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Kansas Wizard of Oz Town, and so much more!
Wamego is a small town in Kansas, situated on the Kansas River, between Manhattan and Topeka. You might drive past without giving it a thought but this little town packs a big punch when it comes to fun and interesting things to do.
What is Wamego KS famous for? Wamego has taken the Wizard of Oz theme and ran with it! Visit Wamego, and you will be transported to a fantastical, colorful, Oz infused, feast for the eyes.
Although they have gone to great lengths to make you feel like a whirling tornado transported you to the Land Of Oz, there is so much more to see and do in Wamego.
BONUS: Many of the best things to do in Wamego Kansas are Free!
It’s a small town, with a great big identity…come and spend a day, or maybe two!
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own.
Top things to do in Wamego Kansas
Wamego is full of unique things to do! Here are 13 of my top “Things to do in Wamego Kansas” recommendations:
1 Visit the Oz Museum in Wamego
If you came to Wamego to take in all of the Wizard of Oz sites, then The Oz Museum, a tribute to L. Frank Baum and to all things Oz, then the Oz Museum should be your first stop!
The Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego is one of the best in the United States, if not the entire world. With over 123 years of Oz history and over 2,000 Oz related items contained within its walls, it is one of the largest private collections of Oz memorabilia in the world. In 2021 the museum was included in USA Today’s “Best Pop Culture Museum” list.
address: 511 Road to Oz Highway, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: $10 adults, $8 children (2 and under free) discounts available for military, students and groups
For the most up to date and current information on opening times and prices see the Oz Museum Website.
See the museum in photos and get my guest review of the museum in my “Oz Museum, Wamego Kansas.” article!
2 Follow the Yellow Brick Road
Now’s the time to strap on those ruby red slippers Dorothy, and follow that yellow brick road! You’ll find it directly across from the museum. This fun little alleyway makes for a great photo op!
address: 514 Lincoln Ave , Wamego, KS 66547
cost: free!
3 Search for Toto in Wamego
Finding Totos is one of my personal favorite things to do in Wamego Kansas! There are 15 simply adorable Toto statues around Wamego, “Totos Around Town” they call them. Maps are available at several locations around town. (I got mine at the museum in the park.)
location: various locations around town
cost: free!
Seriously though, how cute are they!?
4 Visit Wamego City Park
Wamego has a beautiful park that any town would be proud of. Things you’ll find the park:
- Schonhoff Dutch Mill, and beautiful old windmill, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Don’t miss the war memorial, found just on the outskirts of the park, detailed later in this article. War Memorial address: 405 6th St, Wamego, KS 66547
- Wamego Historical Museum (covered next) with an old Prairie Town Village.
- Make a picnic of it! picnic tables can be found throughout the park.
- There’s a children’s train that runs a route through the park mid April through mid October, Thursday 10 am-noon, Saturday 10-noon, Sunday 2 pm-4 pm
address: 599 6th Street #569, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: free! (except for entrance into the museum, historic buildings can be viewed for free)
I’ve covered the park in greater detail on my Wamego City Park page.
5 The Historical Museum
The Wamego Historical Museum, run by the Wamego Historical Society, is also located inside the park. The Museum property houses several historical buildings, which were moved here from various locations around Pottawatomie County. Included: an old jail house, an old school house, a log cabin and more!
Inside the museum, you will find it packed full of historical items from around Wamego, and the surrounding area. The museum is also covered on my Wamego City park page.
address: 406 4th St, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: adults $3, students $1, 6 & under and military free
6 Wamego Veterans Memorial
The Wamego Veterans Memorial is also located in the park. The memorial lists names of fallen soldiers from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. For more details on the Veterans Memorial see my Wamego City Park page.
address: 405 6th St, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: free!
7 Chrysler birthplace & Wicked Witch of the East
While we are on the subject of history, did you know that Walter P. Chrysler, the founder of Chrysler Corporation, was born in Wamego? The house where he was born can still be found in town. There isn’t much to see, but it seems this is the house that took out the Wicked Witch of the East…so I got this fun picture!
You’ll find the Chysler House, and the ill fated Wicked Witch of the East right next to the McDonald’s location in town.
address: at the intersection of Highway 24 and Highway 99, south east corner.
cost: free!
8 Visit the wineries and vineyards in Wamego
If you like wine there are three places in town that may interest you.
Wizard of Oz Winery
First up the Oz Winery, where you can shop for wines with whimsical names like “Squished Witch,” “Emerald City Lights,” “Yellow Brick Road,” “Flying Money,” “Drunken Munchkin,”….and many more! Shope their handmade chocolates and gourmet cheeses too.
address: 417 Lincoln Ave, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: free to shop for wines, gifts and delectables, go on in!
Wine tasting: 2 free samples. Flights 3 Wines for $8 or 5 Wines for $12 or purchase by the glass. Reservations recommended.
Highland Community College Vineyards
Highland Community College’s Wamego Campus has a viticulture certification program. They allow self-guided tours of their vineyards. If you’re visiting at the right time of year take a stroll among the vines. They have the different varieties of grapes marked.
location: 500 Miller Dr, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: free!
456 Wineries
After you check out the vineyards, you can stop in for a glass of wine at 456 Wineries, sort of a communal space for up and coming winemakers. They call it a winery incubator!
address: 503 Miller Dr, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: see the 456 Wineries menu
9 Tour a working buffalo Ranch just outside of Wamego.
9 miles south of town is the Plumlee Buffalo Ranch, a 400 acre working ranch. They offer visitors private tours of their ranch. Let Shirley Plumlee show you around their place. You’ll get up close, and personal, with animals that have been roaming Kansas for centuries. Tours are by appointment only.
address: 29300 SW 99 Frontage, Alma, KS 66401
cost: $45 per tour
Get more information about the Plumlee Ranch tour here.
10 Columbian Theatre
The Historic Columbian Theatre is a central hub in town for art, theater, and more. The Columbian, built in 1895, houses rare paintings from The World’s Fair Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893. (Named the Columbian exhibition because it was a celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the New World in 1492.)
The venue hosts live theater productions throughout the year.
address: 521 Lincoln Ave, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: Cost: per event. See the Columbian Theatre website for more information.
11 Festivals
Wamego hosts 3 big festivals during the year
cost: free!
OZtober Fest
food, vendors, entertainment, costume contests…one big celebration, centered around The Wizard of Oz, every October.
Tulip Festival Kansas
each spring, you’ll find thousands of tulips in bloom, and all manner of food, vendors and fun.
Independence Day Celebration
Wamego goes REALLY BIG for the 4th of July! They host one of the biggest fireworks displays in the state of Kansas, in addition to a carnival, car show, tractor show, parade, concerts, food, drink, and more.
12 Wamego Aquatic Center
Get your SPLASH ON any time of the year! The Aquatic Center consists of an indoor and outdoor pool.
address: 500 Ash St, Wamego, KS 66547
cost: see the City of Wamego website for current information on hours and prices
13 Disc Golf
Take in a round of disc golf at Pennyland Park Disc Golf Course, a par 3 course with tee pads. The course is open between the hours of 5 am and 10 pm.
GPS coordinates: 39.20681212016924, -96.31276316978578
cost: free!
Best places to eat in Wamego
Hungry yet? All of this fun we’re having is bound to work up an appetite. Here are some of my favorite places to eat in Wamego:
Toto’s TacOZ
serves Cal-Mex options with fun names like “Emerald City Street Tacos,” “Tin Man Burrito,” “Uncle Henry or Auntie Em’s Nacho.” Toto’s Tacoz has lots of fun OZ memorabilia too!
address: 515 Lincoln Ave, Wamego, KS 66547
The Friendship House
Another popular place to eat in town is the Friendship House. In addition to serving breakfast and lunch, they offer homemade baked goods.
Get the Belgian waffles with strawberries and homemade whipped cream! Sometimes I stop on my way to work and have one on the covered porch!
Also favorites of mine: the cherry kolache, the cinnamon rolls, and the French toast…delicious!
Another popular item, Bierocks, served only on Saturday’s I’m told. I believe they have frozen Bierock, available for purchase anytime.
address: 507 Ash St, Wamego, KS 66547
Barleycorn’s Downtown Deli
No gimmicks, just good food! Sandwiches, salads, paninis, wraps, appetizers etc!
address: 410 Lincoln Ave, Wamego, KS 66547
more places to eat
Needing more options? Find a full list of places to eat in Wamego, with customer reviews and photos on TripAdvisor.
Getting to Wamego
Looking for things to do in Manhattan and the surrounding area? Wamego is just a short drive away!
As you travel to Wamego from any direction you’ll begin to see just how serious they are about all things Oz. Highway 99, between interstate 70 and Wamego, has been officially designated as the “Road to Oz.”
But no matter which direction you “blow” into town from, there is no mistaking, you have arrived!
Distance from:
- Kansas City: 105 miles, 1 hour 34 minutes
- Topeka: 45 miles, 45 minutes
- Manhattan: 16 miles, 21 minutes
- Wichita: 150 miles, 220 minutes
- Salina Kansas: 87 miles, 1 hour 18 minutes
*** Distances are an estimation for information purposes only. Distances calculated with Google Maps.
Final thoughts
There you have it, my take on the top things to do in Wamego Kansas! If you follow me, you know that I LOVE to travel to Europe but sometimes, there really is no place like home!
Tiny Wamego has a population of just 4,860. It is hard to believe that there is so much to see in a town of that size. If you love the Wizard of Oz, Wamego is a must! While you likely won’t find any lions, tigers, or bears here, you will be treated to one big OZtravaganza, oh my!
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