Topeka

Topeka, located in Shawnee County, serves as the capital of Kansas. The metropolitan area is rich in history and highly favored by nature. It lies on rich sandy loam river bottomland where Indians lived for many years using the excellent fords on the Kansas (Kaw) River. Among the first permanent settlers were three French-Canadian (Pappan) brothers. They married three Kanza (Kansas) Indian sisters and established a ferry over the river in 1842. A grandson from one of the marriages was Charles Curtis, the only Vice-President of the United States to be of Indian descent. (Charles Curtis served with President Herbert C. Hoover from 1929 to 1933.) In the 1800s, Topeka served as a gateway west for pioneers traveling on the Oregon Trail or by railroad.
Topeka is home to the highly acclaimed Kansas Museum of History where you'll step back in time and learn all about the land that is Kansas. Relive the history of Kansas through exhibits, videos, and programs.
Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site overlooks the Oregon Trail's ferry site across the Kansas River and includes the original Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad depot from Pauline as well as a turn of the century town, botanical gardens, and dinners served by hosts in period dress.
Topeka has been an active participant in the modern-day Civil Rights Movement. The Monroe School is the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic site where visitors gain an understanding and appreciation for the role of this decision in the Civil Rights Movement.
Gage Park houses the Topeka Zoo, Renisch Rose Gardens with over 6,500 plants, offering 400 varieties, and a 1908 Carousel that houses a 1909 Wurlitzer organ. Tour the Combat Air Museum, the Capitol Building, and the Governor's home - Cedar Crest. First Presbyterian Church, built over 112 years ago, is the site of a unique presentation of Tiffany windows. Louis C. Tiffany came to Topeka in 1911 and produced these windows. First Presbyterian Church is the only church west of the Mississippi River to have all Tiffany windows. Visit Heartland Park, a state-of-the-art motor sports complex. The Topeka area has an abundance of campgrounds and lakes, as well as hiking and biking trails.

By plane

• Billard Airport is a small airplane airport.
• Forbes Field is a small airport with some commercial flights.
• Kansas City International (MCI) is the closest fully functional commercial airport. A shuttle service can take you to Topeka from Kansas City.

By train

Amtrak has a stop in Topeka which is served by the daily Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief line. Be aware that trains from Chicago and Kansas City, MO arrive at around 12:30AM and trains from Los Angeles arrive at around 5:20AM.

• Topeka railway station

  address: 500 SE Holliday Place

By taxi

• Yellow Cab Taxi has the phone number +1 785 357-4444, they operate 24 hours, a ticket from north topeka to the train station will cost you between $7 and $10, it is located at 302 SE 21st St, Topeka, KS 66607
• Capitol City Taxi has the phone number +1 785 267-3777, 2050 Se 30th St, Topeka, KS 66605 (corner of SE Swygart St and SE California Ave) Fare is $2.50 and $1.8/mile

By car

Travelling by car is the easiest way to enter, exit and move around in Topeka.
Highways include:

• Highway 24 gives four lane access from the east and two lane entry from the west.
• I-70 gives controlled access from the west.
• Highway 75 gives two lane access from the south and controlled four lane access from the north.
• I-335 (Toll) gives controlled access from the southwest.
• I-70 (Toll) gives controlled access from the east.

By bus

• Greyhound Bus Lines stops at 600 Southeast Quincey Street next to Southeast 6th Avenue in downtown.
• jeffersonlines, runs to Kansas City, phone +1-800-451-5333. The same line is serviced by Greyhound.

By car

Most of the streets in Topeka are laid out in a grid pattern. North/South Streets are named and most East/West streets are numbered. South of the river the street numbers increase as you travel southwardly, and the opposite on the north side of the river. Popular streets running through the city are Wanamaker, Topeka Boulevard, 21st Street and 6th Street (6th Street turns into Highway 40).
Topeka has a controlled access bypass, I-470, travelling through the southwest side of town. This makes for easy access to shopping centers and connects the major highways going into and out of Topeka.

By bus

Topeka Metro is the public bus system that runs through most of the main streets. Their phone number is: +1 785 783-7000. The bus fare costs $2 per trip. A card that is good for 10 rides costs $18. A pass that is good for 31 days costs $50.00. Buy cards and passes at the Quincy Street Station at 820 SE Quincy Street or at any Dillons store. You can catch or transfer to most buses at this station too.

• Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site

  phone: +1 785 354-4273
  address: 1515 SE Monroe St
  This historic site highlights Monroe Elementary School, where the historic case ending school segregation in the United States started. The former school now includes exhibits and a restored kindergarten room.

• Kansas Historical Society and Museum

  phone: +1 785 272-8681
  address: 6425 SW 6th Ave
  Take the #5 West 6th Bus along 6th Street to the Society.

• Combat Air Museum

  phone: +1 785-862-3303
  address: 7016 SE Forbes Ave

• Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site

  address: 124 NW Fillmore

• Kansas State Capitol

  address: 300 SW 10th Ave
  Take the #4 West 10th Bus along 10th Street to the Capital. The capital features original Murals as well as a tour of the rotunda. There are many restaurants within walking distance to the building, making this a nice afternoon visit.

• Topeka High School

  address: 800 SW. 10th St
  Take the #4 West 10th Bus along 10th Street to the School. Topeka High School is known for being the first Million Dollar School west of the Mississippi river.

• Washburn University

  address: 1700 SW College Ave
  On the campus are creative displays of students' sculpture projects.

• Great Overland Station

  phone: +1 785 232-5533
  address: 701 North Kansas Ave
  Historic train station with some exhibits showing the history of the city Topeka, the Santa Fe and Union Pacific train service.

• Topeka Zoo

  phone: +1 785-368-9180
  address: 635 Southwest Gage Blvd
  An exceptional zoo with a living rainforest. There is a giant park area, carousel, and train just outside of the zoo gates.

• Lake ShawneeWatersports and camping. There is a small waterpark at the beach.

• Bowling alleys are popular in Topeka. There is a bowling alley in most areas of the town.

• YMCA

  phone: +1 785 354-8591
  address: 421 SW Van Buren St
  Has four facilities for exercise and sports.

• Topeka Performing Arts Center

  phone: +1 785 234-2787
  address: 214 SE 8th Avenue
  Regularly hosts concerts, plays and performances.
• Movie Theaters are located at Westridge mall and on the north terminus of Wanamaker Road

• Kansas Expo Centre

  address: One Expocentre Drive
  Hosts major events and conventions

• Heartland Motorsports Park

  phone: +1 785 861-7899
  address: 7530 Topeka Blvd
  Has drag, dirt and road racing events.

• Helen Hocker Theater

  phone: +1 785 251-5990
  address: 700 SW Zoo Pkwy
  A quaint community blackbox theatre, regularly puts on plays and musicals, and specializes in children's camps.

• Gage ParkFeatures a fun outdoor aquatic center (Blaisdell Pool), a small train, a rose garden, walking trails, baseball diamonds, playgrounds, a greenhouse, a dog park, and an amphitheatre with occasional music performances.

• Topeka Civic Theatre

  phone: +1 785 357-5211
  address: 3028 SW 8th Ave
  Fegularly puts on musicals, plays, and comedy acts featuring talented local performers.

• Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

  phone: +1 785 580-4400
  address: 1515 SW 10th Ave
  This 183,000 square foot building may be one of the greatest libraries around, and is popular with people from across Kansas and out of state. There's a great selections of all media types including books, movies, music and periodicals. It also houses local art and screens classic movies for free.

• Shunga ParkWalking and biking trails, a pool, and baseball diamonds, as well as a BMX track.

• West Ridge Mall

  phone: +1 785 272-5119
  Features more than 115 stores including Old Navy, Gap, and Macy's.

• Fairlawn Plaza Mall

  phone: +1 785 272-1555
  address: 2114 SW Chelsea Drive
  Featuring over 50 unique shops and restaurants including The Classic Bean.

Topeka has the variety of chain restaurants like most modern American cities. Locally owned restaurants are scattered through town. Most small shopping centers will have one or two small, locally owned restaurants. Wanamaker is the popular street for most chain restaurants.
Recommended Locally Owned or Small Chain Restaurants:

• Bobo's Drive In

  address: 2300 SW 10th Ave

• Globe Indian Cuisine

  address: 117 SE 10th Ave

• Kiku Japanese Steak House

  address: 5331 SW 22nd Pl

• Tacos El Mexicano

  address: 2002 SE California Ave

• Tuptim Thai

  phone: +1 785 266-2299
  address: 220 SW 29th Street

• Annie's Place

  phone: +1 785 273-0848
  address: 4014 SW Gage Center Dr

• Madison Street Diner

  phone: +1 785-234-5400
  address: 420 SE 6th

• Blind Tiger

  phone: +1 785 267-2739
  address: 417 SW 37th St

• North Star Steak House

  phone: +1 785 354-8880
  address: 1100 NW 25th St
  Reservations recommended.

• Juli's Coffee and Bistro

  phone: +1 785 228-2001
  address: 110 SE 8th Ave.
  A popular destination for breakfast and lunch.

Topeka has a few locally owned coffeehouses, but several coffeehouses in the area buy their coffee from a medal-winning local roaster, PT's Coffee Co. PT's also has a coffeehouse of their own.
Recommended Locally Owned or Small Chain Barristas:

• PT's Coffee Roasting Co.

  address: 5660 SW 29th St

• Classic Bean

  phone: +1 785 232-1001
  address: 722 S Kansas Ave

• Classic Bean

  address: 2125 SW Fairlawn Plaza Dr

• Lazio's Coffee Bar & Roasterie

  phone: +1 785 273-3550
  address: 2111 SW Belle Ave

• The Break Room

  phone: +1 785 215-6633
  address: 911 S. Kansas Ave

• Uncle Bo's Blues Bar

  phone: +1 785-234-5400
  address: 420 SE 6th St

• Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center

  phone: +1 785 431-7200
  address: 1717 SW Topeka Blvd

• Courtyard Topeka

  phone: +1 785 271-6165
  address: 2033 SW Wanamaker Rd

• Fairfield Inn Topeka

  phone: +1 785 273-6800
  address: 1530 SW Westport Dr

• Hyatt Place

  phone: +1 785 273-0066
  address: 6021 SW 6th Ave

• Motel 6 Topeka Northwest

  phone: +1 785 272-8283
  address: 709 Fairlawn Rd

• Motel 6 Topeka West

  phone: +1 785 273-9888
  address: 1224 Wanamaker Road SW

• Residence Inn Topeka

  phone: +1 785 271-8903
  address: 1620 SW Westport Dr

• Ramada Topeka Downtown Hotel and Convention Center

  phone: +1 785-234-5400
  address: 420 SE 6th St

• Lawrence is thirty minutes east of Topeka along I-70 (Toll). A scenic (and cheaper) route to Lawrence from Topeka is along US Highway 40. The Amtrak train system connects Topeka to Lawrence. Lawrence is home to University of Kansas. Lawrence is a small college town with a vibrant social scene located around Massachusetts Street. Massachusetts Street is also the site where John Brown fought during the Bleeding Kansas battles.
• Perry Lake is 30 minutes north east of Topeka along US Highway 24. It is the third largest lake in Kansas. Perry Lake features watersports, hiking and camping opportunities.
• Manhattan is an hour and a half west of Topeka. Take I-70 West to KS-177 North. Manhattan is home to Kansas State University. Near to Manhattan is Tuttle Creek Reservoir.