Travel the MidWest USA

Melvern Lake Kansas USA

Location and Directions
Melvern Lake is located in eastern Kansas north of I-35 and west of US-75 which are two major highways. You can find it between Emporia and Ottawa. Near the lake are the towns Olivet via K-276 and the town Melvern via K-31. To visit the town of Melvern and then the lake from I-35, take Exit 160. If you take Exit 148, you can visit the town of Lebo heading south or take the road north to drive through the west side of Melvern Lake. However, the most direct route will most likely be taking US-75 north at Exit 155.

Directions to Eisenhower State Park
There are many state highways nearby the lake, but the one to really remember is K-278 which will take you to Eisenhower State Park. It will end at the road you take to turn left and you will be able to easily spot it from there. Taking US-75 to K-278 west to South Fairlawn Road south to Eisenhower State Park is probably one of the more direct routes. If you want to, you could take South Hoch road through the west part of the lake to get to K-170 from the interstate, and then take a series of roads and eventually find South Fairlawn Road which will again take you to Eisenhower State Park. It is most likely the destination you want to travel to.

Click for Virtual Tour

The first thing you will notice is the Eisenhower State Park Office of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism (the way to get into the park). Once allowed to enter, there are two directions to take which will eventually connect back to each other closer to the actual lake. It won’t be hard to find restrooms and showers as you drive along. There are a few campgrounds adjacent to the lake such as the Doud and Churchill campgrounds. There is even a decent playground located pretty close to the water.

There are other places nearby such as the Outlet Park east of the lake close by US-75. It includes a dam you can ride on that gives you a good view of the lake looking west. There are places you can maybe access all around the lake including the Turkey Point Area southwest of Eisenhower State Park.

In conclusion, Melvern Lake is one of many lakes you can find in eastern Kansas. You can access it pretty easily from three major cities in the state of Kansas: Topeka, Emporia, and Ottawa. Melvern Lake is a good place to enjoy life and go fishing.

September 26, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Mile Markers in Colorado

Colorado is one of the homes the Rocky Mountains occupy. If you are traveling here by car through Utah, New Mexico, Kansas, Wyoming, or even Nebraska, it might be helpful to know what locations you might pass along the way. I will just briefly list cities on each interstates and the exit numbers that connect with it.

Remember that exit numbers aren’t just made up. They represent at what mile of the interstate you are at. For example, if you are at mile marker 100, and you find an exit, you will notice the exit number will be the same or off just by a mile or two. If you are traveling west or south, the numbers will count down until you reach a new state or the end of the highway. It will be the opposite if you are traveling north or east on the road.

Knowing this information, you can take the mile marker you are at as well as the exit number you are looking for and do the math. If you are at mile marker 88 and are traveling to a location with the exit number being 256, that means you are 168 miles away from your destination. It might be another two and a half hour trip assuming traffic is good and you make less stops along the way. So, with all of that being said, listed below are cities all in Colorado you will find along each interstate and what exit number they are at. Note that not every single one you can possibly find is listed. I hope you will find this useful someday.

I-25

11-15 – Trinidad
49-52 – Walsenburg & Farista
71 & 74 – Colorado City
94-104 – Pueblo
128-161 – Colorado Springs Area (Including Suburbs)
181-188 – Castle Rock & Castle Pines
194-228 – Denver Area (Including Suburbs)
240 & 243 – Longmont Exits
257 – Loveland Exit
269 A & B – Fort Collins Exit
278 – Wellington

I-76

1-25 – Denver Area (Including Suburbs)
31 – Hudson
39 – Keenesburg
64 & 66 – Wiggins
75-82 – Fort Morgan
89-92 – Brush
125 – Sterling
149 – Crook
165 – Sedgwick
180 – Julesburg

I-70

11-44 – Grand Junction Area (Including Suburbs)
62 – De Beque
75 – Parachute
87-97 – Rifle & Silt
114 & 116 – Glenwood Springs
140-147 – Gypsum & Eagle
163-168 – Edwards, Avon & Eagle Vail
176 & 180 – Vail
195 – Copper Mountain
201 & 205 – Frisco, Silverthorne & Dillion
226 & 228 – Silver Plume & Georgetown
239-241 – Idaho Springs
260-289 – Denver Area (Including Suburbs)
304-316 – Bennett, Strasburg & Byers
328 – Deer Trail
359-363 – Limon
371 – Genoa
395 – Flagler
405 – Seibert
419 – Stratton
437 & 438 – Burlington

September 14, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Colorful Colorado USA

Welcome to Colorful Colorado! If you prefer central America but don’t like the flat lands, this is a state to check out. Home to the Rocky Mountain National Park and the rest of the mountains, this state is decent in size, has very scenic areas, and a great vacation spot. People can come to ski, snowboard, ride a mountain bike, dwell in a lodge with a hot tub, or even just drive around the mountains.

Denver, Colorado
The main interstates that travel through the entire state are I-25 & I-70 that form a plus shape. They meet in the capital city, Denver. I-76 travels from I-80 in Nebraska to this city. I-270 & I-225 are inside the city with Colorado Highway 470 circling the city. The east half is toll road while the west half is non-toll road.

Denver, Colorado has both an NBA and NFL team to root for pretty much all year-round aka the Denver Nuggets, and the Denver Broncos. Boulder, CO northwest of Denver is home of Colorado University.

From Denver, you could travel north through multiple cities like Loveland and Fort Collins to the state of Wyoming and its capital city Cheyenne. Or you could travel south through Colorado Springs and Pueblo to the state of New Mexico. Or you could even continue west through the Rocky Mountains where you meet the city of Grand Junction just miles before the state of Utah. Traveling east takes you to the state of Kansas.

Colorado Springs, Colorado
Whenever my family and I travel from the east side of the state to the mountains, we like to stop in Limon, Colorado for a break and to get souvenirs from Colorado Gifts located right off the interstate at Exit 361. From there we go northwest to Denver or southwest to Colorado Springs, another great city next to Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods located to the west.

Eastern Colorado
Some people claim that eastern Colorado is just a flat, dry land with not too many things interesting. There is US-50 however is a better route through this part of the state if you aren’t taking I-70. The northeast isn’t as bad since there is another interstate you can take. In fact, western Kansas and eastern Colorado have the same feel to them. It is true that they both have flat areas and nothing that exciting for people that live in the big cities, but it is a nice place to live for people that don’t like populated areas so much.

Historic Stanley Hotel Estes Park Colorado USA

Estes Park
There are more places worth checking out that I haven’t really mentioned yet. I have been to Estes Park more than once, it is a good area to stay at if you are visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park.

South West Colorado
If you happen to travel in southwest Colorado, it is also very scenic and there is a lot to tour there. If you can take via US-160 to the very southwest part of the state where you can find Mesa Verde and Four Corners, you can see a nice looking desert. A cool thing I saw was the San Juan River right before the border to New Mexico and the four corners monument. I love how the river was big and it was the only obvious green area in the entire reservation. A bonus is being able to add a few more states to your list of states visited.

Colorful Colorado, in conclusion, is one of coolest mountain states I have ever seen in my opinion, and I have been to 20+ states so far. I think you will enjoy your time there if you choose this place as your next summer vacation destination. I will try to include more information about this state in the near future on this website, so stay tuned!

August 13, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Popular Lakes to visit in Kansas, USA

Clinton Lake

This reservoir is located near Lawrence, Kansas. K-10 used to end right at the lake, but it now bypasses the city of Lawrence and ends at the Kansas Turnpike aka I-70. You can still travel here off an exit at the southwest side.

El Dorado Lake

This reservoir is located near El Dorado, Kansas east of Wichita. The Kansas Turnpike goes over its north side and you can exit via US-77 or K-177 to visit this lake to take pictures of nature. If you are coming from the south end, you can also follow US-54 east of Wichita and El Dorado and find it to the north.

Cedar Bluff Reservoir

There are very few lakes on the west side of Kansas, but if you are willing to take the trip, you can find this lake located south of I-70 and north of K-4 via K-147. If you look out west, it is very hard to spot lakes that exist in Western Kansas. An honorable mention is Lake Scott State Park that is north of Scott City and is probably one of the only lakes like Cedar Bluff that exist in this region of the state. Cedar Bluff Reservoir is probably one of the biggest lakes in this part of the state and is worth visiting sometime.

Wilson Lake

This lake is located in west central Kansas south of K-18 and north of I-70 via K-232. K-181 meets up with K-232 here and is another way to get to Wilson Lake. K-232 goes an extra mile south of I-70 to get to Wilson, Kansas in which the lake or the city was named after. Although a very big lake, there appear to be even bigger lakes in Kansas than this one. It is still a great place to visit nonetheless like all the other ones mentioned and like some other big lakes, there are houses near the lake to give people inside a great view day and night.

Milford Lake

Milford Lake is the largest lake in the state of Kansas with an area of 64 square kilometres. This lake is located north of I-70, west of Junction City, and west US-77 via K-57. K-244 meets up with K-57 from I-70 and is another way to get to Milford Lake. If you draw a line of symmetry on US-81, Wilson and Milford Lakes almost appear to fold on one another on a map. Even though looking similar in that way, out of all the lakes in Kansas, this is probably one of the more special ones since it holds a record for the state. I am sure you can do all sorts of things like you can with all lakes: Ride a boat, camp, fish, hike, and most importantly, relax.

April 22, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Top 5 Biggest Cities in America by Population

We are blessed as U.S. citizens to live in this country. The number of activities for fun in this country is a number that is so great that it is hard to imagine.

These are a list of the biggest around:

New York, New York.
With over 8.5 million people, this city is the largest of them all by far. The second largest city is Los Angeles, and its population isn’t even half of what it is here. Central Park, Times Square, the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building are some famous places in the town.

Los Angeles, California.
On the western side of the country, this city is the biggest. Just over 4 million people live here. Right off the Pacific Coast, you can do a variety of things. For example, you can visit multiple beaches or even go see DisneyLand.

Newport Beach Los Angeles California — Newport Beach California

Chicago, Illinois.
Found by Lake Michigan, the population exceeds 2.5 million. Since Chicago is by water, you can enjoy being by the water if that is your thing. Many skyscrapers that are some of the tallest around are great sights to see if you care to drive by. You can visit the iconic Sears Tower which is now Willis Tower.

Houston, Texas.
You can find this big city next to the Gulf of Mexico. If you are into space, Houston is famous because of it. The Space Center is where you go if you are interested. The fourth largest city in the country has not quite 2.4 million people.

Phoenix, Arizona.
1.7 million people live here. It is one of the hottest places to be any time of year. If you like the desert feeling, this is one of the biggest places you can find in this area. You can climb up Camelback Mountain, or walk through Papago Park, or anything else you can find that is interesting to you.

February 17, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

KANSAS, the HEART OF AMERICA!

The state of Kansas has a lot to offer. Out of the 48 contiguous states, this state is right in the center. More technically speaking, the most northern tip of the state is the actual geographical center of the states (Alaska and Hawaii not included).

Here are some places to consider:

Topeka (Capital of Kansas)
Please click here for more information on Topeka, Kansas

Kansas City
Even though it may seem like the biggest in the state, the majority of the city is on the Missouri side. The city combined with other suburbs is one of the biggest cities in the region. Don’t forget to stop by for some BBQ!

Christmas Fountains Crown Center Kansas City Missouri USA

Lawrence
Kansas University resides in this town. It is also not far from two major cities, Topeka and Kansas City. If you are a Jayhawk fan, this is where you come for all of the home games!

University of Kansas at Lawrence Kansas USA

Wichita
According to the population, this is the biggest city in Kansas. Wichita State University is where all of the shockers come for home games! The air capital of the world has made a newer airport, Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport; fly through here if you wish.

Hutchinson
This is one of the bigger cities on the western side of the state. The Cosmosphere there is a place you can go to study more about space. There is even an underground salt museum you can go to.

Manhattan
Kansas State University resides in this town. If you come to watch any sport, football is what the Kansas State Wildcats are all about. The city is also scenic; it is surrounded by many hills around on the outside and the two main roads from I-70 are good roads you can take to get there

Hays
Home of Fort Hays State University. You can go here for college if you live in the western part of the state so you don’t have to travel as far east to get to KU, KSU, or WSU. You can also go see the Sternberg Museum of Natural History here.

Liberal
This city is found right next to the Oklahoma border in southwest Kansas. You can get here via US-83 or US-54, which are both major highways. Dorthy’s House is a popular place you can go to here.

Salina
Please click for more information on Salina, Kansas.

Atchinson
Amelia Earhart Birthplace (Atchison, KS) – One of the many famous people in the world actually came from Kansas! Right off the Missouri River, you can tour the house where she lived.

Dodge City
Another look at southwest Kansas! This place is known for being a frontier cow town founded back in 1871 aka Fort Dodge. You should stop by to visit the Boot Hill Museum while on your way to your destination.

Pittsburg
This city is close by the Missouri border in southeast Kansas and is only thirty miles away from Joplin. You can get here via US- 69 or US- 160. You could visit Miner’s Memorial or Veterans Memorial Amphitheater Museum during your travels.

Emporia
I-35 and I-335 meet at this point. You can travel north to Topeka, east to Kansas City, or south to Wichita using these interstates. Emporia State University is an option for college to the high school graduates or if you want to watch an event or explore the place.

Coffeyville
This city is found in southeast Kansas right next to the Oklahoma border. You can get here via US-166 or US- 169. Dalton Defenders and Coffeyville History as well as Brown Mansion are some places to visit here.

Elkhart
This city is next to both Oklahoma and Colorado state borders. Elkhart is known as the Cornerstone of Kansas since it is just about as southwest as you can get in Kansas without entering another state. Wide open spaces! You can learn more about Cimarron National Grassland if you visit the museum there.

February 14, 2020 NexGen TravelExplorer

Christmas in Kansas City

Kansas City comes alive with Christmas Lights after dark. Whether you visit the Plaza or Union Station or Crown Center, Christmas lights and trees make the city a festive place to visit! Take some time and hang out in the Crown Center.

Kansas City Crown Center Christmas Tree — Kansas City Crown Center

Have some hot cocoa while soaking in the lights of the season. The Ice Skating ring (Crown Center Ice Terrace) is a fun place to see all the skaters having fun on the ice.

Crown Center Ice Terrace Kansas City Missouri USA

A short walk or drive will take you to the Union Station.

The Kansas City Union Station will take you back in time. The old glorious Union Train Station all decked up with Christmas decorations and lights.

Beautiful Christmas Tree Kansas City Union Station Missouri USA — Christmas Union Station Kansas City USA

Not to mention young couples getting married under the beautiful Christmas Decor.

Christmas Wedding at Kansas City Union Station — Wedding at the Union Station Kansas City

January 10, 2019 Global TravelExplorer

Courtyard by Marriott, Kansas City South (Kansas City, MO)

UPDATE: This hotel used to have a hot tub, but as of April 2019, their hot tub was out of order with a sign that indicated it would not be fixed or replaced.

We have always enjoyed this hotel, especially the nice pool area ~~and hot tub~~. It’s bigger than a lot of hotel pools. They have recently remodeled inside the hotel and even the courtyard area, and everything looks great.

For a family get-together, this time we got the one bedroom suite, which has a nice living room area with a table and desk. It was nice and spacious, and it’s nice to have not only the extra space, but also a door that closes between the bedroom and the living-room/office area.

The staff is always friendly. It’s in a quiet area, even though it is close to the interstate. It does not have free breakfast like a lot of places do, but you can purchase breakfast.

It is one of the closest hotels to the International House of Prayer, and IHOP runs a shuttle between the hotel and their services. There is a special rate available for those visiting the area for IHOP. See www.ihopkc.org for more information.

It is also a short drive to many other Kansas City attractions, such as only 6 miles to KC Chiefs Stadium and KC Royals Stadium, 6 miles to Kansas City Zoo, 3 miles to Top Golf, and not much farther to Crown Center, Union Station, and Country Club Plaza. The hotel has a shuttle for destinations within 5 miles.

January 7, 2019 American TravelExplorer

Lewis and Clark Expedition Kansas USA

Lewis and Cark Expedition camped here at the confluence of the Kansas and the Missouri Rivers.

Lewis & Clark Kansas USA

You can get a view of downtown Kansas City skyline from the Kaw Point Park, Kansas. See the rivers flow gently bye. You can see the Missouri side (downtown Kansas City) from the Kansas side of Kansas City. Ponder what this place would have looked like when Lewis and Clark camped here.

Lewis & Clark Kansas City USA

Take a short trip into Missouri side of Kansas City to see more of Lewis and Clark’s historical trails.

This monument is located by Case Park, Kansas City Missouri.

Lewis and Clark Monument Kansas City Missouri USA

November 7, 2018 Global TravelExplorer

Courtyard by Marriott Kansas City South Missouri USA

Quiet place close to the busy Kansas City. It is located right off I-435. The hotel has a small cafe where you can buy food. Not too far from Burger King and McDonald’s for quick meal or breakfast.

We love the hot tub and pool area. It leads into the quiet courtyard. Safe place for kids to swim and for family to take a break.

Courtyard by Marriott Kansas City South Missouri USA

Short drive to Minor Park where the Oregon, California and Santa Fe Trails crossed the Blue River.

Blue River Parkway Trails can be accessed from here. Lots of trees which turn really pretty in the Fall.

Minor Park Blue River Kansas City Missouri USA

November 7, 2018 Global TravelExplorer

Category Archives: MidWest