Hutchinson, Kansas: Come Share Our Space

Four years ago, my wife and I got tired of living in an overpopulated town in California and set off to find a smaller town with people who are friendly and courteous. We decided to look in Kansas and found a nice community named Hutchinson. This town met all our expectations and more. It has all the amenities of a big city, but still retains its small town status.

There is alot to do in Hutchinson whether you like the outdoors or just want to see a movie. They have movie theatres and a mall like most other towns. The Fox Theatre downtown is one of the oldest theatres in the state. At the Fox they show anything from todays movies to the old classics for the very reasonable price of five bucks. And its always buy 1 get 1 free. The Fox is at 18 E. 1st street. You can find their schedules at www.hutchinsonfox.com.

They have a zoo, which is unusual for a town of only 40,000 people. The best thing about the zoo is the price. It's free. There are bison, eagles, river otters, and reptiles, to name a few. Most of the animals are native to Kansas. They have a great rehabilitation program for injured animals. Its a wonderful way to spend a day. The zoo is open every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

Another big draw in town is the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center. This museum is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institute and has the actual Apollo 13 space module. In the lobby is a full scale replica of the space shuttle and two fighter jets. In addition to the museum, there is a planetarium and a 44 foot Imax screen that is tilted and wraps around the audience. There is also a summer space camp which features the Future Astronaut Training Program for grades 7 through 10. The cosmosphere is open every day except Christmas and is located at 1100 N Plum street next to Hutchinson Community College. You can find them on the web at www.cosmo.org.

The largest event in Kansas is right here in Hutchinson. Every September the Kansas State Fair comes to town for 10 days. They have a full lineup of entertainment for all ages. There is a petting zoo, which includes all the typical farm animals and some you won't find on a farm. Last time I was there, there was a giraffe and some zebras. They have car shows, auto races, and a huge midway full of rides. For more info, check out www.kansasstatefair.com.

If you want to relax you can go to Dillon Nature Center, which has three miles of hiking trails, beautiful flower gardens, a nature library, and fishing ponds stocked with trout. This place is also a bird-watchers paradise. It is located just on the other side of K-61 at 3002 E. 30th street.

If golf is your game, then look no further than right across the street from the zoo. There is a very nice 18-hole golf course where you can take lessons, use the driving range, and if you think you are good enough, play a round. There is a snack bar and golf carts can be rented. The address is 15 Emerson Lane in Carey Park. Also in Carey Park is Hobart -Detter Field, a former minor league park where big-namers such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens played. The ballpark was built in 1929 and is recognized as one of the best natural turf fields in Kansas.

From the Flag Theatre, which specializes in children's plays to the Stringer Fine Arts Center, which hosts anything from jazz concerts to symphonies for the grown ups, Hutchinson has something for people of all ages.