News
We love to share positive stories about our five-star community!
Check out some of our favorites:
- Destination of the Year by Midwest Travel Network (2002)
- #2 Best Historic Small Town by USA TODAY (2022)
- #1 Favorite U.S. Small Town by TravelAwaits (2022)
- #1 Friendliest U.S. Small Town by TravelAwaits (2022)
- Best Promotion of a Historic Place by TrueWest magazine (2022)
- #4 Best Historic Small Town by USA TODAY (2021)
- 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!
12 Friendliest Small Towns In The U.S.
As someone who lives in a small town, I know why folks tend to be so friendly. In a big city, you might flip someone off for cutting you off in traffic. In small towns, well for one, there’s not much...
20 Top Things to Do in Kansas
Like its endless-sky sunsets, the Sunflower State expands horizons with urban exploration in Wichita; treks through OZ and otherworldly rock formations; and cultural experiences in Topeka, Salina,...
11 Best Small Towns To Visit In The U.S.
From town squares lined with family-owned shops and diners to proximity to the great outdoors, small towns across the U.S. are treasure troves of good ole’ fashioned Americana. This list of our...
The 15 Best U.S. Small Towns for a Summer Vacation
There's just something about a small town in summer that hits a little differently. Perhaps it's the community festivals, the breezy nights walking down Main Street, or an ice cream truck rumbling...
Abilene Visitors Guide Receives National Award
The 2021-2022 Abilene Visitors Guide received an Award of Distinction from The Communicator Awards. The guide, designed by New Boston Creative Group, provides information for visitors to Abilene....
‘A hole in the ground' and other quirky curiosities mean money and pride for small Kansas towns
For small towns with dwindling populations and shrinking tax bases, luring travelers to stop and spend a few dollars is a matter of community survival. Some turn to quirky roadside tourist...
Small Town Presidents
I don’t know how many small-town Presidents there are. This spring we visited two small-town Presidents’ museums and libraries. It was fascinating. Bill Clinton was from Hope, Arkansas. Dwight...
Abilene Named Best Historic Small Town Finalist
Abilene is a finalist for USA Today’s 2022Readers’ Choice Best Historic Small Town contest for the fourth year in a row. “Thank you to the tourism attractions, businesses, residents, employees,...
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A Story-Worthy Adventure in North Central Kansas
Who doesn’t love a good story? The North Central region of Kansas introduces inspiring characters like former President Dwight D. Eisenhower (who loved reading history books as a boy in Abilene), “...
Aksent Boutique Reopens to Walk-In Customers
After two years as an online and special event-only boutique, Aksent Boutique in historic downtown Abilene is reopening to walk-in customers. "We are so excited for everyone to see our website,...
Abilene Exhibits at African American Travel Conference
The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau hosted a booth at the African American Travel Conference in Topeka on April 12. The event, hosted in partnership with Visit Topeka and TourKANSAS,...
Abilene CVB Represents Tourism Industry in Washington, D.C.
Julie Roller Weeks, director of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau and president of the Travel Industry Association of Kansas, traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to represent the Kansas...
Abilene To Host Kansas Media Event
The Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau is partnering with Kansas Tourism to host its 2022 Kansas Media Event. The event will host travel writers from around the country as they learn what...
America's Coolest Small Towns by State
Big cities like New York and Los Angeles may get most of the attention, but America is filled with small towns and communities that have long formed the backbone of the nation. These towns are filled...
22 Kansas activities to do in 2022
A fresh start to a fresh new year is the perfect excuse for making time to explore your own backyard! We’ve got 22 ideas for exploring the Sunflower State in 2022. Read more
25 Best Kansas Day Trips
Kansas, the land where buffaloes used to roam through miles of prairie landscape, has something to offer every visitor. This is true pioneer country and countless little towns like Abilene, Wakefield...
Travels in the Heartland: Saluting a president and more in Abilene, Kansas
ABILENE, KS (KMTV) — Dwight D. Eisenhower frolicked along the streets of Abilene as a child. He hunted in fields outside the small Kansas town. Fishing the Smoky River, he never thought he’d grow to...
Top 10 Towns to Experience Cowboy Culture
Abilene is named One of the Top 10 Towns to Experience Cowboy Culture in the latest edition of True West Magazine! Read more
10 regional winter light displays worth the drive from Wichita
A 40-foot-tall inflatable leg lamp, a “Will you marry me?” light display and the world’s tallest live-cut Christmas tree with thousands of ornaments and lights to cover all 141 feet. Our region has...
Abilene Named Best Promotion of a Historic Place
Thanks to True West Magazine for selecting Abilene as the winner of the "Best Promotion of a Historic Place" category in the upcoming Best of the West Collector's Edition. Best Promotion of a...