Kansas, the land of corn fields, savory and sweet barbecue, mid-fifties men walking around rocking farmers tans, and a local vacations paradise.
From zip lines to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine, we got some new definitions for the word “Kansas.” So let’s rise above the stereotypical barrier, and become something a little different than “The Land of Oz.”
Truckhenge:
Truckhenge isn’t exactly your high-end art gallery. It’s located in Topeka and is home to a few artistic pieces of (for lack of a better word) junk. Truckhenge is just like Stonehenge, but with trucks. Trucks are suspended from their fronts and are spray-painted with messages, such as “Freedum Isn’t Lost,” “If These Trucks Can’t Stand Why Do We Fight The Taliban?” and “A Memorial For Liberty. Rome Didn’t Kill Jesus Bureaucrats Did.”
Location: 4124 NE Brier Rd, Topeka, KS
- Distance from Lawrence: 26 miles
Zip Lines:
Greenbush Education Service Center offers a challenge rope courses for schools, scouts, athletic teams, businesses, corporations, clubs, service leagues and church groups. Greenbush also offers many other programs and workshops that are located in Topeka.
Locations: Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, Greenbush, 947 W. 47 Hwy Girard, KS 66743, Greenbush of Topeka,
Forbes Field 6700 SW Topeka Blvd Topeka,
KS 66619 Greenbush Resource Center,
Eudora 1310 Winchester Eudora, KS 66025
- Distance from Lawrence: Southeast Kansas Education Service Center, Greenbush, 118 miles
- Distance from Lawrence: Greenbush of Topeka, Forbes Field, 32 miles
- Distance from Lawrence: Greenbush Resource Center, Eudora, 9 miles
Laser Tag:
Advanced laser tag is located in Olathe, and is open seven days a week (excluding holidays). Tuesdays are high school and college night, which offers soft drinks and four games for $14 including tax. However, reservations are recommended.
Location: 2026 East Santa Fe Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062
- Distance from Lawrence: 31 miles
Paintball:
Drop Zone Paint Ball is located in Topeka. It is also the largest and oldest paintball park in Kansas, so, don’t worry: everybody has plenty of room to have the epic paintball fight of their dreams. Players have to be at least 10 years old to play, but if the player is under 18, they have to have a parent with them at all times. Other than that, paintball away.
Location:1224 N 1 Rd, Overbrook, KS
- Distance from Lawrence: 26 miles
Stull, Kan.:
Stull is just a few miles from Lawrence and is supposedly one of the gateways to hell. Cue the bum bum buuum. People believe that every Halloween at midnight, Stull’s cemetery is visited by the devil. Although, every year when people try to get to the cemetery, they are either disappointed or shooed away for trespassing.
Location: Stull Road, Stull, KS
- Distance from Lawrence: 11 miles
World’s Largest Ball of Twine:
Let’s be honest, this couldn’t have been a Local Vacations story without mentioning the World’s Largest Ball of Twine. This ball of twine was born when a man decided it would be tidy to roll all of his extra twine into a ball to minimize space, and thus after years of rolling, the World’s Largest Ball of Twine was born. Visitors to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine can pick up the spool and add as much twine as they want to it.
Location: Wisconsin St., Cawker City, KS
- Distance from Lawrence: 198 miles
Botanica Gardens:
After all of the adventures, it’s time to wind down. Botanica Gardens has several gardens that are perfect for relaxing, sitting back and smelling the roses. They always have a list of upcoming events, so there’s always something to look forward to.
Location: 701 Amidon St Wichita, KS
- Distance from Lawrence: 165 miles
