Are you itching to get out of the house and see something beautiful—while keeping a responsible distance from everyone else?
Well, then you might be interested in a new article by Conde Nast Traveler, which picks the most beautiful place in every state.
The places they picked for Kansas and Missouri are both outside the Kansas City bubble, but close enough to visit on a day trip. (Remember to wear gloves and/or wash your hands when pumping gas and pack your own food.)
For Kansas: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Flint Hills
Of the four hundred thousand square miles of tallgrass prairie that once covered North America, only four percent of remains today, with the rest being developed or turned into farmland. A large portion of what remains is preserved in the weekend trip-worthy Flint Hills of Kansas, which gets its name from the flint found in the ground’s limestone, which made it tough for farmers to sow
The Flint Hills are a magical place—truly photos do not do them justice. And not only do the Flint Hills have a multitude of plant species, but grazing herds of bison roam.
Missouri: Ha Ha Tonka State Park
In the early twentieth century, a wealthy businessman from Kansas City purchased a piece of land on a bluff overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks and built a castle on top of it. He named it Ha Ha Tonka, which people think pointed to the springs on the property and meant “big laugh” or “smiling waters.” Today, the state park is one of the most beautiful spots in Missouri, with fifteen miles of trails, sinkholes, springs and caves to boot.
