Saline County: Nature, Art and History

Saline County combines outdoor experiences with art, museums and a rich architectural history. Public parks, trails and places to explore wildlife sit alongside outdoor exhibits, festivals and historic buildings. When choosing a vacation rental, a simple question can help: Would you like to spend most of your time outdoors, explore culture and history, or combine both?

Landscapes, Parks and Wildlife

Coronado Heights is a 16-acre public park on the southern edge of Saline County. At Lakewood Park, nature trails, picnic areas and disc golf facilities complement the lake. Rowboats, canoes and boats with small electric motors are suitable for the water; there is also a fishing dock accessible to people with disabilities.

Indian Rock Park covers 35 acres and has trails for hiking and exploring, a small pond and prairie grassland. The River Woods Nature Area offers a different option: its easy loop trail is 1.6 miles long and can be used for hiking or mountain biking. Visitors looking to compare different landscapes will find both pond and prairie areas, as well as a trail specifically described as a loop.

Wildlife can also be discovered in different ways. Rolling Hills Zoo is home to more than 120 animals and carries out conservation and educational activities. The Wildlife Museum at Rolling Hills Zoo presents seven regions, from the Arctic to the rainforest, across 64,000 square feet. Comparing live animals with a museum presentation organized by region adds another dimension to the nature theme.

Art, Museums and Architectural History in Salina

In Salina, the annual SculptureTour Salina brings a juried outdoor exhibit to downtown. A self-guided walk takes visitors to the sculptures; there is also a public vote for the favorite work. Boom! Salina offers a different focus: the annual mural festival takes place in the heart of downtown. Both events make outdoor art part of the cityscape, one through sculptures and a walking tour, the other through murals.

The Smoky Hill Museum combines interactive, hands-on exhibits with a children’s area and virtual exhibits. In architectural history, the range extends from Christ Episcopal Cathedral, built in the Gothic Revival style in 1907, to the modern style of the US Post Office and Federal Building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cathedral has numerous stained-glass windows; Episcopal church services have been held there continuously since 1908.

Other buildings tell different sides of the city’s history. The HD Lee Company Complex consists of three connected brick buildings dating from 1904 and 1927 and is of historic interest for its commercial and industrial significance. Four-story Pioneer Hall on the Kansas Wesleyan University campus is designed in the Collegiate Gothic style and is known for its significance to local education and architecture. Lowell School was built in 1915 during the Progressive Era and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds of Roosevelt-Lincoln Junior High School contain two historic school buildings, separated by a restored green space.

The Teague Nelson Building, built in 1886, also illustrates the role of building and business owners in the development of downtown. The Fox-Watson Theatre, now the Stiefel Theatre, opened on May 19, 1931, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The theater began by hosting performances by national touring productions and is home to the Salina Symphony.

City Life and Trip Planning

For a stay focused on art, events or city visits, there are other specific interests to consider. Oakdale Park hosts the Smoky Hill River Festival every June and the KKOA Leadsled Spectacular Car Show every July. If you want to plan your trip around either event, check the specific event dates. Golfers can play the Salina Municipal Golf Course, with rolling bluegrass fairways spanning 6,500 yards; each hole has four tee boxes.

CityGo is Salina’s fixed-route bus system and serves more than 80 percent of the city. For specific trips, check the current routes, as details may change. Choose your accommodations based on which of these options matter most for your trip, without turning individual experiences into a fixed itinerary.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Montgomery, Douglas County, Cherokee County, Gove County, Seward County, Allen, Cowley County.

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