Natural Places to Visit
Shawnee County Swimming Beach
The fee for one hour of time on the playground is $8 and includes admission to the swim area. Playground sessions begin on the hour beginning at noon and ending at 6 pm. A brief training is required for playground users. Please arrive half an hour in advance of your rental.
Lake Shawnee
Twice cited by the tourism industry as a top travel destination in Kansas, Lake Shawnee is visited by more than 1 million people each year for festivals, ball tournaments, golf, boating, fishing and camping; or just to hike the Lake Shawnee Trail and visit Ted Ensley Gardens.
Kansas River Kaw River State Park Boat Ramp
There is a wide concrete ramp and a paved parking lot marked for 20 or more vehicles. A sandbar often forms at the base of the ramp following high water. Be prepared to carry your boat and gear across the sandbar if water levels are low. The park is adjacent to Cedar Crest, the Kansas governor’s mansion, and is part of the Kansas state park system. It contains numerous hiking and biking trails and is heavily used during good weather.
Food
Pal Indian Cuisine
This spot is a diamond in the rough. Clean with just a few tables but great food & friendly staff. Try the samosas, best in the city. LOTS OF VEGAN OPTIONS. Pretty popular in the área.
Tuptim Thai Restaurant
The decor is awesome and the servers are full of happiness! The spring rolls are very tasty and the Tom Kha Shrimp is outstanding! Lots of shrimp and the correct mushrooms.
Zoila’s Café
Zoila's Cafe is an authentic Mexican restaurant situated at 1000 SE 6th Avenue in Topeka, Kansas. With a prime location, it offers breakfast and lunch services to its valued customers. The cafe gladly accepts reservations, ensuring a seamless dining experience for those who plan ahead. Zoila's Cafe is committed to providing accessibility for all, as it is equipped with wheelchair-accessible facilities, including a restroom.
Chez Yasu
Chez Yasu is an authentic French restaurant in the center of Topeka, featuring a French country atmosphere and casual yet elegant dining. They serve beef short ribs, rack of lamb, duck, seafood crepes, salmon, and much more. Cheza Yasu offers a full-service bar and extensive wine list.
Drinks
The Knox Cocktail Bar and Lounge
This modern, sophisticated lounge features cocktail classics, alongside a rotating-signatures selection. Wines, a bourbon reserve, and select beers can also be found as you relax, take in the ambiance and sip on your favorites.
Salut Wine and Cocktail Lounge
Salut will offer supper club events, wine classes, and private event space for parties and family gatherings. They are excited to serve as a neighborhood and community hub, partnering with several local small businesses and will present an expression of love and devotion to the community.
Brew Bank Topeka
There you’ll find some of the rarest and diverse selection of craft beers on 26 taps. Food is made from scratch daily, in a grease free kitchen.
Brass Rail Tavern
The Brass Rail opens bright and early to give Topeka's working class citizens a friendly sanctuary after their shift. Staying open late for a wonderful place to meet for drinks and socialize with fellow community members.
Areas to Visit
Evel Knievel Museum
The Evel Knievel Museum showcases an incredible collection of authentic artifacts that belonged to the most legendary, death-defying daredevil of all time.
Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
The Discovery Center features 15,000 square feet of indoor exhibits exploring science, careers, art, building and more, special space for babies and toddlers, and a 4.5-acre certified Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom. Daily programs, field trips, birthday parties and other special events provide additional opportunities for serious fun.
Ted Ensley Gardens
The 37.5-acre garden area on the west side of scenic Lake Shawnee features a panoramic view of the lake and spectacular plantings in a beautiful and tranquil setting with meandering paths and seating areas. The garden has been dubbed "world class" by visitors.
Combat Air Museum
The Combat Air Museum is a non-profit aviation museum at Topeka Regional Airport (Forbes Field) in Shawnee County, near Topeka, Kansas. The museum is dedicated to the creation of facilities and resources for the education of the local and regional communities through the collection, preservation, conservation and exhibition of aircraft, information, artifacts, technology and art associated with the military aviation history of the United States.
Thrills and Entertainment
Keynundrum
Keynundrum is an escape room adventure that is an interactive game where you and your friends are challenged as a team to find hidden objects, resolve puzzles and decrypt clues to earn your freedom.
Jayhawk Theatre
The theatre opened on August 16, 1926. The Jayhawk Hotel & Crosby Bros shopping complex where attached to the theatre making it a grand complex for visitors to eat, sleep and be entertained.
TopCITYGolf at GreatLIFE North
GreatLIFE North Topeka Golf Center offers terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level. Well-groomed fairways and greens keep GreatLIFE North Topeka Golf Center difficult yet friendly, and the staff can offer tips and tricks for playing your best round. GreatLIFE North Topeka Golf Center is a terrific choice for your regular rounds of golf or a new destination for you and friends when visiting Topeka.
Parks
Gage Park
It's a large park with something for everyone - playground, picnic areas, horse shoes, gardens, softball, etc. Additionally, the 10th Avenue side of the park faces an outdoor mall with restaurants, grocery store and drugstore - perfect for travelers to pick up a meal and then relax in the park. The local zoo is also located within this park.
Crestview Park
Crestview Community Park is popular with families, walkers and runners, bicylists and disc golf enthusiasts. The park includes a large expanse of tree-filled green space running between SW Fairlawn and SW Gage Blvd. It includes Crestview Community Center, Crestview Shelter, the Shunga Trail, playground equipment, a disc golf course, a ball field, tennis courts and the Heartland BMX bicycle track.
Big Shunga Park
Big Shunga Park is located between the Shunga Trail and SW 29th Street north of the Brookwood Shopping Center. It features ample green space and disc golf baskets.
Ward-Meade Park
The 2.5-acre Ward-Meade Botanical Garden sits adjacent to the historic Ward-Meade mansion. Its meandering paths lead through several distinct garden areas including national display gardens for hostas and daylilies and a national conifer reference garden.
