A Charming Morning in Lyndon, Kansas
When I discovered that I had an Airbnb credit that was set to expire on October 20, I knew it was time to book another excursion! A trip to Kansas City for a family event was already in the works, so I decided to search for spots along the way where we could get an inexpensive place and there was enough to do to make it worthwhile.
And that’s how we (my 16-year old daughter, Claire, and I) found ourselves in Lyndon, Kansas for our girls’ fun day. “That’s a strange place to go,” remarked a surprised grocery store clerk one town over in Osage City when I told her what we were up to with our sparkling grape juice and chocolate bars. Nevertheless, we were charmed by Lyndon and all the incredibly friendly people we met along the way!
We left home (just south of Wichita) at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday and arrived in Lyndon two hours later. Our first stop was True Brew Coffee House.
After a wind-whipped journey along Kansas roads and while snapping a few outdoor photos, True Brew greeted us with a warm and welcoming selection of drinks and baked goods. Claire settled on a hot chai latte, and I opted for…
…a freshly baked melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon roll. It was worth every calorie, and rivals the famous sweet treats at Carriage Crossing in Yoder, Kansas.
We walked a windy block to the first shop along the Main Street – Chapters Bookstore.
I could have curled up on their cozy couches and read the rest of the morning. Much to my daughter’s relief, I resisted the urge and even managed to escape without adding another book to my overstuffed library shelves.
From there it was only a few blocks further to a delightful flower shop – e.b. Sprouts & Flowers. (We had to bypass a boutique/thrift shop we had planned to patronize because it was closed unexpectedly due to a power outage…guess we’ll have to come back for that!)
The owner’s cousin was working in the shop for the morning and was a wealth of information about the area and other places worth visiting. She grew up in Lyndon and lives on one of the nearby lakes now. She recommended a return in the summer when the sunflower fields are in full bloom and there are activities galore at the lakes.
Cilantro’s Mexican Bar & Grill was one of three restaurants recommended by the flower shop lady (along with Ann’s Diner and a BBQ place), so we decided to give it a try. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but it was a frenzy of happy customers and busy servers inside.
The food was flavorful and plenteous! Both Claire and I agreed that we would readily return for another meal given the opportunity.
The Airbnb room that brought us to town was nothing fancy, but was the perfect fit for our needs. A refrigerator stored our leftovers, and a comfy king-sized bed and large screen TV was all we needed for a chick flick movie night to conclude our girls’ fun day.
I know there are breathtakingly beautiful spots around the world, but sometimes you just can’t beat a simple day of serenity on the wide open prairies of Kansas. Lyndon is a charming destination for just that.
