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K-State Gardens, Manhattan, KS
Sport & OutdoorFreeLocal GemOutdoor Adventure

K-State Gardens

1500 Denison Ave · Manhattan, KS

Why you should go…

The Kansas State University Gardens are display gardens on the K-State campus run by the university's horticulture department. You can walk among collections of daylilies, irises and roses, a Native/Adaptive Plant Garden, a cottage garden and an All-America Selections display garden. The campus roots go back to 1877, when Harvard's botanical garden sent 100 species of trees and shrubs to form an arboretum, and admission and parking are free.

  • #botanical garden
  • #university garden
  • #rose garden
  • #native plants

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to K-State Gardens, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Kansas State University

    Free

    The main campus of Kansas's first public university, with guided tours from the Berney Family Welcome Center.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Theatre & Events
    Date Night

    McCain Performance Series

    $25–$50

    Kansas State's touring season at McCain Auditorium, bringing Broadway musicals, comedy, jazz and country shows to campus.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Riley County Historical Museum

    Free

    Free county history museum with galleries from prehistoric times to today, plus historic buildings on its grounds.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Wildwood Adventure Park

    $50+

    Ride seven zip lines through the trees of the Flint Hills, then finish the course with a 40-foot free fall.

    2.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Colbert Hills Golf Course

    $50+

    A public 18-hole links-style course laid across the treeless Flint Hills, co-designed by K-State graduate Jim Colbert.

    3.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Tuttle Creek State Park

    Under $25

    Hike, mountain bike, camp, fish and play disc golf on the shores of Tuttle Creek Lake just north of Manhattan.

    4.3 mi awayMore like this