Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com.
Kansas curiosities—the mega-huge things—the quirky roadside attractions capture our gaze and make us ask, “Why?” The Sunflower State is home to numerous picture-worthy wonders, and these ten attractions are noteworthy. Which one will you seek out next?
GREENSBURG
World’s Largest Hand Dug Well
The Big Well Museum & Visitors Center (315 S. Sycamore St.) World’s Largest Hand Dug Well is a must-see attraction to add to your travel bucket list. I was amazed by its impressive size. Down, down, down…109 feet.
Visitors can walk down into the well via a sturdy staircase to get a closer look. Three million visitors visit one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas to descend into its depths and/or toss a penny to the bottom.
WICHITA
Muffler Man Statue
Roadside attractions don’t get much better than the Muffler Man at Brown’s Tire and Custom Wheel Center (4203 S. Broadway) in South Wichita.
He is holding a tire in his right hand; the oversized statue is so large that the tire he is holding looks small in comparison. You can’t miss him. He is dressed in blue denim jeans and a bright red shirt.
SENECA
Widest Historic Hand Dug Well
Seneca boasts the Widest Historic Hand Dug Well (301 N. 11th Street). No longer in use, it’s open for tours by appointment. Over 130,000 bricks and 100 cords of stone were used during construction in 1895.
The well is 34 feet wide by 65 feet deep, and the original pump remains on top of a service platform. Tours are available from May through October by calling the Nemaha County Historical Museum at (785) 336-6366.
Beloved Parrot’s Grave
During my tour of the well, I chatted with my host about odd roadside attractions. She mentioned the town’s beloved buried parrot in Seneca City Cemetery, and I had to see Beauty’s gravesite market for myself.
The subject of local folklore, the parrot belong to a Seneca resident Henry W. Fuller who admired it so much his feathered friend is buried next to him. He taught Beauty how to talk, and she was thought to have a 300-word vocabulary. She died at age 50.
ABILENE
World’s Largest Belt Buckle
They said it was big. They said it was worth pulling the car over for, and they weren’t kidding. The World’s Largest Belt Buckle (400 N. Pine Street) is 19 feet by 10.5 inches wide and 13 feet by 11.25 inches tall situated high on a frame with stairs.
A view from the top not only serves as an entertaining photo opportunity, but it provides views of Eisenhower Park & Rose Garden and an amphitheater.
WILSON
World’s Largest Czech Egg
In honor of Wilson’s heritage, the World’s Largest Czech Egg (2520 Ave. D) designed by artist Christine Slechta, stands 20′ tall by 15′ wide at Ed & LaVange Shiroky Park.
But perhaps the town’s most coveted Czech eggs are found indoors at The Midland Mercantile and Art Gallery, the home of Kepka Belton’s collection.
LUCAS
World’s Largest Souvenir Plate
The World’s Largest Souvenir Travel Plate (5496 K-18 Highway) serves as the welcome sign as you enter Lucas, an example of the whimsical artwork you can expect to see on display throughout town.
Park your car on either side of the road at a pull-off area, if you want to take an up-close photo.
Second Best Restroom in America
Referred to as “a mosaic patchwork potty, Bowl Plaza (121 S. Main Street), is more than a public restroom. The artists, Mri-Pilar and Eric Abraham, used pieces of broken pottery, glass bottles, toys, and more to adorn the pretty privy. Venture inside, even if you don’t need to use the facilities, and sign the guestbook.
Bowl Plaza earned recognition as 2nd Best Restroom in America by Cintas and Quirkiest Experience at the 2018 International Toilet Tourism Awards.
GOODLAND
World’s Largest Painting on an Easel
Most Kansans have heard of the Giant Van Gogh, the World’s Largest Painting on an Easel (1901-1917 Cherry Avenue). If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth taking Exit 17 into Goodland from KS I-70. The 24’x34′ replica of the artist’s sunflower painting sits directly behind the town’s visitor’s center. It was erected on site on June 19, 2001. ‘
A must-see attraction, it’s easy to walk up to it using the brick-lined sidewalk and get a glimpse. You can expect to see other tourists taking selfies and photos of it.
COLBY
Largest Barn in Kansas
A major reason for my visit to Colby was to step foot inside The Cooper Barn (1905 S. Franklin Avenue). The largest barn in Kansas stands 66′ wide, 114′ long, and 48′ high. Voted one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas Architecture, I had to look inside. I drew back one of the barn doors. The interior was impeccably clean.
The first floor’s exhibit, “Agriculture on the High Plains: High Dry,” encourages visitors to imagine farming during water scarcity. What’s on the third floor? You’ll have to see it for yourself when you visit Colby.
This list merely scratches the surface of unique attractions worth pulling over to see. In fact, I’ve yet to add twine to the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, so stay tuned for an update.
BONUS! Pull over in downtown Lyons, Kansas, to view the World’s Largest Salt Shaker, a nod to Central Salt, an area mine that produces rock salt and deicing chemicals for snow and ice control.
Some call Kansas a flyover state, but who would want to miss this? Bookmark this list for your next cross-country Kansas road trip; a trail of roadside wonders awaits.
In the meantime, check out my Facebook post for 10 more whimsical roadside wonders worth pulling over to see up close.
I loved the concept of adding my selection of condiments from the Keep It Saucey station, adding pico de gallo and hot sauce to my heaping mound of nachos.
Whether you’re visiting Casa Mariachi for a lunch or dinner date or watching soccer while devouring a scrumptious meal, the festive vibe and menu selections deliver a party vibe
PRO TIP: Cash only. An ATM is located at a bank nearby.
Many of the predominantly Swedish town’s residents gather there for an early-morning coffee and breakfast pastry, and the restaurant recently started serving lunch for mid-day diners.
You’re alway guaranteed to find the owner’s famous cinnamon rolls under the glass case. Don’t miss a chance to purchase his family’s jarred jams and jellies.
Tasty Pastry Bakery & Coffee Shop is open every day except Sunday. Arrive early to order the best pastry selection. The coffee is hot, and the donuts are fresh.
Other bakeries in Lawrence worth checking out include 
Not only do they serve delectable pastries for early-morning crowds, their baristas can prepare a short list of classic coffee or hot tea drinks. Late-day patrons may appreciate the bar menu.
The display case is refilled with cake and old-fashioned style donuts as they run out. Expect to find bottled drinks, including cold coffee brands and milk in the reach-in cooler.
I judge a donut shop by a perfectly soft, glazed donut. Carol Lee Donuts knows what they’re doing. Add it to your Salina travel bucket list.
I recommend ordering a Bacon Hand Pie, served warm with a butter-flavor flaky crust and a soft interior filled with egg, cheese, and of course, bacon. I sampled a sausage burrito, and it was tasty but not nearly as delectable as the hand pie.
My ham and cheese breakfast cheese made with flaky crust was the real deal. It paired well with a Mixed Up real fruit smoothie prepared with strawberries, pineapple, mango, and peaches. The berry scone was to die for.
The lunch menu includes multi-layered sandwiches, salmon cake, BBQ meals, and more.
The display case was filled with every kind of donut you could imagine. Apple fritters the size of your hand. Blueberry cake donuts. Cinnamon rolls. And classics like maple long johns and old-fashioned crullers.
Use a scoop and bag to stock up on bulk candy priced at $10/lb. My lemon macaroon was perfectly soft, and the no-bake cocoa cookie lasted only minutes.
Other Wichita must-stops for donuts or pastries include 
As I devoured a chocolate cake donut and a melt-in-your-mouth glazed donut, customers came and went with brown bags filled with tasty early morning treats.
If you’re not into sweets, consider order their yummy meat and cheese breakfast burritos – don’t forget to ask for salsa.
If you’re someone who loves to order a steaming cup of coffee with their breakfast, please read my blog post, 
In 2015, Gress said, “If people at least understand what’s going on out there and how important it is, maybe they’ll come to appreciate it and want to protect it and maybe change their own behavior to improve the situation.” (Source: The Wichita Eagle)
In 1958, the budding entrepreneurs grew the company from a humble start-up business to one of the world’s biggest, most well-known restaurant companies. Today, the company’s net worth is worth over $810 billion.
Today, Chance Rides is the only one of the three businesses still in operation, producing roller coasters, rides, and park trains.
He laid out the trail between his trading post at the mouth of the Little Arkansas River to the Indian territory that extended northward to Abilene, Kansas. Cowboys pushed cattle herds through town and across the river near the Douglas Street Bridge.
Nicknamed “The Rave,” the 6-7 forward averaged 24.3 points in four seasons at WSU and helped lead the team to their first NCAA appearance in 1964.
The highly decorated leader earned the National Security Medal, the President’s Citizens Medal, National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (twice), and the Distinguished Intelligence Medal (three times).
Her tirades continued for years. Eventually, she was jailed many times before dying in Leavenworth, Kansas, on June 9, 1911.
I appreciate that Wichita Park and Recreation, in partnership with Byers, decided to beautify the city’s parks with artistic benches that beautify the surroundings and showcase Wichita’s history makers. Byer’s use of vibrant colors, the Wichita flag, and the city’s abbreviated name, ICT, make them symbolic.
I chose the Cinnamon Dolce Chai Tea Latte served over ice during my visit. I didn’t mind the short wait for my iced coffee because I was keen to sit in a tiny alcove of the café decorated with modern finishes and seating for two people. It provided a private space to enjoy my beverage while using free Wi-Fi to catch up on work.
I know I’m biased when I tell others there is always great dining and fun entertainment in Wichita, but it’s true.
The hotel is considered haunted. Hotel employees have seen Colonel Eldridge’s ghost sitting in an original hotel chair in storage. A photograph taken in the lobby shows a ghostly spirit standing in the lobby’s elevator.
Room 506 is considered to be the most haunted guest room in the hotel, and it is considered the colonel’s favorite spot. Of course, I requested room 506 for my overnight stay. Lights flickered. Phone power drained. Would you stay there?
Once home to the Union National Bank and Dockum Drug Store in 1926, it opened as Ambassador Hotel Wichita eight decades later. Fourteen stories tall, it was considered the tallest building in Kansas when it was completed.
In addition to its architectural significance, the building also has historical value. It was the site of a in 1958 at the Dockum Drug Store led by African Americans to end segregation. Ask about the on-site speakeasy, Dockum.
Owned by George Siedhoff, The Broadview Hotel’s grand opening took place on May 15, 1922. Originally built to give railway passengers added convenience when traveling, it was the premier hotel in the Midwest. In fact, you can still see the train depot’s stone archway entrance on the east side of the building.
Since 1879, 
