Bonner Springs and Lawrence, Kansas - Bonner Springs KS Weekend Getaway

Preview: Bonner Springs is short drive west from Kansas City. It is home to Sandstone Amphitheatre and the renowned Renaissance Festival held here in fall. In 1863, when William Quantrill and his raiders burned Lawrence to the ground in the name of pro-slavery, who could know that the town would bounce back and become the foodie hangout and cultural mecca that it is today? In 1999 Lawrence ranked among The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America by John Villani, and its university campus was written up as one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses in The Campus as a Work of Art, by architect Thomas Gaine. With a long tradition of supporting the arts, the University of Kansas, or KU for short, offers one of the finest art museums in the Midwest, a theater that features twelve productions annually, and a School of Fine Arts that produces more than 400 events each year. In addition, Rand McNally’s Places Rated Almanac recognized Lawrence as having the most culture per capita in cities in America under 100,000 in population. The university’s diverse student mix has brought innovation and energy to the unusually stable local economy. On a hill where pioneers once paused along the Oregon Trail, KU’s limestone buildings play host to scholars who come to study and learn on the beautiful user-friendly campus. Lawrence today offers plenty of attractions and a downtown filled with boutiques, galleries, and gourmet restaurants, yet it also has a history behind it worth learning. This chapter from the DayTrips series describes many fascinating, exciting, (and many free of charge) things to do, most within a two-hour drive of Kansas City. Each Day Trip includes, destination highlights, places to visit along the way, choice restaurants and lodging, and shopping.
© Copyright Shifra Stein with Diana Lambdin Meyer published by The Globe Pequot Press all rights reserved.


Duration: One day to several days
Best Time to Go: Year-round
This travel guide comes from:
Day Trips from Kansas City Guide Book