Cottonwood Falls
Tucked into the heart of the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway, Cottonwood Falls is a step back in time. Main Street is lined with historic storefronts, and includes several new shops such as the Salty Cow Mercantile, which operates under a new name now, but has been in business since 1927.
Serving as a town focal point, the Chase County Courthouse was constructed in 1873 of native limestone that was quarried and transported by horse-drawn wagons. It’s the oldest courthouse in the Midwest and still in use daily. Tours highlight the building’s rich history.
“Cottonwood Falls is centrally located in the state, which is a big draw for us,” said Chase County Chamber of Commerce board member Suzan Barnes. “Groups come here to get away from the city, conduct business and relax in our peaceful Flint Hills. Horseback and team-building events can also be arranged within the surrounding area.”
Downtown’s Grand Central Hotel and Grill has 10 rooms decorated with Western flair and upscale European touches. Under two iron chandeliers, the Buffalo Bar showcases the 72 cattle brands used in Chase County. Two private dining rooms open onto a garden courtyard and can accommodate up to 50 people. The outside courtyard seats up to 36 diners. Two meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment and Wi-Fi seat 10 individually or up to 30 when combined. For larger meetings, the Chase County community building holds up to 300 people.
Merriam
Beyond a charming downtown and its inclusion in “Livability’s Top 100 Small Towns Across America,” Merriam’s appeal is its proximity to big-city attractions, events, dining and shopping. Merriam is located a mere eight miles from downtown Kansas City, but delivers interesting tour and meeting options in a smaller setting. The Merriam Visitors Bureau provides one-stop service for conference and event planning.
“We’re less than five square miles, but we’ve received national and international praise for our unique and educational tours such as K.C. Strings and Strawberry Hill Povitica Company,” said Merriam Visitors Bureau director Karen Crane. “We can organize tours and outings, a downtown scavenger hunt, meeting rentals, hotel referrals and greetings from our local officials upon arrival.”
Strawberry Hill Povitica Company provides a tasty look at this Eastern European swirled bread. The bakery keeps alive the Old World ritual of creating each loaf by hand. Year-round, the store carries 12 flavors, from traditional poppy to strawberry cream cheese, and visitors can sample them all. Glass windows span the bakery, and on any given morning, workers roll out the sweet dough before sprinkling it with filling and rolling it into hearty loaves. The loaves can be shipped for souvenirs and gifts.
Tiny K.C. Strings has created custom high-end string instruments for 23 years. A factory tour takes groups, with a minimum of 25 people, through the wood shop, where they can watch the fascinating process of instrument building. An adjacent conservatory seats 60 for private concerts, meetings and rentals.
Down the block, the Irene B. French Community Center accommodates groups of up to 250 people with a gymnasium, multiple meeting rooms, a full-service kitchen and a quaint art gallery for breaks. Directly across the interstate, IKEA Merriam promises an adventurous shopping experience. The furnishings giant opened its Merriam store in 2014; its 400-seat, cafeteria-style restaurant serves its famous Swedish meatballs and other tasty dishes in an airy dining space.
Manhattan
Affectionately dubbed the Little Apple, historic downtown Manhattan’s recently revitalized streets are lined with boutique shops and locally owned restaurants. The renovated 100-year-old Wareham Opera House hosts events for up to 250. At one end of Poyntz Avenue, the Manhattan Town Center offers plentiful shopping, a food court and six full-service restaurants.
Private dining for groups of up to 20 can be arranged in the historic downtown district at Hibachi Hut and Harry’s, recently voted best restaurant in Kansas by Business Insider. The newly opened Tallgrass Taphouse invites patrons to taste experimental brews made on-site. Strasser Plaza’s 50-person meeting room includes additional outdoor space.
Another gem, Aggieville is the oldest shopping district of its kind in Kansas. Aggieville Olympics, sponsored and organized by the Aggieville Business Association, invites groups of 50 or more to divide into teams and rotate to a different bar every 15 minutes for competitive games. Nearby, Aggie Central Station is specifically designed for live music events and accommodates 200 people. The luxury boutique Bluemont Hotel lies directly across the street from Aggieville, with 112 rooms and 7,000 square feet of meeting space.
“For events at Aggie Central Station, a bus loops between the hotel and venue throughout the evening,” said Luke Wiggins, convention sales manager, Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’re very service oriented and coordinate everything from start to finish, including transportation, catering, the venue and band.”
The $24.5 million Flint Hills Discovery Center highlights the ecosystem and geology of the native tallgrass prairie, plus cultural and Native American history. Groups of up to 550 people can reserve inside space, as well as the outdoor terrace. Next door, the Hilton Garden Inn and Manhattan Conference Center touts more than 16,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. The conference center area encompasses three other hotels within 100 yards of each other for a total of 404 guest rooms.
“Manhattan is very walkable, and visitors in any of our three districts can walk to excellent shopping and dining,” said Wiggins.
