My Favorite Places in Garden City

Garden City, KS, may not have the excitement and appeal of major cities, but that does not mean there is nothing to do.

After living here for two years, I have become quite fond of certain places and establishments. So I thought I'd take a little time to put together my five favorites.

MY FAVORITE PLACES IN GARDEN CITY

5. Patrick Dugan's Coffee House - It's hard to justify spending $4 on a latte, so if I'm going to fork over the cash, I want a great atmosphere to compliment the drink. Dugan's has it... Nestled in the heart of Downtown Garden City, it's got a very laid-back and cozy aura. Plus the coffee is great and the scones are amazing. My only knock against Dugan's (and the reason it's not higher on this list) is that it closes weekdays at 6:00. My favorite time to hang out at a coffee
                                             house is in the evening.

4. Ward's - I've never seen anything quite like Ward's. They truly have a little bit of everything. Their pet department puts everything else in Garden City to shame. They'll often have 2 or 3 featured puppies for sale. They also carry birds, guinea pigs, reptiles, fish, and all the supplies you need. They have a home decor section that's well-kept and fun to look at. Attached to the main store is the Garden Cafe, serving gourmet sandwiches and wraps. But my favorite
part about the whole place is the greenhouse/nursery. I'll probably go there three or four times this spring just to see all the plants and flowers on display. It's very pretty.

3. Sequoyah 8 Movie Theater - When I first moved to Garden City, the town's movie theater was NOT something to brag about. It was overpriced and poorly maintained. But in January of last year, the Mitchell Brothers purchased the Sequoyah 8 and completely transformed the place. They hired new management, slashed prices, and put millions of dollars into renovations and equipment upgrades. The result? It's now one of the best movie-watching experiences
                                             you'll find.

2. Buffalo Dunes Golf Course - You wouldn't expect to find much of anything seven miles south of Garden City. But amidst the endless miles of prairie lies one of the nicest public golf courses in all of Kansas -- Buffalo Dunes. I don't play golf nearly as much as I'd like to, but I've had the pleasure of teeing off out there a handful of times. It's incredible. The course is always in great shape, and somewhere around the fourth or fifth hole, you forget that you're in
                                             the middle of nowhere.

1. Lee Richardson Zoo - If I were to survey 50 locals about their #1 place in Garden City, I'm assuming the vast majority would agree with me. Much like #2 on my list, you just don't expect to find a zoo like this in Garden City. Lee Richardson Zoo is a premier destination on the south side of town. Complete with all your favorites - elephants, giraffes, monkeys, lions, and more - the zoo also boasts a walk-thru aviary, a state-of-the-art conservation center, and the cutest
                                             otters in the entire world. It's just a really fun
                                             place to walk around on a beautiful Saturday
                                             morning. And best of all... It's free!