This small Midwestern town offers quite a bit for its size. Housing two universities (University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nation University) and the first legal brewery in Kansas in more than 100 years, Lawrence has the makings of a lively and entertaining travel destination.
Great Old West history is showcased everywhere you look in Lawrence, with some of the homes dating as far back as the 1800s. Being one of the first slave-free states that offered a stopping point for the Underground Railroad, Lawrence prides itself on being diverse and accepting of all cultures, including the university crowd.
Massachusetts street is the place to be when the sun goes down; choose from the plethora of coffee shops, restaurants and bars. There are different cuisines available, from Italian to Asian fusion, but the best Lawrence experience, however, is getting your fingers sticky from the barbeque sauce slathered on your choice of chicken, pork or beef ribs. Don’t forget to try the local beer, which may add a touch of Midwestern class to the event.
Highlights
Free State Brewing Company: this restaurant/brewery offers daily tours to watch the brewing process which include samplings of its famous beers. The food is iconic to Midwestern cuisine.
Mulvane Art Museum: located in nearby Topeka, Mulvane showcases local artists’ works as well as some by more world-renowned artists.****
Spencer Museum of Art: also not to be missed by art lovers is this world art gallery specializing in Oriental pieces and housing works by Diane Arbus and Warhol
University of Kansas Natural History Museum: if only to see Comanche, a stuffer horse that once served in the Battle of Little Bighorn, this account of the natural wonders of North America is worth a peek.
Fort Larned National Historic Site: view well-preserved forts from the 1800s. Most of the buildings are still intact and tours are available that give detailed accounts of the soldiers’ lives during the war with the Plain Indians.