I'm making the drive this time -- from Wichita Falls, so I will miss DFW and the big casino that most of you fellow drivers will see on I-35, but will converge with the majority of you guys in Oklahoma City.

I've driven I-35 through Kansas a couple of times, and my recollection is that stopping places on the Kanas Turnpike are few and far between.

Google is sending me through Topeka and up US 75. Never been that way.

What do I need to look out for along the way, and who do I need to look out for on the way? I will be leaving Friday morning, aiming to arrive in Omaha around supper time.

In Topeka watch out for Sean98. But if your want to stop and grab a beer, let me know. Otherwise I'll be in Omaha by midday Saturday.

Topeka is also the home of Brown v. Board (75th anniversary) and the State Capitol. I can also tell your about Dawson, Nebraska where you'll probably have to wait 30 minutes as a train blocks the state highway.

We drive to MN every year (which takes us through Omaha). Oklahoma is just the worst state to drive through ever. 35 is actually preferable to 69/75 though. I hate that road with a burning passion.

I don't mind the Kansas turnpike. The stops are in the center and maybe every 15-20 miles… you don't really have a ton of options though. Flint Hills and the old cattle pens are kind of cool too.

Wichita is actually a cool city… especially downtown. Nortons Brewery downtown is one of our favorite stops on the way to MN.

I'm going solo so not a lot of stopping for me… just straight through to Omaha.

Definitely the Braums in Corsicana.

I'm driving up from Houston

You live in Wichita Falls? Mercy, I even have more respect for you now. The thought of not being in Wichita Falls puts a little smile on my face whenever I have to go to Port Arthur or Fort Stockton.

We're rolling out tomorrow from East Texas. Even though it isn't the straightest shot, we are gonna stay the night in Manhattan, KS and then get to Omaha on Thursday.

About 15 min east of Edmond, OK on Route 66 is the Chicken Shack. Amazing chicken and fried pork chops.

Watch your speed in Kansas and Nebraska. Not a lot for the police to do in those areas. Especially in the rural areas.

I've driven it many times from here in East Texas just south of Lufkin I find the best route it's through Dallas and 35 to Oklahoma City at Wichita. I take 81 all the way to York, which is just West Lincoln get on 80 there and straight on in to Omaha.

I say that's the best route that I found, it's about 20 minutes longer than going to Topeka and 75. The last time I was on 75 which was probably three years ago. There was a lot and I mean a lot of construction. It could be cleared out by now

But all in all of 81 is a much easier drive almost four-lane Road to complete way so that's probably The route I'll take when I leave in just a few hours at 12 1/2 hour drive I don't care y'all be safe. We'll see you there.

Keep an eye out for cops on 81 near York if you're going that way. If you're not making in one day, Salina has plenty of places to stay. Going via the toll road, I've stayed in Emporia before.

Be safe, everyone who is driving!

jah003 said:

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We drive to MN every year (which takes us through Omaha). Oklahoma is just the worst state to drive through ever. 35 is actually preferable to 69/75 though. I hate that road with a burning passion.

I don't mind the Kansas turnpike. The stops are in the center and maybe every 15-20 miles… you don't really have a ton of options though. Flint Hills and the old cattle pens are kind of cool too.

Wichita is actually a cool city… especially downtown. Nortons Brewery downtown is one of our favorite stops on the way to MN.

I'm going solo so not a lot of stopping for me… just straight through to Omaha.

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29 goes through Omaha. 35 through Des Moines to Minneapolis.

69/75 to Joplin with a shunt on 44 to 49 is much better than the route was when it an extra two hours. But the road quality and speed traps are annoying both in Texas and Oklahoma.


The Kansas turnpike is nice but you will find stopping at the services stops is more convenient than getting off the turnpike. If you focus on price you'll be disappointed. I've driven 35 about 20 times and 69/75 about 10 while we were in the Cedar Rapids area. The Joplin trip before 44 was awful But from Dallas and from Houston to Des Moines it was faster. But I definitely enjoyed the faster turnpike speeds in Kansas where you can go faster but not too much.

Lots of speed traps in Kansas. Those cops pop right out of those fields to ticket you.

I'm pulling outta my property here at Zavalla right now!!

Same.... from Houston

don't forget your hat like last time

Welcome to Manhattan, KS. It's small but has a better downtown(aggieville) than Salina or Topeka.

No stops. Lots of granola bars and lots of empty Gatorade bottles. Manifest destiny!

If you're driving through Emporia, KS at lunch or dinner time, take a short detour to Downtown and try Bobby D's Merchant St. BBQ. It's only about 10 minutes off I-35. Found this place by accident a couple months ago on our way to Kansaas City. Really, really good food, and very reasonable prices. As someone stated previously, once you get into Kansas, places to eat are few and far between. On top of that, their highway signage directing to resaurants and gas stations is horrible.

Hotel at Oldtown in Wichita, nice.

Salina has a great Italian restaurant downtown. Get the salad.

Can someone with real world experience clarify something for me. Is anywhere else as flat and boring as Kansas going up 35?

Kansas is literally the flattest place I've ever been. Driving through it looked like when you first load a 3D modeling project. Featureless infinite horizons

I have property in Chester.

StinkyPinky said:

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No stops. Lots of granola bars and lots of empty Gatorade bottles. Manifest destiny!

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Well, if I'm driving straight thru, those Gatorade bottles would be full…

Decay said:

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Can someone with real world experience clarify something for me. Is anywhere else as flat and boring as Kansas going up 35?

Kansas is literally the flattest place I've ever been. Driving through it looked like when you first load a 3D modeling project. Featureless infinite horizons

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Yes... I-10 from Las Cruces to Tucson. Horrible stretch.

bek.90 said:

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Decay said:

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Can someone with real world experience clarify something for me. Is anywhere else as flat and boring as Kansas going up 35?

Kansas is literally the flattest place I've ever been. Driving through it looked like when you first load a 3D modeling project. Featureless infinite horizons

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Yes... I-10 from Las Cruces to Tucson. Horrible stretch.

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1-80 across nebraska

goofenround said:

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I've driven it many times from here in East Texas just south of Lufkin I find the best route it's through Dallas and 35 to Oklahoma City at Wichita. I take 81 all the way to York, which is just West Lincoln get on 80 there and straight on in to Omaha.

I say that's the best route that I found, it's about 20 minutes longer than going to Topeka and 75. The last time I was on 75 which was probably three years ago. There was a lot and I mean a lot of construction. It could be cleared out by now

But all in all of 81 is a much easier drive almost four-lane Road to complete way so that's probably The route I'll take when I leave in just a few hours at 12 1/2 hour drive I don't care y'all be safe. We'll see you there.

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You've just about sold me on 81. I went to Manhattan for baseball back in the Big XII era, and went up using the Kansas turnpike and 177, but came back through Salina. Looks like a lot of 2 lane roads with 65 mph speed limit from north of Topeka (Holton) to the outskirts of Omaha going the I-35/US 75 route. Going the other way (US 81, I-80), through Salina, seems to be almost all four lane, a lot of 75 mph, and some 70 mph. Google now says its a 16 minute difference. I'm not very patient when it comes to passing on 2 lane roads, so that 16-20 minutes might be worth it for the peace of mind.

Decay said:

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Can someone with real world experience clarify something for me. Is anywhere else as flat and boring as Kansas going up 35?

Kansas is literally the flattest place I've ever been. Driving through it looked like when you first load a 3D modeling project. Featureless infinite horizons

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Any road which leads to Lubbock. If you think the Kansas Turnpike is flat, you clearly have never been to Lubbock. The Llano Estacado makes the Flint Hills look like the Appalachian Mountains.

twk said:

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Decay said:

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Can someone with real world experience clarify something for me. Is anywhere else as flat and boring as Kansas going up 35?

Kansas is literally the flattest place I've ever been. Driving through it looked like when you first load a 3D modeling project. Featureless infinite horizons

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Any road which leads to Lubbock. If you think the Kansas Turnpike is flat, you clearly have never been to Lubbock. The Llano Estacado makes the Flint Hills look like the Appalachian Mountains.

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That's funny because I have driven a lot of TX and don't remember Lubbock area being that bad. From the north you're going through Palo Duro Canyon and I remember kinda driving through hills and windmills around Sweetwater going at it from the east. Although I'll admit I've only been on a drive directly into Lubbock only two times. Every other it was about an hour outside of town to hit telecom huts.

I lived in Nebraska for two years and made that drive many times. Once you get past OKC, There is nothing from there to Canada.

Y'all be safe on the road

Gotta figure out a way for me and the boys to sneak into twk's trunk.

trouble said:

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Gotta figure out a way for me and the boys to sneak into twk's trunk.

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It's a tight fit

North of Topuka ( local resident's name for the state capitol ) there is a nice hotel /casino - Prairie Band run by the Pottawatomie tribe. I'd recommend it for the layover if you aren't driving through and are a gambler. Great golf course as well. After Topeka and the casino there are almost no hotels to speak of
Topeka has all sorts of fast food / chain restaurants as well as hotels along the loop (I 470 ) you will take around town to get to 75 N

Wichita has abundant hotels and restaurants if you stay there ( here for me ). I'm happy to make recommendations if people have requests