Explore Kansas Nooks & Crannies

Let your curiosity about new places guide you into Kansas’s nooks and crannies this fall. You don’t have to go far to see new sights or make family memories. Fall is also a great time to travel as the weather is cooler and there isn’t as much competition for vacation spots.

Marci Penner recently co-authored the Kansas Guidebook 2 for Explorers. Penner and WenDee Rowe visited every one of the 626 incorporated towns and cities in Kansas, and hundreds of other places on and off the map in search of scenery, art, cuisine, geography, history and people.

Cartoon of WenDee Rowe and Marci Penner by Jim Stuckey.

“The best thing about exploring Kansas is that for a person with an exploring spirit, there can be adventures around every corner,” said Penner. “The architecture and geography give immediate insights into a particular area, and cemeteries are also superb places to learn about the people and history. And, exploring Kansas can be done at any minute, in any direction, with little money required.”

Penner said one of her favorite parts of exploring Kansas is eating at local restaurants.

“More often than not the food is made from scratch and the decor is anything but cookie cutter,” said Penner. “Plus, listening to the conversations gives you insight into the community.”

Visit the library’s Travel Neighborhood for books and maps to help you explore Kansas or just about anywhere else in the world you want to visit. Make your research and trip easy by checking out one of our many travel bags that include books and guides for specific destinations. Check out more travel information.

Get inspired to take your own road trip through Kansas on Sept 15 from 2-3pm in the library’s Learning Center when Penner and Rowe share dozens of photos and tales from the road.