Kansas Tourist Attractions

Kansas Shrine Bowl Returns To Hays

The two previous Shrine Bowl games in Hays were 10 years apart, in 1997 and 2007, but Shrine Bowl Executive Director Dave Mize is glad to be returning to one of the state’s outstanding football communities in just four years. “The Hays people, and that includes the community, the local Shriners, and Ft. Hays State, have made it very clear that they love to host our game,” he says. “They have ‘rolled out the red carpet’ each time we’ve been here, and it was an easy decision to award the game to Hays based on how helpful they’ve been on our previous visits”. Hays has been good to the West squad, winning both “home” games by scores of 21-17 in 1997, and 26-7 in 2007. The West owns a 23-13 series lead, and has won a Shrine Bowl record 5 straight games. The last East team to celebrate a win was the 2005 squad, which won 17-10 in Manhattan. That team was led by then-quarterback Kerry Meier of Pittsburg, who became a star wide receiver at the University of Kansas, and will begin his second year in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons this fall. As always, the Shrine Bowl brings more than just football to the communities that serve as hosts. Traditional activities will include band and cheerleading camps conducted the week before the game, which will involve members of the Ft. Hays State staff and volunteers from Hays and across the State. On game day, the 5th annual pro-style high school combine will be conducted at Lewis Field, an opportunity for high school football players to have their skills evaluated in a pro-style environment. Also on game day, the traditional Shrine Bowl Parade, the largest annual Shrine parade in Kansas, will entertain hundreds of fans and local residents through downtown Hays. Before kickoff, a two mile Road Race and All-Star Cross Country will begin at 6:25 pm. For the fourth year in a row the race will begin the night’s events and end during the statewide televised pregame show on the track at Lewis Field Stadium. The combination of the two races will act as an additional fundraiser for the Kansas Shrine Bowl as well as a way to involve more all-star athletes throughout the state of Kansas. Mize says it’s a great opportunity for runners around the state to be involved. “It helps us raise more money for Shriners Hospitals for Children, and it allows the runners, who often compete in front of very few fans, to showcase their talents in front of a great crowd.” Visitors to Hays can enjoy several activities during their stay, including a visit to a Kansas Historic site at Ft. Hays, an army post established in 1865. Hays is also the home to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, a popular tourist attraction. Mize thinks people who haven’t visited Hays will be impressed. “Hays is like many of our great Kansas Communities”, he says. “It has its own unique attractions, its own culture, and the people are welcoming and friendly. It all adds up to be a great place for our game to be played.” Shriners Hospitals for Children is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to the age of 18 are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients' ability to pay. The 38th annual Shrine Bowl will be played Saturday, July 30, 2011, in Hays, Kansas, at Lewis Field Stadium, Fort Hays State University.

Tourist Attractions In Kansas | Kansas State Tourism Guide

Kansas is a corn producing state. When you visit Kansas, you will see numerous corn fields. How can one forget the very famous character of Dorothy who flew over the corn fields along with her little dog Toto. This state is a popular tourist destination. You will be surprised to see the rich historical background of the state. There are plenty of things which you can enjoy along with your entire family in this state.

Topeka is the capital city of this state. Here, you can see the Capital Building is a seat of the government. The Capital building is decorated with some amazing wall paintings and art works. Take your kids to see the Heartland Park. Here races take place on its very famous tracks. Another place worth mentioning here in the city is The Kansas Museum of History.

Next interesting town in the state is the Dodge City. This town has is popular for its rowdy Wild West days. The town is so dynamic that you can spend your entire vacation here. The Dodge City was originally just a cattle town. So much so that the city has museums fully committed to cattle drives. Also located here is a figure of a cowboy on Boot Hill which celebrates the famous cattle tales. Your family will love to see the Boot Hill Museum which has a number of exhibits belonging to the time when this town was established. You can also take  stagecoach rides and see mock gunfights. Also visit the Fort Dodge in this town. This was set up in the year 1867, Fort Dodge was considered to be ideal for settlers traveling the Santa Fe Trail. A few other noteworthy attractions are the scenically beautiful DCF&B Railroad which will take you back in time to the 1th century and the Dodge City Zoo. The Coronado Cross is the place where the Spanish voyager crossed the Arkansas River around the 16th century while searching for cities of gold. Enjoy a lovely dinner at the Marchal Ranch which is a west dinner theater complete with cowboys, Indians, showgirls, and soldiers.

Wichita is another must visit city. Located in this city is the Joyland Amusement park and the Old Cowtown Museum. The museum is dedicated to the 1800s and is spread over an area of 17 acres. You can see live performances by people dressed in costumes belonging to olden days and enacting the lifestyle of pioneers. Another museum worth mentioning is the Museum of World Treasures. This museum has a huge, life sized skeleton of an albertosaurus and much more. Also visit the museums of the Mid-America All-Indian Center and the Kansas Aviation Museum. You can pick up some souvenirs, at the Flying Moose Antique Mall.

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