Gateway to the Flint Hills, Emporia is blessed with beauty, charged with activity, and steeped in history. Veteran's Day, a national salute to American soldiers past and present, originated here ? in a town proud of its patriotism. A myriad of museums exist featuring everything from astronomy and geology to natural history. The town boasts a total of 15 recreational facilities. The newest is the Jones Aquatic Center with its lazy river, slides and Olympic-sized lap pool. There's also an 18-hole municipal golf course and numerous ball fields.

The Flint Hills Region is 50 miles of wavy hills composed of flint and limestone, running the full length of Kansas from Nebraska to Oklahoma. It makes up the largest unbroken acreage of grass prairie on the North American continent, and are bespeckled with wildflowers. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a salute to the rolling hills and tall grasses that once dominated most of the nation's Heartland from Indiana to Kansas, more than 140 million acres. The Flint Hills Scenic Byway (K-177 Highway) is an exquisite ride through 47-miles filled with historic sites such as the Santa Fe Trail, Council Oak, and the Old Cowboy Jail to name a few.

Junction City is located 62 miles from Topeka. It offers some nice recreational opportunities. Milford Lake, the biggest lake in Kansas, is known as the "Fishing Capitol of Kansas". There's also swimming and boating that keep the summer crowds happy. Riverwalk is a 4.8-mile path that is used for walking, jogging, horseback riding, biking and snowmobiling. A 1.2-mile paved biking and walking path is also available at South Park. According to Golf Digest, Rolling Meadows Golf Course is "one of the top ten places to play golf in Kansas.

Lawrence is a charming city with a youthful energy and a vibrant culture. The arts make up its soul and history its backbone. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Lawrence is one of a "dozen most distinctive destinations" in America.

Home to Kansas State University, Manhattan, "The Little Apple", is a blend of hills, prairie, and city. Its population has grown every decade since its inception in 1855. And today, it is home to 44,831 people. The town is blessed with countless retails stores and restaurants. Aggieville, which abuts the campus, is one of the oldest and most renown retail centers in America. The 1,200-acre Tuttle Creek State Park has a reservoir and 100 miles of wooded shoreline. Tuttle Creek has many amenities including an 18-hole golf course, nature and equestrian trails, a shooting range, swimming, boating, and fishing. Sailing, too.