Kansas Sampler Foundation

06/18/2026

🚗 From the Road. Monica recently spent three days exploring Marion County's 12 incorporated and 6 unincorporated cities.

Marion County communities show pride in their schools and in carrying on the legacy of the early settlers and those who continue to call Marion County home. The Hillsboro Museum includes the Kreutziger School House which is a one-room schoolhouse saved and moved to its current location by its alumni when it would have been flooded by the creation of the Marion Reservoir.

💧Speaking of water, one surprise we found was that the county has countless natural springs that mean there are green patches in fields no matter how dry the summer gets. Chingawassa Springs was a short-lived health resort northeast of the city of Marion in the 1880's. The contemporary Chingawassa Days celebration, held annually in June, takes its name from this history.

06/17/2026

Just to help prime your exploring spirit on the backroads, we've included many scenic drives or backroad drives in areas of the state that aren't normal tourism roads on kansasguidebook.org. We also have all the state Scenic byways and Historic Byways on the site, too. There's a little description with each photo but go to the site to get directions and see more pictures. There is so much beauty to find on the backroads!

If you want to save these trips for your Bucket List, it's easy to do on the site if you're a Kansas Explorers Club member.

06/12/2026

Are you Kansas adventuring this summer? 🌻😎 Here's a travel tip: Check out the Kansas Sampler Foundation's guide -- now online! First published as a book in 2017, the Kansas Guidebook for Explorers and its 5,000 entries are now fully updated and searchable. It covers 626 cities and all 105 counties, for heaven's sake. Both the book and its update were extraordinary labors of love by authors Marci Penner and WenDee Rowe for the foundation. See Kansas with new eyes!

06/12/2026

Let's give our Kansas businesses the recognition they deserve. The To the Stars Kansas Business Award nominations are due Monday, June 15! Submit nominations here: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/tothestars/

A statewide grand banquet and much more to celebrate in 2026. The Department of Commerce will host a Statewide Awards Banquet on October 8 in Overland Park. Who will be named the best of the best in 11 different categories? That’s up to you! It’s time to nominate the company, organization or ind...

06/11/2026

🚗From the Road
Karly and Monica hit the road and explored Geary County, home to Junction City, Fort Riley, and Milford Lake.

One surprise? Getting onto Fort Riley is easier than you might think. Fill out a simple online form and you can explore historic limestone buildings, museums, memorials, and even visit the gravesite of "Chief," the last cavalry horse on U.S. Army rolls.

Not every Kansas adventure ends at a waterfall, but this one did. A quick trek through a little mud at Geary State Fishing Lake rewards curious explorers with a waterfall that's well worth the dirty shoes.

06/10/2026

Want to go on a Courthouse Quest--or just see what our courthouses look like? Just insert "courthouse" into kansasguidebook.org search bar and pictures of all the courthouses in the site will pop up. It's pretty slick to see them in one place. Click on any of them to learn more and get details. IF you're signed up as a Kansas Explorer Club member, you can create an itinerary that will take you around the state to see the ones you choose. Just play with the site and start planning a road trip!

06/04/2026

Our big cities are great places to explore. Take Topeka, for example, no matter your age or interest, there is something for you. Just go to kansasguidebook.org and put "Topeka" in the search bar. Instant pictures will give you a quick idea of some things to see and do, and places to eat.

Take things to another Exploring level and keep track of places on your bucket list, where you've been, how much you've spent (invested in Kansas), or go to the forum and share your recommendations. To do these things you just need to be a Kansas Explorer Club member for $18.61 (individual) or $30 (family). Then you can even get help making itineraries.

It's all designed to help support Kansas communities and to help you see Kansas with new eyes.

05/31/2026

Hey Network!

We've had so many conversation lately about what makes a community feel welcoming.

Whether you're a longtime resident or someone who chose your community more recently, we'd love to hear your thoughts. What helps people feel like they belong? What are the small things, big gestures, or community traditions that make a difference?

Share your ideas, examples, and experiences in the comments. Your insight might help another community become a place where more people feel at home.

05/29/2026

Monica and Karly have been out exploring Kansas lately.

From small towns to main streets, museums to murals, we've been gathering stories and reminders of why Kansas is worth exploring.

Can you recognize where we've been from these detail shots? Drop your guesses in the comments

05/22/2026

Kansas expects you to be curious and observant--and South Central is a good place to practice. It's the detail in a band shell, the salad before the meal, the art on the sidewalk, the waterfall when it rains. Just click on the map at kansasguidebook.org for this region and let hundreds and hundreds of day trip options roll in front of you.

You know the drill by now. Kansas Explorers Club membership brings you bene's like unlocking a trip planner that allows you to make a bucket list, record where you've been, ultimately earn badges (we're still making those). and more.

At the Kansas Sampler Foundation, we love finding the details and nuances that make our state a one-of-a-kind explorer destination. Be curious--and you'll be on an infinite search.