24 Best & Fun Things to Do in Garden City (KS)

In search of the best and most fun things to do in Garden City, KS?

Garden City, Kansas, has an estimated population of 30,000, and it is located in the southwest Kansas region, which is well known for lots of meat production activities.

The town boasts the best beef and ranching facilities in entire Kansas, also hosting lots of festivals to celebrate their exploits in the industry. You can attend festivals such as Beef Empire Days, summer festivals, and many more.

Garden City, Kansas, was formed in the 1870s by hunter Charles and frontiersman, a prolific Hunter of buffalo in the early 1800s.

During your trip, visit attractions such as  Airport Raceway, Hard Rock Lanes, Parrot Cove Indoor Water Park, Finney County Historical Museum, and other top places to visit in Garden City.

Here are some of the top fun things to do in Garden City, KS.

Things to Do in Garden City

1. Parrot Cove Indoor Water Park

Parrot Cove Indoor Water Park
Credits: carlos castilla / Shutterstock

The Parrot Cove Indoor Water Park is located on the east side of Garden City and has been rated as one of the best water parks in the city.

The center is an indoor attraction with top facilities that help visitors enjoy the best water fun activities around Garden City, Kansas.

It features a large lazy river, about four-tube and body slides, a zero-depth playground for little kids, a small explorers reef, and a climbing wall.

Enjoy your Saturday night at the Parrot Cove Indoor Water Park, which starts from 9 pm to midnight and promises to offer relaxation to visitors.

Also featured in the area is a snack shack where visitors can buy some edibles, an arcade shop, the old Chicago pizza chain, the gym center, and hotels.

Address: 990 Stone Creek Dr, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

2. Historic Downtown Shopping District

Historic Downtown Shopping District
Credits: G-Stock Studio / Shutterstock

Open for enthusiastic individuals, Historic Downtown Shopping District is a place where you can purchase stunning souvenirs, jewelry, artwork, shoes, homeware, and food items.

The shopping center is also known as Main Downtown Mall and is located in southwest Kansas with lots of fun activities to offer to the people of Kansas.

The center also features beautiful trees lined on the streets, a collection of murals and sculptures that grows annually, a vintage storefront, and many more.

It further incorporates a self-guided excursion available for the people of Garden City, Kansas, and other interested foreign individuals.

Additionally, the Historic Downtown Shopping District also features the Windsor Hotel, established in the 1880s and close to the Stevens Park.

Address: Larue Rd, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

3. The True Crime Exhibit

True Crime Exhibit
Credits: Finney County Historical Museum / Facebook
True Crime Exhibit

If you are in Garden City, visit the True Crime Exhibit to Enjoy a wonderful time out.

The True Crime Exhibit offers much fun to fans of investigating crime stories, making the city an interesting tourist destination.

The center is located in the Finney County Historical Museum, which measures about 525 Square-foot area that is home to several historical artifacts.

There are many beautiful historical artifacts at the establishment. Most of which were gathered from the two major crimes in the city around the 1920s and 1959.

The True Crime Exhibit started in 2018 and headlined genuine forensic science fiction such as rifles, boots used by the perpetrators, other weapons, and fingerprints.

Additionally, the center also features photographs and historic improvements of the judicial robe of the famous Judge who heard the case in early 1959.

Address: 403 S. Fourth Street in Garden City’s Frederick Finn up Park, United States

4. Garden City Arts (GCA)

Garden City Arts (GCA)
Credits: Garden City Arts / Facebook
Garden City Arts

The Garden City Arts (GCA) features a gift shop that stores beautiful artworks and unique pieces from talented artists worldwide.

The center is located on Main Street downtown and has helped elevate the cultural activities of the people around southwest Kansas.

With about 30 years of experience in the business, they display beautiful artifacts in their gallery every month for visitors to see for free.

Every August, visitors are allowed to view the SWKS Juried Exhibit, which promises to be a fun show for everyone.

Additionally, the Garden City Arts center is a community-owned asset that hosts a wide range of classes concerning watercolors and printmaking.

Address: 318 N Main St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

5. Finney County Historical Museum

Finney County Historical Museum
Credits: Billy Hathorn [CC BY-SA 3.0], Wikimedia Commons
Finney County Historical Museum
Check out the natural, social and cultural history of southwest Kansas in the Finney County Historical Museum.

There are many fascinating tidbits about the colony rush in the early 1880s with the presence of Garden City Sugar Company and the cattle industry.

The Finney County Historical Museum features profiles of beautiful figures like the frontiersman, cofounder of Garden City, Charles “Buffalo” Jones, and many more.

For the past decades, the museum has preserved the history of Garden city, Kansas, for the young generation to benefit from the past incident.

Additionally, at the center, there is a memorable one-room schoolhouse on the museum premises and buildings from 1884, such as Luticia Fulton House and William D.

Address: 403 S 4th St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

6. Baron’s Steakhouse and Bar

Baron's Steakhouse and Bar
Credits: CaliMarie / Shutterstock

Visit the Baron’s Steakhouse and Bar to enjoy a special dinner mixed with blended sauce for visitors.

The Baron’s Steakhouse and Bar is located along East Kansas Avenue, and it is a perfect fun dining destination for everyone around Garden city.

The restaurant offers a different menu depending on the time of the day. However, there are tasty steaks to enjoy during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The famous steaks around the premises include ribeye and filet mignon, which taste good after much seasoning from professional chefs.

Additionally, Baron’s Steakhouse and Bar also features several dining options such as side dishes, chicken, entrees from fish, shrimp, and appetizers.

Eating at Baron’s Steakhouse is one of the best fun things to do in Garden City, Kansas.

Address: 1911 E Kansas Ave, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

7. Tumbleweed Festival

Tumbleweed Festival
Credits: carlos castilla / Shutterstock

Witness the Tumbleweed Festival, which holds every fourth weekend in August at the West Green of Lee Richardson Zoo.

The Tumbleweed Festival offers the best music ranging from blues, Americana, and folk combined with a country flavor.

About four stages serve a similar purpose, except for one of its compartments reserved for the children.

Make sure you set your exit time and priorities right because the fun activities around the center will keep you occupied.

Additionally, there are restaurants around the center that sells excellent food. There is a schedule of workshops that focuses on educating interested individuals on general music.

Address: 312 E Finn up Dr. Garden City, Finney County 67846 United States

8. The Garden City Flea Market

Garden City Flea Market
Credits: Rishiken / Shutterstock

Visit the Garden City Flea Market if you wish to purchase fresh food while in Garden City, Kansas.

The Garden City Flea Market is open for everyone, with special offers presented every second Saturday of July when vendors are allowed to hawk their wares.

The market started in 2010; since then, it has become one of the top-rated centers in the city, with a population of about 4,000 visitors annually.

The center features about 60 vendors from the city and beyond, which sells food like pie and candy, arts and crafts, and beautiful antiques.

Additionally, the markets allow interested individuals to enjoy the comfort of the shuttle service, which moves guests around the market ground.

Address: 920 W Lake Ave, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

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9. Windsor Hotel

Windsor Hotel
Credits: Patrick Emerson / Flickr
Windsor Hotel

One of the fun things to do in Garden City, KS, is to lodge at the Windsor Hotel, located in the Main Street region of Garden City, which boasts an excellent environment for outdoor lovers.

The center is a home away from home for everyone, with lots of notable features, ranging from the beautiful environment to the spacious rooms and clean restrooms.

The Windsor Hotel is formerly known as the Waldorf of the Prairies, which was established in 1887, and since then, it has become one of the best fun places to visit in Garden City, Kansas.

The beautiful four-story building Windsor Hotel features a composition of red brick with local limestone, a 120 by 100 feet land size, and a massive footprint.

Additionally, the hotel is recorded on the National Register of Historic Places, and it is under the custody of the Finney County Preservation Alliance.

Address: 419 N Main St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

10. Sequoyah Cinema 9

Sequoyah Cinema 9
Credits: Serhii Bobyk / Shutterstock

Visit the Sequoyah Cinema 9 to watch the latest blockbusters movies on a gigantic screen.

The center’s management was transferred to the Mitchell Theatres chain in 2010, and it is one of the best fun things to do in Garden City, KS.

The center features an excellent auditorium with several feet of space between each row, high-back rocker seats, and a comfortable stadium seating pattern to ensure magnificent views of events.

The Sequoyah Cinema 9 was expanded in 2018 with several large screens added to the available ones, ensuring everyone is carried along.

Additionally, the center offers a 7.1 digital sound, 100% digital projection to keep visitors entertained with a fair rate of the ticket price of $4 per movie.

Address: 1118 Fleming St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

11. Hard Rock Lanes

Hard Rock Lanes
Credits: Artbox / Shutterstock

The Hard Rock Lanes is one of the ideal attractions for family and friends, with lots of great bowling activities engaged at the center.

Owned and managed locally since 1979, Hard Rock Lanes has about 12 lanes fabricated with a modern scoring system that includes video playback to watch and learn from your strikes.

Visitors can interact with other bowling alley players at the Hard Rock Lanes and make friends.

The center also boasts unique features such as automatic bumpers for bowlers under seven while it is eliminated for mature players.

The Hard Rock Lanes also features a pro shop where you can buy equipment from top brands to low quality, a large arcade area, and many more.

Address: 1612 E Laurel St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

12. Beef Empire Days

Beef Empire Days
Credits: TFoxFoto / Shutterstock

The city of Garden City, Kansas, is popularly known for festivals, one of which is the Beef Empire Days, one of the funniest shows around the city for both the young and old.

The festival is scheduled every summer, and it is a week-long celebration sponsored by the local meat industry in the Kansas metropolis.

The Beef Empire Days have been on for the past half a century, making it one of the oldest shows in Garden City, Kansas.

During the festival, visitors can watch several events such as rodeos, parades, cattle shows, art installations, carnival, great food, the contest of different descriptions, and many more.

Additionally, the famous Ranch Rodeo and teams of working cowboys are also Incorporated into the festivals, which adds a lot of educational values to the show.

Address: 206 E Fulton St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

13. Airport Raceway

Airport Raceway
Credits: Avigator Fortuner / Shutterstock

Engage in some significant speed action at the Airport Raceway, which promises a fantastic fun adventure for your family, friends, and loved ones.

The Garden City Regional Airport is one of the best things to do in Garden City, KS, for both old and young visitors.

The center features a grandstand located just a few feet away from the track, which is rated as one of the fastest â…™-mile in the entire city of Kansas.

The racing season runs from May to the first week of September. Interested individuals can come around to watch live racing games and also showcase their driving skills on the tracks.

Additionally, the center is open for visitors to come and enjoy fun races only on Saturdays, with other days lined up for professional games ranging from the Quarter Midget races, Junior Sprint Junior, A Class Micro to Restricted Winged Micros and many more.

Address: 10472 US-400, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

14. Escape the Clock

Escape the Clock
Credits: releon8211 / Shutterstock

Sift the Escape the Clock, which offers a fun escape room experience for the people of Garden City and beyond.

Escape the Clock features about five rooms with a unique theme, and visitors are given just an hour to crack down the puzzles.

The game requires brainpower from intelligent minds and teamwork, so pick the right team and exercise patience with them when necessary.

Each room accommodates about 6 to 12 people. One of the aims of the game is to educate people about the benefits of teamwork.

Additionally, most of the room names explain the action to witness, such as Alice in Wonderland, The Copper County Conviction, The Final Chapter, and many more.

Address: 124 N Main St #5458, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

 15. The Mercer Gallery

Mercer Art Gallery
Credits: Mercer Art Gallery / Facebook
Mercer Art Gallery

Observe beautiful art at the Mercer Gallery, which gives interested individuals the opportunity to navigate through beautiful art galleries.

The gallery is located around Garden City Community College premises. It boasts a vast array of beautiful artworks made by college students, local citizens of Kansas, and international artists from across the globe.

The famous art gallery was established to honor Clyde Mercer in 1989, and since then, it has hosted an average of 8 to 10 exhibitions every year, with about 300 magnificent exhibits on display.

Additionally, the center also features a variety of art forms such as sculptures, drawings, and paintings either in 2D or 3D medial format.

Address: 318 N Main St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

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16. Garden City Community Theatre

Garden City Community Theatre
Credits: WinWin artlab / Shutterstock

A trip to the Garden City Community Theatre offers interested individuals the chance to feel the creative sides of the city with lots of fun things to do at the site.

The Garden City Community Theatre group was established in the 1990s, with the principal purpose of fundraising for the Garden City Community Church.

The center is open for anyone with little experience in dramas, and all its members engage in the production-making process while some help in set construction and ticket sales.

The theater has developed in all areas in the last decades, making a visit here one of the best things to do in Garden City, KS.

Additionally, it stages a massive music show every year with professional singers and local bands performing on set, with recent shows like Mamma Mia, The Music Man, and many more.

Address: 801 Campus Dr, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

17. Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta

Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta
Credits: Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta / Facebook
Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta

Participate in the Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta, which complements your tour around Garden city, Kansas, with lots of fun shows.

The Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta is an annual celebration that started in 1926, and it was installed to honor Mexican independence from Spain.

During the Mexican independence from Spain, the people chanted the historic cry of “el Grito”; which was popular in the days of freedom-seeking.

The Garden City Community Mexican Fiesta features fun shows like dancers in traditional costumes, car parades, and cowboys movement.

It also features a restaurant that sells delicious Mexican food where Mexican Folk Dancers who perform traditional dances take their meal after the show.

Address: PO Box 84. Garden City, Kansas 67846, United States

18. Garden Rapids at the Big Pool

Garden Rapids at the Big Pool
Credits: NatchaS / Shutterstock

The Big Pool at the Garden Rapids is an award-winning establishment larger than a 100-yard football field, which features fun activities like water skiing and swimming.

The gigantic pool was excavated by professionals from the community of Garden City, Kansas, in the early 1920s.

The Garden Rapids at the Big Pool is an integral part of the Garden City summertime games, which begins their season in the second week of May every year.

Over the years, the Big pool has been upgraded several times with lots of features added, such as the bathhouse constructed in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration.

The park was recently renamed the Garden Rapids at the Big Pool in 2020 after some fun features like a lazy river and water slides were added.

Address: 504 E Maple St, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

19. The Past

Travel back in time with an outstanding experience at The Past, which offers a memorable experience for both locals and tourists alike.

Visitors are allowed to spend a Wonderful evening at the center, Which promises to be an exciting time out for outdoor lovers.

Watch as history unfolds at the Past event center, which is a perfect addition to your list of fun things to do in Garden City, KS.

There is an opportunity to learn about the historical happenings in southwest Kansas while enjoying live music and traditionally prepared barbeque.

Additionally, visitors can parade in old costumes of their favorite actors from the past, such as the life of Mark Twain and the Great Depression.

Address: 1010 Stone Creek Dr, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

20. Saints of Fun

Saints of Fun
Credits: Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock

Join the fun action at Saints of Fun, one of the city’s favorite fun destinations for both the young and older people of Garden City, Kansas.

The center offers several fun activities such as paintball fights and other entertaining arcade games for interested individuals.

The Saints of Fun is located in the heart of Garden City, Kansas, near Northwest Jennie Baker Road, one of the perfect fun spots.

The historic fun plaza supplies visitors with the necessary equipment for paintball fights, such as pressurized air, paintballs, face masks, gun rentals, etc.

 If you are tired of paintball, there are also other fun games to try out at the Saints of Fun, such as laser tag games similar to paintballs.

Address: 3555 N Jennie Barker Rd, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

21. Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House

Patrick Dugan's Coffee House
Credits: PLAY STUDIO / Shutterstock

Enjoy the taste of fresh coffee prepared at Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House. It serves the finest of coffee to visitors from all over the world.

The coffee House offers smooth cappuccinos, blended coffees, rich coffees, delicious lattes, and natural health teas such as green teas, black teas, and many more.

The Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House also offers unique beverage mixtures such as toasted bagels, sugar cookies or brownies, cinnamon rolls, scones, muffins, etc.

The facilities and staff at Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House are selected professionals from Garden City and many more.

Additionally, the center is a fun complex for professional baristas, local citizens, and friends of Patrick Dugan’s Coffee House.

Address: 301 N Main St #5463, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

22. The Sandage Bison farms

Sandage Bison farms
Credits: danm12 / Shutterstock

Walk around the Sandage Bison farms to see the remaining native sandsage prairies, preserved to avoid extinction in Garden City, Kansas.

The Sandsage Bison farms are located south of downtown Garden City along Highway 83, making it a perfect fun destination for wildlife lovers.

The beautiful 3,760-acre range provides enough space for other animals such as snakes, rabbits, mule deers, cat family, etc.

The center was opened in 1916 and has overseen the growth of many bison from their babyhood to the adult level, especially during calving season.

Additionally, the facility allows for guided tours by interested individuals from March to October, and protected carriages are also available.

This answers what to do in Garden City, for some fun time, do consider an addition to your bucket list of fun things to do in Garden City, KS.

Address: 785 S Business, US-83, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

23. Lee Richardson Zoo

Lee Richardson Zoo
Credits: Lithium366 / Shutterstock

Visit the largest zoo in the entire city of Western Kansas at the Lee Richardson Zoo, which is always open for interested individuals.

The 50 acres of Lee Richardson Zoo is located in the Finn up Park region, which makes it one of the city’s top wildlife attractions.

The zoo dates back to the 1920s, and it used to honor the former Chief of Police Lee Richardson (1884-1851), who pioneered the attraction.

The Lee Richardson Zoo started with a pair of little skunks that were brought to the center by Lee, and currently, it is an AZA-accredited attraction with over 110 species from across the world.

Additionally, the zoo boasts unique species such as leopards, anteaters, alpacas, jaguars, Amur, African bush elephants, manned wolves, and more.

Address: 312 E Finn up Dr, Garden City, KS 67846, United States

24. The Central Cup Coffee House

Central Cup Coffee House
Credits: Alpha_7D / Shutterstock

On an average day when you just want to meet with friends and hang out, the Central Cup Coffee House is a great choice.

The Central Cup Coffee House is a perfect location to hang out as you enjoy a delicious cup of coffee directly from their kitchen.

They offer a wide variety of options for the crapper, espresso, and coffee, including keto blends with a heavy cream and espresso base.

You can also get their tea lattes, tea, or smoothies if you’re searching for something non-caffeinated. As you have any of the drinks of your choice, also get some of their delicious pastries.

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Plan a Trip to Garden City

Garden City, Kansas, is an exceptional place to visit, as it offers lots of outdoor activities, events, and music shows for everyone.

This city allows visitors to enjoy a wonderful time with families in many places, such as the markets, fun centers, theaters, museums, and more.

It boasts a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, history, food tours, art classes, and more.

Start planning your trip to this wonderful city. Pin this article as a guide to easily fall back to while making your checklist of things to do in Garden City, Kansas.