Everywhere I visit, I love checking out the local museum of history to learn the regional past…read more Watkins did not disappoint, and highlighted well what a visitor with limited time ought to know about the city's history really well. Perhaps a minor suggestion is the addition of signage that indicates where to start if one wants to explore and learn in chronological order, but I did figure it out and had a really nice time.

We spent at least an hour and a half here and I easily could have stayed longer but we had to move…read moreon. The Watkins Museum is housed in the beautifully restored Watkins bank and mortgage building, itself an important part of Lawrence history. They have some wonderful exhibits about the history of the city and I found the one about Quantrill's raid to be particularly interesting. Lots of fun artifacts and some interactive displays to entice children to take an interest in history too. The price is right--it's free but I would encourage visitors to leave a nice donation.

Maybe I shouldn't came here on a rainy day but this place is really cute. It's handicapped…read moreaccessible too! It's a beautiful, free recreational space that's well taken care of. Beautiful aesthetics and it's really quiet. You could fully explore this place in a few minutes. Great casual visit.

Such a cute spot to wander for a few minutes or meditate. It's a small space so not good for groups…read moreor events.

Watch the marquee - The Bottleneck features an ample stage hosting bluegrass to heavy metal, bop,…read moreswing, country, rock, big band horns, Disney mashups, salsa, drag parades, Zydeco, and more. I've found that bigger names and highly gifted performers come through Lawrence on their way cross country, so pay attention and research the artists scheduled on Sunday through Tuesday nights. (This is true of most Lawrence music venues). Cactus Blossom was 5 brothers from Minneapolis melding family voices like the syrupy blend of Everly Brothers harmonies; Justin Payne was originally a classical violinist who jettisoned to Nashville, got a waterfall of all other music influences, and traveled the road for over twenty years honing his skills at music and reading crowds. Look at the wall of promotional 8x10 glossies of the bands that have played here and you'll get the picture. Lots of acts you want to see today were at the Bottleneck when they were building their cred - and you may be able to say, "I saw them @thebottleneck BAE." Oh, btw - The Bottleneck is small enough that you can generally interact with the performers - and the shows get better with the energy of the audience. It's big enough to take a group of friends and small enough that the audience makes an impressive impact. (Ever notice how people respond to praise and encouragement?) Often, the musicians stick around to autograph their merch, discuss where to eat and drink, and enjoy midwestern hospitality along their grueling path to play for nameless faces in faraway places. Support the artists and inhale their blooming talent.

I had no idea The Bottleneck had a couple of skylights…read more I guess I never really visited much during the daylight hours. Anyway - the venue has gone through a small renovation. They've updated the sound and lighting systems. They've also done some work around the stage, repainted and cleaned the interior and semi fixed up the restrooms. This is a fun little venue. Whoever you come to see will look and sound good and you should have a good time.

Very cool underrated historical place. If you are wanting to learn about the Civil War or how…read moreAmerica abandoned slavery, this is the place to come to. There's lots of history I could get into but you can learn all beforehand or at the place, as there are several historical signs to check out. I also highly recommend going upstairs where it has been used for meetings. They do have a small gift shop. Be sure to check the hours before coming here. And also, be sure to visit the Democratic Headquarters, which is not far from here in this town.

Sept 2015, while visiting some historical sites in Missouri, we found Lecompton on the map and…read moredecided to check out the Old Capital area of Lecompton. The birthplace of the Civil War since it was drafted in the building there called Constitutional Hall. History: Lecompton is a city in Douglas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 625. Lecompton played a major historical role in pre-Civil War America as the Territorial capital of Kansas from 1855 to 1861. This time period was known as Bleeding Kansas. Lecompton was founded in 1854 and planted on a bluff on the south bank of the Kansas River. It was originally called "Bald Eagle", but the name was changed to Lecompton in honor of Samuel Lecompte, the chief justice of the territorial supreme court.[8] In the spring of 1855, the town became the capital of the Kansas Territory. President James Buchanan appointed a governor and officials to establish government offices in Lecompton, and construction began on an elegant capitol building. The first post office in Lecompton was established in September, 1855 In the fall of 1857 a convention met in Constitution Hall and drafted the famous Lecompton Constitution, which would have admitted Kansas as a slave state. The constitution was rejected after intense national debate and was one of the prime topics of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The controversy contributed to the growing dispute soon to erupt in civil war. The Lecompton Constitution failed, in part, because the antislavery party won control of the territorial legislature in the election of 1857. The new legislature met at Constitution Hall and immediately began to abolish the pro-slavery laws. The free-staters briefly attempted to move the territorial capital to Minneola, Franklin County, Kansas through a vote, although the resulting bill was later vetoed by Kansas territorial governor James W. Denver, and ruled void by Jeremiah S. Black, Attorney General of the United States. As such, Lecompton remained the de jure territorial capital until the victorious free-state leaders officially chose Topeka as capital when Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861. The American Civil War began on April 12, 1861.

Spent an hour with the planner of the day. Amy Miller who…read moreis the assistant managerial person here . If you have any questions about your neighborhood or the Lawrence area in general this is definitely the place to come! This is true of any city, if you are not certain of the rules and regulations let the trained, informative staff of city planners assist you.

Great town! People will disagree on certain city adjustments on and off, but the music and arts…read morescene will never die! Always been full of good energy and spirit

It is a wonderful gift shop as well as gallery. There's a lot of unexpected finds to be had.read more

I have loved this Gallery for decades and was happy to see it was still open after the Plaza store…read moreclosed. Makes me happy.

Skate 3 is an excellent game, with immersive gameplay and an endless array of tricks to perform in…read morea massive landscape. I purchased this game for $20 from Vintage Stock, and I can confidently say it has been the best $20 I ever spent. Unlike Skate XL, the newer version, Skate 3 brings a sense of nostalgia on top of the already wonderful feeling of skating around a map, free of stress, and playing with friends. I give this game a 4.9/5 and recommend it to anyone who enjoys skating and to anyone willing to try a fun older game with a layer of nostalgia.

What a hidden gem on an otherwise sleepy Sunday afternoon. Loved the hills and shady trees in…read morewalking distance to The Merc. Neat little playground for toddlers and a skate park for tweens and older. Nice grassy getaway.

I was in town for a doctors appointment so I stopped by this beautiful park when I was finished so…read moreI could get some steps in. I was so impressed with the cleanliness of the place, the number of benches it offered, and the fact that there was actually drinking fountains that worked!!!

I exited the Turnpike for Lawrence but it turned out the thing I wanted to see was closed down and…read moreso I managed to get a little lost and then I landed here at South Park. Wow! A great spot for me to walk around, stretch my legs and enjoy the oldest park in Lawrence, Kansas. Well-manicured grass, lots of old growth trees, paved pathways and a very pretty bandstand. Playgrounds, picnic areas and flower gardens abound. The wading pool was crowded today and I tried to take a picture without looking creepy. A very neat spot and I'd love to spend more time here but the highway calls. [Review 11429 overall, 1207 of 2019.]

Great staff and amazing art shows. They are very informative and can tell you some history of…read moreLawrence, a place to shop or something to eat.

So, I'm going to add a Lawrence location to my "visitors to KC" list. I think this is the best…read moreplace to start for a number of reasons. The Kansas/Missouri border dispute is a tale with many sides and angles (fair disclosure, I come down on the "Missouri" side of it) and you're going to get a different take everytime you ask a Kansas or Missouri resident (at least one educated enough to have a legitimate opinion) about it. What the Lawrence Visitors' Center contributes is an excellently-produced (on what is clearly a limited budget) 45 minute film of the history of Lawrence, a significant portion of which very calmly and dispassionately explains the history of the border dispute and what both sides claim happens. Think Ken Burns' "Civil War" series if you want to conjure the tone. You're also going to find an absurd amount of brochures and guide books on visiting Kansas, all for free, along with friendly, often elderly, volunteers who will talk your darn ear off about their Sunflower State. Start your visit to Lawrence here.