Day 3 – Road Trip – Destination Manhattan Kansas

After my long drive across the state of Missouri, I followed Interstate 70 through Topeka, then soon turned north on State Route 177 toward Manhattan Kansas. Here are some cool things to do in the other Manhattan. I hadn’t been able to find a suitable Airbnb closer to the interstate highway, but I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived in this quaint Kansas State University town.

Konza Prairie Overlook Park

I didn’t know it at the time, but between I-70 and Manhattan, I was driving through the Konza Prairie Preserve. I was making good time on my drive, so I decided to make a stop at a scenic overlook. It has the official name of “K-177 Overlook Park” and is located at 3700 Pillsbury Dr., 3 miles south of Manhattan Kansas on K-177.

The park is on the northeast corner of the Konza Prairie Biological Station and overlooks the Kansas River Valley. The 8,600-acre Konza Prairie Preserve is jointly owned by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University. It’s one of the largest tracts in North America dedicated to research on the ecology that characterizes the tallgrass prairies. This massive region is truly a step back in time to when the settlers traveled west across these vast prairies. The Konza Prairie contains the largest remaining areas of unplowed tallgrass prairie in North America. Bison can even still be found roaming there.

Several of the parks in the Manhattan Kansas area also offer hiking trails and dog-friendly space for your pets to roam. You can find more information about the parks and trails here.

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

If you plan to spend some time in Kansas you might also consider visiting the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve about an hour south of Manhattan Kansas. The National Park Service oversees this site. The Preserve is located in northern Chase County, Kansas 2 miles north of intersection U.S. Hwy 50 and Flint Hills National Scenic Byway 177 (K-177) west of Strong City.

The preserve offers outdoor and educational opportunities for visitors. Here’s more information about the guided prairie bus tours. They also have a cell phone self-guided tour of the preserve and historical buildings on site.

Manhattan Kansas History

Did you know there was a city named Manhattan outside of New York? Me neither. Apparently, my husband knew about it because of the football team at Kansas State University. The school was founded in 1863. To give you an idea of the importance of the university, it is the city’s largest employer. The total population of Manhattan Kansas is about 56,000 and there are over 20,000 students at K-state.

The Kanza Indigenous People

As is the case with nearly all lands in America, the town began as a Native American settlement. From 1780 to 1825 the Kaw (or Kanza) indigenous people settled at the intersection of the Big Blue and Kansas Rivers. Their territory extended over most of present-day northern and eastern Kansas, with hunting grounds extending far to the west.

On July 4, 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped in their village while the Kanza were hunting bison in another part of the territory. Lewis and Clark’s exploration and reporting spread the word east about the abundance of the land and natural resources in the area. Sadly, the Kanza’s first treaty with the U.S. government in 1825 reduced the tribe’s 20 million-acre domain to a 30-mile wide 2 million-acre reservation beginning just west of what would become Topeka.

A succession of treaties in the coming years continued to deprive the Kanza of their land and resources with very little compensation. The results were devastating to the tribe. Finally, on May 27, 1872, over the strong protests of Chief Allegawaho and his people, a federal act moved the Kanza to a 100,137-acre site in another state entirely – northern Kay County, Oklahoma. If you’d like to read more about the perseverance and survival of the Kanza People, visit their website here.

European & American Settlers

In 1854 the Kansas–Nebraska Act opened the territory to settlement by U.S. citizens and by early 1855 European and American settlers began to arrive. The territory was declared a “Free State” and did not allow slavery. In 1859 gold was discovered in the Rocky Mountains. Manhattan Kansas became one of the last stops for miners to stock up before heading west, which contributed further to the town’s growth.

Riley County Historical Museum

The next morning on the way out of town (Day 4 of my road trip) I decided to make a quick stop at the Riley County Historical Museum to see a few of the historical homes in Manhattan Kansas. I decided not to go into the museum for the sake of time, but hopefully, you’ll have a chance to stop in when you go. Here’s a bit of what I saw on the property.

Riley County Historical Museum & Homes
Location: 2309 Claflin Road, Manhattan Kansas
Hours: Monday – CLOSED, Tuesday – Friday 8 am – 5 pm, Sat-Sun 2 pm-5 pm
Admission: FREE

The Hartford House

The small white house under the trees below is the Hartford House. One of the prefabricated buildings brought to Kansas by steamboat in 1855.

Settlers from the east brought ready-made cottages to Manhattan Kansas. This was needed because of the scarcity of skilled labor and suitable trees for lumber on the frontier prairies. These cottages were available in 1855. Advertised as, “containing two or more rooms, which can be put up and taken down in a few hours.” The savings over building from scratch was said to be 30%.

A one-story house, 16 x 32 feet (4.8 x 9.7 meters), was quoted at $230, plus freight. From Cincinnati to Kansas City freight was estimated at $50. A price range of $150 to $500 was quoted for different styles of these houses. What would you think about bringing your house with you if you were moving hundreds of miles away?

The Isaac & Ellen Goodnow House

The Goodnow House is also on the grounds near the Riley County Museum. It was built in the 1860s by Isaac and Ellen Goodnow, settlers from Rhode Island. In March 1855 Goodnow organized a company of two hundred men and women who opposed slavery. They were willing to relocate and build a “free-state” townsite in present-day Manhattan.

In 1861 Kansas became the 34th state in the Union. As time went on higher education and Kansas State University became the soul of Manhattan. Originally named Kansas State Agricultural College, it began its first session on September 2, 1863. It was the first public college in Kansas and the nation’s first land-grant institution. It was also only the second public institution of higher learning to admit women and men equally in the U.S.

More Things to Do in Manhattan Kansas

Even though Manhattan Kansas is a small town, that doesn’t mean there aren’t fun and interesting things to do there. There’s more to it than the historical sites and grand historical homes that line its streets. During school year you can attend all types of Big 12 Conference sporting events as well as Arts and Cultural events at K-State University. Theater, Dance, and Music performances are all part of life on campus. The university also boasts the Beach Museum of Art and three other art galleries.

Start (or End) The Day With Donuts

Will you choose the classic glazed donut holes, a gourmet maple bacon bar, or the fun “D is for Donut” reminiscent of the Cookie Monster? Whether you pick all of these or the many other flavor options at Varsity Donuts, you’ll start the day on a happy note. Find this quaint shop in Aggieville. You can order donuts online from 7 am to 5 pm daily for easy pickup. Or step inside and relax with a coffee, donut, and some ping pong.

The Varsity Food Truck opens behind the shop several nights each week for late-night snacks and meals serving things like corn dogs, bacon bombs, and even more fresh, hot donuts. The truck is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night from 9:00 pm ‘til 2:30 am.

Location: 704 N. Manhattan Avenue
Shop Hours: 7 am to 5 pm daily
Truck Hours (around back): 9 pm to 2:30 am – Thurs – Sat

K-State Insect Zoo

Are you or someone you know a fan of all things that creep and crawl? Then check out the Insect Zoo at Kansas State University. You’ll find live, preserved, and fossilized insects there. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to hold any of the critters, but there are many displays including an Amazon Rainforest, a beehive, and more. You’ll see insects like Leafcutter Ants, Praying Mantis, household bugs, and Tarantulas. You might even have a chance to buy a live baby Tarantula from the gift shop.

Location: 1500 Denison Ave, Manhattan Kansas 66506
Admission to the K-State Insect Zoo is $3.67 (plus sales tax). Children under age 3 are free.

Sunset Zoo

Manhattan also offers the “Sunset Zoo” zoological park in town with over 200 amazing animals. Veterinarians at the K-State Veterinary School get hands-on exposure to animals by assisting with caring for the zoo population. The zoo also offers teaching opportunities to Vet students.

Sunset Zoo offers many in-person and hands-on activities like storytimes with live animals, kids’ summer camps, and adventure camps. Overnight safaris, guided zoo tours, and behind-the-scenes encounters are also offered.

Please be aware that the beautiful Flint Hills impact the terrain of the park. There are steep hills in some areas, so please plan accordingly when visiting. The Zoo is wheelchair accessible, however, inclines near the gibbon exhibit / the entrance into the Asian Trail are steep.

Plan Your Visit

Sunset Zoo Location: 2333 Oak Street, Manhattan Kansas 66502
Hours: Daily 9:30 am to 3 pm [Closed major holidays]
Admission:
Adults (13+): $5.50 per person
Children (ages 3-12): $3.50 per person
Infants (2 & under): Free
Friends of Sunset Zoo Members: Free
Double strollers are available to rent for $5 each, single strollers for $4 each, and wagons for $3 each.
[Sanitized before and after use.]

Manhattan’s Own Beer, Wine and Cider

If you’re looking for a bit of grown-up fun why not try a tasting or meal at a local brewery, winery, or cidery.

Liquid Art Winery

Take a drive just west of town to Liquid Art Winery and Estate Tasting Room. The Tasting Room includes indoor and outdoor seating, a cozy double-sided fireplace, a bocce ball court, outdoor propane fire pits, and gorgeous outdoor tiered patios with scenic views of the Estate vineyard, the town of Manhattan, and the surrounding Flint Hills.

They offer wine tastings from their vineyard and their own Dave and Dani Brand Craft Cider tastings. You can also buy cider and wine by the flight, the glass, or the bottle. I’d love to try any of their ciders that aren’t too hoppy and for wines, I’d order a flight with a bit of everything.

Their food menu includes smoked cheese charcuterie boards and artisan pizzas. Try to time your visit for Happy Hour, from 4 to 6 pm, Wednesdays through Fridays.

Tasting Room Location: 1745 Wildcat Creek Road, Manhattan Kansas – Curbside Pickup Available 7 Days A Week:
Tasting Room Hours: Closed Monday and Tuesday
Open Wednesday & Thursday: 4-8 pm, Friday: 1-9 pm, Saturday: 1-10 pm, Sunday: 1-8 pm

Tallgrass Tap House

If you’re looking for something in town, what college town would be complete without a craft brewery? To try the local fare visit the Tallgrass Tap House in Historic Downtown Manhattan Kansas. Tallgrass offers a casual American Brewpub-style menu, serving everything from Deviled eggs to Udon Noodles and a plethora in between. If the weather’s nice head to their rooftop patio that overlooks downtown. At the core of Tallgrass Tap House is a 10-barrel brewhouse that produces a rotating lineup of craft brews featured on tap. You can find the current list of beers on tap, here.

In-House Happy Hour includes Tap House Exclusives for $3.00 – Monday-Friday 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm and all day Sunday

Location: 320 Poyntz Ave, Manhattan Kansas 66502
Hours: Closed Monday, Open Tuesday-Sunday: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm

More About My Roadtrip

I think this gives you a flavor of the cool college town of Manhattan, Kansas. Have you ever been there? What else would you add? Soon I’ll share about the gorgeous Airbnb that I found there and more days on the road. If you want to catch up on my travels on this crazy cross-country road trip check these links. Thanks for dropping by!

My Cross-Country Road Trip Planning

My Cross-Country Road Trip Apps and Tools

My Road Trip – Favorite Songs and Artists

My Road Trip – Day 1 – Charleston, West Virginia

My Road Trip – Day 2 – Kentucky State Parks