Kansas News Alerts: November 2009

NEWS ALERTS
VOLUME #21: NOVEMBER 09

Once a month the Kansas Travel & Tourism Division distributes this brief newsletter, providing tourism updates from throughout the state of Kansas.  Highlights include a title, brief descriptor and a link for more details.   Not all highlights will be of interest to everyone.  They are simply intended to entice new story ideas in the areas of agritourism, outdoor, culinary, cultural, history, heritage and more.

1874 Stonehouse, LLC Named Best in the Midwest:   The 1874 Stonehouse, LLC in Cottonwood Falls, KS recently received the honor of “Best in the! Midwest” from BedandBreakfast.com, a leading on-line bed and breakfast directory and reservation network worldwide.  The luxuriously restored house, built of native stone in 1874, features varied habitat for birding and wildlife, prairie restoration projects and a library with over 400 books related to Kansas. A mile-long nature trail passes a fishing pond, river valley and towering trees plus the prairie restoration projects.  The selection criteria include both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of independently posted reviews on BedandBreakfast.com.  Since launching the BedandBreakfast.com reviews program almost three years ago, inn-goers have submitted nearly 85,000 B&B reviews.  For more information visit www.stonehousebandb.com.  

Lawrence, KS Celebrates the Holidays Kansas-Style:  The first snowflakes have flown, and the holiday season is settling! upon Kansas.  That means shoppers will be treated to a number of unique products that only Kansas can offer.  In Lawrence’s vibrant downtown, there are more than 70 locally-owned boutiques and galleries featuring items that you won’t find other places, including some of the state’s most beautiful fine art.  Combine the shopping with a month of traditions to include the Gingerbread House Festival and Viewing, the Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade and the Festival of Nativities, and see why Lawrence typifies a traditional Kansas holiday.  For more information visit www.visitlawrence.com.

Kansas Coalition for Children in Nature (KCCN) Encourages More Outdoor Time for Children:  After a number of strategic working group meetings, the KCCN is in the process of creating a report for the governor that will implement steps to encourage children to spend more time playing and learning outdoors.  The organization comprises ! representatives of public health, conservation, environmental education, recreation, agriculture and business.  Children today spend an average of more than six hours a day with electronic media; the amount of time children spend outside has dropped by half in 20 years. Research has shown that time in nature improves a child's academic performance, concentration, balance, coordination and self-esteem.  The outdoor product in Kansas represents a wealth of opportunities to get kids involved in the great outdoors including hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, horseback riding and more.  

For more information on the entire state of Kansas, visit www.travelks.com.