From Wikitravel

Topeka [1] is the capital of Kansas.

[edit] Understand

Topeka has become renowned for being the home of Westboro Baptist Church, headed by Fred Phelps and his family. This family is notorious for announcing their hatred for homosexuals, soldiers, foreigners, any religion besides their own, and America as a country. When visiting or living in Topeka, it is a common sight to see a group of Westboro Baptist Churchgoers picketing a local church or community gathering, carrying colorful signs with offensive slogans and sometimes shouting or singing. Know that most local Topekans despise the Phelps, given that they are against every religion but their own, and because most locals see Westboro Baptist as giving Topeka a bad name as a bigoted, small-minded city. On numerous occasions, committees have been formed attempting, unsuccessfully, to bar the Phelps from the city. The Patriot Guard Riders [2], a band of patriotic motorcyclists, was formed in response to picketing at soldier's funerals. They attempt to shield mourning families from protesters.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

• Billard Airport, [3] is a small airplane airport.
• Kansas City International (MCI) is the closest fully functional commercial airport. A shuttle service [4] can take you to Topeka from Kansas City.

[edit] By train

• Amtrak [5] has a stop in Topeka which is served by the daily Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief [6] line.

[edit] 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) [7] gives controlled access from the southwest and from the east. I-70 merges into to I-335 heading east to Kansas City.

[edit] By bus

• Greyhound Bus Lines, [8] stops in Topeka.

[edit] Get around

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.

Topeka has a public bus line that runs through most of the main streets [9]

[edit][add listing] See

• Brown v. Board of Education Museum, 1515 Se Monroe Street, (785) 354-4273, [10]. Open 9AM-5PM every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Take the #6 West 17th Bus to 17th and Topeka Ave, then walk east along 17th street to Monroe. Brown v. Board of Education Museum highlights the historical case where the movement against segregation in public schools started.
• Kansas Historical Society and Museum, 6425 SW 6th Ave., (785) 272-8681, [11]. Take the #5 West 6th Bus along 6th Street to the Society.
• Kansas State Capitol, 300 SW 10th Ave.,[12]. 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, 800 SW. 10th Street, [13]. 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, 1700 SW College Ave., [14] On the campus are creative displays of students' sculpture projects.

[edit][add listing] Do

• Watersports and Camping at Lake Shawnee [15]. 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 [16] has four facilities for exercise and sports.
• Topeka Performing Arts Center [17] regularly hosts concerts, plays and performances.
• Movie Theaters are located at Westridge mall and on the north terminus of Wanamaker Road
• Kansas Expo Centre [18] hosts major events and conventions
• Heartland Park [19] has drag, dirt and road racing events.
• The "World-Famous" Topeka Zoo, located at Gage Park [20].
• Helen Hocker Theater [21], also located in Gage Park, a quaint community blackbox theatre, regularly puts on plays and musicals, and specializes in children's camps.
• Gage Park also features 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. http://www.topeka.org/parksrec/gage_park.shtml]
• Topeka Civic Theatre, at 8th and Oakley (just a few blocks east of Gage Park) regularly puts on musicals, plays, and comedy acts featuring talented local performers [22].
• Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library [23] a large and comfortable library building featuring a tower, which also houses local art and screens old movies for free.
• Walking and biking trails, a pool, and baseball diamonds, as well as a BMX track, at Shunga Park [24]

[edit][add listing] Buy

• Westridge Mall

[edit][add listing] Eat

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: 2300 SW 10th Ave
• Boss Hawgs BBQ: 2833 SW 29th St
• Classic Bean: 722 S Kansas Ave
• Globe Indian Quisine: 117 SE 10th Ave
• Horizon's Hamburger Palace: 821 SW 21st St
• Kiku Japanese Steak House: 5331 SW 22nd Pl (In the Fairlawn plaza mall)
• Rosa's Mexican Food: 2025 SE California Ave
• Taco's El Mexicano: 2002 SE California Ave

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• AmeriSuites Topeka Northwest, 6021 SW Sixth Avenue, Tel: (785) 273-0066 Fax: (785) 273-1423, [25].
• Best Western Candlelight Inn, 2831 SW Fairlawn Road, +1 785 272-9550, Toll-free: +1 800 223-8892, Fax: +1 785 272-8242, [26].
• Best Western Topeka Inn & Suites, 700 SW Fairlawn Road, +1 785 228-2223, Toll-free: +1 877 986-7352, Fax: +1 785 228-2223, [27].
• Candlewood Suites, 914 South West Henderson, +1 785 271-7822, [28].
• Courtyard Topeka, 2033 Wanamaker Rd, +1 785 271-6165, Fax: +1 785 228-9712, [29].
• Fairfield Inn Topeka, 1530 SW Westport Drive, +1 785 273-6800, Fax: +1 785 273-6800, [30].
• Holiday Inn, 605 Fairlawn Rd, +1 785 272-8040, [31].
• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 901 Sw Robinson Ave, +1 785 228-9500, [32].
• Motel 6 Topeka Northwest, 709 Fairlawn Road, +1 785 272-8283, Fax: +1 785 271-1341, [33].
• Motel 6 Topeka West, 1224 Wanamaker Road SW, +1 785 273-9888, Fax: +1 785 273-0665, [34].
• Residence Inn Topeka, 1620 SW Westport Drive, +1 785 271-8903, Fax: +1 785 271-8903, [35].

[edit] Get out

• Lawrence (Kansas) is thirty minutes east of Topeka along I-335 (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 Kansas University [36]. 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 [37] 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 (Kansas) is an hour and a half west of Topeka. Take I-70 West to KS-177 North. Manhattan is home to Kansas State University [38]. Near to Manhattan is Tuttle Creek Resevoir.

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