Explore Great Bend
Great Bend: A Friendly Town with Several Things to Do
We invite you to experience and explore the many opportunities that our charming community has to offer. Great Bend, a city of 15,000 warm people, is best known for the historic SRCA Dragstrip – home of the first NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Nationals, the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo and tons of history. Our friendly town offers a little bit of everything to explore.
Filled with history
Discover historic buildings with rich stories about the past of Great Bend at the Barton County Historical Society. Schedule a tour at the Kansas Wetlands Educational Center to discover the scenic byway. There are several exhibits and educational opportunities here. Other Great Bend museums include the Kansas Oil & Gas Museum, where you can learn about oil and gas production and manufacturing.
Roar of a zoo
Great Bend is proud to have the only free zoo between Kansas City and Denver. Here you can have up-close animal adventures by sling-shotting fruits and veggies to our grizzly bears or meet our owl Thurston, who can cluck like a chicken. It’s not just for the summer; the zoo is open during the cooler months as well. The Wetlands Waterpark is also a perfect family-friendly adventure, especially after a zoo visit.
More things to do
Make sure to check out the Barton County Courthouse and the Veterans Memorial Park, Great Bend staples. If you’re looking for competition, axe throwing might be perfect at Hatchet Axtion. The Great Bend Expo Complex hosts many favorites such as the SRCA Drag Race and the Barton County Fair.
Our midsized Kansas town welcomes visitors with open arms and is ready to give you the best hospitality. If you are looking to experience more cities with an array of things to do, check out our blogs.
