past the Branson Landing waterfront
on the Lake Queen Paddleboat or the Branson Landing Princess.
Call Loralei McCoy, +1.417.239.3980, or visit www.mainstreet
lakecruises.com for more information.
Location: 4344 Shaw Blvd.
What’s on: From gardening
practices to nature study and
everything in between, the Missouri
Botanical Garden offers a range of weekend, evening and weekday classes and programs year-round. Topics such as photography,
cooking, green living, gardening and landscaping are among
the options.
NTA member:
Missouri History Museum
Branson Landing Princess is handicap accessible and has two
climate-controlled decks and onboard restroom facilities for
guests. The luxury yacht features a full buffet on most cruises
and is the perfect choice for an elegant and relaxing journey on
Lake Taneycomo.
Lake Queen Paddleboat A guide provides historical facts and
points out sights such as the Lake Taneycomo Bridge. Wildlife
sightings can include bald eagles, herons, foxes and coyotes.
Guests can enjoy the Branson Landing Fountains show during
the Moonlight Cruise.
Contact: Tami Goldman
tgold@mohistory.org
NTA member: Saint Louis Zoo
Contact: Jennifer Poindexter
poindexter@stlzoo.com
Location: 1 Government Drive
What’s on: Visitors can meet a
penguin, feed a giant tortoise and
scratch a legless lizard on the
zoo’s behind-the-scenes tours. A motorcoach greeter explains
what’s new at the zoo, hands out maps and answers questions.
Packages include discounted rates on food, attractions and tours.
The following organizations have placed advertising in support of this article.
Branson/Lakes Area CVB 37
Missouri History Museum 36
Missouri Botanical Garden 36
St. Louis CVC 35
34
May 2013
Outlaw Run, the
$10 million wood
rollercoaster
that sends passengers soaring
through the Ozark
Mountains, made
its debut March 15
at Silver Dollar
City. The new ride
features the world’s first and only double-barrel, 720-degree
roll on a wood coaster. It also is the only wood coaster to
twist upside down three times, the world’s steepest wood
coaster with a first drop of 162 feet at 81 degrees and the
second-fastest wood coaster in the world reaching 68 mph.
Riders need to watch out for a rogue outlaw and his gang
who attempt to ambush the stagecoach along the way. Go to
www.silverdollarcity.com to find out about other attractions
and seasonal festivals.
FOUR TO SEE IN ST. LOUIS: FLICKR, CHRIS YUNKER, D. DOHLER, SAINT LOUIS ZOO
What’s on: Groups can enjoy
guided and self-guided exhibition
tours, student programs, live theater, private curator talks, and
lunch or catered events. Currently on exhibit is Between Two
Worlds: Veterans Journey Home, and the American Revolution
on the Frontier will debut in October 2014.
Outlaw Run Opens
at Silver Dollar City
SILVER DOLLAR CITY
Location: Lindell and DeBaliviere
in Forest Park