Kansas Home to Best Roadside Attractions

According to TravelAwaits readers, four of the best roadside attractions in the United States are in Kansas.

Coming in at #1 is Kansas’ newest roadside attraction, the World’s Largest Belt Buckle.

“It measures 19 feet and 10.5 inches wide, and 13 feet and 11.25 inches tall (without the frame!) The buckle was funded by 100 people and businesses throughout the country, as well as the Kansas Tourism Attraction Development Grant."

Wichita’s Keeper of the Plains followed closely in the #3 spot.

“The land between the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers in downtown Wichita is sacred to Native Americans. This is where The Keeper of the Plains resides. It was created by Blackbear Bosin to celebrate the United States Bi-centennial and has kept a watchful eye on the city ever since. On the grounds, you’ll find the Mid-American All-Indian Museum, where you can learn about the peoples of the land, their histories, and their influence on modern aviation. Every night, weather permitting, the groundskeepers will manually light the Ring of Fire and let it burn for 15 minutes.”

At #7 is an old favorite, the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City.

“What started as a way to get rid of the wasted twine on the barn floor in 1953 became quite the project for Frank Stoeber. After only a few years, it was 7 feet high and weighed about 2 tons. After the ball outgrew the barn, Frank had it moved to the place where it stands today. The current caretaker of the ball, Londa Clover, has full records of who gave and how much they gave. She will meet people at the ball and give them twine to add to it, keeping track along the way. “

And at #11 is Big Brutus in Mineral, Kansas.

“Big Brutus, the tallest attraction on this list, was once the largest electric shovel in the world. It stands at 16 stories tall and weighs 11 million pounds. It was built in 1962, operated for 10 years, and was fully retired in 1974. In 1085, Big Brutus became a museum and memorial to the robust mining industry in southeastern Kansas.”

Learn more and see a complete list at https://www.travelawaits.com/2892916/best-roadside-attractions-in-the-us/