It’s been awhile since I posted, I know, but you know how
life can get, parents get sick, work gets busy, etc. Well, now that everything
is leveling off I’d like to get back to telling you all about all the great
places to visit on the Plains. Despite
the fact that I haven’t had time to post, I have had time to travel a little.
As much as I enjoy my work, I really love traveling. I’m
sure we all do. I’m always looking for new places to travel, and I have a
travel tip that will help you all plan your own travels as well.
Recently I was in Kansas
and I attended the Kansas Sampler Festival, held the first weekend in May every
year. The Kansas Sampler Foundation puts on this festival, and it highlights
the places to see and visit in Kansas.
The festival this year was in Wamego,
Kansas. The festival is in the same location for 2
years. Next year the festival will be held in Winfield,
Kansas, south and east of Wichita.
The festival has something for everyone, wine tasting,
hand-made crafts, locally produced foods, and multiple CVBs and other
travel-oriented organizations. There are shows and performances as well as food
and merchandise vendors. This festival is a wonderful trip for the whole
family. It’s a wonderful way to see the different activities around the state
and plan your next weekend trip.
I usually spend the day at the festival traveling around to
the tents housing the regional booths. I collect the giveaways and brochures to
all the places that interest me. I particularly enjoy the historical locations. Did you know that you could practically
travel the Oregon Trail across Kansas
by car? Multiple locations commemorate the historic trail. There are many guidebooks you can buy to help
you. You can walk the trail in many locations and sometimes you can practically
feel the people who traveled the trail when nothing by wind, prairie grass, and
history surround you.
My favorite thing to do at the Kansas Sampler Festival,
before I walk to all the booths, is to taste the different alcoholic offerings
from around the state. I always do this first so that I am sure to be sober by
the time I leave the festival. There are samples of wine and beer made in Kansas at wineries and
microbreweries. There are many, many
wineries around the state and it would be easy to plan a wine tasting tour of Kansas, I recommend the
fall when the colors are changing all over the state, or you could travel
around to the microbreweries all over the state. Usually these locations serve
local cuisine as well as their alcoholic offerings. Usually there are quaint
B&Bs or nice hotels near these locations as well.
If you live too far to attend the festival and see the
different things to do in Kansas, the Kansas
Sampler Foundation also published a book several years ago called the 8 Wonders of Kansas. This is spiral book with vivid
images of Kansas
and the description and location of places that were nominated for the 8
Wonders of Kansas contest. There were multiple categories and they provide a
well-rounded view of the different types of things to see in Kansas: commerce, art, history, scenery,
etc. You can see the list online at www.kansassampler.org.
Until next time, I hope you will check out the website for
the Kansas Sampler Foundation and use it to plan your next trip to the Sunflower State when that wanderlust inside you
takes over.
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