Tuesday, June 3, 2008
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION
Got a few days and a willingness to explore?
If so, summer could bring backyard tailgates, 72 hours of live music, rim-rattling dunks, a low-key weekend at the lake and a mausoleum put on display.
After all, there’s more to summer than just sitting poolside.
Kansas City Power and Light District and the College Basketball Experience/Parkville, Missouri: All summer
Though college basketball lives in Allen Fieldhouse each winter, it summers a few miles east in Kansas City, Mo.
The College Basketball Experience is a two-level interactive museum on the edge of the Power and Light District in downtown Kansas City, Mo. The museum, attached to the Sprint Center, works as a convenient daytime companion to the Power and Light District’s bustling nightlife.
“The activities combined with the museum make it an easy place to spend a day,” said Brian Kelly, who brought his family to the College Basketball Experience. “The whole area has a lot of neat stuff to do.”
The top level of the College Basketball Experience caters to active visitors — the level contains several basketball courts tailor-made for dunking and shooting competitions. Downstairs, fans can brush up on college basketball history with help from computers that offer information on past coaches and players.
“It’s not a museum, it’s an experience,” said Jeff Gelb, College Basketball Experience Coordinator of Facilities and Operations. “It’s designed so people can pick up a ball and actually experience what college basketball is about — shooting, dunking. They can become part of the game.”
The museum sits across the street from KC Live!, the Power and Light District’s main entertainment hub. The outdoor venue, which hosts free weekly concerts throughout the summer, is surrounded by bars and restaurants such as Gordon Biersch Brewery and Maker’s Mark Bourbon House.
About 10 miles north of downtown Kansas City, Highway 9 sits wedged between the Missouri river and tree-dotted bluffs. As the busy thoroughfare becomes a quiet lane, Parkville, Mo., appears.
Parkville, home to Park University, is a town of about 4,000 with the character of a mini-Massachusetts Street. The college sits on a hill north of the town, overlooking the several blocks of shops and restaurants that comprise downtown.
"Parkville is popular because it's such an eclectic area," said Gloria Heifner, an artist at Northland Exposure Artists' Gallery in Parkville. "The stores offer unique experiences."
In a two block space, downtown Parkville offers Argentinian, Italian and French cuisine in addition to the microbrews, pizza and sandwiches available at the Power Plant Restaurant and Brewery.
"There's an old, traditional hometown feel here," Power Plant owner Scott Gardner said.
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What: College World Series
Where: Omaha, Neb.; 207 miles north of Lawrence
When: June 14-25
How much: $10 per game or $70 for a 10-game pass. Roundtrip gas estimate: $78.
Kansas baseball may have fallen short of the postseason this year, but some college baseball teams are heading down the home stretch, hoping for a trip to Rosenblatt Stadium.
Omaha, Neb., will host the College World Series from June 14 to June 25. The eight-team, double-elimination tournament will crown college baseball’s national champion. Kansas is not eligible for the College World Series, but the event does not cater solely to fans of specific teams. For nearly two weeks, Omaha fills with baseball fanatics of all allegiances.
The College World Series has become an early-summer Omaha tradition. Rosenblatt Stadium has hosted the tournament since 1950 and Omaha is under contract to hold the World Series each year until 2035.
“The College World Series is special because of the tradition,” said Catherine Morrisey, executive director of College World Series of Omaha Incorporated. “The sport has true purity. It’s a beautiful rendition of the game, and it’s stunning to watch.”
The series becomes an event for the entire area surrounding the stadium. Max Utsler, a KU professor who will work his third straight year as a scout at the series this month, said everyone in the four-block area of the stadium rents out their front yard to vendors.
“In the back yards of the houses, folks set up beer gardens,” Utsler said.
A 10-game ticket costs $70 and single-game general admission tickets cost $10.
For those in need of a break from baseball, Utsler suggested a daytrip to the Henry Doorly Zoo, which is adjacent to the stadium. The Old Market district, which is two miles north of Rosenblatt Stadium, is home to many bars and restaurants such as The Upstream Brewery, which offers 10 microbrews.
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What: Lollapalooza
Where: Chicago, IL; 566 miles northeast of Lawrence
When: August 1-3
How much: $190 for a three-day pass. Roundtrip gas estimate: $212.
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Lollapalooza 2008 lineup highlights
Radiohead, Kanye West, Rage Against the Machine, Wilco, Nine Inch Nails, The Raconteurs, Gnarls Barkley, Bloc Party, The Black Keys, Lupe Fiasco, Broken Social Scene, Tally Hall, Flogging Molly, Cat Power, Explosions in the Sky, Brand New, Perry Farrell, Saul Williams, Iron and Wine, The National, Blues Traveler, Mates of State, Louis XIV, Manchester Orchestra, Rogue Wave
The festival that made alternative rock mainstream is back with a few more genres in tow.
Lollapalooza, held August 1 to August 3 at Grant Park in downtown Chicago, boasts headliners as diverse as Radiohead, Kanye West and Wilco. A $190 three-day pass buys an opportunity to see 108 performers.
“It’s really festive and mostly a young crowd,” said Courtney Bregar, Chicago junior. “It’s a huge deal here – we’re already starting to make plans to get off of work that weekend.”
The festival toured the United States in the ’90s and originally showcased underground rock and grunge before fading out at the end of the decade. Lollapalooza returned in 2005 as an annual event set in Chicago with a focus on delivering more diverse performers.
The 2008 lineup includes mainstream and under-the-radar artists from genres such as hard rock with Rage Against the Machine, hip-hop with Lupe Fiasco and acoustic with Iron and Wine.
Though vendors are plentiful within the festival’s fences, exit and re-entry are allowed at Lollapalooza. Grant Park’s central location provides the opportunity to stray from the music for sightseeing or eating in downtown Chicago. The park sits on Lake Shore Drive, seven blocks from the Sears Tower and is surrounded by dining and shopping opportunities.
“Oak Street Beachstro is a favorite restaurant of mine,” Bregar said. “It’s right on the beach, and it’s open to the outside.
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What: Lake of the Ozarks
Where: Lake of the Ozarks, Mo.; 167 miles southeast of Lawrence
When: The lake is busiest on weekends, especially Fourth of July weekend.
How much: Fishing boat rentals run about $30 per hour, deluxe motorboats about $100 per hour. Roundtrip gas estimate: $62.
Ask Jim Divincen which Lake of the Ozarks area golf course he likes best, and he won’t offer any recommendations. It’s not that Divincen dislikes golf, but the Tri-County Lodging Association administrator can’t name a favorite because there are too many he enjoys playing.
If the Lake of the Ozarks, located in central Missouri about 170 miles east of Lawrence, has a problem, it could be the overwhelming number of activities it offers visitors. And that’s not a bad problem to have.
The lake, bordered by two state parks, is popular for all sorts of boating. Fishing is common in the morning, jet skiing is the most popular afternoon attraction and nighttime provides an opportunity to visit Party Cove, a mile-long stretch of the lake frequented by revelers.
“It’s a pretty chill atmosphere,” Matt Guerra, Wichita sophomore, said. “The coolest thing was how close everything was to the water.”
The Lake of the Ozarks provides plenty of dining and entertainment choices for visitors on a budget. With 39 restaurants along the waterfront and more than 100 retail stores in the area, travelers have plenty of options. The green fees at the area’s 16 golf courses aren’t especially steep, either.
“Some of the biggest names in golf have designed the courses,” Divincen said. “It’s very affordable, coming from a big city where you might pay $100 to play.”
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What: The Garden of Eden
Where: Lucas, Kan.; 199 miles west of Lawrence
When: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day
How much: $6 for a tour of The Garden of Eden. Roundtrip gas estimate: $75.
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What: The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum
Where: Salina, Kan.; 139 miles west of Lawrence
When: Open 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. every day
How much: $8 per adult. Roundtrip gas estimate: $52.
Western Kansas has its fair share of wide-open spaces, but the miles between Lawrence and the Colorado border have more attractions than meets the eye.
Interstate 70 spans 422 miles across Kansas, from the urban sprawl of Kansas City to the flat fields near the state’s western border. From Lawrence west, the highway is dotted with a day’s worth of quirky and interesting locations.
One of western Kansas’ most unusual structures is The Garden of Eden, a building erected to honor the 20th century populist movement. The home-turned-museum, built nearly 100 years ago by sculptor and social commentator Samuel P. Dinsmoor, contains more than 200 sculptures and oak, redwood and walnut décor.
“The biggest attraction is the architecture,” Garden of Eden tour guide Brandie Stoneburgh said. “It all tells a story. Everything has some sort of meaning behind it.”
Perhaps even odder than the building are its contents. Visitors can view Dinsmoor’s decomposing body through a pane of glass. The sculptor died in 1932.
“It’s really crazy and totally unique,” said Kayla Regan, Wichita junior, who visited The Garden of Eden with her parents. “You’re not going to find something that insane in the rest of Kansas.”
The towns between Lucas and Lawrence also provide daytrips. The Cozy Inn, wedged into a small building in downtown Salina, serves tiny and inexpensive burgers. Abilene, a town of fewer than 7,000 residents, is home to the Eisenhower Museum and Library and the famous fried chicken of the Brookville Hotel, which was put on the map by traveling soldiers during World War II.
*Gas estimates based on 20 miles per gallon, $3.75 per gallon.
— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld
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