If there is one town in the Midwest that completely embodies the lawless, gun-slinging heritage of the American Old West, it’s Dodge City, Kansas. Known in the late 1800s as the “Beautiful, Bibulous Babylon of the Frontier,” it was a bustling hub for buffalo hunters, railroad workers, and legendary lawmen like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson.
Today, Dodge City perfectly balances its rugged frontier history with a thriving local culture. We recently spent three days in Western Kansas and 1 1/2 days in Dodge City exploring the historic streets, stepping into the roles of old-school saloon characters, and diving deep into the local flavor.
Whether you are a major history buff, a road tripper crossing the plains, or just looking for a unique weekend getaway, here are 6 things to do in Dodge City, KS based on our recent trip, plus a few extras.
In This Post:
1. Get Your Bearings on the Dodge City Trolley
If you want a solid introduction to the town’s history before exploring on foot, your first stop should be the Visitor Center to book a spot on the Dodge City Trolley (memorial day to labor day).
We took the morning 9:00 AM tour, and with only ten of us on board, it felt incredibly personal. Our local guide was a sweet, wonderfully talkative older gentleman who was deeply passionate about his town. He frequently paused the official audio recording to point out unscripted local details—like pointing out vibrant downtown murals painted by a local artist who went on to achieve national renown. Additionally we all got a booklet, which had the full narration of the tour, so you can either follow along as they talk, or refer back to it sometime later. I gave mine to my father knowing he would be interested in the history of Dodge City.
The 75-minute tour starts at a slow, historical crawl through the downtown streets before picking up speed to take you past two massive fixtures of the local landscape.
The Cattle Feedlots: Dodge City is still very much a cattle town, and seeing the sheer, immense scale of the local feed yards is eye-opening. Standing there, looking out over thousands of cattle, it was a striking reminder of the region’s massive agricultural industry.
Fort Dodge: Unlike many military forts that exist today as abandoned ruins, Fort Dodge has been beautifully preserved and creatively repurposed. Today, the historic buildings form a unique, functioning retirement community for veteran housing.
An Honest Travel Blogger Warning: Depending on which way the wind blows, you will absolutely smell the cattle yards in town. Stepping outside our hotel on Friday morning, the air smelled like a unique cocktail of porta-potty mixed with baby wipes. It’s all part of the authentic cowtown experience!
2. Step Back in Time at the Boot Hill Museum
The undisputed crown jewel of the city’s historic district is the Boot Hill Museum. Built directly on the site of the original, infamous Boot Hill Cemetery, the museum features a meticulously reconstructed version of Front Street as it stood during the town’s lawless heyday.
A regular adult admission ticket is $20, but we opted for the Marshal Pass ($50 per adult plus tax), which includes museum access, the 6:00 PM live gunfight reenactment, and the evening dinner variety show. We splurged on the bigger ticket since the whole purpose of our trip was to immerse ourselves in Dodge City for a day.
The indoor museum exhibits are fantastic and highly immersive. Rather than just staring at dusty artifacts, there are interactive displays where you can watch historical figures share their stories on digital screens, or stand on a platform that physically vibrates beneath your feet to simulate the thunderous rumble of a massive buffalo herd running right toward you. Be sure to continue the exhibits near the saloon!
The live gunfight on Front Street is a quick, fun 5-to-8-minute show performed by actors. While it gets a bit loud when they start firing off blanks, it’s a fun piece of classic Wild West theater.
3. Play Dress-Up for an Old-Timey Photo
If there is one souvenir you absolutely must splurge on at the Boot Hill Museum, it’s getting a vintage-style frontier photo taken. For $40, this turned out to be one of the absolute highlights of our entire trip!
We had the entire portrait studio to ourselves, and two lovely staff members helped us select our outfits. First, you choose your background scene—we immediately passed on the prairie option and opted for the classic, rugged saloon backdrop.
The costumes conveniently tie up right in the back over your regular clothes. Justin dressed up as a sharp-dressed Old West gambler, and I wore a classic, layered dance hall girl dress. They posed us perfectly, told us exactly where to look, and took a handful of shots. While you can opt for smiling photos, we chose to keep a completely serious, unblinking, authentic 1880s expression. It turned out incredibly well!
4. Explore the Elegant “Home of Stone”
For a completely different look at frontier life, take a short walk over to the Mueller-Schmidt House, affectionately known as the Home of Stone. Built between 1879 and 1881, it is the oldest building in Dodge City still standing on its original foundation, and it holds the proud title of being the only limestone residence in Ford County.
A knowledgeable young tour guide greeted us at the door and gave us a brilliant, detailed tour of the home, sharing the triumphs and deep hardships of the two families who lived there. The home was originally built by John Mueller, a successful German boot maker who struck it rich in the cattle business and wanted to build the most impressive home in town. He loved the building material so much that he actually bought the land where the limestone was quarried, located about 12 miles away!
Step inside, and you’re instantly wrapped in rugged elegance, from the 24-inch-thick stone walls to the gorgeous black walnut staircase and trim. It offers a fascinating, quiet contrast to the dusty history of the saloons downtown.
5. Cool Off at Long Branch Lagoon
If you happen to visit during the dead of summer like we did, the Kansas heat can be absolutely blistering. When the afternoon thermometer spiked to a scorching 97°F, we threw on our swimsuits and headed straight to the Long Branch Lagoon community water park ($6 adult entry).
Because of the heatwave, the park was absolutely packed with locals, but we managed to snag two chairs to drop our gear. We spent a blissful 75 minutes cooling off, floating down the lazy river, splashing in the main pool, and letting Justin test out the water slides. It is the ultimate way to beat the midday sun before heading out for dinner.
6. Roadside Attractions
I admit, I am a sucker for those silly roadside attractions. I had a coffee table book of roadside americana in my 20s and since then I do try to stop by and look, but now I won’t go far out of my way. In Dodge City there is the Salsa Man, and several statues of individuals from back when. The Salsa Man was made in 1980 by refashioning a Muffler Man and is on the same block as the Brewery. The statue below is just right outside the visitor center, and a few other statues are near there and by the train station. Just a few miles east of town is the Coronado Cross.
Bonus. Admire the Historic Carnegie Library
Right down the street from the Home of Stone sits the historic Carnegie Library building. If you are familiar with Andrew Carnegie’s massive philanthropic effort to fund thousands of libraries across the United States, seeing these unique structures is always a treat. We walked inside and headed straight up to the beautiful central rotunda. The building features an excellent historical display detailing the history of the library grants across Kansas. Funnily enough, we even ran into Gretchen from the visitor center working there during our visit!
A Final Hidden Gem: The Dual Sundials
Before you wrap up your time in town, make a quick roadside stop to see the unique Dual Sundials located right next door to the distillery. Because Dodge City sits right on the border of two time zones, these side-by-side sundials serve a functional, quirky purpose: one displays Mountain Time, while the neighboring dial displays Central Time. It’s a fast, fun roadside photo op to cap off an unforgettable stay.
Where to Eat & Drink in Dodge City
Being in the heart of historic beef country, I was initially a bit nervous about finding good vegetarian options beyond a standard side salad. Happily, Dodge City had quite a bit of vegetarian options.
Dodge City Brewing
We absolutely love visiting local craft breweries on our travels, and Dodge City Brewing officially marked stop #314 on our running list! Opened in 2017 as southwest Kansas’ very first craft brewery, this downtown spot is a must-visit. They have an excellent variety of flagship beers on tap—Justin loved the 1874 Lager and I highly recommend the crisp Mexican Cerveza.
We arrived right around 4:00 PM when it was relatively quiet, and it was so fun watching the taproom quickly transform into a buzzing local hangout as residents poured in straight after the workday ended at 5. We ordered a wood-fired artisan pizza to split, and they were happy to keep my half completely meatless.
Cowboy Capital Saloon and Grill
This was just across the street from the Boothill Museum, making it a convenient stop between our activities for the day. For a hearty frontier meal, this local staple serves up massive portions with incredibly fast service. I ordered a BBQ burger and substituted a meatless patty, which was hearty, heavy, and hit the spot perfectly. Justin ordered a classic open-faced chili burger. The meals came out with thick, wavy-cut fries and three massive onion rings (though mine were a bit undercooked for my liking).
Central Station
The trolly tour man said the Central Station was his go to place for a nicer meal. So we gave it a try on our final evening dinner. After so much heavy food, I chose the salmon dinner served with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli (a perfect, lighter option after a long hot day, even if the broccoli was a bit mushy), while Justin enjoyed a patty melt.
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