Lawrence

Eternal travel truth: Where there is a big university, good food follows. And good coffee. And good music. And, Midwest small town postcard Main Street to connect them all. For proof, head to laid-back, leafy Lawrence, Kansas, a river town in the hills (yep, hills) 40 miles west of Kansas City. With a population of 88,000, Lawrence blends college-town cool and Anytown, U.S.A. At first glance, the brick facades along Massachusetts Street look positively Rockwellian, but inside you'll find funky jewelry, upscale cookware, artisan crafts and restaurants serving farm-to-table and ethnic cuisine. Most nights, live music floats from downtown bars, and the University of Kansas offers an impressive array of art (Spencer Museum), theater productions and, of course, athletic events to fill a weekend trip.