Topeka, fourth most populated city in Kansas, is the capital of Kansas. Once a major railroad hub, it now depends heavily on tourism for a strong economy.

The city overflows with shops and restaurants offering customers a wide choice of products in a variety of retail settings. The 1.1-million-square-foot West Ridge Mall serves as a regional draw for shop-a-holics, making Topeka a shopping nirvana.

Delicious cuisine with many ethnic flavors are available. Casinos and night clubs keep excitement on tap and sleeps are easy to find, running the full scale of styles and prices.

Among countless points of interest are: Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education National Historic Site & Museum, Reinisch Rose Garden, Old Prairie World at Ward-Meade Historic Site, Kansas State Capitol, Combat Air Museum, and Center for Historical Research.

Topeka is an active town with numerous resources for fun and games. Swimming, tennis and softball are played amid the beautiful surroundings of Gage Park. Racing fans satisfy their passion at Heartland Park Topeka, America's newest state-of-the-art racing complex.

Walking trails, a golf course and marina, tennis courts and ball fields are all found at the man-made 411-acre Lake Shawnee and surrounding parkland. Fishing, swimming, sailing and boating are also popular here. Golfing is available at several facilities, including the municipally-run, Par 71 Cypress Ridge Golf Course.

There are two skate parks in town ? Rip-On and Mousetrap ? offering excellent facilities for skaters and bikers of all skill levels.

Watching the CHL Topeka Tarantulas zip across the ice at the Kansas Expocentre is a great way to charge up an evening. Washburn University has a number of excellent teams that make spectator sports a fun event. They play football at the 7200-seat Yager Stadium, baseball at Falley Field, and basketball at Lee Arena.

There's never a dull moment in Topeka, capital city of the Sunflower State, located on Interstate 70, about 52 miles west of Kansas City.