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Getting Away from it all - Small Towns within 1 hour of KC
Just beyond the bright lights and busy streets of Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø City are dozens of small towns that are perfect for getting away from all of the action this summer. To many visitors' surprise, many of the small towns in Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø are filled with incredibly historic downtowns, easy access to scenic byways, local wineries, and iconic stories told for generations. Whether you're looking for a quick weekend road trip or want to spend weeks getting from the big city, these nearby communities prove you won't have to travel far to plan your next adventure!
Athison is a historic gem located just north of Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø City that is best known for being the birthplace of aviation legend Amelia Earhart. The city of Atchison adores her legacy so much that it hosts the Amelia Earhart Festival each year, a community-wide celebration and live air show in her honor. This summer, be sure to put July 17-18 on your calendar so that you don't miss out on one of the most epic celebrations just outside of Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø City!
Don't forget that Atchison also has a reputation for being one of the most haunted places to visit in America. They even have year-round events dedicated to the haunted. This year, in late June, the city will have its Taste of Haunted event on June 26th.
Amelia Earhart Festival
Haunted Trolley Tours
If you head south of the KC Metro, you'll end up in the city of Louisburg. This charming little town is tucked away from a lot of the traffic and noise that comes with larger cities. The city's most famous attraction is the well-renowned Louisburg Cider Mill, which has some of the best Cider Donuts in the state! Their website maintains a consistent list of events, and you can even find all their events for the summer season by clicking .
Louisburg is also a great place for cat lovers, especially those who love big cats. When visiting Louisburg, don't forget to also check out the Cedar Cove Feline Sanctuary & Education Center, one of the only sanctuaries for felines in the United States.
Louisburg Cider Mill
Cedar Cove Feline Sanctuary
Paola is conveniently located along US Hwy 169 and just west of the state's Frontier Military Byway. Paola is perhaps best known for its many wineries and vineyards scattered throughout the city and surrounding area. For those who want the best experience of Paola and Miami County's wine country, be sure to check out the Miami County Trolley, one of the most sought-after tours in Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø. This private trolley allows visitors to travel through a variety of wineries and vineyards in and around Paola. For those who love going on wine tours, look no further than Paola!
Miami County Wine Tour
Head only a few miles further South along US Hwy 169 from Paola, and you'll soon be visiting Osawatomie. Much like Atchison, the town of Osawatomie is easily one of the most historic places you can visit in Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø. As the former home of infamous abolitionist John Brown, Osawatomie was once at the forefront of the Bleeding Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø era. The city is home to the John Brown Museum State Historic Site, which is a replica of his original cabin where he and his 5 sons lived when they first came to Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø.
John Brown Museum State Historic Site
Conveniently located right on Interstate 35 and directly southwest of the KC Metro is the city of Ottawa. The largest city on this list, Ottawa, has a population of just over 10,000 people, meaning it brings small-town vibes with some of the amenities often found in larger cities, especially the town's ultra-historic and world record-keeping movie theater!
Ottawa is home to the world's oldest movie theater!
Perhaps the biggest draw to Ottawa is the town's historic Movie Theater Plaza 1907 Movie Theater Memorabilia and Museum, which is the oldest purpose-built cinema in the entire world. At 119 years old, this cinema building has stood the test of time and truly does feel like stepping back into the first decade of the 20th century upon entering. While they have upgraded the projectors and sound system to accommodate modern movies, you won't find a movie theater any older than this, making Ottawa one of the most special places you can visit in Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø.
Plaza 1907 Movie Theater and Memorabilia Museum
Northeast Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø is home to the state's largest urban corridor between Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø City, Lawrence, and Topeka. The Northeast region of Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø might be the most urbanized region of the state, but it's also home to some of the state's best wineries, golf courses, and other outdoor activities such as hiking and fishing. This region of Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø is the ideal setting for those with a wide range of travel interests. If you don't believe us, check out our page of things to do in Northeast Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø down below to see just how many different activities are available for visitors.
Photo: Ward-Meade Park Botanical Garden in Topeka
Drive just a few miles south of many of these towns, and you'll soon find yourself in Southeast Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø. This region is home to the Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø Historic Route 66 Byway and some of the state's most beautiful State Parks, including Lehigh Portland Trail, Cross Timbers, Fall River, Elk City, and Crawford.
In addition to maintaining beautiful parks and scenery, Southeast Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø also has a great reputation for those who enjoy Gravel Cycling and Disc Golf. The Southeast Region is also perfect for exploring small towns, as this region is absolutely jam-packed with cities ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 in population. If you enjoy visiting small towns, then you'll absolutely need to put Southeast Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø on your bucket list.
Photo: Elk City State Park near Independence
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Hunter Feyerherm
Hello Earth! I'm Hunter, and I currently work as the website manager for travelks.com. My career at Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø began as an intern with the Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø Dept. of Commerce while studying at the University of Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø for my Bachelor's in Political Science. I've had the pleasure of managing the website since March of 2022. I especially love writing and retelling my travel experiences throughout Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø on our blog page. There's always something happening in Â鶹´«Ã½¹ÙÍø! Along with the submissions to our travel blogs page, I also enjoy writing essays, articles, and treatises.
