Lawrence (Kansas)

Lawrence is a city in Eastern Kansas, USA along I-70, 35 miles (56 km) west of Kansas City, Kansas. It is home to the University of Kansas. Lawrence provides a mix of academics, bohemia, and small-town Kansas kitsch. It has been the setting of many movies and is a growing cultural hub in Kansas.

Understand
Lawrence is a college town with ideologically diverse residents. Two universities are located in the town - the older and more historic University of Kansas, with a campus spanning from downtown Lawrence to west Lawrence, and the federally funded Haskell University in southeast Lawrence. There are also many historic settings, as this city was among the first in Kansas and shaped the cultural and political landscape of Kansas for generations to come, at its founding. Today, it is a cultural hub in the state, with several theaters, restaurants, music venues, bars, clubs, churches, and landmarks. This town, and the surrounding county, is oozing with history from the pre-Civil War Bleeding Kansas era, and there is much to explore.

By car

 * Interstate 70. On the north edge of town.
 * State Highway Kansas 10. Access from southwest metropolitan Kansas City on the south edge of town.
 * US 24 and US 40. East-west access from Topeka and Kansas City (24 immediately north of town and 40 through the center of town).
 * US 59. North-south access from Ottawa and Atchison through the center of town.

By bus

 * The K-10 Connector (RideKC Route 510). The K-10 Connector runs between Overland Park and Lawrence on weekdays. Services are limited during KU summer term and school breaks and holidays. $3 one-way.

By train
Amtrak provides one daily service via the Southwest Chief route. Westbound trains, from Chicago bound for Los Angeles stops just before midnight while eastbound trains rolls in to Lawrence early morning. The is at 413 E 7th St. There's no bus stop directly at the station, however 7th & New Hampshire station is just a few minutes walk away.

By plane

 * Kansas City International Airport 46 miles east-northeast. The closest airport to Lawrence with commercial airlines operating, and a major Southwest hub. Service also available on major airlines to large domestic hubs (Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Memphis, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York, Houston)

Get around
The central part of the city, consisting of the downtown, the KU campus, and the student-filled neighborhoods in between is easily walkable. The Lawrence Convention & Visitors Bureau's Visitor Information Center offers brochures for self-guided walking tours in the city. Outside of the central part of the city, cars are king. Cabs are cheap, though uncommon.

By bus
Lawrence has a fairly good and inexpensive bus system, known as the T. Before January 1st, 2023, the fare was only $1 and would get you one transfer or you could pay $2.75 for a day pass. However, through 2023, you no longer required a bus pass to ride the T due to the Fare Free Pilot Project. The website is on Lawrencetransit and there a bus to the Overland Park campus k-10-connector. The transit stops are on Google transit and searchable there, excluding the K-10 connector. In early 2024, a new central bus station is expected to be finished on 15th St. between Kasold and Iowa.

By taxi

 * Jayhawk Taxi, 850 E 13th St, +1 785 843-8294, M-Sa Hotline Open at 8AM.
 * Ground Transportation Inc. 301 Maple St, +1 785 838-4500. $9 anywhere in town, 24/7 hours open.
 * Lawrence Taxi +1 785 304-6748. Th-Sa Part-time.
 * Uber is also available in Lawrence, as far as the south border of Douglas County, and up to Lecompton, Kansas.

By bike
The city is relatively bike-friendly, and has had a good reputation among the biking community.

See

 * There's an interesting rock mural on North Side of the river which was created by local artist Stan Herd. It is visible from the Massachusetts Street Bridge.
 * There's an interesting rock mural on North Side of the river which was created by local artist Stan Herd. It is visible from the Massachusetts Street Bridge.
 * There's an interesting rock mural on North Side of the river which was created by local artist Stan Herd. It is visible from the Massachusetts Street Bridge.

Do

 * Kansas Football. The Jayhawks play their home games in Memorial Stadium. In the mid-2010s, the football program was troubled by coaching changes, but Memorial Stadium is regarded locally as one of the most underrated Division I stadiums in the country.
 * Kansas Soccer. The Jayhawks play women's college soccer at Rock Chalk Park in west Lawrence. They compete in the Big 12 conference.
 * Kansas Baseball. The Jayhawks play their baseball games in the heart of Lawrence, in Hoglund Ballpark, just south of Allen Fieldhouse.
 * Kansas Baseball. The Jayhawks play their baseball games in the heart of Lawrence, in Hoglund Ballpark, just south of Allen Fieldhouse.

Learn

 * University of Kansas, home of the Spencer Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History (Dyche Hall), the "Lone Survivor" of the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the Dole Institute of Politics at 2350 Petefish Drive. The flagship university of the state of Kansas, and regarded as one of the most beautiful university campuses in the Heartland.

Buy
Massachusetts Street is the downtown shopping district. You can find anything from incense burners to sporting goods. Allergy sufferers, take note: several local merchants (the Dusty Bookshelf, Love Garden Sounds, and Sunflower Outdoor) have resident cats. The 23rd Street in the south has many shopping places and Iowa/31st Street is home to Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe's, Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, Best Buy, and other big box stores.

Eat
Many restaurants are on Massachusetts Street in the historic downtown.



Drink
Lawrence has a varied nightlife with a number of opportunities to see live music. For a calendar of upcoming shows, visit Lawrence.com



Go next

 * Overland Park
 * Kansas City, MO
 * Kansas City, KS
 * Topeka