Trailblazing Through History Tour
By Visit Topeka
06/19/2008
Explore Topeka, the capital city of Kansas, featuring 20 first-class attractions, 14 art galleries, five performing arts facilities, spectacular annual events, delectable dining and unique shopping. With so much to see and do, Topeka is the ideal destination for overnight visits, mystery tours, and daytrips. Take a look at Visit Topeka Inc.’s pre-planned three day itinerary, or request a customized itinerary at www.visitTopeka.travel or (800) 235-1030.
Contact Information:
t: view phone 785-234-1030
e: view email tamra@visitTopeka.travel
w: view URL http://www.visitTopeka.travel
i: view contact details
- Cedar Crest – Kansas governor’s mansion
- Charles Curtis House
- Kansas State Capitol
- Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site & Museum
- Tiffany Windows at First Presbyterian Church
Tour Dates:
Number of Days: 3
Day 1 — Topeka, Kansas
Start your Topeka tour at Cedar Crest, the French mansion home of the governor of Kansas. This 200-acre estate features several ponds and hiking trails. A $17 security fee is charged for groups larger than 30. Dine like a local at Annie’s Place, famous for its freshly baked breads and desserts. Head downtown to the Charles Curtis House. Curtis served as vice president under Herbert Hoover. The Curtis home features intricately carved woodwork, marble fireplaces, and more. Admission is $5. Designed by famed stained glass designer Louis C. Tiffany, the Tiffany windows at First Presbyterian Church feature a beautiful array of spiritual scenes. Topeka is one of 11 churches in the U.S. with original Tiffany windows. Admission is free. The Kansas State Capitol houses original murals painted by native-born John Stuart Curry. The Capitol tour guides captivate with tales of early government and historical events. Admission is free. Check into the hotel and prepare for a mystery themed dinner and tour of Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Park. Highlights of this turn-of-the-century village include a Victorian mansion, a working soda fountain, and two and a half acres of botanical gardens. A standard guided tour is $4. Mystery events are available for lunch or dinner and prices vary.
Day 2 — Topeka, Kansas
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, followed by a guided tour of Hallmark Cards.
See how the famous greeting cards are created, from a sheet of paper to the final product. Admission is free. Venture downtown to Marion Lane Candles where groups can pour their own candles for $5-$8. Across the street, sample handmade truffles, home-style fudge, and creamy caramel apples at Hazel Hill Chocolate Traditions.
Take a drive through Potwin Place, a unique neighborhood featuring Victorian homes along brick streets, with landscaped roundabouts and historical plaques describing the neighborhood. Admission is free. Enjoy an elegant lunch at The Woodward Inns on Fillmore. This five-course made from scratch meal is served formally by The Woodward butler on formal dinner ware. After lunch, tour the 1925 luxury historic inn featuring Gothic English Tudor-style architecture with original floor-to-ceiling stained glass and imported stone and tile. Lunch and tour is $36. It’s time for your curtain call. Take a “behind the scenes” tour of Topeka Civic Theatre. Learn how award-winning community dinner theatre is produced from the oldest continuously operating community dinner theatre in the country!
Day 3 — Topeka, Kansas
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, and then take a short drive to Gallery Classic, direct importers of European antiques and home décor at fabulous prices. The historical tour continues at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site & Museum. This interactive, experiential museum offers free admission. The Topeka tour concludes at the Kansas Museum of the History. See a full-sized Cheyenne tipi, a covered wagon and many artifacts from the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. Don’t miss the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe steam engine. Admission is $4 for a guided tour or $3 for a self guided tour.
