In Small-Town Kansas, Cider Mills, Vintage Shops, And Wild Cat Sanctuaries Shape This Surreal Midwest Escape

Midwest vacationers can find the best small art towns and unsung gems, like the unique town of Lucas, while driving through Kansas. Just 40 miles south of Kansas City is another hidden gem welcoming weary visitors and apple enthusiasts in search of a calm escape. Louisburg epitomizes small-town charm with its family farms, quaint cider mills, and quiet country shops. Located in the heart of America, about 60 miles south of the state's oldest city with European-inspired architecture and unique shops, Louisburg provides a fun day trip destination for apple and animal lovers alike. 

The Louisburg Cider Mill is a popular attraction among tourists, offering delicious apple cider and other fresh farm fixings like BBQ sauces and snack mixes to purchase and share amongst friends. Pick up some of their signature apple cider, apple butter, or try one of their freshly baked apple cider donuts as you peruse the store. 

In the fall, the store offers free tours of the cider mill so curious folks can learn about the apple pressing process and take home some souvenirs. The mill has a tasting room where you can sample hard ciders, fruit wines, and other refreshing elixirs, so make sure to take a few bottles home for prosperity. There is also live music on the weekends, making it a perfect place to relax after a day of local sightseeing. 

The Cider Mill has a family farm on the premises which is really popular in autumn, when they reveal their latest yearly corn maze design. Kids will love the pumpkin patch, wagon rides, and other exhibits and games available. The best time to visit Louisburg is in the fall during Ciderfest, when autumn festivities are in full swing, but there are opportunities for fun in this unique town year-round.

Besides the Cider Mill Country Store's impressive selection of homemade delicacies, visitors can find plenty of shopping hot spots in town, like Captain Cook's Treasure Chest. This antique paradise is comprised of vendors from all over the Kansas City area selling vintage tchotchkes, antique furniture, and curious collectables just waiting for you to take home. 

You can visit Captain Cook's at 903 N. Broadway Street, except Mondays and Tuesdays when it's closed. If you are in the market for retro fashion and vintage Muppet glasses, look no further than this expansive antique bazaar. They have recently expanded to include two new additions to the collection: Capt. Cook's Flea Market and Little Shop on the Prairie's Toys and More Store. 

For a more exclusive vintage shopping experience, visit a quaint little shop called Simply Selah's located in a former Lutheran high school building. Selah's sells goods from a variety of different vendors and also features a flea market, but gives off a more whimsical vibe than the larger-scale Captain Cook's. At Simply Selah's, antique hunters can find unusual treasures and artwork while escaping from their everyday cares in this relaxing and beautifully decorated shop, as the original owners intended. The store is located at 5 South Peoria Street and is only open Wednesday through Saturday.

If you are ravenous after hitting the shops, get some burgers and steaks at Timber Creek Bar & Grill or try the Spare Tire triple-decker signature sandwich at Louisburg BBQ & Brews. Wine enthusiasts can also enjoy a glass at Somerset Ridge Vineyard and Winery, where they offer tastings and a selection of dry, semi-sweet, and dessert wines. If you want to splurge, stay at the Vickers Schoolhouse for the evening, a one-room schoolhouse perfect for families. 

Seasoned travelers may be familiar with some of the best-rated Midwest zoos, but not many people know about Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory and Nature Center. Suddenly encountering 11 acres of wildcats in the middle of the Midwest is undoubtedly pretty surreal. 

Located at 3783 on the K68 Highway, Cedar Cove is a non-profit dedicated to educating folks about these majestic wild cats in an effort to preserve the many species housed on its land. The center was conceived by founder William Pottoroff and is currently run by him and his dedicated volunteers. 

The sanctuary has caged off sections with ample spaces for the big cats to sprawl, run, and jump around. With plenty of structures for the cats to scratch and climb, and all the available cat toys (old garbage cans) to pounce and play on, any spectator can tell these fierce cats are having a fun time. It's good to see these playful felines so well-adjusted and taken care of. They currently accept monetary donations as well as various raw meats, so keep that in mind if you want to contribute to some of the cats' fancy feasts.

Cedar Cove is only open on weekends for public admission, when it offers hour-long guided tours of the facility starting every half hour. For a heftier price, visitors can also book private tours during the week, but they require advance notice and prior confirmation. 

Tourists love to visit the park, enjoying the mix of education and fun it provides, as they learn about Bengal tigers, servals, and other animals. They even have a gray wolf! If you take one of the latter tours on weekend afternoons, you will have a chance to see the public feedings that take place around 2 PM.