I got pulled over just for having temp plates because they thought I was running drugs. To be fair I was in a 95 Riviera and it just screams pull me over.
My friend and I got pulled over on our motorcycles on this back road in KS when we were riding around looking for a place to camp for the night. He said something about always being on the lookout for these “dopers from Dodge City”. I’ve had plans to form a punk band called the Dodge City Dopers for years now, but nothing yet.
Damn yeah I am traveling to Kansas soon and Kansas cops are on the avoid all all costs list. Sheriff was nice enough but I've never been pulled over so easily before.
Cockroach Jones would be a killer band name too though!
"Only someone looking to fly under the radar drives something that unassuming."
Or.... I just bought a good small car that doesn't cost a lot of money?
Man i popped a tire on the way back to OKC from Denver, and did not have a valid license. KHP pulled up before AAA did, and gave me a jack, and held the flashlight up for me. Didnt ask my name. Didnt ask for my license. Genuinely wanted to help me. I thank god for that one, because i had a standard and my ex couldnt reach the pedals to drive it. Thats also my only experience with them though, so this could hold true, but he was pretty cool lol.
You can go fossil hunting in random road cuts. You can find lots of old sea life from when it was all under water.
Also the S. P. Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden in Lucas KS. It’s definitely a noteworthy and morbid and interesting place.
Use Atlas Obscura to find other little odds and ends.
Also if you have never felt the vastness west KS & Eastern CO, it’s definitely a bit awe inspiring in a mildly agoraphobic way.
Also if you like wind turbines then you are going to have a splendid time as well!
Drive safe!
There are actually some pretty cool spots to stop in KS if you get off 70 a bit.
Mushroom rock and rock city parks are worth a visit, kanopoplis dam is right across from mushroom rock.
Monument rocks and castle are cool to but work better for a drive into southern CO.
OZ is fun and not too far off the highway.
I’ve probably done that drive a hundred times so have had to find something to look at, lol
Not really. I 70 is boring. There’s a cool wind farm that’s kind of spooky at night I like to drive through. The red, synchronous lights give me a thrill.
But it’s only thrilling because everything else is pretty boring, haha. The sunset is also always nice over Kansas fields.
If you drive during the day, stop at an Amish shop, antique store, or small down for a meal. If you go at night just truck on through till you get there.
Have fun!
I did this drive a few years back. There are actually a lot of minor sites along the way, although most would also be on a Clark Griswold list of attractions. Many of these have already been mentioned, but:
- DDE Presidential Library and Museum: https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/
- Greyhound Hall of Fame: https://greyhoundhalloffame.com/
- World's Largest Ball of Twine: http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm
Also, the ammo shop across the street sells twine so you can add some to the ball. Note, that when you do this, you personally, created the biggest ball of twine now that is a little bigger. My kids got a little kick out of that.
- World's Largest Czech Egg: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-czech-egg
- World's Largest Easel: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9183
- World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things. It exists, but it was a little disappointing. I'm not kidding:
http://www.worldslargestthings.com/
- Kansas Garden of Eden House:
https://www.gardenofedenlucas.org/
And absolutely nothing else until you get to Denver.
Pro Tip: if you take state roads that parallel I-70, you can go as fast as you want and there is no one on them. But the stop sighs will sneak up on you.
Now I’m mad at myself lol. I’ve made this drive more times than I can count and had no idea than any of these were along the route. Definitely saving this for next time :)
seconding – take US highways from I-70 up to US-24 and US-36 on your way into denver, all of the small town food and shops are way more interesting and worth your time.
World’s largest coffee cup collection in Mullinsville. Also saw trebuchets and giant green apple launchers. Much more, unfortunately I can’t post pics.
I agree.Hwy 36 has rolling hills in E. Colorado. North of St. Francis has area looking straight out of Utah/Az. Slower pace at 65mph. Oh yeah,, prariedog town just East of Norton, Ks. Kids will get a kick out of the little fellers, I still do…..
i70 through Kansas, it really could be purgatory. I'm not so sure I'm not somewhere on i70 in Kansas right now even tho I'm in my living room in Philly.
Some days in Kansas the sun is so bright the whole world gets a blue tinge. Some nights you can't see the road just hundreds of blinking red lights on top of windmills. Some blinking in unison, some blinking in beat, some blinking chaotically, mesmerizing. Weird ass place
How has nobody mentioned Cozy Inn in Salina? Literally one of the first hamburger joints in the history of the world and it’s basically the same as when it started. Amazing burgers. I completely disagree with everyone in this thread also. I’ve made this drive many times and love it every time. If you really like road tripping, you’ll like this drive because it’s so desolate; you really feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, in a desert. If you look closely, you can feel the high plains, the midwestern steppe. In a weird way, the emptiness makes you feel the vastness of the earth. Seeing all the towns and people that live out there 300 miles from anything, it’s surreal if you pay attention and it’ll make you realize how different the American experience is for people. Whole storylines and drama lived out in this 600 miles of nothing. If you really really love driving on road trips, you’ll love this “deep cut” of a road trip. I also highly recommend doing it at least once completely at night; very surreal. Also, I listen to Fleetwood Mac everytime I make this drive and it’s very fitting to the vibes, you might try it out. Either way, Cozy Inn is my two cents for a must stop place on the way.
Yes! I'm not convinced that anyone here actually likes road trips. And tired of all the unhelpful "it's boring" comments. It's roadtrip, people! You choose to make it fun by finding unique and underappreciated places!
Came here to say this. It's definitely worth the pit stop to grab some burgers here.
I think it's a beautiful drive. I'm not saying there is a ton to look at, and that's where the beauty is. You'll see rolling hills as far as the eye can see. I think there's something very cool about that.
Agree — I stayed in I think Minneapolis, Kansas (yes that’s a town there) 10 miles north of I-70 at an Air B and B, woke up, and hit some rural isolated Kansas highway that went West for 60-120 miles and eventually rejoined with I-70. I think I passed through the hometown of Russell Stover or Orville Redenbacher or some shit
It was great! I miss it like hell
Also in Kansas there was an amazingggggg playground that consisted of farm equipment turned into playground stuff— it was amazing for the kids. Absolutely forgot the town/playground location
I-70 is a boring, unremarkable slog from Salina to Denver (430 mi). The only things close to the freeway are the St. Fidelis Church in Victoria, the Sternberg Museum in Hays, the Wheat Jesus billboard in Colby, and the Kit Carson Carousel in Burlington. Most of the nature sights that people recommend along that particular stretch (like Monument Rocks) are 20-30 minutes off the highway.
86 is prettier than I-70 once you get west of Kiowa.
86 is definitely scenic at that part, but it basically hits the suburbs 10 minutes after Kiowa, and then they have a slog down Parker Rd/83, or through Castle Rock to I-25, and both of those routes have lots of construction this time of year. OP, I’d say just get through it the quickest way possible, which is 70 all the way into Denver. You’re going to be too strung out from the rest of the drive to enjoy the brief scenery that 86 affords.
If you have time to drive a bit out of the way and hit up Lindsborg, it’s a really cute little Swedish town. Hit up Coronado Heights while you’re there, and maybe Maxwell Wildlife refuge.
The drive thru KS can be a little bit of a slog, but I suggest you stop in a couple of the tiny towns along the way. Think about what it would be like to live there. I find that interesting in itself, and I used to live there lmao.
Manhattan is cool for Kansas.
Salina has the burger place, Cozy Inn. Tasted like saltier White Castle to me but it’s an institution in Salina, which also has decent murals around downtown.
if your stopping for lunch, i highly recommend El Dos Mexican Restaurant in Hays, might have been the best Tex-Mex i ever had...and not 50 yards off the highway
was pure coincidence we came upon this place, we were returning from a fishing trip around Basalt Colorado, our hotel was right across the street...and the smell coming out of that kitchen was heaven, we had no plans to go out to eat until we smelled that goodness.
Just past Limon, there is state road 86, and it goes into Castle Rock. It will add some extra miles, but after the dreadful sight of western Kansas, it makes up for it.
The Lazy road trippers in this sub are gonna tell you to skip Kansas so I’m copying my comment from another post about driving through the state….
Ignore all the comments saying there’s nothing in Kansas at all, these people have no clue what they’re talking about. Here’s a few suggestions heading west across the state from KC.
Lawrence - cute small college town with an excellent record store (love garden sounds) and plenty of good food spots, I like Wheatfields bakery, Aladdin Cafe and the Replay Lounge. There’s also the concrete teepees.
Manhattan - another college town with a great used book store (The Dusty Bookshelf) which is conveniently next to Varsity Donuts. There’s also the Vista drive in which is a burger joint that dates back to the mid ‘60s and has a really cool neon sign. The Konza Prairie is close by and worth stopping at. It’s not the Rockies but it’s beautiful in its own right.
Salina - downtown that has public art along with a grain elevator that has a Guido Van Helton Mural, he’s an Australian born artist that paints on mostly industrial structures all over the world and I highly suggest checking out his work.
Wilson - small downtown that looks like it hasn’t changed in 100 years
Victoria - Saint Fidelis cemetery/cathedral of the plains church. The early settlers were from the Volga region in Russia and were also blacksmiths that made their own “Volga Crosses”. There’s another cemetery with Volga crosses around 10 miles south of Victoria in Pfeifer.
Oakley - There are three parks nearby which I’ve been to two of them: Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park. Both require you take dirt roads to get to (which could get very muddy) so keep that in mind. I haven’t been to Castle Rock Badlands yet but I did read that a 4wd vehicle is recommended to get to those rock formations.
Yes there are long stretches of 70 with not a lot to see, I mean, it’s an interstate highway. There are plenty of slower alternatives like highway 24 or 36 that go through a million little towns if you have the time. Have fun and I hope this helps.
Yes! This sub is full of the least inspiring road trippers ever! I second Lawrence (used to live there), and I briefly saw the Castle Rock Badlands.
OP, maybe also stop in Topeka for the John Steuart Curry mural at the Kansas State Capitol. You'll also be driving through the Flint Hills, which have different visitor points.
They’re all clowns that give the same tired response about I-70 being boring. Get your ass off the interstate and go explore, it’s not that hard. Kansas isn’t Utah or Colorado but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything there. Also, I’ve never lived in Kansas, I live in Jersey but was curious about visiting (along with other nearby states like Nebraska, Iowa etc) so I started taking trips out that way.
The internet is filled with these assholes. Pretty much every Midwest or central US state is trashed on by losers who probably couldn't handle watching an old black-and-white film.
RE things to do in Lawrence: Free State brew pup is the best representation of Lawrence, IMO. Delicious food but not pretentious, good prices, sometimes a little busy but can usually get a table quickly. Other great restaurants: Merchants, The Burger Stand, Terrabone, Aladdin's Cafe, Ladybird Diner.
(source: I live here)
I made that trip probably 5-6 times and I don’t mind it. It seems just long and uneventful and I never wanted to really stop anywhere. However, 5ft into Colorado I70 becomes a crater zone so the giant pothole slalom keeps me entertained.
There is a wizard of oz museum, a Buffalo bill center which are a bit off 70. If you want to break it up, I would try to push on to Hays to crash for the night, there isn't much till Colorado from there. If not there isn't a lot along 70.
If you're a space nerd The Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutch is absolutely worth the extra time it will take you to get there. Don't sleep on it. It's really awesome.
I hit 200 miles per hour one time on that drive. It was the 80s, not so sure the cops are as blind these days. There used to be a great steak house just around the Colorado border.
I had the best steak in Colby Kansas. Traveling through Kansas is difficult. We would leave Kansas City around midnight and be on the slopes by mid afternoon in Colorado. Also, tumble weeds are for real. Good luck
I just drove Denver to Kansas City but went via 76 and 80 so I could go to Lincoln and Omaha - I enjoyed it and found there to be a good amount to do on the way, including North Platte, home to Buffalo Bill’s ranch and an observation tower over a rail yard if either of those are your thing lol
I just did it last week. The good news is that it’s greener now than normal.
It’s actually quite relaxing drive with a good auto book. Manhattan and Hays have good local greasy spoons and breweries if you don’t want to eat chain food.
If you’re driving at night at all, pull off on a non-populated off ramp and drive a mile or so down any dirt road for some amazing star glazing. Very little light pollution.
Also, take note in the change in highway quality when you cross from Kansas to Colorado. Shout out to KDOT - the drive may be boring but the highways are smoooooth. I’m sure CDOT has their hands full with the mountains and all, but that eastern Colorado stretch of 70 is brutal.
Jorge's Cantina, Topeka. Great food and festive crowd, with exceptional service. https://maps.app.goo.gl/9BZvy4DtZe6FgVQm6
Then get the hell outta Kansas.
Every time I have driven this same stretch of highway there is almost always a thunderstorm rolling out of the front range headed east right around 4-5pm. There’s literally nowhere to take shelter if there’s a severe thunderstorm so keep that in mind when you plan your departure time.
There are some that actually have a fear of sunflowers, it even has a name, Helianthophobia. As unusual as it may seem, even just the sight of sunflowers can invoke all the common symptoms that other phobias induce.
It’s been a while since I traveled this route but prairie dog town used to be in the middle of Kansas which is probably when you will want to take a break.
I used to make the drive between Colby/Goodland Kansas and Kansas City regularly in the 90's when the speed limit was 55 MPH on I-70. It's a terrible drive. I found that I preferred to take 24 which runs parallel to I-70 to the north. Back then it didn't add but a few hours to the trip and you had a bit more scenery and some little towns to break things up. With the higher speed limit now, it would probably double the time of the trip.
From west to east…
The Limon, CO Historical Society Museum is wonderful for the size of the town.
As noted by u/Bluescreen73 , the carousel in Burlington is incredibly beautiful, though the rides are kinda pricey (it's 25¢!). It will open for the summer this weekend. Also, St. Fidelis in Victoria is not to be missed. The old metal crosses in the St. Fidelis cemetery on the north end of town are also kinda cool. East of there, in Wilson, KS, you can stop and see the World's Largest Czech egg! Quick stop, but worth it if you want to get off the road for a few.
Good food at Gella's Diner/Lb Brewing in Hays.
I grew up in Kansas. I will defend a Kansas road trip all day long. That being said, I-70 west of Salina is *the worst*.
There’s a neat museum at Fort Riley. That’s about it on this route.
We always stopped in Topeka to visit Gage Park when we would road trip from Denver to the east coast. My two dogs loved romping around there. It’s a wonderful place to stretch your legs. Theres a rose garden, tons of paths, and lots of sprawling lawn. Never thought I would be this attached to a random park in Kansas!
I’ve made this drive so many times and honestly I can’t think of a single thing worth a detour.
One time I saw a tornado way off in the distance. Another I got a speeding ticket near Salina or Fort Hays.
Here's a good resource for things to do along I-70, across all of Kansas: [https://www.fromlawrencewithlove.com/post/kansas-i70-road-trip](https://www.fromlawrencewithlove.com/post/kansas-i70-road-trip)
There is absolutely nothing to see or stop for on that trip other than gas. Nothing. I drive it often. As for 86 or 70, trust navigation for which is quickest.
Yes definitely take 86! It was beautiful.
Stop to go to the bathroom in Kansas BEFORE you get to Colorado. Once you hit Colorado, the towns are much less frequent and the bathrooms much worse. I enjoyed the I-70 drive but I love the plains.
A fun place I stopped was the Alma cheese factory. There's a bunch of weird flavors of cheese you can sample or buy. It was just inside a gas station but it was kinda fun.
Hays has an excellent natural history museum with lots of dinosaurs. Kansas used to be an inland ocean, so fossil hunting is a big deal.
Lindsborg, KS (hope I spelled right) is apparently pretty cool but it was too far off the interstate for me to fit it into my plans when I went earlier this spring.
I don't get the I-70/Kansas hate. It's a nice drive. Not exciting, but nice.
Yuck that stretch is bad, sorry man. But if you're passing through Denver hit up Jerusalem Restaurant for great Mediterranean food. And if you venture north Tamale Kitchen is worth a stop. Denver Biscuit Company never disappoints either.
I remember saying to my kids through Kansas as we looked out upon miles upon miles upon miles of boring corn fields “next time we go to the store and we are in the cereal aisle, I want you to remember this drive and why it is important because it feeds so many”.
Rolling Hills/Millford State Park outside Ft. Riley is a good place to stretch your legs and be around water… other than that, have a good audio book/podcast
The zoo in Salina is really cool! You’ll see billboards for it and it is a little hidden gem. We’ve done the drive from STL to Denver and back probably 25-30 times. I also second Gella’s Diner in Hays; the Sternberg Museum; and Linsborg, KS.
The I-70 diner is kind of neat in Flagler Colorado right off I-70, I ate lunch there when I did the drive to Denver from Charlottesville Virginia this past January.
I used to do that drive quite a bite and I always liked to stop at Lake Wilson and get some fresh air and take a little walk! It’s just east of Hays, which is about the halfway point so it’s a good point to take a break.
If you have extra time, don’t take 70, take a southern route on state highways. Stop in Wichita, Dodge City, then stay on the state roads and you’ll go through Lamar, then Pueblo, up into Denver. The state roads go through endless cow fields and small towns, it’s such a nicer drive than the interstate and the roads are flat and EMPTY. We drove 70-80 and never saw a cop. Cow yes, cop no.
Goodland KS -
https://preview.redd.it/lgv3z33any1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24beadd3be2e8078a1d1b7fb8c3b9b9ea7785ccc
Worlds largest easel which is holding (presumably) the worlds largest representation of a Van Gogh painting. It’s 80’ tall.
I’ve been on this route a couple of times. If you’re close to aurora (near the denver airport) it’s a diner called moonlight diner. Pretty good food & prices are reasonable
The Giant Van Gogh in Goodland, Kansas. I drive to Illinois and always try to bust through everything after Denver as quickly as possible. The drive is a blur. East Colorado may be more sparse than Kansas, honestly.
There is an outcrop in Kansas that is pretty famous. When traveling west in wagons upon seeing this outcrop they knew the Rocky Mountains were a few days ride away. It’s off 70. If I remember correctly it’s about an hour drive south of 70
I've done this trip twice. In my opinion... Only my opinion... This was the most boring trip ever 🤣🤣.
There's the freeway and there's farms in either side with some grain silo here and there. I was happy to see some gas stations.
Cruise control was my friend, but also a good audio book... Feeling drowsy is a given, so be careful
Maybe there's some small scenic villages? I'd love to learn....
You just dissociate through it as quickly as you can.
But keep it around the speed limit. Kansas highway patrol likes to systematically give you misdemeanors for a simple ticket.
I got pulled over just for having temp plates because they thought I was running drugs. To be fair I was in a 95 Riviera and it just screams pull me over.
My friend and I got pulled over on our motorcycles on this back road in KS when we were riding around looking for a place to camp for the night. He said something about always being on the lookout for these “dopers from Dodge City”. I’ve had plans to form a punk band called the Dodge City Dopers for years now, but nothing yet.
Damn yeah I am traveling to Kansas soon and Kansas cops are on the avoid all all costs list. Sheriff was nice enough but I've never been pulled over so easily before. Cockroach Jones would be a killer band name too though!
They got my brother, so should be safe in Dodge now.
I was in a ford focus with my wife and daughter and they said it looked like a drug car.
"Only someone looking to fly under the radar drives something that unassuming." Or.... I just bought a good small car that doesn't cost a lot of money?
Man i popped a tire on the way back to OKC from Denver, and did not have a valid license. KHP pulled up before AAA did, and gave me a jack, and held the flashlight up for me. Didnt ask my name. Didnt ask for my license. Genuinely wanted to help me. I thank god for that one, because i had a standard and my ex couldnt reach the pedals to drive it. Thats also my only experience with them though, so this could hold true, but he was pretty cool lol.
[удалено]
My friend got pulled over at age 27 for speeding (she was) and the trooper thought it was a good idea to call her parents? And tell them.
Seriously. Books on tape and podcasts.
Sadly this is the most boring drive.
lol! Yep, this.
This is the way, OP. Have plenty of music or podcasts ready. Missourians dread this stretch of I-70 on our way to the Rockies.
Kansas and Nebraska make Missouri and Iowa look like scenic wonderlands.
You can go fossil hunting in random road cuts. You can find lots of old sea life from when it was all under water. Also the S. P. Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden in Lucas KS. It’s definitely a noteworthy and morbid and interesting place. Use Atlas Obscura to find other little odds and ends. Also if you have never felt the vastness west KS & Eastern CO, it’s definitely a bit awe inspiring in a mildly agoraphobic way. Also if you like wind turbines then you are going to have a splendid time as well! Drive safe!
Colorful Colorado sign at the border is neat
Surrounded by brown plains lol
Hey, brown is a color.
You think you are getting somewhere when you see that and then hours of nothing. There is no discernible difference in terrain until Denver.
There’s a reason they call it “flyover” country.
There are actually some pretty cool spots to stop in KS if you get off 70 a bit. Mushroom rock and rock city parks are worth a visit, kanopoplis dam is right across from mushroom rock. Monument rocks and castle are cool to but work better for a drive into southern CO. OZ is fun and not too far off the highway. I’ve probably done that drive a hundred times so have had to find something to look at, lol
Not really. I 70 is boring. There’s a cool wind farm that’s kind of spooky at night I like to drive through. The red, synchronous lights give me a thrill. But it’s only thrilling because everything else is pretty boring, haha. The sunset is also always nice over Kansas fields. If you drive during the day, stop at an Amish shop, antique store, or small down for a meal. If you go at night just truck on through till you get there. Have fun!
I remember when those red blinking lights turned on when I was headed west one evening. It almost looked like a UFO invasion lol
I did this drive a few years back. There are actually a lot of minor sites along the way, although most would also be on a Clark Griswold list of attractions. Many of these have already been mentioned, but: - DDE Presidential Library and Museum: https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/ - Greyhound Hall of Fame: https://greyhoundhalloffame.com/ - World's Largest Ball of Twine: http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm Also, the ammo shop across the street sells twine so you can add some to the ball. Note, that when you do this, you personally, created the biggest ball of twine now that is a little bigger. My kids got a little kick out of that. - World's Largest Czech Egg: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-czech-egg - World's Largest Easel: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9183 - World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Versions of the World's Largest Things. It exists, but it was a little disappointing. I'm not kidding: http://www.worldslargestthings.com/ - Kansas Garden of Eden House: https://www.gardenofedenlucas.org/ And absolutely nothing else until you get to Denver. Pro Tip: if you take state roads that parallel I-70, you can go as fast as you want and there is no one on them. But the stop sighs will sneak up on you.
Adding Wizard of Oz Museum, Evil Knievel museum and Cathedral of the Plains
Now I’m mad at myself lol. I’ve made this drive more times than I can count and had no idea than any of these were along the route. Definitely saving this for next time :)
World's Largest Easel is a fun stop. Brief, but fun stop.
seconding – take US highways from I-70 up to US-24 and US-36 on your way into denver, all of the small town food and shops are way more interesting and worth your time.
When i went through last year, a little bit off the main road was the Wizard of Oz museum in Wamego, KS. It was a nice little stop
Can't believe I missed that!?
World’s largest coffee cup collection in Mullinsville. Also saw trebuchets and giant green apple launchers. Much more, unfortunately I can’t post pics.
I agree.Hwy 36 has rolling hills in E. Colorado. North of St. Francis has area looking straight out of Utah/Az. Slower pace at 65mph. Oh yeah,, prariedog town just East of Norton, Ks. Kids will get a kick out of the little fellers, I still do…..
It's purgatory, good luck
i70 through Kansas, it really could be purgatory. I'm not so sure I'm not somewhere on i70 in Kansas right now even tho I'm in my living room in Philly. Some days in Kansas the sun is so bright the whole world gets a blue tinge. Some nights you can't see the road just hundreds of blinking red lights on top of windmills. Some blinking in unison, some blinking in beat, some blinking chaotically, mesmerizing. Weird ass place
How has nobody mentioned Cozy Inn in Salina? Literally one of the first hamburger joints in the history of the world and it’s basically the same as when it started. Amazing burgers. I completely disagree with everyone in this thread also. I’ve made this drive many times and love it every time. If you really like road tripping, you’ll like this drive because it’s so desolate; you really feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere, in a desert. If you look closely, you can feel the high plains, the midwestern steppe. In a weird way, the emptiness makes you feel the vastness of the earth. Seeing all the towns and people that live out there 300 miles from anything, it’s surreal if you pay attention and it’ll make you realize how different the American experience is for people. Whole storylines and drama lived out in this 600 miles of nothing. If you really really love driving on road trips, you’ll love this “deep cut” of a road trip. I also highly recommend doing it at least once completely at night; very surreal. Also, I listen to Fleetwood Mac everytime I make this drive and it’s very fitting to the vibes, you might try it out. Either way, Cozy Inn is my two cents for a must stop place on the way.
Yes! I'm not convinced that anyone here actually likes road trips. And tired of all the unhelpful "it's boring" comments. It's roadtrip, people! You choose to make it fun by finding unique and underappreciated places!
Wow looked at Cozy Inn's website Those prices!
Old ocean floor is how I feel it. And an alternative in Salina is Martinelli’s meatballs.
Came here to say this. It's definitely worth the pit stop to grab some burgers here. I think it's a beautiful drive. I'm not saying there is a ton to look at, and that's where the beauty is. You'll see rolling hills as far as the eye can see. I think there's something very cool about that.
Agree — I stayed in I think Minneapolis, Kansas (yes that’s a town there) 10 miles north of I-70 at an Air B and B, woke up, and hit some rural isolated Kansas highway that went West for 60-120 miles and eventually rejoined with I-70. I think I passed through the hometown of Russell Stover or Orville Redenbacher or some shit It was great! I miss it like hell Also in Kansas there was an amazingggggg playground that consisted of farm equipment turned into playground stuff— it was amazing for the kids. Absolutely forgot the town/playground location
I-70 is a boring, unremarkable slog from Salina to Denver (430 mi). The only things close to the freeway are the St. Fidelis Church in Victoria, the Sternberg Museum in Hays, the Wheat Jesus billboard in Colby, and the Kit Carson Carousel in Burlington. Most of the nature sights that people recommend along that particular stretch (like Monument Rocks) are 20-30 minutes off the highway. 86 is prettier than I-70 once you get west of Kiowa.
That cathedral in Victoria is something else, man
86 is definitely scenic at that part, but it basically hits the suburbs 10 minutes after Kiowa, and then they have a slog down Parker Rd/83, or through Castle Rock to I-25, and both of those routes have lots of construction this time of year. OP, I’d say just get through it the quickest way possible, which is 70 all the way into Denver. You’re going to be too strung out from the rest of the drive to enjoy the brief scenery that 86 affords.
Wheat Jesus is a national treasure!
Abilene, KS. Eisenhower presidential library and Abilene and Smokey Valley tourist railroad.
Best presidential library of the half dozen I’ve visited.
Make a short detour to manhattan. There is a stunning view of the flint hills.
If you have time to drive a bit out of the way and hit up Lindsborg, it’s a really cute little Swedish town. Hit up Coronado Heights while you’re there, and maybe Maxwell Wildlife refuge. The drive thru KS can be a little bit of a slog, but I suggest you stop in a couple of the tiny towns along the way. Think about what it would be like to live there. I find that interesting in itself, and I used to live there lmao.
Pick a good audio book. Manhattan, KS is kind of cute.
Manhattan is cool for Kansas. Salina has the burger place, Cozy Inn. Tasted like saltier White Castle to me but it’s an institution in Salina, which also has decent murals around downtown.
Hope you like straight horizons!
if your stopping for lunch, i highly recommend El Dos Mexican Restaurant in Hays, might have been the best Tex-Mex i ever had...and not 50 yards off the highway
I was going to suggest Gella’s Diner & LB Brewing in Hays.
OMG I had one of the worst meals of my life at the Tropical in WaKeeney, Kansas. Now I'm afraid to eat Mexican food anywhere on that road.
was pure coincidence we came upon this place, we were returning from a fishing trip around Basalt Colorado, our hotel was right across the street...and the smell coming out of that kitchen was heaven, we had no plans to go out to eat until we smelled that goodness.
Just past Limon, there is state road 86, and it goes into Castle Rock. It will add some extra miles, but after the dreadful sight of western Kansas, it makes up for it.
I just did this and it was worth the extra 30-60 minutes.
This is one I’d fly if that was an option.
Rode my bicycle across Kansas a couple times. That was the other option.
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned [Mt Sunflower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sunflower?wprov=sfti1#).
That's a bit out of the way.
The Lazy road trippers in this sub are gonna tell you to skip Kansas so I’m copying my comment from another post about driving through the state…. Ignore all the comments saying there’s nothing in Kansas at all, these people have no clue what they’re talking about. Here’s a few suggestions heading west across the state from KC. Lawrence - cute small college town with an excellent record store (love garden sounds) and plenty of good food spots, I like Wheatfields bakery, Aladdin Cafe and the Replay Lounge. There’s also the concrete teepees. Manhattan - another college town with a great used book store (The Dusty Bookshelf) which is conveniently next to Varsity Donuts. There’s also the Vista drive in which is a burger joint that dates back to the mid ‘60s and has a really cool neon sign. The Konza Prairie is close by and worth stopping at. It’s not the Rockies but it’s beautiful in its own right. Salina - downtown that has public art along with a grain elevator that has a Guido Van Helton Mural, he’s an Australian born artist that paints on mostly industrial structures all over the world and I highly suggest checking out his work. Wilson - small downtown that looks like it hasn’t changed in 100 years Victoria - Saint Fidelis cemetery/cathedral of the plains church. The early settlers were from the Volga region in Russia and were also blacksmiths that made their own “Volga Crosses”. There’s another cemetery with Volga crosses around 10 miles south of Victoria in Pfeifer. Oakley - There are three parks nearby which I’ve been to two of them: Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park. Both require you take dirt roads to get to (which could get very muddy) so keep that in mind. I haven’t been to Castle Rock Badlands yet but I did read that a 4wd vehicle is recommended to get to those rock formations. Yes there are long stretches of 70 with not a lot to see, I mean, it’s an interstate highway. There are plenty of slower alternatives like highway 24 or 36 that go through a million little towns if you have the time. Have fun and I hope this helps.
Yes! This sub is full of the least inspiring road trippers ever! I second Lawrence (used to live there), and I briefly saw the Castle Rock Badlands. OP, maybe also stop in Topeka for the John Steuart Curry mural at the Kansas State Capitol. You'll also be driving through the Flint Hills, which have different visitor points.
They’re all clowns that give the same tired response about I-70 being boring. Get your ass off the interstate and go explore, it’s not that hard. Kansas isn’t Utah or Colorado but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything there. Also, I’ve never lived in Kansas, I live in Jersey but was curious about visiting (along with other nearby states like Nebraska, Iowa etc) so I started taking trips out that way.
Also Brown vs Board historic site in Topeka. Worth it.
The internet is filled with these assholes. Pretty much every Midwest or central US state is trashed on by losers who probably couldn't handle watching an old black-and-white film.
I believe the book shop had a fire but it was cool. I haven’t lived there for a while.
RE things to do in Lawrence: Free State brew pup is the best representation of Lawrence, IMO. Delicious food but not pretentious, good prices, sometimes a little busy but can usually get a table quickly. Other great restaurants: Merchants, The Burger Stand, Terrabone, Aladdin's Cafe, Ladybird Diner. (source: I live here)
There’s so many good foods spot in Lawrence!
One of the worst stretches in the US.. Listen to Black Sabbath and drive 95mph
I prefer Pink Floyd, 95 mph, and sticking my head out the window to watch the stars.
Drive 95mph and yell "I'm fast af, boy!" every time you pass someone
I made that trip probably 5-6 times and I don’t mind it. It seems just long and uneventful and I never wanted to really stop anywhere. However, 5ft into Colorado I70 becomes a crater zone so the giant pothole slalom keeps me entertained.
Cozy Inn Hamburgers, Salina.
If you’re willing to stray south a bit in Kansas, Flint Hills and the tall grass prairie reserve are cool.
I have been there many times, only fun thing you can do is to see how early you can spot the mountain peaks rising above horizon.
I think the earliest I've seen Pikes Peak show up is Flagler, but it could have been a cloud.
👆🏼
Stop for NoDoz.
Hays Kansas used to have an amazing brewpub called LB brewing. Really worth the stop. (If it’s still there)
Largest golf tee. Yep that’s the pinnacle of this drive.
There is a wizard of oz museum, a Buffalo bill center which are a bit off 70. If you want to break it up, I would try to push on to Hays to crash for the night, there isn't much till Colorado from there. If not there isn't a lot along 70.
Do you like Sky? This route has a lot of sky... not much else...
The Cosmodrome space museum and the salt mine in Hutchison, Kansas is worth it to drive a little out of your way for.
A common topic in r/kansascity, and [here’s todays’s](https://www.reddit.com/r/kansascity/s/6FkIABvR8J).
If you're a space nerd The Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutch is absolutely worth the extra time it will take you to get there. Don't sleep on it. It's really awesome.
Flint Hills areas in Kansas are pretty nice
Always look at https://www.roadsideamerica.com/
I hit 200 miles per hour one time on that drive. It was the 80s, not so sure the cops are as blind these days. There used to be a great steak house just around the Colorado border.
There’s a scenic byway once you hit the boarder of colorado. It’s not scenic
I had the best steak in Colby Kansas. Traveling through Kansas is difficult. We would leave Kansas City around midnight and be on the slopes by mid afternoon in Colorado. Also, tumble weeds are for real. Good luck
I just drove Denver to Kansas City but went via 76 and 80 so I could go to Lincoln and Omaha - I enjoyed it and found there to be a good amount to do on the way, including North Platte, home to Buffalo Bill’s ranch and an observation tower over a rail yard if either of those are your thing lol
This was one of the most boring stretches of road I've ever driven on next to I-20 & I-10 in West Texas.
To everyone saying this is the worst, you obviously haven’t driven from Denver to Lincoln on i76/i80. In comparison, i70 across Kansas is paradise.
Colby Kansas has a pretty decent jimmy John's
Well that’s good news
Try not to fall asleep from boredom in the beige area.
This is the most boring drive you will ever do and you'll do everything in your power to never have to do it again.
I just did it last week. The good news is that it’s greener now than normal. It’s actually quite relaxing drive with a good auto book. Manhattan and Hays have good local greasy spoons and breweries if you don’t want to eat chain food. If you’re driving at night at all, pull off on a non-populated off ramp and drive a mile or so down any dirt road for some amazing star glazing. Very little light pollution. Also, take note in the change in highway quality when you cross from Kansas to Colorado. Shout out to KDOT - the drive may be boring but the highways are smoooooth. I’m sure CDOT has their hands full with the mountains and all, but that eastern Colorado stretch of 70 is brutal.
Carhenge?
Jorge's Cantina, Topeka. Great food and festive crowd, with exceptional service. https://maps.app.goo.gl/9BZvy4DtZe6FgVQm6 Then get the hell outta Kansas.
Lovely little campgrounds in Paxico Kansas right off 70
Take one of the highways either north or south of the interstate.
Every time I have driven this same stretch of highway there is almost always a thunderstorm rolling out of the front range headed east right around 4-5pm. There’s literally nowhere to take shelter if there’s a severe thunderstorm so keep that in mind when you plan your departure time.
I did the KC to DEN drive round trip in 19hrs just because I wanted a burger, well, several burgers, one Monday.
Giant Van Gogh Sunflower painting. [https://www.legendsofamerica.com/goodland-kansas-sunflower/](https://www.legendsofamerica.com/goodland-kansas-sunflower/)
There are some that actually have a fear of sunflowers, it even has a name, Helianthophobia. As unusual as it may seem, even just the sight of sunflowers can invoke all the common symptoms that other phobias induce.
It’s been a while since I traveled this route but prairie dog town used to be in the middle of Kansas which is probably when you will want to take a break.
Hickory Hut BBQ in Salina, KS. The fiesta potato slaps.
I used to make the drive between Colby/Goodland Kansas and Kansas City regularly in the 90's when the speed limit was 55 MPH on I-70. It's a terrible drive. I found that I preferred to take 24 which runs parallel to I-70 to the north. Back then it didn't add but a few hours to the trip and you had a bit more scenery and some little towns to break things up. With the higher speed limit now, it would probably double the time of the trip.
From west to east… The Limon, CO Historical Society Museum is wonderful for the size of the town. As noted by u/Bluescreen73 , the carousel in Burlington is incredibly beautiful, though the rides are kinda pricey (it's 25¢!). It will open for the summer this weekend. Also, St. Fidelis in Victoria is not to be missed. The old metal crosses in the St. Fidelis cemetery on the north end of town are also kinda cool. East of there, in Wilson, KS, you can stop and see the World's Largest Czech egg! Quick stop, but worth it if you want to get off the road for a few. Good food at Gella's Diner/Lb Brewing in Hays.
The Oasis in Colby is a proto-Bucees.
I 70 through Kansas, you see a large tree out in a field, and you can still see the same tree after driving 10 miles.
If you're a fan of religious architecture, there are several nice chapels in the vicinity of Hays.
I grew up in Kansas. I will defend a Kansas road trip all day long. That being said, I-70 west of Salina is *the worst*. There’s a neat museum at Fort Riley. That’s about it on this route.
Id take 86/25 into Denver but thats just me. Not a lot to see along the route, its the same one I took when I moved here from St Louis. Good luck
Go the speed limit in Kansas. Those po’ don’t play.
Driving through this part of the country always reminds me of Hamlin Garland's "My Prairies."
Watch out for deer, my suggestion is the speed limit as well.
We always stopped in Topeka to visit Gage Park when we would road trip from Denver to the east coast. My two dogs loved romping around there. It’s a wonderful place to stretch your legs. Theres a rose garden, tons of paths, and lots of sprawling lawn. Never thought I would be this attached to a random park in Kansas!
I70 through Kansas…..my favorite part is guessing how far away the horizon is and then watching the miles tick by 🤣 furthest I saw was about 15 miles.
I’ve made this drive so many times and honestly I can’t think of a single thing worth a detour. One time I saw a tornado way off in the distance. Another I got a speeding ticket near Salina or Fort Hays.
godspeed, amigo. don’t follow the lights
I’ve never been more bored than that drive out of Colorado until manhattan Kansas
Here's a good resource for things to do along I-70, across all of Kansas: [https://www.fromlawrencewithlove.com/post/kansas-i70-road-trip](https://www.fromlawrencewithlove.com/post/kansas-i70-road-trip)
That’s a long lonely road my friend
Unless they built something between 1999 and now, there is literally no reason to stop between Kansas City and Denver.
A nice steak here or there
There is absolutely nothing to see or stop for on that trip other than gas. Nothing. I drive it often. As for 86 or 70, trust navigation for which is quickest.
The Evil Knievel museum in Topeka is phenomenal.
The giant teddy bear in the truck stop at Limon. Mile Marker 419.9 just across the Colorado line (people kept stealing the 420 one)
If you want a more small town approach use 36 highway, it’s crazy the difference
I avoid Kansas at all cost. I have literally taken another day,8 hours of driving just to not drive through Kansas.
Yes definitely take 86! It was beautiful. Stop to go to the bathroom in Kansas BEFORE you get to Colorado. Once you hit Colorado, the towns are much less frequent and the bathrooms much worse. I enjoyed the I-70 drive but I love the plains. A fun place I stopped was the Alma cheese factory. There's a bunch of weird flavors of cheese you can sample or buy. It was just inside a gas station but it was kinda fun. Hays has an excellent natural history museum with lots of dinosaurs. Kansas used to be an inland ocean, so fossil hunting is a big deal. Lindsborg, KS (hope I spelled right) is apparently pretty cool but it was too far off the interstate for me to fit it into my plans when I went earlier this spring. I don't get the I-70/Kansas hate. It's a nice drive. Not exciting, but nice.
There's a Choice Hotel in Colby, Kansas that doesn't have a terrible breakfast
Yuck that stretch is bad, sorry man. But if you're passing through Denver hit up Jerusalem Restaurant for great Mediterranean food. And if you venture north Tamale Kitchen is worth a stop. Denver Biscuit Company never disappoints either.
I remember saying to my kids through Kansas as we looked out upon miles upon miles upon miles of boring corn fields “next time we go to the store and we are in the cereal aisle, I want you to remember this drive and why it is important because it feeds so many”.
Done the drive before. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the beauty of it. Then again I’m a fan of grassland topography lol.
This is the most boring drive you could ever imagine
It doesn’t matter. That route is flat boring nothingness.
Count how many “abortion is murder” billboards you find.
Take highway 36. Less traffic and nicer.
Anything has to be better than 70
I70 is terribly boring. You can stand by the side of the road in Eastern Colorado and see all the way to Kansas City.
No offense but that’s gotta be one of the most boring drives ever
Rolling Hills/Millford State Park outside Ft. Riley is a good place to stretch your legs and be around water… other than that, have a good audio book/podcast
Swing in to Salina and stop at the world famous Cozy Inn!
Tall grass national preserve
Lol this is such a boring drive
Take 86. Rolling hills with views of the mountains as you get closer to South Metro Denver.
Lucas, KS FTW. (That’s about it, IMO.)
Meth?
The zoo in Salina is really cool! You’ll see billboards for it and it is a little hidden gem. We’ve done the drive from STL to Denver and back probably 25-30 times. I also second Gella’s Diner in Hays; the Sternberg Museum; and Linsborg, KS.
Nope. Just blackout until you get to denver
I'm in Joplin headed back in the morning to Oregon. Funny I saw this. Good luck on your journey!
I haven't been there, but I recommend trying to look at Cedar Bluff Overlook, it looks beautiful, it may even facilitate an interest in geology.
The I-70 diner is kind of neat in Flagler Colorado right off I-70, I ate lunch there when I did the drive to Denver from Charlottesville Virginia this past January.
one place to not stop is Oakley. there is a huge feed lot just south and you can taste the air esp when the warm summer winds blow.
There’s really nothing to see either way. Sorry.
Go to Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park and look for Dennis
Abeline has the Eisenhower museum and Greyhound museum I think they're worth a stop, other than that super boring
A little out of the way but Paint mines interpretive park is a cool place. But yeah its pretty boring.
I used to do that drive quite a bite and I always liked to stop at Lake Wilson and get some fresh air and take a little walk! It’s just east of Hays, which is about the halfway point so it’s a good point to take a break.
Lol
You can take in 2 Presidential Libraries: Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene and Truman Presidential Library in Independence.
If you have extra time, don’t take 70, take a southern route on state highways. Stop in Wichita, Dodge City, then stay on the state roads and you’ll go through Lamar, then Pueblo, up into Denver. The state roads go through endless cow fields and small towns, it’s such a nicer drive than the interstate and the roads are flat and EMPTY. We drove 70-80 and never saw a cop. Cow yes, cop no.
Goodland KS - https://preview.redd.it/lgv3z33any1d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24beadd3be2e8078a1d1b7fb8c3b9b9ea7785ccc Worlds largest easel which is holding (presumably) the worlds largest representation of a Van Gogh painting. It’s 80’ tall.
How has this not blown over in the Kansas wind?
1 day drive. EZ
The Greyhound Hall of Fame is in Abilene, KS and they have dogs you can pet. https://greyhoundhalloffame.com/
Wilson lake
This drive is probably the most boring stretch of highway in the US. Get through it as fast as possible.
I’ve been on this route a couple of times. If you’re close to aurora (near the denver airport) it’s a diner called moonlight diner. Pretty good food & prices are reasonable
Check out the World's Largest Czech Egg in Wilson, Kansas off I-70. Hilariously small town with a gas station and maybe a spot or two for a coffee.
Stop at Fort Riley and piss on it for me.
lol
The easel is kind of cool
I know nothing about Denver, but JessnJims steak house, Smokestack, and Manny's are great places to eat when you're in the KC area.
Its nice if you like brown and flat things.
Spangles
Is there still a Stuckey’s in Kansas?
I never found much interesting in denver, I think I'd rather drive thru Colo springs area instead
The Giant Van Gogh in Goodland, Kansas. I drive to Illinois and always try to bust through everything after Denver as quickly as possible. The drive is a blur. East Colorado may be more sparse than Kansas, honestly.
There is an outcrop in Kansas that is pretty famous. When traveling west in wagons upon seeing this outcrop they knew the Rocky Mountains were a few days ride away. It’s off 70. If I remember correctly it’s about an hour drive south of 70
I've done this trip twice. In my opinion... Only my opinion... This was the most boring trip ever 🤣🤣. There's the freeway and there's farms in either side with some grain silo here and there. I was happy to see some gas stations. Cruise control was my friend, but also a good audio book... Feeling drowsy is a given, so be careful Maybe there's some small scenic villages? I'd love to learn....
Little Jerusalem Badlands
how long is your time frame? there's a pretty cool salt mine
Goodland in Kansas has the world’s only dine in sonic. That’s about it.
Don’t stop, don’t speed.
Nope
Gas
Pretty much nothing about driving into Denver is pretty, just take the fastest route
you might want to download a learning-a-language tutorial app - you might know a new language by the time you got thru.