The small city of Atchison Kansas can be found in the northeastern part of the state, just 54 miles north of Kansas City and 52 miles from Topeka. The city is perhaps best known for being the birthplace of Amelia Earhart, and you can bet that the city celebrates the legacy of its most famous native daughter. Kansas has a rich pioneer history when it comes to the Old West, but few pioneers who passed through the state were as brave as Amelia Earhart. This aviation pioneer was the first woman pilot to execute a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, and her mysterious disappearance over the Pacific Ocean continues to brew up theories to this day. Should you be looking for interesting Kansas festivals to include in your visit, Atchison hosts the Amelia Earhart Festival every July.

Tens of thousands of visitors flood into Atchison Kansas during the Amelia Earhart Festival, and you are planning on enjoying it, it's a good idea to book your stay at one of the Atchison hotels well in advance. If you can't make it to Atchison for the Amelia Earhart Festival, you can still honor and celebrate this daring aviatrix's life by paying a visit to the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum. This museum is housed in the home that Earhart was born in on July 24, 1897. Her grandfather built the home in the 1860s, and recent renovations have done well to restore its turn-of-the-century appeal. You can enjoy a tour of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum any day of the week, and a small donation will be more than enough to get you through the doors. There are truly some interesting attractions in Kansas, and the Amelia Earhart Earthwork portrait has to be one of the more unique. Set on an acre of land, this large-scale portrait of Earhart is fashioned out of plants, stones, and other materials, and you can view it from a nearby hilltop.

As popular as the attractions that relate to Amelia Earhart are, so too are the Atchison haunted attractions. Atchison is widely considered by many to be the most haunted town in the state of Kansas, and tours that highlight the Atchison haunted attractions can be booked if you feel like delving into the mysterious and sometimes scary side of the city. In addition to offering tours that focus on general history, the Atchison Trolley also offers haunted homes tours. Both are worth including in your Atchison travel agenda. Sallie's House and the Benedictine College are among the most renowned Atchison haunted attractions. The ghost of a six-year old girl is said to haunt Sallie's House, while the ghosts of past monks are believed by some to be lurking in the historic Benedictine College. Even Jackson Park, which is a small park in town, is said to be haunted, and it seems that ghosts lurk around every corner in Atchison Kansas.

Kansas Map

While Atchison Kansas only boasts around 10,000 residents, the amount of attractions here would make one think that it was a fairly large town. You can learn all about Kansas history as it pertains to Atchison and the region when stopping by the Atchison County Historical Society Museum, and the Atchison Rail Museum features exhibits that pertain to the area's railroad history. Historical homes like the Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum are worth touring when you're looking for things to do in Atchison, and you can also visit the Muchnic Art Gallery if touring an old home and viewing an art collection that was amassed by a wealthy lumber merchant interests you.

While Atchison offers its fair amount of tourist attractions, it still manages to retain a small town feel that is both relaxing and inviting. Strolling the downtown streets is a pleasure in Atchison, especially if shopping is something that you want to include in your Atchison travel plans. There are some unique shops here, and even if you don't buy anything, a walk along the landscaped pedestrian plaza on Commercial Street is a pleasure. Hiking and fishing are among the other possibilities when it comes to things to do in Atchison, and you can enjoy outdoor recreational pursuits like these at the local parks and nearby campgrounds. Jackson Park is the largest city park in Atchison, and it offers some wooded trails that are among the best nature trails in the immediate area. Fishing at area lakes and on the Missouri River is something that any angler will enjoy. It's hard to cover everything when it comes to all the things that Atchison travel has to offer, so you'll just have to book your stay at one of the Atchison hotels and see for yourself just how much you can get into here.