Possibilities plentiful for daytrips
By Colleen Ryckert Special to the Kansan
The urge to take a road trip can come on fast and furiously. Coming up with the cash to pay for it, however, may take slightly longer. When the balance in your checkbook won't allow for a weekend in the mountains, take your vacation closer to home.
The male lion in the Topeka Zoo's "Lion Pride" exhibit waits for the keeper to bring food for the evening meal. Area zoos offer a change of pace from classes.
Within two hours of Lawrence, you can explore a rain forest or, if your taste buds are craving refreshment, tour a distillery.
The Topeka Zoological Park has renovated its rain forest display, and it is scheduled to open Oct. 30. The display is housed in a 30-foot high geodesic dome with a diameter of 100 feet, and it is designed to imitate a lowland rain forest ecosystem.
It is home to more than 100 plants and 150 animals, including flamingos, Indian giant fruit bats, iguanas and a type of crocodile called gharial. Birds make up the majority of the display and many are on endangered lists. Most of the birds and many of the lizards roam freely among the plants, so look closely to find them.
Gorilla Encounter is another of Mike Coker's favorite displays. It is unique, said Picker, general curator for the zoo, because visitors can walk through the display in a plexiglass tunnel, getting a three-sided view of the great apes, up close and personal.
Valerie Bontrager / KANSAN
Coker likes to tell stories about Max, the silverback, and his "great personality." Max, said Coker, enjoys scaring people in the tunnel. He will engage you in a staring contest and then, when you least expect it, run up and pound on the glass.
There are more than 350 animals calling
the zoo their home and many other displays available. The zoo is located 1/4 mile south of Interstate 70 at the Gage Boulevard exit. Admission is $3, and visitors can enter the zoo from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The building displays, including the rain forest and Gorilla Encounter, open at 9:30 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m. The outside areas close at 5:30 p.m.
In the opposite direction, you can take Interstate 70 East to Highway 435 North to Highway 45 West and end up in Weston, Mo. Weston, founded in 1837, was a booming river town until a flood moved the Missouri River one mile south of town.
While the people and businesses have changed with time, the frontier look of the town hasn't. Many of the original structures still stand, and the entire town was designated a Historic District in 1972. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Weston is also home to the only distillery west of the Mississippi River, the McCormick Distillery.
The company has been in operation since 1856 when Benjamin J. Holladay discovered that the limestone water on the property was perfect for distilling whiskey. Until then it had been used as a slaughtering plant.
Today, the distillery offers free tours Monday through Saturday, from April 1 to Nov. 30. The tour includes a film on the history of the company.
McKayla Heider, weekend manager, said visitors stock up on their favorite whiskeys at the gift shop located next to the distillery. The big sellers, she said, are the peach vodka and J.B. Holladay.
"Peach vodka is McCormick's answer to
peach schnapps," Heider said. "B.J. Holladay is our top-of-the-line whiskey. It is aged for eight years to give it maximum flavor and the best color."
Visitors can try a sample of their favorite spirit for 10 cents at the sample bar. "The finest little bar in the Midwest" is tended by John Dickinson, an alumnus of KU, who put it best when he said, "You can't get any cheaper than this."
A walk through the town is a haunting
stroll. The two-story buildings still have the heavy awnings and antique moldings of the late 1800s. Main Street is lined with shops including a rare and hard-to-find book store and a candy shop. Weston also has an abundance of antique shops.
A great source of ideas for more quick getaways is "Day Trips From Kansas City" by Shifra Stein. Her 1993 edition includes 43 different cities, a map and a list of festivals held throughout the year, as well as a list of businesses to contact for more information.
September 24, 1993 Kyou • ENTERTAINMENT '93
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