From its rolling Flint Hills and wild mustangs to its historic towns along the Chisholm Trail, Kansas honors its cowboy history.

Visitors can immerse themselves in the pioneering spirit that drew settlers to Kansas at its living history museums, walk in the shoes of outlaws, and embrace the cowboy experience under a canopy of stars.

I’m proud to be a native Kansan who has traveled across the Sunflower State to learn its history and meet its residents. This list is compiled of experiences I hope will give you a better understanding of Kansas’ frontier legacy.

Cowboy Up: Wild West Adventures in Kansas

Living History Museums

If you want to witness a simulated gunfight between cowboys or sip a sarsaparilla in a replica Wild West saloon, these living history museums bring the past to life.

Old Cowtown Museum in Wichita includes historic buildings dating back to the 1860s, where you can witness costumed interpreters at work on the farm, saloon, printing shop, and blacksmith shop.

Visitors can take self-guided tours of 54 buildings, many of which are original structures. The Munger House, considered the first Wichita home, gives new meaning to Home on the Range. The creaky wood floor, low ceilings, and smell of the Kansas prairie envelop visitors.

In Dodge City, the Queen of the Cowtowns, Boot Hill Museum preserves the history of life on the prairie by documenting the Old West. A self-guided tour of original and replica buildings immerses visitors in 1800s life.

The museum includes over 60,000 artifacts and photographs about the Plains Indians, the cattle industry, Victorian life, and the Kansas Cowboy Hall of Fame exhibit.

I recommend watching saloon girls perform at the Long Brand Variety Show in the saloon while sipping sarsaparilla; one feels a part of the saloon lifestyle.

It’s here that bootleggers profited, and cowboys gambled until dawn. And when things got too rowdy, gunfights broke out beyond the saloon doors in the street where cowboys often died with their boots on, hence the name Boot Hill.

PRO TIP: Keep the cowboy-crazed good time going at Boot Hill Distillery.

The Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site in Olathe provides living history programming on Saturday in April, May, September, and October. You can catch daily activities on the farm in action, Wednesday through Saturday, from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

I have yet to visit Mahaffie, but I’m told it’s a must-visit stop when in the Kansas City area, especially if you’re interested in learning more about livestock at The Agricultural Heritage Barn.

A short drive from Kansas City, Shawnee Town 1929 in Shawnee offers visitors a chance to experience a typical day in a farm community where cowboys and their families would have settled.

The reality of farmstead life becomes apparent when entering the Market Shed, where produce was washed and sorted for the market.

Set aside time to appreciate Dunbar School, a one-room schoolhouse with authentic artifacts. Appreciate the entrepreneurial achievements of business owners at Garrett Grocery Store, City Ice, and Fisher Chevrolet Dealership.

PRO TIP: Old Shawnee Days is an entertaining event that attracts thousands of visitors to Shawnee Town 1929 each June. Known for its carnival, music, concessions, and vendors, it is worth planning your trip around.

Eat Like a Cowboy

Make no mistake, Kansas cooks know how to prepare stick-to-your-ribs chicken-fried steak dinners and hearty cast-iron meals, including some of the best-tasting steak dinners.

I consider myself a connoisseur of chicken-fried steak, and the best one I’ve enjoyed is served at M&R Grill in Abilene.

Another restaurant deserving of runner-up status for its chicken-fried steak dinners is Colbert Hills in Manhattan.

PRO TIP: Carve out time to visit the Big Spur next door at Rittel’s Western Wear, a stop on the Cowboy Art Trail and Gunsmoke Trail.

Admire Art Celebrating The Cowboy Lifestyle

Abilene, a stop on the Chisholm Trail from 1867 to 1871, was part of the route Texas cowboys took to drive cattle to market.

Be sure to follow the Cowboy Art Trail to sites around town that include The World’s Largest Belt Buckle, sculptures, murals, and over a dozen hand-painted cowboy boots.

A stop on the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail, Hays honors its history as a cow town from 1867 to the 1870s with landmarks and historic buildings celebrating its Wild West story.

The town’s rich history as a cattle stop for cowboys and gamblers is celebrated in its public art, including dozens of hand-carved sculptures by local, nationally-known artist Pete Felten.

Take the Historic Walking Tour through Downtown Hays at The Bricks to learn about the notable sites where the West’s famous characters like Wild Bill Hickock, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Calamity Jane hung out in saloons and gambling houses.

Observe Buffalo Up-Close on The Prairie

Imagine riding on the back of a truck as a stampede of buffalo approaches, looking straight at you. It’s snack time for buffalo treats. The most exhilarating feeling, and perhaps the most quintessential Kansas experience, Duff’s Buffalo Ranch in Scott City offers private buffalo tours.

We were so close to the buffalo that we could hear their heavy breathing and occasional moans. The ranch owner drove as his wife rustled a bag of feed from the rear of the pickup truck. A herd of hundreds of buffalo enthusiastically ate a trail of food as the truck rolled slowly forward through the rugged terrain.

In McPherson County, John Gault Maxwell immigrated from Scotland in 1859 and became a grain farmer and dealer. He was enamored by the Kansas prairie and devoted to preserving it and the native wildlife.

After his death, he willed $75,000 to purchase land in Canton, used by Maxwell Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit organization, for educational purposes. Located on the Kansas Prairie Trail Scenic Byway, the refuge opened in 1951 with ten buffalo and six elk.

Today, it flourishes with up to 250 animals each spring.

Make a reservation to board a tram covered in windows for a 45-minute tour of the prairie to view buffalo and elk. You are more likely to see elk from the tram tour if you reserve a seat on the first tram of the day. Once they feed, they roam to distant areas of the prairie.

I’ve also observed a buffalo herd grazing from a safe distance during a tour of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Chase County. It’s another life-changing experience you simply must have when in Kansas.

A guided tour through native grassland, home to 500 plant species, begins at the visitor’s center. A bus driver will take onlookers via a trail, pausing on a hilltop for a remarkable panoramic view. Be sure to listen for the Kansas meadowlark, the state’s bird.

PRO TIP: Prefer to hike? View the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve hiking map.

Explore the Santa Fe Trail Landmarks

The Santa Fe Trail, also known as The Great Prairie Highway, stretched through five states, including Kansas. Pioneers and traders used the trail like a two-way highway.

According to the National Park Service, the Santa Fe Trail became a national road connecting the more settled parts of the United States to the new Southwest territories after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war in 1848.

The Santa Fe Trail Center, located near Larned, is a museum operated by the Fort Larned Historical Society that teaches visitors about the role the route played in Westward Expansion in Kansas.

Additionally, I’d recommend driving to Council Grove. Santa Fe Trail travelers purchased goods at the Last Chance Store, which remains open to the public today.

Explore the History of the Pony Express

When in Seneca, you must experience one of its most historic treasures, the Pony Express Museum. A relic of the Wild West, the museum tells the story of the town’s role as a stop on the Pony Express mail route in the late 1800s. Seneca claims the Smith Hotel was the first home station.

As you walk upon the building’s original wood floors, explore a makeshift saloon, a replica schoolroom, and original artifacts for the Smith Hotel, a refuge for riders needing a break.

Don’t leave without learning the fascinating history of westbound rider Johnny Frey and peeking inside the old jail cell.

PRO TIP: To guarantee a tour, call (785) 294-6655 to schedule an appointment.

Naturally, your next stop should be the Pony Express Barn & Museum in Marysville, the Original Pony Express Home Station No. 1, dating back to 1859. A native limestone building, it is nestled next to the barn that once served as a livery stable.

During my tour, a guide led me from artifact stations to dioramas depicting Native American tribes that once lived in the area. I became increasingly impressed by the museum’s exhibits.

Given how difficult it is to curate items from the Pony Express era, the museum captures the year well.

Shop Local for Western Wear

Yeehaw! For over 50 years, Nigro’s Western Store No. 2 in Shawnee has outfitted shoppers with the best denim and boots in Shawnee, Kansas. Celebrities like Gwen Stefani and Moses Brings Plenty have shopped its aisles.

Third-generation owned and operated, the Western store is a cowboy’s and cowgirl’s dream. Boots, belts, jewelry, jeans…they’ve got it all for concert season or any day of the year.

Save your spending money for Lisa’s Western Wear in Pratt to stock up on leather boots and cowboy fashion. Cowboys and cowgirls around the area shop here for rodeo gear. You won’t find many independently owned stores like this one in the state.

Ladies, don’t walk past the jewelry shelves without trying on some new bling.

One look at the Big Spur located in Abilene in front of Rittel’s Western Shop, and you’ll feel inspired to go inside and shop for a pair of cowboy boots.

The store’s resident greeter, a cattle dog named Rio, will welcome you.

High Call Outfitters in Great Bend is a hidden gem. The apparel shop specializes in on-trend western and business casual apparel for men and women. Children’s clothes and shoes are available in the back room.

The store carries brands including Pendleton, Liverpool, and Wrangler. If you’re in a rush to find a comfortable pair of jeans or a shirt for a last-minute date night, you’ll find it here.

Other tried-and-true stores I’d recommend for western wear include Sister Bojangles Boutique (Lindsborg), A5 Western (Hutchinson), and Dandales Western Store (Wichita).

Wild West Festivals You Should Experience

During late July, Dodge City Days is a 10-day celebration of the Wild West, including a High Noon Gunfight at Boot Hill Museum, PRCA Rodeo Round-Up and Championship Finals Night, parades, live music, and Kidfest.

Dalton Defenders Days in Coffeyville takes place the first weekend in October to commemorate the lives lost when residents defended their town against the ruthless, bank-robbing Dalton Gang.

One can expect a reenactment show downtown daily, live music, craft vendors, a car show, and food trucks.

EquiFest of Kansas in Topeka is where you need to be if you want to experience the cowboy way and watch live rodeo action.

The three-day celebration of all things horses includes demonstrations, two rodeo events, vendors, live music, and clinics. View my Instagram posts to see what you can expect on Day 1 and Day 2-3.

Follow the Gunsmoke Trail Like Marshall Matt Dillon

If you’re a fan of the radio and television show “Gunsmoke,” then you’ll want to follow the show’s trails through Kansas: Wichita, Hays, Abilene, and Dodge City. 

My article “Explore the Wild West Legends Along the Kansas Gunsmoke Trail,” written for Kansas Country Living Magazine, details what you can expect at each stop and why the show still appeals to today’s nostalgic fans.

For a genuine understanding of what made the Kansas frontier wild, you have to immerse yourself in cowboy culture. Learn its history, eat like a cowboy, and wear the attire.

To access more authentic experiences that conjure the Old West, read Kansas Museums to Imagine Life on the Prairie, a guide to 22 self-guided spaces that house artifacts from when Native Americans lived in the Sunflower State.

Happy Trails.