About 30 miles Southwest of Kansas City sits the vibrant small town of Lawrence, Kansas. Home to two universities – the University of Kansas and Haskell Indian Nations University – it’s got everything students, families, and visitors of all ages will enjoy.

There’s no shortage of fun things to do in Lawrence. It’s known for its live music scene, with multiple annual music festivals and tons of lively music venues dotting the main drag, Massachusetts Street. With more than 50 public parks, it’s no surprise there’s an active outdoor community. A stop by Clinton State Park and the Prairie Park Nature Center is a must-do.   

Explore the city, and you can visit world-class museums and theaters, visit the area’s farms, or learn about the history of the city and Haskell Indian Nations University at its cultural center.

At night, sample local beers at one of the many craft breweries, get your caffeine fix at an artisanal coffee shop, or have a glass of locally produced wine. And when night falls, the city starts to buzz with energy at the many unique niche bars and thumping nightclubs found downtown. 

With so many things to do and see in Lawrence, you might not know where to begin. So we’ve compiled our list of the absolute best things to do in Lawrence, Kansas, for you. Stick to these unique and fun Lawrence bucket list recommendations, and there’s no doubt you’ll have an amazing time exploring this gorgeous corner of the state!

15 Fun and Unique Things to do in Lawrence

1. Stroll Along the Legendary Massachusetts Street

Known as “Mass” to local residents, this quirky main street is one of Lawrence’s most iconic symbols that represents that city. Starting from Haskell Indian Nations University and running north to the Kansas River, this historic street is the hub of the city. 

The pedestrian-friendly street is home to locally-owned restaurants, the majority of them independent restaurants, unique boutique stores, music venues, a vibrant art scene with lots of galleries, and the first brewery in Kansas since Prohibition, Free State Brewing Company! 

Plus, you’ll have a high chance of encountering a live music performance for free. Street musicians are almost always entertaining passersby with their original tunes. 

To quench your thirst, grab a mix-and-match six-pack at Mass Street Soda, a store that sells over a thousand varieties of sodas from all over the world. Next door, you’ll find the Watkins Museum of History. The museum showcases lots of interesting exhibits about Lawrence’s history and Douglas County’s past. Plus, admission is free for all ages.  

Beyond shopping and dining, the historic district is also home to many buildings listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Buildings like the Eldridge Hotel are preserved in their original Neoclassical and Victorian architecture and are worthy of a stop. 

2. Get Active at Clinton State Park

Head a few miles to the west of Lawrence to visit the best park near the city. Rent one of the campsites or cabins to have an adventure-fueled weekend. The 1,500-acre park has it all, from an archery range, an 18-hole disc golf course, a mountain bike skills course, a children’s fishing pond, and Clinton Lake, one of the biggest lakes in that state. 

Plus, there’s a waterfront beach area with a sand volleyball court for those hot and humid Kansas summers. Clinton State Park is known for its extensive trails, including a 25-mile trail and also a 5-mile cross-country trail for skiers. One of the top Lawrence attractions, Clinton State Park is popular among cyclists, hikers, and wildlife photographers.

If you don’t want to rough it outdoors, rent out one of the Camp Creek or Chicken Creek cabins that sit atop a bluff overlooking the lake. The log cabins feature a large sitting area with great views of Pelican Island and the shoreline. 

Plus, a stop at Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum is well worth a visit before you leave the park. This history museum is on the west side of Clinton Lake and highlights the area’s history in regard to the Underground Railroad and the local abolitionists. 

3. Learn About the Area’s Athletic History at the DeBruce Center & Booth Family Hall of Athletics

Lawrence is home to two interactive museums that focus on the area’s unique sports history, the DeBruce Center and the Booth Family Hall of Athletics. At the DeBruce Center, which is located on the University of Kansas campus, you can explore the university’s rich history of basketball, the sport the school is most known for. 

Here, you can see the original rules of basketball created and written out by James Naismith. Located on the 2nd Floor, it’s displayed in a glass case. Push the button, and you can hear Dr. Naismith himself explain how he invented the sport. 

Also playing homage to the Jayhawks is the Booth Family Hall of Athletics. Next to Allen Fieldhouse, the museum houses more than 500 sports-related memorabilia and items. You’ll see championship trophies, retired basketball jerseys, the original “Beware of the Phog” banner, and the first Allen Fieldhouse center court floor, along with a myriad of other sports displays. 

Plus, if you’re looking for cheap things to do in Lawrence, both museums are free of charge to save you some cash for a night out on the town!

4. Hit the Nightlife in Downtown Lawrence

Despite the small size of the city, Lawrence rivals any big urban city in regard to its nightlife and live music scene. Head downtown, and you’ll find lots of nightclubs, live music venues, cocktail bars, and restaurants to choose from. If you’re looking for fun things to do in Lawrence, having a night on the town is always a good idea!

The area has a variety of bars to choose from that will entertain anyone and everyone’s music tastes. There are multiple live music venues to rock out at, like the Replay Lounge, the Granada, and The Bottleneck.

If upscale bars are more your thing, try the cocktails at the Jazzhaus or John Brown’s Underground. For something truly unique, head to the tiki and beach-themed Sandbar to try the tropical drinks and see mermaids dancing on the bar!

It’s an awesome place to chow down, make some new friends, get tipsy, and experience this university town’s legendary nightlife! But if you don’t feel like going wild, the downtown area is also a prime spot for people-watching.

5. Explore Lawrence’s Agritourism & the Area’s Farms 

Pendleton’s Country Market has year-round events. Each fall, they have a Butterfly Bio-Villa filled with butterflies native to the area. At the Butterfly Bio-Villa, you can get close to butterflies as they fly around the exhibit. If you’re lucky, you might even get a glimpse of the butterflies’ metamorphosis into adult butterflies. 

Each season they offer farm tours, arts and crafts for the kids, and seasonal events like hayrides, pumpkin patch tours, and gourd slingshot contests. They also have seasonal produce for sale like pumpkins, squash, and dried flowers during the fall.

At Washington Creek Lavender Farm, you can walk through fields with more than 6,000 lavender plants. As well as plenty of photo opportunities, they also have a gift shop and hold regular events in their barn. 

Each summer and fall, be sure to check out Grinter’s Sunflower Farm to see the impressive rows and rows of the official Kansas state flower in all its glory. Join the swarm of people that flock to the fields to take photos during the summer and fall months. 

To avoid the crowds, try to plan your trip during off-hours, like during work hours on the weekdays or early in the morning on the weekend. Be sure to stop by the Sunflower General Shop on the farm for local goods and baked items. Most of the farms in the area don’t require an admission fee to enter, but a donation would be appreciated. 

6. Discover the Oddities at the Natural History Museum

Located on the campus of KU, the National History Museum is one of the top Lawrence attractions. Featuring four floors of interesting and somewhat odd exhibits, the museum is entertaining for visitors of all ages. It has over one million archaeological artifacts, including live snakes and insects, all sorts of fossils, parasites and microbes, and plants of the Great Plains. 

There’s even a live bee colony. Housed in a model of a tree, you can peek in the enclosed glass to see worker bees, watch the hive enter and exit the building, and you might even catch a glimpse of the queen bee.  

The museum is also home to an old-school but well-maintained panorama. This 360-degree exhibit displays the flora and fauna of different climates, including a motorized prairie dog that randomly pops out of the ground.  

Children will love the Bugtown exhibits, which include live insects and creepy crawlies. You can even crawl through a worm tunnel, learn how insects eat in the replica kitchen and diner, and have fun with other interactive and hands-on activities. Don’t miss the taxidermy horse, Camanche, which was an actual horse ridden in the Battle of Little Bighorn. 

7. Get Tipsy at the Wineries and the First Brewery in Kansas

Kansas might not be the first place to come to mind when you think of wineries and wine-making, but be prepared to be pleasantly surprised! Kansas has one of the most underrated wine and craft beer scenes in the Midwest, if not the country!

There are plenty of wineries, breweries, and brewpubs within city limits. Many of the wines are award-winning, with an emphasis on producing wine that is sustainably grown and made with locally sourced fruit. 

Head north of Lawrence to try Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise Wines at their tasting room, surrounded by a beautiful 40-acre farm. Or, if you don’t want to venture too far, head to The Crescent Moon Winery tasting room on Massachusetts Street for a glass of their Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, or other varieties. 

Lawrence is also home to the Free State Brewing Company, the first legal brewery in Kansas in over 100 years. Plus, there are other lively brewpubs and breweries scattered across the town, including the Lawrence Beer Company in the Warehouse Arts District in the east and 23rd Street Brewery on the southwest side of Lawrence. 

8. Visit the Wildlife at the Prairie Park Nature Center

Another one of the top things to do in Lawrence, Kansas, is the Prairie Park Nature Center. This nature reserve has 100 acres, featuring different habitats of Kansas, like the wetlands, a prairie, and the woodlands.

Also on the property is a 5-acre lake with an abundance of walking trails that are suitable for all ages and perfect for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts. 

The education building features wildlife and environment dioramas, archaeology exhibits, and interactive educational displays. The displays show the wildlife that is native to the state, including beavers, bobcats, and deer, among other animals. 

Plus, the nature center is a great outing for little ones or animal lovers since it’s home to lots of different species of birds. The live bird prey collection includes eagles, owls, hawks, and falcons that call Kansas home. The majority of the birds were injured or rescued animals that were rehabilitated but could not be released back into the wild due to their injuries.

9. Learn About Tribal Cultures at Haskell Cultural Center and Museum

Visit Haskell Indian Nations University and spend the afternoon browsing the Haskell Cultural Center and Museum. The museum boasts an impressive collection of historical items, ethnographic objects, rare photographs, as well as cultural items from several Native American tribes. There’s also an array of fine art displayed by Native American artists, Haskell students, faculty, and alumni. 

The American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame exhibit is a tribute to the most celebrated and greatest Native American athletes, including historical records and memorabilia from athletes like Jim Thorpe. 

Take a tour to learn about the history of the school, which first opened in 1884 as a boarding school. The tour also explains the vast tribal history of the Nations that first called Kansas home.

The walking tour is recommended and includes a guided tour of the school campus, where a school representative will explain the significance of the historical buildings, the Haskell Medicine Wheel, and the Haskell Arch, as well as the school stadium. 

10. Have a Date Night at the Lied Center 

Treat yourself to a night out or have a date night at KU’s Lied Center, a performing arts center that brings internationally renowned shows and events to the city. The center is pretty spacious, with over 2,000 seats divided into two stages, the main auditorium and the Pavilion.

The Lied Center would be a great addition to your Lawrence bucket list since they hold an assortment of diverse events. Take a look at their calendar to find a performance that would interest you, from elegant ballet performances to concerts by legendary opera and jazz singers to the latest Broadway musicals. 

The Lied Center is one of Lawrence’s best places for a romantic date. Before catching your show, stroll through the lush gardens on the premises. The Susan and Doug Rendall Garden on the grounds is a meticulously planned sustainable pollinated garden. Plus in the middle of the garden, there’s a 20-foot red and yellow sculpture of a flower and places you can picnic. 

11. Get Weird at the Museum of the Odd

For one of the most truly unique things to do in Lawrence, check out the Museum of the Odd. The owner, Randy Walker, has been collecting oddities, trinkets, and celebrity-related memorabilia for decades. 

To view his extensive and wonderfully weird collection, which is well worth a stop, make an advanced appointment via the official Facebook page to visit his house, which also doubles as the museum. 

Step inside to see his kitsch items formerly owned by celebrities – like a rock Helen Keller touched, Bob Barker’s toothbrush, and supposedly even Elvis’s underwear. Around the corner leads to a room chock full of hundreds upon hundreds of sock monkeys, all different sizes, that you are welcome to roll around in.

He’s also a big collector of upcycled items, like items made from trash. He finds most of his odds and ends by combing through antique stores and garage sales. Though his house may be small, his extensive smorgasbord of curiosities matches perfectly with the eccentricities of the city of Lawrence. 

12. Meet Local Artists at Final Fridays

Final Fridays in Lawrence are a staple! On the final Friday of every month, people gather in the streets of the Warehouse Arts District, downtown, and random places across the city for an art walk, and the city comes alive with a range of arts and other events. 

According to the City of Lawrence website, the city has one of the highest percentages of working artists in the country per capita. So, it’s no surprise that the city becomes a thriving art scene on those Fridays from 5 pm to 9 pm. Everyone seems to participate, from stores opening up their spaces to hold performances and exhibits to art galleries expanding their events to host talks, lectures, and music. 

If you happen to be in Lawrence on the last Friday of the month, consider yourself lucky. This is one event you shouldn’t miss and easily one of the most fun and vibrant things to do in Lawrence. 

13. Catch a Show at Liberty Hall 

When in Lawrence, stop at one of the city’s most historic buildings, which now runs a locally-owned and operated theater. Liberty Hall hosts concerts, film festivals, and lectures and runs a cinema showing mainly independent movies. The building has been in use since 1856, when it first served as a community meeting house.

Today, it’s considered one of the city’s best live music venues. Despite fires and natural disasters over the years, you can still see many of the building’s original elements, like ornate chandeliers and marble staircases. 

There’s also an old-school video store on the premises. Even if you don’t make a rental, Liberty Hall Video is an interesting place to browse. Get nostalgic wandering through the aisles of DVDs, VHS tapes, and vintage movie posters. 

Located on the corner of 7th Street and Massachusetts Street, the iconic building is also home to a European-style coffee house. In true Lawrence fashion, you won’t find any chain coffee shops here on Mass Street. La Prima Tazza is an independent coffee shop serving fair trade coffee and specialty drinks from baristas who know their stuff. 

14. Sample the Local Fare at the Lawrence Farmers Market

First established in the 1970s, the Lawrence Farmers’ Market prides itself on only having goods from local merchants (all vendors must produce their food or items within 50 miles of the city). With over 70 stalls, you’ll find everything from fresh produce, homemade baked goods, wine, artisan food stands, and handmade beauty and body products. Plus, you’ll find lots of souvenirs to take home, like handcrafted pottery, crafts, and jewelry. 

From May to October, the market is held every Tuesday evening in South Park. Another Saturday market is held from April through November on the corner of East 8th Street and New Hampshire Street. 

On Tuesdays, you are likely to find wine and food sampling and pairings. During the Saturday markets held during the mornings, you’re likely to stumble upon buskers, artists, and activities for kids, like scavenger hunts and crafts. 

Since Lawrence is such a music-centric city, it’s no surprise you’ll find an array of different kinds of live bands at the markets, from polka to zydeco music. Plus, the kids will enjoy live entertainment and performances from jugglers and magicians. 

15. Channel Your Inner Artist at the Spencer Museum of Art & the Lawrence Arts Center

Lawrence is known for being an artistic haven, so a stop at the various art museums, centers, and galleries is a must on your Lawrence bucket list! Your first stop should be the Spencer Museum of Art on campus. 

It’s home to an impressive collection of over 45,000 items, including art from all over the world. Their artist residency program means that there’s a vibrant, ever-evolving variety of exhibitions, art experiences, and events. 

Next, visit the Lawrence Arts Center in the eastern part of the city. Year-round, the center holds live performances and a variety of hands-on classes, from painting to printmaking. The two theaters show a variety of musicals, plays, and other theatrical performances. It’s also home to five gallery spaces that feature art from artists worldwide.  

If you want to create your own handmade souvenir to take with you, visit the AR Workshop. It’s a do-it-yourself boutique art studio that offers a variety of classes to create custom projects. Choose a design and make home decor made from raw materials, where you can learn how to make everything from pillows to wooden signs.  

There you have it! The 15 best things to do in Lawrence, Kansas. What’s your favorite thing to do in Lawrence?

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