Wamego, KS

A daytime spot downtown serving home-style lunches with a German influence and a from-scratch bakery turning out sticky buns and pies. Go for the rotating daily entree special and grab a cinnamon sticky bun on the way out.

An artisan coffee bar roasting its own beans on site, with seasonal muffins and scones baked fresh daily. The bacon-maple scone is the local move, and the roasting is taken seriously for a town this size.

One of the few sit-down dinner and full-bar options in town, with comfort food and a chicken-fried steak sandwich. There is outdoor seating and a friendly, fast-moving local crowd.

An extensive sit-down Mexican menu in a vividly decorated dining room, with swift seating and warm service. Ask for the house salsa rather than relying on the milder sides.

A small local pit smoking barbecue to order, takeout-focused and prone to selling out. Go early; the limited hours and sell-outs mean it is a first-stop kind of place.

A small-batch ice cream shop downtown with weekly-rotating flavors and gluten-free and dairy-free options. The flavors change each week, and it sits right on the painted Yellow Brick Road downtown.

An old-school drive-in slinging double cheeseburgers, onion rings, and soft-serve, a longtime local family stop. The onion rings and real ice cream are the move over the burger alone.

A preserve of switchback prairie trails climbing to a hilltop summit with panoramic tallgrass views and Underground Railroad history. The upper-and-lower loop is the best route; the shorter loop is family-easy.

Native prairie and woodland trails bordering the historic Oregon Trail, with a towering hand-painted grain silo as the landmark. Three short nature loops pass a lake and streams; the painted silo mural is the don't-miss photo.

Classic Flint Hills tallgrass-prairie hiking through a research preserve, with concentric loops to ridge-top vistas. It is about thirty minutes west and the region's signature hike; the full loop earns the best views, but the shorter loop covers the highlights.

A museum of thousands of Wizard of Oz artifacts spanning the whole history of the story, the anchor of downtown. Combine it with the painted Yellow Brick Road and the scattered Toto statues, and time a visit to the fall Oz festival if you can.

A family-run tasting room with Oz-themed wines and free tastings, a block from the museum. It also stocks local creamery cheese and chocolates, so it doubles as a local-goods stop.

One of the prettiest town parks in the state, with a pond, gardens, a miniature train, and the relocated Old Dutch Mill. It is free to wander; the small-gauge train runs seasonally and the park hosts the spring Tulip Festival.

An eighteen-hole course rated among the better public-access layouts in the state, with a back nine of rolling hills, bridges, and ponds. A scenic, well-kept round just outside town.

A stone windmill hand-built by a Dutch immigrant and moved into the city park by dozens of horse-drawn wagons, now the town's signature photo. It sits on a mound overlooking the park lake, right next to the historical museum.

A local-history museum and re-created prairie village of old storefronts beside the windmill, run by volunteers. It is the context for the windmill, so do them together on a park visit.

A limestone theater displaying original murals from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, still a working community playhouse with a downstairs gallery. Check the season calendar before you go, since shows run intermittently.