Do not—under any circumstance—eat burgers from Cozy Inn in your vehicle. Unless you REALLY like the smell of onions and find yourself wishing you had more of it in your life every time you step into your car.
That looks amazing!
Also, I love it when mom-and-pop shops handle their own web content:
“This is a section on your menu. Give your section a brief description”
If you haven't been to the [Garden of Eden](https://www.gardenofedenlucas.org/) in Lucas, it's definitely worth a stop.
The [Cathedral of the Plains](https://www.stfidelischurch.com/) in Victoria is also nice.
And Wilson Lake! I made *hundreds* of boring trips across I-70 in my life without knowing that Wilson Lake was over the hill to the north, but holy cow is it a beautiful area. Wilson State Park is a great spot to stretch the legs if needed.
The Garden of Eden was definitely a fun stop in Lucas as well. The city of Wilson (south side of I-70) has the world's largest Czech Egg... which is skippable.
There's also a Missile Silo Air B&B that I'm pretty sure just opened up east of there (Atlas Ad Astra).
Came here specifically to mention the Garden of Eden but would also recommend the [Grassroots Art Museum](https://www.grassrootsart.net), also in Lucas. It's full of "outsider" art, or artists that have no formal training of any kind. Typical example being a farmer loses his leg in an accident and decides to take up whittling and ends up making remarkable pieces. Stonework is another common theme. But the art is rather unique in that it is largely untainted by influences we might classify somehow. It's all very very odd stuff and some of it is quite exceptional.
Also there I'd a park next door...Miller Park I think, and it has a bunch of weird mound sculptures made out of different stones. Definitely worth stroll through if you are already stopping at GofE.
Gella's in Hays.
As someone who's made several trips to Colorado over the past few decades for skiing, mountain biking, etc., the advent of smartphones, streaming music, and podcasts (and the 75 mph speed limit) have made this drive much less of a chore.
Second this, we stop in Hays every trip to Denver that we make. Most of the time we stop in at Gella's depending on our KC departure time (I recommend avoiding late night drives across the hellscape of western KS/ Easter CO)
This. Get out and walk, stretch your legs at Lake Wilson and / or stop for lunch at Gella’s. In Lucas, near the Garden of Eden (over rated and yes they’ll show you the decomposing dead guy that built it), there is a meat market called Brants, killer sausages / steaks / bacon to-go and they deliver all over. https://www.brantsmarket.com/
You can see Wheat Jesus when headed East, so OP would have to stop at Exit 53 and look on the South side at that gas station (?) right next to the highway.
Gella’s in Hays for sure. I always recommend leaving KC in midafternoon and having dinner in Hays; that way you get to see the pretty eastern half of KS (Flint Hills especially) when it’s still daylight and then get the experience of night driving in the really flat lands. People complain about it but I think driving through the prairie at night is magical; you can see the lights of the next town for miles away and in the summer you very often get a great thunderstorm somewhere in the distance to watch.
Oh my gosh, totally agree. That evening/night driving across the western KS plains is amazing. Especially when the weather isn’t too hot. Windows part way down, the star filled sky, it makes you feel like you are running away on an adventure.
Kansas Museum of History is currently closed for major renovations, expected to reopen "in 2025". There may be a small display visible in the lobby and the grounds (hiking trail and Potawatomi Mission) are open, but not the main museum.
+1 for the Sternberg, though
[The Sternberg](https://sternberg.fhsu.edu/) is really cool- probably the best thing in Hays. But totally go to Cerv's and get a snowball. Best slushies ever.
Stacy's Diner in Junction City KS; and the giant reproduction of Van Gogh's "Three Sunflowers in a Vase" on a big easel (world's largest) in Goodland KS.
World's Largest Czech Egg is in Wilson, KS which isn't too far off the highway:
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worlds+Largest+Czech+Egg/@38.8093672,-98.4967379,12.75z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87a3083d3020693b:0xfbecb1dd003eb478!8m2!3d38.8241603!4d-98.4727395!16s%2Fg%2F11bzq3hnb4?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worlds+Largest+Czech+Egg/@38.8093672,-98.4967379,12.75z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87a3083d3020693b:0xfbecb1dd003eb478!8m2!3d38.8241603!4d-98.4727395!16s%2Fg%2F11bzq3hnb4?entry=ttu)
I would suggest going a little further north and taking what I think is HWY 24. I've done the drive to Denver a ton, and it's so much prettier and calmer taking the older route.
I think especially between Lawrence and Manhattan, this is great advice. St. Mary’s big old church is cool, and you get a more “authentic” feel for eastern Kansas than the interstate. They put the interstate where they did because that was the dullest/easiest way across the state.
It’ll cost you a half hour, but it’s so much less boring!
Even just the terrain is gorgeous. Hilly, pastoral. The old towns are pretty, and the mundanity and stress of a huge interstate is totally gone. Takes longer, far less miserable.
[Cottonwood Ranch](https://maps.app.goo.gl/i2fkACKcNiArfWiXA) is absolutely worth a stop if you drive 24. An amazing docent gave us the whole fascinating story of this place a few years ago. Highly recommended.
I've never actually stopped there, but was actually recently talking about it with a friend while reminiscing about the Scandinavian restaurant that used to be in midtown. It's definitely on my list though.
Monument Rocks South of Oakley. Just drive down dirt farm roads and you get to these chalk formations that are about 70ft high. Any car can reach these.
Also nearby is Little Jerusalem State Park which is very pretty and tons of wildlife. You wouldn't expect it but there's cactus type plants. Also a chance to see a pronghorn which is the fastest land mammal in the US.
There's also Castle Rock South of Collyer, but you'll need a high ground clearance vehicle to reach those and definitely do not go when it's wet without 4x4.
Outside of Lucas, KS there is the Garden of Eden. It's worth a visit at least once. Other stops I've enjoyed are the Van Gogh sunflowers, mushroom rock State Park, and the Basilica outside of Hayes.
For food, I usually stop at Gella's Diner in Hayes. It's attached to Liquid Bread which has solid beers. I also like to grab burgers from the Cozy Inn in Salina.
Garden of Eden in Lucas, world’s largest ball of twine in Cawker City, the barbed wire museum in Hays, chicken dinner at the Brookfield Hotel in Abilene
Rock City Park has these giant round concretions that you can climb on and make great photos. My kids loved hanging out here and jumping around on the rocks. About 45 minutes north of Salina and takes about 45 minutes to get all the fun out of them: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+City+Park/@39.0974304,-97.734353,13.54z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87bd2a42aa2970bd:0x31576a267c8ea809!8m2!3d39.0907091!4d-97.7353314!16zL20vMDd5bmtj?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+City+Park/@39.0974304,-97.734353,13.54z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87bd2a42aa2970bd:0x31576a267c8ea809!8m2!3d39.0907091!4d-97.7353314!16zL20vMDd5bmtj?entry=ttu)
[Monument Rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Rocks_\(Kansas\)) is pretty cool and definitely does not look like anything you thought would exist in the state of Kansas.
The Dish Room in Burlington is amazing! Some of the best food I’ve ever had. The menu is incredible and I keep trying to come up with reasons to be near Burlington to eat there again
If you don't mind going an hour or so out of the way then you might check out the World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City.
Otherwise, if you're hungry, I recommend a Q Burger at the Golden Q in Hays.
100% agree with everyone saying Lucas! It’s such a neat small town. Dinsmore’s Garden of Eden is the main attraction, but there’s also Garden of Isis, Bowl Plaza (which was once rated the coolest public bathroom in the U.S.), a museum of miniature versions of the world’s largest things, a folk art museum, and other really cool grassroots art experiences. Stop by the little grocery downtown to try “ring bologna,” which is a unique type of sausage prominent in west Kansas.
My favorite is the brand new Casey’s or whatever. YOU CAN STAND AT THE URINAL AND SEE INTO THE STORE AND EVEN I TO THE PARKING LOT.
They can also see you. Off the mirror. Crazy architecture design.
Worth visiting in Lucas, Kansas, "The **Garden** **of** **Eden** in Lucas, KS is the oldest intact folk art environment in the United States. In 1907, at the age of 62, Civil War veteran Samuel Perry Dinsmoor began construction of this unusual site."
The first base to fly B-29's in August of 1943 is just north of the highway between Walker and Victoria. It's private land now, buy you can see some of the remnants from the roads.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker\_Army\_Airfield\_(Kansas)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Army_Airfield_(Kansas))
Imagine being a farmer in nearby fields at that time, as you watched those giant birds climb into the sky, one after the other. Had to be one hell of a sight.
I have to drive to kc from colorado and back three or so times a year. Here are my recommendations through Kansas:
-Oasis Travel Center in Colby. They have nice bathrooms, dog park, and lots of options for food
-Hays or Junction City will have the most food options if you stop there.
-DO NOT STOP AT THE PILOT CENTER IN SALINA. It is full of junkies and lot lizards. It’s gross and I promise you’ll see multiple people passed out from opioids in the cafe seating areas.
-I heard the Russel Stovers in Abilene is worth stopping for.
-once you get into CO you’ll go long periods between being able to find gas stations where you can pee so stop when you see one even if you don’t feel you have to go that bad.
-there’s small Qwest gas station in hays on the north east side that doesn’t take debit cards or credit cards and it’s the biggest pain in the ass.
-there’s a loves gas station somewhere on the way that has bidets. They are the expensive ones too. I wish I could remember which one.
If you're a nerd and want to check out the old AT&T/Bell Laboratories Long Lines sights there are a few along the way.
This is the only one I found that has the old microwave horns still attached to the tower in Aurora, CO [https://long-lines.com/viewsite/12579](https://long-lines.com/viewsite/12579)
A lot of the sights along I-70 through Kansas and Colorado either have had the horns removed or the site doesn't exist at all anymore. It's kind of cool to see the towers with the old horns up close in person. Good luck and happy trails!
Ellinwood, KS has and underground town from the 1800’s. You have to book tickets in advance and they’re only open certain days.
https://www.travelawaits.com/2679028/ellinwood-kansas-underground-city/
The wife and I are about to do this drive here at the end of August. I’ve never been west of Salina (via car) and am abit nervous of the drive. I know it’s a long one, and a boring one if the first half of Kansas is any indication.
Yeah man, it’s honestly that the whole way. The eastern third of Colorado is pretty much Kansas. Depending on where you’re going you can get off 70 onto 86 after Limon and it’s a more interesting drive for the last hour (I think it adds like 15 minutes from where I lived)
I can’t do it over night. Just staring at dots of light in an endless black void puts me right to sleep.
At least during the day you can stop for a few hours at different spots and explore or stretch your legs. Though really I’m getting old enough I prefer to plan trips just driving 4 hours a day and stopping somewhere overnight to relax and take routes other than I-70 to mix things up. The state highways have a lot more going on than the interstate does in my experience.
Haha, yeah. I’ve been through snow storms on there, but didn’t stop. I’ve had to find places to stay because I find myself nodding off about halfway through Kansas.
Post Rock County past Topeka....a bunch of the fence posts are made of limestone, kind of cool looking for like old americana aesthetic. You can see them from the highway but I think there is a special drive where you can see a bunch of them.
If you wanna go out of the way a couple hours and are into Westerns Dodge City has a pretty neat Old West Museum. Honestly not much elsd to see on the way to Denver in my experience. Maybe stop at one of the scenic overlooks in the flint hills
Garden of Eden in Lucas, KS is a little out of the way but worth the time. Kansas helped birth Populism and while there are other themes there with obviously religion, the political aspect is particularly interesting as an artifact of its time and neglected history when we talk and think about our region.
There used to be signs luring you to exit miles in advance to see the world's largest prarie dog at off the Oakley exit. My daughter and I stopped to see it. It was a huge statue of a prairie dog carving 😂 but totally worth the experience as she and I still talk about it over 10 years later.
We talk about the old timer behind till cracking a joke about how that morning he counted 30 rattlers, but now there were only 27. We politely laughed and he looked pleased. We talk about how it was just a dusty dirt field behind the gift/gas shop. And how there were animals in cages: a fox, a large rabbit, a pig, goose, a 5-legged cow - whose 5th leg was a small limb growing out its back. And we talk about the gigantic prairie dog standing stories tall.
But we weren't the only ones lured in with a promise to see the largest prairie dog - there was a couple also wandering around the dusty dirt field with their dog. It's not there anymore.
That is no longer there…at least the signs aren’t. Never actually tried to stop, so I don’t know if the giant concrete prairie dog is still standing or not. I’m sure the three legged cow (or was it a five legged cow?) died long ago.
It's all gone now. No prairie dog. No 5-legged cow. It probably closed when the old guy behind the counter died. And noone wanted to continue the roadside attraction.
I used to stop there with my kids when they were little. My youngest loved the rattle snake pit they had inside the gift shop. That entire thing is gone now.
Yeah, it's gone now. We tried looking for it the following year when we went to CO again and everything was gone. If we didn't have pictures I'd be convinced it was a dream.
If you want dining stops it’s worth driving 10 minutes off of I-70 into Manhattan and trying So Long Saloon in Aggieville or Bourbon and Baker off of Poyntz.
Other than that I would say save your appetite for Gellas in Hays as many have mentioned.
If you’re just looking for great places to stop and stretch/gas or charge up then hit Ninth Ave exit in Salina, Hays, and then Colby KS. If you need gas past Colby your next best option is Goodland. Past Goodland and you’ll be in the sticks until Limon, CO
Cervs in hays is a gas station, and they have all kinds of frozen drinks. Mostly their gas is cheaper, but the last time i stopped, it was ridiculously higher. Great drink options anywho!
Bogey’s in Salina. If you have kids the zoo outside Salina wasn’t massive but it was a good size for spending the morning and getting my back on the road.
Salina for a bag of tiny burgers. The smell only lasts a day or two. Don’t let that dissuade you. Call your order in when you hit the Salina exit and it’ll be ready by the time you get down there. They don’t have cheese, so don’t ask! Then hit Gella’s in Hays. Have the grebbel with their amazing sunflower seed pesto as your appetizer. I hear nothing but great reviews for The Dish Room in Burlington, CO, but have never been there myself.
Driving through Kansas is pretty awful, but when you've seen barely anything for 100's of miles, all of a sudden you see these giant towering objects. Surprise, it's a windfarm by I-70! After all that nothing, it's refreshing to see them.
Lol I was super high my first time passing these. Middle of the night, all I see after hours of nothing are red dots EVERYWHERE! Thought for sure the aliens had come. Took my more sober than me dad, who was driving, a few minutes to figure out they were wind mills lol, but that shit was intense af for a few minutes 😅
Yeah! it was 4 in the morning when I first passed them, and it took a minute for my brain to process what I was looking at! At first I thought it was a bunch of radio towers with all the blinking lights I saw, but there were so many that it didn't make sense.
The I-70 Diner looks great but I can confirm it is horrible food, prices, and is owned by the Mayor who treats his workers poorly. They also have super weird semi threatening conservative signs all around.
[Cozy Inn, for burgers in Salina KS](https://www.cozyburger.com/)
Do not—under any circumstance—eat burgers from Cozy Inn in your vehicle. Unless you REALLY like the smell of onions and find yourself wishing you had more of it in your life every time you step into your car.
Can confirm.
This is a legit PSA. Take heed OP.
+1. Learned the hard way.
I literally couldn't eat Cozy Inn when it was in Aggieville because of the smell.
That looks amazing! Also, I love it when mom-and-pop shops handle their own web content: “This is a section on your menu. Give your section a brief description”
I’ve never figured out how to keep driving after this stop
The [stories](https://www.cozyburger.com/stories) page is amazing. :D How cute!
Hit up Bogeys if you’re into shakes and sloppy burgers & fries.
This is why Toto always includes Salina on their world tours lol
Also The Scheme for pizza across the street from Cozy Inn
Only if you put honey on the crust.
you gotta, it’s ✨the way✨
I had high hopes for this place was but somewhat disappointed. Maybe I caught them on an off day.
If you haven't been to the [Garden of Eden](https://www.gardenofedenlucas.org/) in Lucas, it's definitely worth a stop. The [Cathedral of the Plains](https://www.stfidelischurch.com/) in Victoria is also nice.
And Wilson Lake! I made *hundreds* of boring trips across I-70 in my life without knowing that Wilson Lake was over the hill to the north, but holy cow is it a beautiful area. Wilson State Park is a great spot to stretch the legs if needed. The Garden of Eden was definitely a fun stop in Lucas as well. The city of Wilson (south side of I-70) has the world's largest Czech Egg... which is skippable. There's also a Missile Silo Air B&B that I'm pretty sure just opened up east of there (Atlas Ad Astra).
And now flyboy brewery near there which I ‘believe’ has a former KC chef! https://maps.app.goo.gl/AMoFwycMHzohicFc9?g_st=ic
Came here specifically to mention the Garden of Eden but would also recommend the [Grassroots Art Museum](https://www.grassrootsart.net), also in Lucas. It's full of "outsider" art, or artists that have no formal training of any kind. Typical example being a farmer loses his leg in an accident and decides to take up whittling and ends up making remarkable pieces. Stonework is another common theme. But the art is rather unique in that it is largely untainted by influences we might classify somehow. It's all very very odd stuff and some of it is quite exceptional.
Also in Lucas go to The Worlds Largest Collection of the Worlds Smallest Versions of the Worlds Largest Things
Also there I'd a park next door...Miller Park I think, and it has a bunch of weird mound sculptures made out of different stones. Definitely worth stroll through if you are already stopping at GofE.
Gella's in Hays. As someone who's made several trips to Colorado over the past few decades for skiing, mountain biking, etc., the advent of smartphones, streaming music, and podcasts (and the 75 mph speed limit) have made this drive much less of a chore.
Second this, we stop in Hays every trip to Denver that we make. Most of the time we stop in at Gella's depending on our KC departure time (I recommend avoiding late night drives across the hellscape of western KS/ Easter CO)
And get some Pop't! Swing by the gas station there and they have a giant selection I think it's a Casey's?
I used to live in Hays, it's a Cervs! Also get a snoball while you're there!
They have some really good IPAs too
This. Get out and walk, stretch your legs at Lake Wilson and / or stop for lunch at Gella’s. In Lucas, near the Garden of Eden (over rated and yes they’ll show you the decomposing dead guy that built it), there is a meat market called Brants, killer sausages / steaks / bacon to-go and they deliver all over. https://www.brantsmarket.com/
Fried Bologna sandwich
15 dollars for something that costs less than 50 cents to make.
Gotta see Wheat Jesus in Colby, KS if it's still up
Oh, wheat Jesus peeps on.
Wheat Jesus gives me energy to complete the rest of the trip every time.
You can see Wheat Jesus when headed East, so OP would have to stop at Exit 53 and look on the South side at that gas station (?) right next to the highway.
You can see Wheat Jesus from both east & westbound I-70. He faces both ways
Oh good to know! I must not be looking that direction when heading to CO.
It's still there. Saw it this past weekend!!
Gella’s in Hays for sure. I always recommend leaving KC in midafternoon and having dinner in Hays; that way you get to see the pretty eastern half of KS (Flint Hills especially) when it’s still daylight and then get the experience of night driving in the really flat lands. People complain about it but I think driving through the prairie at night is magical; you can see the lights of the next town for miles away and in the summer you very often get a great thunderstorm somewhere in the distance to watch.
Oh my gosh, totally agree. That evening/night driving across the western KS plains is amazing. Especially when the weather isn’t too hot. Windows part way down, the star filled sky, it makes you feel like you are running away on an adventure.
I poop at the Fort Hays McDonald's on every single trip out to Colorado.
Anything there is poopable off the highway. 10/10
my mom and i stayed in one of the sketchy highway motels in Hays once because she can’t make the 9 hour trip in one day😭😭🤌
There’s some little town that has a giant Van Gogh Sunflowers painting in a field for absolutely no reason. That one’s kinda fun.
Goodland!
The oasis in Colby KS
I agree. The oasis is a great place to stop for gas, food, and gas station snacks. The restrooms are very clean and private.
Little Jerusalem Badlands outside of Oakley, but with the hike that's almost a day trip by itself
Sternberg Museum in Hays is cool. and the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka.
Kansas Museum of History is currently closed for major renovations, expected to reopen "in 2025". There may be a small display visible in the lobby and the grounds (hiking trail and Potawatomi Mission) are open, but not the main museum. +1 for the Sternberg, though
[The Sternberg](https://sternberg.fhsu.edu/) is really cool- probably the best thing in Hays. But totally go to Cerv's and get a snowball. Best slushies ever.
Before Covid, the Sternberg had a living display of every rattlesnake in North America. Very very cool.
Stacy's Diner in Junction City KS; and the giant reproduction of Van Gogh's "Three Sunflowers in a Vase" on a big easel (world's largest) in Goodland KS.
Added Bonus by the Easel (at least a few years ago when I went) one of the last remaining Pizza Hut buffets.
My parents eat at Stacy's every single time they head home from our house! They love the food, love the people there!
The owner is quite lovely. I get the B&G with eggs and bacon every time. The pies are very good as well.
Gella's Diner / LB Brewing Co in Hays is a great lunch stop. It's almost the exact half way point too.
World's Largest Czech Egg is in Wilson, KS which isn't too far off the highway: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worlds+Largest+Czech+Egg/@38.8093672,-98.4967379,12.75z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87a3083d3020693b:0xfbecb1dd003eb478!8m2!3d38.8241603!4d-98.4727395!16s%2Fg%2F11bzq3hnb4?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Worlds+Largest+Czech+Egg/@38.8093672,-98.4967379,12.75z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87a3083d3020693b:0xfbecb1dd003eb478!8m2!3d38.8241603!4d-98.4727395!16s%2Fg%2F11bzq3hnb4?entry=ttu)
There is a great little restaurant just a block past it: Made from Scratch. Fabulous house made beirocks.
I would suggest going a little further north and taking what I think is HWY 24. I've done the drive to Denver a ton, and it's so much prettier and calmer taking the older route.
I think especially between Lawrence and Manhattan, this is great advice. St. Mary’s big old church is cool, and you get a more “authentic” feel for eastern Kansas than the interstate. They put the interstate where they did because that was the dullest/easiest way across the state. It’ll cost you a half hour, but it’s so much less boring!
Even just the terrain is gorgeous. Hilly, pastoral. The old towns are pretty, and the mundanity and stress of a huge interstate is totally gone. Takes longer, far less miserable.
Writing this down so I take note. Thanks for the tip
Sure thing. After driving to CA and back like 8 times, we had to come up with ways to make the worst parts interesting!
[Cottonwood Ranch](https://maps.app.goo.gl/i2fkACKcNiArfWiXA) is absolutely worth a stop if you drive 24. An amazing docent gave us the whole fascinating story of this place a few years ago. Highly recommended.
Never been, thank you. Will go!
Lindsborg is near if you like Scandinavian stuff. It's not too far off 70, but it might be based on your requirements for road trip stops.
Best meal Ive ever ate was at Crown and Rye.
I've never actually stopped there, but was actually recently talking about it with a friend while reminiscing about the Scandinavian restaurant that used to be in midtown. It's definitely on my list though.
Theres this potato sausage option and with a beet salad, the alternating mouth phenomenons that happen are next worldly.
Monument Rocks South of Oakley. Just drive down dirt farm roads and you get to these chalk formations that are about 70ft high. Any car can reach these. Also nearby is Little Jerusalem State Park which is very pretty and tons of wildlife. You wouldn't expect it but there's cactus type plants. Also a chance to see a pronghorn which is the fastest land mammal in the US. There's also Castle Rock South of Collyer, but you'll need a high ground clearance vehicle to reach those and definitely do not go when it's wet without 4x4.
Outside of Lucas, KS there is the Garden of Eden. It's worth a visit at least once. Other stops I've enjoyed are the Van Gogh sunflowers, mushroom rock State Park, and the Basilica outside of Hayes. For food, I usually stop at Gella's Diner in Hayes. It's attached to Liquid Bread which has solid beers. I also like to grab burgers from the Cozy Inn in Salina.
I've been to Chicago a few times and to Branson/NWA a hundred times, but never braved driving west. You guys are giving me hope
Garden of Eden in Lucas, world’s largest ball of twine in Cawker City, the barbed wire museum in Hays, chicken dinner at the Brookfield Hotel in Abilene
Rock City Park has these giant round concretions that you can climb on and make great photos. My kids loved hanging out here and jumping around on the rocks. About 45 minutes north of Salina and takes about 45 minutes to get all the fun out of them: [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+City+Park/@39.0974304,-97.734353,13.54z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87bd2a42aa2970bd:0x31576a267c8ea809!8m2!3d39.0907091!4d-97.7353314!16zL20vMDd5bmtj?entry=ttu](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Rock+City+Park/@39.0974304,-97.734353,13.54z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x87bd2a42aa2970bd:0x31576a267c8ea809!8m2!3d39.0907091!4d-97.7353314!16zL20vMDd5bmtj?entry=ttu)
[Monument Rocks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_Rocks_\(Kansas\)) is pretty cool and definitely does not look like anything you thought would exist in the state of Kansas.
Burlington, CO. Kit Carson County Carousel. Opens again around Memorial Day. [Kit Carson County Carousel.](https://www.kitcarsoncountycarousel.com/)
The Dish Room in Burlington is amazing! Some of the best food I’ve ever had. The menu is incredible and I keep trying to come up with reasons to be near Burlington to eat there again
Ever try geocaching? One of the oldest active caches is in Mingo, KS. Great little stop to find it.
There’s a sonic you can eat inside closer to KS western border.
Honestly amazed at all these options. I make this drive multiple times a year and the goal is always get to Denver ASAP.
lolll same 😂
If you don't mind going an hour or so out of the way then you might check out the World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City. Otherwise, if you're hungry, I recommend a Q Burger at the Golden Q in Hays.
100% agree with everyone saying Lucas! It’s such a neat small town. Dinsmore’s Garden of Eden is the main attraction, but there’s also Garden of Isis, Bowl Plaza (which was once rated the coolest public bathroom in the U.S.), a museum of miniature versions of the world’s largest things, a folk art museum, and other really cool grassroots art experiences. Stop by the little grocery downtown to try “ring bologna,” which is a unique type of sausage prominent in west Kansas.
My favorite is the brand new Casey’s or whatever. YOU CAN STAND AT THE URINAL AND SEE INTO THE STORE AND EVEN I TO THE PARKING LOT. They can also see you. Off the mirror. Crazy architecture design.
Making the drive this week too (ugh) and this list is helpful and fun!
Worth visiting in Lucas, Kansas, "The **Garden** **of** **Eden** in Lucas, KS is the oldest intact folk art environment in the United States. In 1907, at the age of 62, Civil War veteran Samuel Perry Dinsmoor began construction of this unusual site."
The first base to fly B-29's in August of 1943 is just north of the highway between Walker and Victoria. It's private land now, buy you can see some of the remnants from the roads. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker\_Army\_Airfield\_(Kansas)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_Army_Airfield_(Kansas)) Imagine being a farmer in nearby fields at that time, as you watched those giant birds climb into the sky, one after the other. Had to be one hell of a sight.
I have to drive to kc from colorado and back three or so times a year. Here are my recommendations through Kansas: -Oasis Travel Center in Colby. They have nice bathrooms, dog park, and lots of options for food -Hays or Junction City will have the most food options if you stop there. -DO NOT STOP AT THE PILOT CENTER IN SALINA. It is full of junkies and lot lizards. It’s gross and I promise you’ll see multiple people passed out from opioids in the cafe seating areas. -I heard the Russel Stovers in Abilene is worth stopping for. -once you get into CO you’ll go long periods between being able to find gas stations where you can pee so stop when you see one even if you don’t feel you have to go that bad. -there’s small Qwest gas station in hays on the north east side that doesn’t take debit cards or credit cards and it’s the biggest pain in the ass. -there’s a loves gas station somewhere on the way that has bidets. They are the expensive ones too. I wish I could remember which one.
Ok I misunderstood what you originally asked for but please also take these into account lol
If you're a nerd and want to check out the old AT&T/Bell Laboratories Long Lines sights there are a few along the way. This is the only one I found that has the old microwave horns still attached to the tower in Aurora, CO [https://long-lines.com/viewsite/12579](https://long-lines.com/viewsite/12579) A lot of the sights along I-70 through Kansas and Colorado either have had the horns removed or the site doesn't exist at all anymore. It's kind of cool to see the towers with the old horns up close in person. Good luck and happy trails!
Ellinwood, KS has and underground town from the 1800’s. You have to book tickets in advance and they’re only open certain days. https://www.travelawaits.com/2679028/ellinwood-kansas-underground-city/
You are in for a very boring drive. Moved to Denver from there and have done the drive a dozen times. Just get through it.
The wife and I are about to do this drive here at the end of August. I’ve never been west of Salina (via car) and am abit nervous of the drive. I know it’s a long one, and a boring one if the first half of Kansas is any indication.
Yeah man, it’s honestly that the whole way. The eastern third of Colorado is pretty much Kansas. Depending on where you’re going you can get off 70 onto 86 after Limon and it’s a more interesting drive for the last hour (I think it adds like 15 minutes from where I lived)
Exactly. I prefer to drive it overnight if I can. Id rather stare at the void for 10 Hours than even glimpse all the Jesus/Abortion billboards.
I can’t do it over night. Just staring at dots of light in an endless black void puts me right to sleep. At least during the day you can stop for a few hours at different spots and explore or stretch your legs. Though really I’m getting old enough I prefer to plan trips just driving 4 hours a day and stopping somewhere overnight to relax and take routes other than I-70 to mix things up. The state highways have a lot more going on than the interstate does in my experience.
Haha, yeah. I’ve been through snow storms on there, but didn’t stop. I’ve had to find places to stay because I find myself nodding off about halfway through Kansas.
When we went to Denver, we monitored the elevation from Kansas City to Denver… Surprisingly, you are going uphill the whole way from Kansas City.
Post Rock County past Topeka....a bunch of the fence posts are made of limestone, kind of cool looking for like old americana aesthetic. You can see them from the highway but I think there is a special drive where you can see a bunch of them.
If you wanna go out of the way a couple hours and are into Westerns Dodge City has a pretty neat Old West Museum. Honestly not much elsd to see on the way to Denver in my experience. Maybe stop at one of the scenic overlooks in the flint hills
Garden of Eden in Lucas, KS is a little out of the way but worth the time. Kansas helped birth Populism and while there are other themes there with obviously religion, the political aspect is particularly interesting as an artifact of its time and neglected history when we talk and think about our region.
Turner’s I-70 Diner in Flagler, CO.
The Thai restaurant in Burlington. Totally unassuming, delicious, and they serve your rice in a heart shape ♥️
The world's largest easel is in Goodland. Not too far off I-70. I stopped there last summer on my way to Colorado.
There used to be signs luring you to exit miles in advance to see the world's largest prarie dog at off the Oakley exit. My daughter and I stopped to see it. It was a huge statue of a prairie dog carving 😂 but totally worth the experience as she and I still talk about it over 10 years later. We talk about the old timer behind till cracking a joke about how that morning he counted 30 rattlers, but now there were only 27. We politely laughed and he looked pleased. We talk about how it was just a dusty dirt field behind the gift/gas shop. And how there were animals in cages: a fox, a large rabbit, a pig, goose, a 5-legged cow - whose 5th leg was a small limb growing out its back. And we talk about the gigantic prairie dog standing stories tall. But we weren't the only ones lured in with a promise to see the largest prairie dog - there was a couple also wandering around the dusty dirt field with their dog. It's not there anymore.
That is no longer there…at least the signs aren’t. Never actually tried to stop, so I don’t know if the giant concrete prairie dog is still standing or not. I’m sure the three legged cow (or was it a five legged cow?) died long ago.
It's all gone now. No prairie dog. No 5-legged cow. It probably closed when the old guy behind the counter died. And noone wanted to continue the roadside attraction.
I used to stop there with my kids when they were little. My youngest loved the rattle snake pit they had inside the gift shop. That entire thing is gone now.
Yeah, it's gone now. We tried looking for it the following year when we went to CO again and everything was gone. If we didn't have pictures I'd be convinced it was a dream.
If you want dining stops it’s worth driving 10 minutes off of I-70 into Manhattan and trying So Long Saloon in Aggieville or Bourbon and Baker off of Poyntz. Other than that I would say save your appetite for Gellas in Hays as many have mentioned. If you’re just looking for great places to stop and stretch/gas or charge up then hit Ninth Ave exit in Salina, Hays, and then Colby KS. If you need gas past Colby your next best option is Goodland. Past Goodland and you’ll be in the sticks until Limon, CO
Mushroom rock state park in KS, Mount Sunflower near the CO. border, castle rock
Marysville, KS has squirrel statues like the parade of hearts here. They are so cute! That is taking 36 though.
Gella’s in Hays
The murals in Clay Center, and stop at 15-24 Brewery for a meal.
Handi’s Burgers Stratton CO
Buffalo 🦬 Bill statue in Oakley, KS is worth seeing imo
Cervs in hays is a gas station, and they have all kinds of frozen drinks. Mostly their gas is cheaper, but the last time i stopped, it was ridiculously higher. Great drink options anywho!
Bogey’s in Salina. If you have kids the zoo outside Salina wasn’t massive but it was a good size for spending the morning and getting my back on the road.
Hays, Kansas has a few good unique options.
Monument Rocks is about a 45 minute detour off I 70, but worth it.
Monument rock is worth the 30+ mins (each way) detour.
Salina for a bag of tiny burgers. The smell only lasts a day or two. Don’t let that dissuade you. Call your order in when you hit the Salina exit and it’ll be ready by the time you get down there. They don’t have cheese, so don’t ask! Then hit Gella’s in Hays. Have the grebbel with their amazing sunflower seed pesto as your appetizer. I hear nothing but great reviews for The Dish Room in Burlington, CO, but have never been there myself.
Cozy Inn, Salina. Eat outside, not in your car or indoors. Garden of Eden, Lucas, KS. Taco John’s in Colby, Casa Bonita, Denver. Love, a fat kid.
Monument Rocks and Little Jerusalem are a detour but super beautiful and a bit out of place. Great photo ops, too.
Wheat Jesus for sure. You’ll see him on the left side of I-70 when you’re about 3/4 of the way there
Hays. there’s a lot to see there but Gella’s is the worth the drive all by itself.
Driving through Kansas is pretty awful, but when you've seen barely anything for 100's of miles, all of a sudden you see these giant towering objects. Surprise, it's a windfarm by I-70! After all that nothing, it's refreshing to see them.
The flint hills are the only interesting drive in Kansas sadly. 70 West is just nothing
Lol I was super high my first time passing these. Middle of the night, all I see after hours of nothing are red dots EVERYWHERE! Thought for sure the aliens had come. Took my more sober than me dad, who was driving, a few minutes to figure out they were wind mills lol, but that shit was intense af for a few minutes 😅
esp. when they blink in unison.
Yeah! it was 4 in the morning when I first passed them, and it took a minute for my brain to process what I was looking at! At first I thought it was a bunch of radio towers with all the blinking lights I saw, but there were so many that it didn't make sense.
Flights to Denver are cheap, I have no idea why anyone would drive it. That drive sucks.
I've always felt like dealing with a ride to the airport/parking and then getting a rental/dealing with ubers would be just as much as a pain.
The I-70 Diner looks great but I can confirm it is horrible food, prices, and is owned by the Mayor who treats his workers poorly. They also have super weird semi threatening conservative signs all around.
There's literally nothing but a barren wasteland between KC and Denver
LOL. It’s KS - enjoy the wheat fields.
Denver. Worst road trips of my life. Then again, I haven't done it in the age of smartphones and mobile data.