The audience at the Kansas Tourism Conference in Olathe enthusiastically applauded when Jess Hoffert of Dotdash Meredith – America’s Largest Digital & Print Publisher, unveiled the 2025 Kansas Official Travel Guide’s cover. It shows a couple ascending steps carved from the Flint Hills at the Konza Prairie Biological Station. The August photo session captured the state’s premier hiking destination in all its Flint Hills glory. The tallgrass waves in the setting sun as trees line the Kansas River on the horizon.
“We are excited to have one of our attractions on the state’s signature travel publication,” Geary County Convention & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Donna Price said. “So many people will witness the beauty of Geary County, the Heart of the Flint Hills, enticing them to visit us.”
Kansas Tourism partners with Dotdash Meredith to produce 350,000 copies of the 2025 publication. Distribution begins during the second week of November. The state tourism office distributes 275,000 copies through Kansas Travel Information Centers, welcome centers, direct mail, trade shows, and events. Dotdash Meredith sends 75,000 guides to Midwest Living, Better Homes & Gardens, and Real Simple readers. A digital edition also will appear on TravelKS.com and MidwestLiving.com.
Dotdash Meredith’s customer survey (PDF) showed that 81 percent of guide readers reported a more favorable opinion of Kansas after seeing the guide. Seventy-six percent planned to save the guide for future travel planning, and 66 percent desired to learn more about Kansas for a future trip.
The Konza Prairie sprawls across Geary County’s northeastern boundary. It touches Interstate 70 from Exit 313 west to a pair of rest areas. The prairie’s trail system loops through three trails covering 6.2 miles. Explore it from Geary County’s I-70 Exit 307 and drive four miles to the entrance on the right. Bring your camera and trekking poles. After the hike, refresh yourself in Geary County restaurants and lodging options. The prairie forbids dogs, horses, and bikes, but other Geary County trails permit them. Explore more outdoor activities like world-class fishing, boating, hunting, off-roading, and skateboarding.
“We welcome guests to all our activities,” Price said. “The county’s tagline says it all: Open sky, open waters, open opportunities.”
