8 Amazing Weekend Getaways in Kansas for 2026

Kansas may be known for wide-open prairies and big skies, but its small towns are full of charm, history, and unexpected adventures. Each of these eight destinations offers a chance to escape your usual routine and enjoy a slower pace while still having plenty to do over a two-day visit. From art-filled streets and historic landmarks to scenic parks and quirky museums, these towns let you explore without feeling rushed. They are perfect for a weekend where every stop feels meaningful and memorable.

Abilene

Nestled in central Kansas along Interstate 70, less than an hour and a half from Topeka, Abilene is a delightful small town that draws antique lovers from near and far while offering a rich dose of Wild West and presidential history.

Spend your first day following Abilene’s unofficial antique shops trail. With more than 150 vendors, you can browse unique treasures at your own pace. Visit Mud Creek Antiques and Abilene Downtown Antique Mall, each offering more than 7,500 square feet of vintage items and collectibles. If you visit the second weekend in May, you can catch the 8th Annual Antique Fest, an event that draws collectors and casual shoppers from across the region. After a day of antiquing, stay at the Victorian Inn Bed & Breakfast, built in 1887 and conveniently located for downtown explorations.

On day two, explore Abilene’s history. Start at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, which chronicles Dwight D. Eisenhower’s life and presidency. Step back to the frontier at Old Abilene Town, with saloons, shops, and scheduled gunfight reenactments. History enthusiasts will enjoy the Dickinson County Heritage Center, which highlights the region’s pioneer life, and the Seelye Mansion, a restored 19th-century home with original furnishings. Don’t miss the World’s Largest Belt Buckle for a photo op, and finish with a ride on the Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad, where vintage train cars offer scenic journeys through the surrounding countryside.

Atchison

Nestled along the Missouri River, Atchison draws aviation enthusiasts and history buffs alike, offering a deep dive into Amelia Earhart’s life and a town full of historic landmarks and unique experiences.

Spend your first day exploring Earhart’s legacy. Start at the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, then visit the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum, which houses artifacts, photographs, and exhibits about her accomplishments. If you visit the third weekend in July, you can enjoy the Amelia Earhart Festival, a lively celebration that includes aviation-themed activities. History enthusiasts can also explore the International Forest of Friendship, an arboretum and memorial forest beside Lake Warnock featuring a life-size bronze statue of Earhart, as well as three other museums showcasing Atchison’s railroad heritage, Victorian past, and local art.

Day two highlights Atchison’s quirks and flavors. Paranormal enthusiasts can book the Haunted Trolley Tour, visit the Haunted 1889 McInteer Villa, which also hosts wine tastings, or attend the Shocktail Party, a fall event where adults tour multiple haunted homes while enjoying cocktails. Thrill-seekers can spend the night at the Sallie House, a famously haunted home where visitors report unexplained phenomena, or for a quieter option, rent a cabin at Spring Meadow Farms just outside town. Food and drink lovers can tour High Plains Distilled Spirits or nearby wineries like Riverwood Winery, Weston Wine Company, and Pirtle Winery.

With over 20 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, Victorian streets, and festivals throughout the year, Atchison offers a full weekend of history, adventure, and memorable experiences.

Cottonwood Falls

Nestled in the heart of the Flint Hills along the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway, Cottonwood Falls offers historic character and welcoming streets surrounded by one of the most unique tallgrass prairie ecosystems in the US. The byway itself stretches about 47 miles from Council Grove to Cassoday, providing access to the region’s natural and cultural highlights.

Spend Saturday exploring the historic downtown, starting with a stroll past the Chase County Courthouse, a French Renaissance-style building that towers at the end of Broadway Street. Later on, take a leisurely bike ride along the paved trail that connects Cottonwood Falls to Strong City, just two miles away. Strong City is where the annual Flint Hills Rodeo, held the first weekend in June, kicks off, drawing approximately 5,000 visitors each night. The Rodeo Parade, which takes place on the final day of the three-day event, begins in Cottonwood before winding to Strong City, giving visitors a front-row view of cowboy tradition and community spirit.

On Sunday, immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Flint Hills. Hike the trails at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, where prairie grasses stretch as far as the eye can see, or visit Chase State Fishing Lake and Wildlife Area, home to Chase Lake Falls and plentiful wildlife.

For accommodations, the Grand Central Hotel offers a comfortable stay right in the heart of town, with a restaurant on-site.

Council Grove

Less than 30 minutes from Cottonwood Falls and also set in the Flint Hills, Council Grove stands out for its strong community spirit, consistently bringing people together through events and seasonal celebrations. At its center is the Neosho Riverwalk Amphitheater, an open-air venue that hosts concerts, festivals, and community programming throughout the warmer months, with the river providing a scenic backdrop.

The town’s signature celebration is Washunga Days and Nights, a lively June weekend with family-friendly daytime events, including a parade, craft fair, and classic car show. In the evening, the atmosphere shifts to live music and entertainment geared more toward adults. Throughout the year, Second Saturdays keep that momentum going with recurring downtown gatherings that include pop-up vendors, themed activities, and special promotions from local businesses.

Between events, Council Grove offers plenty to explore. Twin Lakes, the City Lake, and Federal Reservoir provide space for fishing, picnicking, and lakeside walks. History runs deep here, too, with 25 registered historic sites tied to the Santa Fe Trail. Highlights include the Last Chance Store, once a vital trading post for westbound travelers; the Hays House, established in the mid-1800s as a stagecoach stop and still operating as one of Kansas’s oldest restaurants; and the Kaw Mission State Historic Site, which interprets Native American heritage and early pioneer life. For an overnight stay, the historic Cottage House, which began as a three-room cottage and blacksmith shop in 1867, offers a charming base just steps from downtown.

Fort Scott

Close to the Missouri border, Fort Scott offers a weekend full of history, outdoor recreation, and local culture. Begin your visit at the Fort Scott National Historic Site, one of the best-preserved frontier military posts in the Midwest. Established in 1842, the fort includes 20 historic structures, a parade ground, interpretive exhibits, and restored tallgrass prairie, giving visitors an immersive look at frontier military life and the town’s role during Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War. Both the fort and the town were named for General Winfield Scott, a noted military leader in the American-Mexican War.

After touring the fort, explore downtown Fort Scott on foot, where a self-guided mural walk leads past dozens of large-scale artworks painted on buildings, alleyways, and park walls. The murals depict prairie landscapes, literary themes, and notable residents, including acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Gordon Parks, a Fort Scott native. As you walk, you’ll also pass a dense collection of late-19th-century commercial buildings, with Italianate storefronts, brick façades, and preserved cornices reflecting the town’s railroad-era growth. For accommodations, the Courtland Hotel & Spa, a historic 1906 property in the downtown district, offers comfortable rooms and an on-site spa.

Start day two with coffee and breakfast at Common Ground Coffee Inc., a popular local spot, before heading to Gunn Park, a 155-acre municipal park with fishing lakes, picnic shelters, playgrounds, and multi-use trails. Whether you prefer a quiet riverside walk or time on the biking paths, Gunn Park provides an easy, family-friendly way to round out a two-day stay in Fort Scott.

Lindsborg

Known as “Little Sweden,” Lindsborg offers a weekend shaped by Swedish heritage, folk art, and hillside views. Start your visit by exploring downtown, where brightly painted Dala horses line the streets and storefronts reflect the town’s Scandinavian roots. Stop for a meal at Crown and Rye, which serves classic Swedish fare alongside modern dishes. If your timing aligns, plan around one of Lindsborg’s major festivals that celebrate Swedish culture, such as the Midsummer’s Festival, held annually with dancing, music, and flower-crowned celebrations, or Svensk Hyllningsfest, a larger-scale heritage festival that returns in 2027.

On day two, head just outside town to Coronado Heights Castle, a stone structure perched on a hilltop with views of the Smoky Valley, built in the 1930s as a tribute to explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado. Back in town, visit the Lindsborg Old Mill and Swedish Heritage Museum, where exhibits explore immigrant life and Swedish traditions. A highlight is the Swedish Pavilion, originally brought from Sweden to St. Louis for the 1904 World’s Fair before finding a permanent home here.

For overnight stays, consider Stenhuset, a Swedish stone house vacation rental, or Dröm Sött Inn, a cozy option that fits the town’s Old World feel.

Lucas

Dubbed the “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas,” Lucas is a small farming town where nearly every block reveals an unexpected work of folk art. Begin your visit downtown at the Garden of Eden, the most famous site in town. Created by Civil War veteran and self-taught artist Samuel Perry Dinsmoor, the site includes his limestone home, a mausoleum, and more than 150 concrete sculptures depicting scenes from world history, politics, and the Bible, all arranged into a dense, thought-provoking landscape. Nearby, continue your art walk at the Grassroots Arts Center, which showcases rotating exhibitions of regional folk and outsider artists, and then check out open-air installations like the Florence Deeble Rock Garden, Bowl Plaza, Fork Art Park, and the World’s Largest Souvenir Travel Plate.

On day two, seek out Lucas’s roadside-style attractions at Miller’s Park, where stone sculptures and unconventional forms are tucked into a quiet green space, and the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things Traveling Roadside Attraction & Museum, a playful take on classic highway landmarks. For a scenic break, drive part of the Post Rock Scenic Byway, known for its limestone fence posts and rolling countryside. Fuel up at Brant’s Market, a local institution specializing in fresh and homemade meats since 1922. For accommodations, choose Horseshoe Lodge or Garden View Lodge, both offering easy access to Lucas’s art-filled core, with the latter being right across the street from the Garden of Eden.

Wamego

Set along the Kansas River, Wamego is a lively small town with a compact downtown, historic landmarks, and an unexpected connection to The Wizard of Oz. The town embraced this theme after a private collection of memorabilia became the Oz Museum, one of the country’s most comprehensive repositories of Oz artifacts.

Day one is perfect for Oz-themed activities. Start at the museum to see costumes, props, and rare editions, then follow the trail of Toto statues scattered throughout town for a playful scavenger hunt. Stop at Oz Winery for a tasting of Kansas-grown wines with Oz-inspired names. Cap the day with a show at the Columbian Theatre, a beautifully restored 1895 venue hosting concerts, films, and touring Broadway productions. Spend the night at the Victory Inn Bed & Breakfast, a cozy and convenient lodging option near downtown.

On day two, enjoy Wamego beyond Oz. If visiting in April, plan around the Tulip Festival, when the town is full of blooms, parades, and live music. Stroll Wamego City Park, home to a historic Dutch-style windmill, gifted from the Netherlands in the 19th century, along with gardens and walking paths. Nearby, the Wamego Historical Museum and Prairie Village offer a walk through preserved buildings and exhibits of early Kansas life. Wrap up with a hike at Mount Mitchell, where prairie trails lead past historic markers highlighting the area’s role in the fight to make Kansas a free state and its ties to early abolitionist settlers.

Stepping off the interstate and into Kansas's smaller towns is like opening a series of unexpected chapters. One weekend, you might trace the paths of aviation pioneers, the next, you could wander amid murals and handmade sculptures, each encounter revealing layers of history, creativity, and local pride. These destinations turn ordinary travel into a series of discoveries, where every coffee shop, trail, or gallery has a story. By slowing down, noticing the details, and engaging with the people and places, a weekend in one of these towns becomes an experience that lingers far beyond the final stop.