News
We love to share positive stories about our five-star community!
Check out some of our favorites:
- Best U.S. Small Town by TravelAwaits (2021)
- #2 Best Historic Small Town by USA Today (2020)
- Coolest Small Town in Kansas by Far and Wide (2020)
- Most Beautiful Small Town in Kansas by House Beautiful magazine (2020)
- #8 Best Historic Small Town by USA Today (2019)
- #1 True Western Town of the Year by TrueWest magazine (2018)
- Best Weekend Getaway by KANSAS! magazine (2018)
Keep checking back as we continue to populate this list!
Tour the Award-Winning Town of Abilene, Kansas
Abilene, Kansas offers visitors a multitude of places to explore that celebrate its history. Voted the Most Beautiful Small Town in Kansas by House Beautiful (2020), it deserves the recognition. From...
Best Travel Stops on Kansas I-70 When Traveling By RV
Traveling out west in an RV can be fun, yet it can be challenging. Here are some of the best travel stops for you when you are traveling Kansas I-70 with an RV. Each of these places offers a...
Summer Road Trip Series - Lumber House True Value
Abilene is home to some of the nice people and best service and Lumber House True Value is great at both. They offer so much more than a hardware store. They have design, paint, furniture and...
40 American Towns You Haven't Heard of But Should Visit ASAP
Let us introduce you to 40 unsung hot spots across the U.S. that might not have made it onto your bucket list...yet Abilene, Kansas This town's claim to fame is that President Dwight D....
Top 10 things to do in North Central Kansas
Do you like Ike? Dwight Eisenhower became a five-star general and President of the United States. Yet the greatest Kansan told his hometown, “The proudest thing I can claim is that I am from Abilene...
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Kansas, A New State on Our Long Summer Trip
Kansas Camping Kansas is one of six new states for us in our 2021 summer trip. We spent three days in Topeka, early in our trip, and two days in Abilene on our way towards home. It is a beautiful...
2021 Central Kansas Free Fair Barn Quilt Fan Favorite
2021 CKFF Barn Quilt Fan Favorite Winner Congratulations to barn quilt #114, April Barker, for winning the CKFF Barn Quilt Fan Favorite award! 2021 Central Kansas Free Fair Barn Quilt Fan...
Abilene, Kansas: Wild West to White House
Abilene, Kansas, offers history buffs a timeline of experiences that begins in 1857 when Timothy and Elizabeth Hersey first settled on the banks of Mud Creek. Elizabeth named Abilene after references...
40 of the Best Small Town Vacation Spots
When it comes to your vacation, most people seek out places they've seen on TV or have heard about from friends and family. Fair enough. Now, let us introduce you to 40 unsung hot spots. These...
Cattle Drive in Abilene
A herd of Texas longhorn steers will be in Abilene for the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo and the Central Kansas Free Fair parade. The majestic animals are the same breed as was driven from Texas to...
Presidential Historians Survey 2021
For the second time in a row, President Dwight D. Eisenhower is named #5 Best President by C-SPAN Historians. The Qualities of Presidential Leadership are based on categories including: Public...
New owner plans to bring 140-year-old Abilene mansion back to life
The Lebold Mansion in Abilene has a new owner, a modern Renaissance man of sorts who has a number of ideas to bring the historic mansion and the public together once again. "The lights are on again...
Here Are The 10 Most Beautiful, Charming Small Towns In Kansas
There’s no denying it (no matter how hard you try): Kansas is a gorgeous state with some of the kindest, most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. Aside from the lovely scenery and residents, we are...
Bulls Head Saloon Longhorn Coming Home
Thanks to more than 70 donors from Abilene and throughout Kansas, "Shotgun" Ben Thompson’s Bulls Head Saloon Longhorn is returning to Abilene. “We are beyond excited to bring this unique piece of...
7 Incredibly Charming Small Towns To Visit In Kansas
Any list of charming Kansas small towns starts with Abilene, our 2021 Best U.S. Small Town winner, and Lindsborg, winner in the most Hallmark Movie–Esque Small Town category and finalist for the...
How to appreciate the beauty of Kansas like an out-of-state tourist
Our host told a story as the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad excursion train pulled away from town: Years ago, a local young woman turned down the offer of a date from a local young man — he was...
Get the best of the Midwest with these KC summer day trips
The time is here for summer vacations! The school year is through and the continuing re-openings have us all craving a getaway. Did you know that there are some amazing destinations relatively close...
Eisenhower Announces Expanded Hours
The Eisenhower Museum is now open Monday through Saturday! New Hours (Effective June 21) Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Note: Last entry at 1:15 p.m. Tickets Timed entry tickets are...
Memorialized - Abilene rodeo celebrates 75th anniversary, legendary rodeo clown on belt buckle
A man near and dear to the hearts of rodeo fans in Abilene and around the nation has been memorialized on a Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo buckle. Lecile Harris, a Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame rodeo clown who...
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Road Trip: Your Guide To Summer Adventures Across Central Kansas
While it may not be first in mind when you think of a road trip destination, the key to a good Kansas adventure is to get off the beaten track — and by track, we mean I-70. The straight shot west...