Clinton Lake & Lawrence: Trails, Wetlands & Prairie

Clinton Lake is the best all-day outdoor circuit within an hour of Kansas City: 7,000 acres of reservoir with 25 miles of trails ranging from lakeside flat walks to limestone bluff climbs above the water. The East Shore Trail follows the ridge above the main bay with views across to the dam; the North Shore has calmer coves for fishing and kayaking. Ladybird Diner in downtown Lawrence has been a Massachusetts Street institution since the 1990s — an American diner that makes its own pie and sources regionally. Baker Wetlands, on the south edge of Lawrence, is 927 acres of restored tallgrass prairie and seasonal wetland habitat connected by elevated boardwalk and gravel trail — the best birding in eastern Kansas during spring and fall migration, and a striking landscape in its own right regardless of season. Free State Brewing, Kansas's first legal brewery since Prohibition, closes the loop.