07/02/2024
Uff da, what a day we had visiting the quiant small town of Lindsborg, Kansas . (Did you read that with a Scandanavian accent? I betcha you did...) What started as a quick trip turned in to a full day or exploring this historic 1800's Swedish immigrant town. They fully embrace their heritage and offer a glipmse into small town life with a lot of modern updates. Despite its size, there's a lot to explore, cool things to see, and some dang good coffee to drink! Check below for the all the cool things we did thanks to the app!
Stop 1: Maxwell Wildlife Refuge (pics 1-26)
What did Kansas look like before settlers came across the prairie? About 60 million more bison roamed these lands before being nearly wiped out, due to overhunting for their precious fur and meat. It is easy to be in awe of their beauty and humbled by their size and power. The cool part is you ride a tram out in to the park and get up close and personal with these majestic beasts. We got lucky today and we're the only people on our reserved time, so we got a personal tour w Ken (who was absolutely phenomenal)! I could have spent so much more time here and was just inspired by the natural beauty that surrounded us. If it sounds boring, it might not be for you, but trust me, don't miss this... it's worth it and tram ride is about 45 mins tops. Make sure you make reservations beforehand and it is only open Tuesdays and Saturdays for the app.
Amanda: 3.75/5⭐️
Ryan: 5/5⭐️
Stop 2: Ol Stuga (pics 27)
This place was heavily recommended by locals, and I can imagine it being quite the happening place at night, but for a hungry clan it was not the most ideal spot. Food was good but it is clearly not a lunch spot for a family, thought and I'd love to check it out in all it's glory on a Friday night.
Gonna withhold a rating on this one...
Stop 3: Blacksmith Coffee (pics 28-33)
One rule, we get local coffee almost anywhere we go, and this place has been on my radar for a while. Honestly, it was one of the "must-dos" on this trip and it didn't disappoint. Very few places have the coffee, history, and atmosphere that can rival this place. Just walking through the doors transports you back 150 years! Great history of the building, lots of cool artifacts, and the coffee and triple berry cobbler were out of this world delicious! (Seriously, itnwas sooo good that after seeing Amanda take a bite of cobbler, Maddy said "is mommy happy now?") Honestly, would drive back to Lindsborg again just for this spot!
Amanda: 5/5⭐️
Ryan: 5/5⭐️
Stop 4: Lindsborg Old Mill (pics 34-47)
You have no idea how cool this place is until you step inside the 100+ year old mill and see first hand how flour was made back in the day. The museum has some pretty cool artifacts, including some grist mills stones, but the start of the show is how well the mill itself has been preserved. The literally let you wander the entire mill and offers some audio as well. This could be a short stop or spent a ton of time exploring the layout of such sophisticated machinery.
Amanda: 4/5⭐️
Ryan: 4/5⭐️
Stop 5: Coronado Heights (pics 48 -end)
The story goes that Francisco Coronado abandonded his search for the Seven Cities of Gold near here. The castle and recreational areas were built in 1936 by the WPA and gives off the vibe that the Spanish explorers really liked to picnic. What the heights offers is one of the most breathtaking views of our great state and reminds you just how beautiful it can be when you get outside the city. This free spot is worth the 5 minute drive out of town.
Amanda: 4/5⭐️
Ryan: 4.25/5⭐️
