It is big. Very small little town, decided it was worth driving an hour out of my way. Once.read more

Since we had precious little time on a compressed schedule to visit my aunt's friends & family, we…read moredid manage to swing by the biggest ball of twine in Cawker City after visiting her cousin and his family in nearby Beloit, Kansas. We navigated road construction in the rain. Some tourists showed up from Texas. They mistook us for locals. (We had never been to Cawker City.) We would have loved to have stayed to find out what they wanted, but we had people waiting on us in McPherson, Kansas. So on we went. We could have parallel parked but instead, we opted in the rental van to continue on our way.

Running over the Jamaica North Trail is an abandoned train trestle which marks the site of the 9…read moreAug 1894 Rock Island train derailment. The crash and massive fire resulted in the deaths of eleven passengers and crew. Running across this historic site during a run up the trail was an unexpected surprise. The area, although close to suburbs is nonetheless filled with deer, sampling corn from adjacent fields and dashing across the trail back into the wilderness when disturbed. I recommend the Jamaica North Trail and a visit to the Rock Island Wreck Site if you're hiking, biking, or jogging.

If you're in the area, this museum is well-worth a visit. Very extensive history of the Salina…read morearea. I learned a lot.

Great museum right off the main downtown strip. It's free (request donations) which is always a…read moreplus. Lots of historical information with a replica of a cabin from the settlement days. I enjoyed the industrial section related to flour mills. There are old stone grinding wheels and sacks from the different manufacturers. The gift shop is full of made in Kansas items, soap, honey, candles, marbles (news to me that marbles are made in Kansas) BBQ sauce and lots of books about Kansas. If you find yourself in Salina, Kansas definitely check out this museum.

My family and I stopped here as we were on an RV tour across the country. Our two boys six and four…read morewith thrilled to go inside. This place was done very very well. It was laid out well. It was a great experience. I brought you from when people started going out west to currently it was an amazing experience. I left that place more educated about the Westwood experience that I have ever learned in college or in high school. Our boy said that was the best part of their day going through that pioneer museum. Does it look like a lot from the outside but if you have kids or are you interested in history is definitely worth to stop.

We visited The Archway and came away with mixed feelings--mostly because this just isn't a great…read morefit for families with very young kids. Ours are aged 8 and 2. When you enter, you're given a handheld device to scan exhibit numbers and listen to narration. In theory, it's a cool idea. In reality, it was tough to manage while chasing kids who were already 10-15 steps ahead. The device didn't always work smoothly, and trying to troubleshoot it mid-visit was frustrating. I eventually gave up and just narrated what I could myself. I expected we'd move through quickly because of the kids' ages, but the bigger issue is that the museum really isn't designed for younger audiences. Lots of stuff to read, pictures, very few artifacts, and of course, the handheld narration. That said--the displays themselves are beautifully done. You start by riding a very tall escalator "up a mountain" into the exhibit, which is a memorable entrance. I also went in thinking it would focus mostly on pioneers, but it's actually a broader (and well-done) journey through transportation history--pioneers, the railroad, automobiles, road trips, and more. One of the coolest features is that the museum spans over Interstate 80, and there are windows where you can look out over the traffic below. Where it fell short for me was in representation and storytelling. There was very little inclusion of Black history--only a brief mention of a Black pioneer. When covering the rise of car travel, it felt like a missed opportunity not to include the history of the Green Book. The exhibits often present travel as carefree and joyful, but that wasn't the reality for everyone. There's also a mining activity area (the typical "buy a bag and wash rocks" setup), which felt overpriced. One unexpected highlight: seeing people fishing outside the building. You can actually buy poles and bait inside, which my son was very interested in (we skipped it this time, but maybe next visit).

This is a very cool site. Bring he kids. It is fantastic to have this kind of exhibit in Kansas…read moreand the person that was taking care of the place was very interesting and knowledgeable. Who knew this was in Kansas!

From the owner: Discover the story of a Pawnee village that existed in the late 1700s. View the floor of this large…read morePawnee earth lodge left in tact from an archeological investigation. And see the rare sacred bundle that hangs above the altar. Learn more about the people of the Pawnee Nation and their stories. A finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas History.

This is a quirky little roadside attraction. Make sure you ask the owner about all of the items you…read moresee, he has a story for everything. Also look for all the Greedo figures hidden around the shop. You can also pick up a length of twine there to add to the ball. A good stop when you are in the area.

Every little town needs a niche, a gimmick or oddity to give the travelers a reason to stop and…read moreHebron has found it's roadside attraction - The Worlds Largest Covered Swing. It's certainly not worth leaving the major east - west HI ways, but if you're traveling up US81 then take a few minutes to go the 10 blocks into town and get yourself a cheesy tourist photo. Nestled in a well maintained park with lots of shade and children's playground equipment to give everyone a break from the monotony of driving this bland landscape of central Nebraska.

The Largest Porch Swing in the world as it's called is what happens when a bunch of Nebraskans with…read moreextra irrigation pipe and welding equipment got a crazy idea and built a swing capable of seating 24 people all at once. It's a gimmick, it squeaks, yet you will likely turn off Highway 81 and go check it out. Rumor has it this swing has been eclipsed by an even larger swing in Canada, but unless you want to cross the border to find it, this one is located 90 min South of I-80. If you're out storm chasing and need to kill some time waiting for storms to fire this is worth a side trip just for the novelty of saying you've been there, done that.

Just to be clear, there are two different places in the area that are easy to confuse--Fort Kearny…read moreState Recreation Area is not the same as the Fort Kearny State Historical Park, even though they are close together and technically the same park. You can not access the hike/bike bridge in the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area from the Fort Kearny State Historical Park. We visited during the Spring Sandhill Crane migration, but since my son was also studying the Civil War, I wanted to squeeze in some history while we were in the area too. First, the Fort Kearny State Historical Park was really enjoyable for me. It was larger than I expected and has clearly marked areas showing where original buildings once stood. There's also a blacksmith shop with a covered wagon and several other historic features to explore along the way. The fort itself still stands, and you can walk inside and even climb up the lookout points on each corner. Inside, there's a lot of Nebraska history and artifacts from that time period. It didn't hold my son's attention quite as long as I had hoped, but I'm still very glad we visited. A Nebraska State Park Permit is required to park here, which can be purchased online ahead of time (what I did) or at the Fort Kearny Visitors Center or kiosk. The permit is good for 1.5 days. The interpretive center is open from 9 AM to 5 PM. This site has a lot of history--built by the Army in 1848, Fort Kearny served as a safe haven for Overland Trail travelers, Pony Express riders, and gold prospectors. Soldiers helped travelers, repaired wagons, and provided protection as people moved west. It also later served as a station for the Pony Express and supported workers building the transcontinental railroad. One unexpected highlight was seeing Sandhill cranes in the surrounding fields. It added a really interesting layer to the experience--thinking about how settlers may have experienced this same migration compared to us today. The cranes have been making this journey for thousands of years, which is incredible to reflect on. Just down the highway is the Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. There's a hike/bike trail with a paved, accessible 1.5-1.8 mile path that leads to a former railroad bridge over the Platte River. This is a well-known viewing area for the Sandhill crane fly-in and fly-out. We visited later in March and didn't see the massive peak migration numbers, but we still saw hundreds of cranes flying into the area at dusk, which was an incredible sight. It does get very crowded near sunset, especially on the bridge itself, so expect a lot of people and limited space. The experience felt a little rushed with kids, but I'm really glad we stayed through sunset to witness it. Watching the cranes come in over the river is something I won't forget.

"You have died of dysentery."…read more OK, if you're a Yelper of a Certain Age, you might remember that delightful game Oregon Trail, all monochrome green or orange in your tiny Apple IIc computer. Fort Kerney brings it to life. Visiting here, you can imagine the old 49ers heading west, stopping here for supplies and a little rest before heading west into the frontier. There's a lot of history here-- the Pony Express, connections to the Transcontinental Railroad, and the Westward expansion. The visitor center is well done, and the grounds have been variably preserved and restored to a condition that whisks you back in time to a very different era of American history. It wasn't all pretty, it wasn't all easy... but it's inexorably linked to who we are, who we aren't, and who we're all striving to be. Worth the stop for a stretch of the legs and the imagination.

This was a great historical site visit. When I visit places, I am interested in the rich history so…read moreI try to schedule a trip somewhere while we are visiting to give me the history. Fort Hays Historical Site is the location of Fort Hays, Kansas and it's inception. This was formerly names Fort Fletcher but was renamed. This Fort was a very important part of defending our Nation's Union Army during the Civil War. I have often been educated by my family members about the Black Soldiers who fought alongside the Union Army; the were The Buffalo Soldiers. They were also stationed here at Fort Hays. It was great to see all of the exhibits. 3 original buildings remain on the land: 1. The Blockhouse, 2. The Guardhouse (Jail), and 3. The Enlisted Officer's Homes. This is where General Custer and his wife lived while he was stationed at Fort Hays. I highly recommend visiting this place if you are ever in Kansas. Thank you Kansas for maintaining our rich American History.

We made a side trip while in Kansas to see this fort. Completely happy we did. Not many buildings…read moreon the grounds, but is there is impressive. The displays are top notch. Staff is friendly and proud of the site. Kansas does it right!