My 2025 Kansas Bucket List
Being born and raised in Kansas, I carry with me the long list of shared experiences many of us do:
I’ve felt kindred spirits with Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and have donned a blue-checked dress, pigtails and ruby slippers on multiple Halloweens.
Climbed the stairs of the state capitol in Topeka until my legs went numb.
Captured plenty of photos smiling among sunflowers.
Made the never ending trek across I-70 in search of mountains in a neighboring state.
I’ve experienced the cliche of watching a tumbleweed cross the road.
I can rattle off the state motto, state song, state bird, and state reptile easy peasy. Did you know not every state drills these trivia points into the minds of young students year after year?
I personally opted for the wheat tattoo instead of the sunflower. But let’s be honest, the sunflower could be a thing eventually.
Received countless looks of indifference when I tell people where I’m from, followed up by the confused looks when I tell them it’s actually pretty cool.
With more than 10 years of experience in the Kansas tourism industry, I’d like to think I’m a bit more acquainted with the Sunflower State than some. However, my hometown of Kansas City, KS, is as far east as you can go. There are plenty of life-long Kansans who hardly consider where I’m from a part of the state. I can’t pretend I haven’t stared out at the rolling prairie, felt wind on my face and heard a faint whistle of mystery. There is still so much I haven’t done here, so much I don’t know.
If you know me personally, and if you're reading this you probably do, you know that I spent a brief period of time living in Arizona. When I made that move I attempted to swallow the big lump in my throat that represented the Kansas experiences I would likely never live out. Upon coming home, life was put on a gentle pause while I had my son and tended to him in his first year.
That brings us to today. My energy and intrigue have reemerged. The call to see more in my home state feels a lot like an animal growing more ravenous by the day. So let’s feed it.
I’ve compiled a list of 25 items I’d like to make happen. 25 items I’ve deliberated over coffee and wine. Items I firmly believe will make me a better advocate, more seasoned traveler and knowledgeable Kansan.
My 2025 Kansas Bucket List
Patron at least one Kansas local business or try at least one Kansas-made product a month.
Shop at a farmer’s market outside of the Kansas City area.
Eat a locally-famous cuisine outside of the Kansas City area.
Snap a photo in front of the World’s Largest Belt Buckle, Abilene
Check off 8 items across the 8 Wonders of Kansas lists.
Take a ranch or farm tour.
Discover a new mural to love.
See bison at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Strong City
Take a class at a Kansas small business.
Pick out a Christmas tree at D & G Christmas Tree Farm, Louisburg
Make a pit stop at the Bowl Plaza, Lucas
Spontaneously pull over to see a roadside attraction.
Walk along the water at Wilson Lake State Park, Sylvan Grove
Find my zen at a spa.
Camp at Historic Lake Scott, Scott City
Survive a haunted experience.
Explore Western Kansas with Ford.
Wear my Amelia Earhart t-shirt at the birthplace of Amelia Earhart, Atchison
Visit a new-to-me museum.
Dine at a Kansas farm-to-table restaurant.
Carry on our family tradition of visiting the sunflowers at Grinter Farms, Lawrence
Have a drink at a new-to-me Kansas winery, brewery, and coffee shop.
Wander the Flint Hills.
Visit a state or national historic site.
Catch a sunset so beautiful it makes me tear up.
You may notice some of the items on this list are left a bit open to interpretation. Each is something I’ve deemed as a conduit for getting to know Kansas on a more intimate level. They aren’t all exactly kid friendly, though Ford will be tagging along for much of it. I also look forward to solo excursions, dates with my husband, and adventures with friends. There’s a reason it’s titled My 2025 Kansas Bucket List. No, it’s not the ultimate Kansas bucket list. It’s made up of things I enjoy. These include, but are not limited to the outdoors, museums and history, food and drink, and agritourism.
I’m aware there’s so much more to see and do. As a full-time working mom of a toddler, who still lives on a far east corner of the state, I’m intentionally making this manageable. Manageable, but still an exciting challenge if you ask me.
I’ll document my experiences here, with more visual storytelling on my social media channels. While I’m eager to get this completed, I know I’ll only find myself ready for more. I look forward to discovering all the new stops that are sure to be added along the way. My heart and my feet are ready. Let the adventure begin.
Monument Rocks, Oakley, KS
