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In downtown Cottonwood Falls, a must-see is the 1873 stone Courthouse
(second oldest continuously operating courthouse west of the Mississippi,
where kids love the basement jail), then the Historical Society Museum,
Roniger Memorial Museum of Native-American culture, art galleries and
shops. I get a kick at the gas station when someone hops out to pump—it’s
so 1950s.

This is where you make your stop for the night, booking ahead at one of

two locations. The Grand Central Hotel in Cottonwood Falls ﬁrst opened
in 1884, went into decline, but was completely renovated before re-opening
in 1995. It has ten well-appointed guest rooms (love the comfy white
robes) and is very dog-friendly for those who like to travel with their best
friends. The Grand Central is where Lyle Lovett and his entourage stayed last
June when coming through to perform at the Symphony in the Flint Hills.
I’m also partial to the Lark Inn Guest Houses: six updated cottages can
accommodate families or friends, with porches or patios for sitting outside.

Dining for Saturday evening will be a treat. The Grand Central

Hotel & Grill is an exceptional restaurant with understated ﬁne dining,
featuring delectable beef. In Strong City, you’ll ﬁnd Ad Astra, open only
Friday through Sunday. Both Grand Central and Ad Astra are destination
restaurants, with folks driving in from a 100+ mile radius. Reservations
recommended for both. Nightlife? Not on this trip. The goal when staying
in Chase County is to unwind. Rock on the porch, take a stroll, avoid
electronics and hit the sack early.

The Grand Central Hotel restaurant is closed to the public on Sunday,

but breakfast is available for their guests as well as for Lark Inn guests. You
should have time for breakfast along with, perhaps, a sunrise prairie hike
and a late check-out.

Leaving by late morning or early afternoon, drive the remainder of the

Scenic Byway south into Matﬁeld Green, at last count a community of 47,
but growing in both population and artistic aspirations. Stop in at the two
art galleries, Pioneer Bluffs and The Bank. Pioneer Bluffs is a meticulously
restored farmstead and heritage education center, with a gallery focus on
contemporary art. The Bank is a hip, smaller gallery located in an old,
compact bank building.

Train buffs will love this community as well. Some 70 trains come

through Matﬁeld Green each day, and visitors can stay in totally renovated
efﬁciency ﬂats converted from Burlington Northern Santa Fe “casitas.” Just
50 feet from the tracks and perfect for viewing trains, they are amazingly
quiet when the doors are closed. Couples or families can also opt for one of
four unique VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) cottages, either in town,
or, for exceptional privacy, set alone on 8 acres of tallgrass prairie.

From Matﬁeld Green drive down to Cassoday, catching the intersection

with I-35, just 12 miles away, and taking it and U.S. Route 59 back to Lawrence.

If you wish, you can reverse this Flint Hills National Scenic Byway

itinerary, starting at the Cassoday exit off I-35 and driving north on K-177
through Matﬁeld Green and into Cottonwood Falls and Strong City,
concluding in Manhattan. In that case, wrap up your weekend getaway at
the Flint Hills Discovery Center, then relax on the patio at Taco Lucha,
in Aggieville, my latest Manhattan ﬁnd, where the patio is hip, and the
“taco-fusion” menu with mango margaritas make me so, so happy.

SUNDAY

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