PLAY
12 Hours in
Lawrence By KELSEY CIPOLLA
8 a.m., ThE Java Break
2:30 p.m., Mass Street
Bleary-eyed Lawrencians stumble in and out of the heavily graffitied Java
Free State’s prime spot on Massachusetts Street—downtown Lawrence’s
Break 24 hours a day, and this morning, I am one of them. Clearly in
main drag where you can find a ‘70s record or hiking gear as easily as a KU
need of caffeine, I order an Irish Nut latte and place an order at the cereal
T-shirt—makes afternoon shopping ideal. My friend grabs a witty print
bar after facing a brief dilemma about which of the 30 cereals and more
from handmade items store Made before I add to my reading list with a
than 20 toppings to incorporate into my breakfast. Special K and Kix with
few picks from The Dusty Bookshelf, a second-hand bookstore filled from
strawberries and bananas it is.
floor to ceiling.
9 a.m., Clinton Lake
5 p.m., The Eldridge Hotel
I hit the trails at Clinton Lake, drinking in the sight of wildflowers and
Since getting burned down twice by pro-slavery forces leading up to the
prairie grass with only slightly less enthusiasm than my coffee. After
Civil War and being rebuilt and renamed by Colonel Shalor Eldridge
breaking a sweat on a trek through a mere fraction of the lake’s 25 miles
(whose ghost is said to haunt the hotel), the Eldridge Hotel has become
of trails, I head to the waterfront to cool off and watch passing boats. The
a local landmark for its impressive history, luxurious rooms and delicious
lake also features campgrounds, cabins, a sand volleyball court, a nine-
martinis. It’s the latter that brings us to happy hour tonight at the hotel’s
hole disc golf course and plenty of fishing spots for more ambitious fans
Jayhawker Bar, and I can officially verify that the gin martini is just as
of the outdoors.
classic as the hotel itself.
11 a.m., KU’s Natural History Museum
6 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse
My morning rituals out of the way, I head to the University of Kansas’
Lawrence is known for one thing throughout most of the country:
picturesque campus to meet a friend who’s visiting from out of town. Here
basketball. Although it’s small compared to more recently built athletic
we tour the KU Natural History Museum, which offers a crash-course in the
facilities, it’s easy to see why Allen Fieldhouse is considered one of
plants and animals of the plains as well as the modern science of evolution
America’s best places to watch a game when the Kansas Jayhawks take
and microbes. We immediately seek out the collection of fossils from the
the court and the crowd of 16,300 roars. If you can take your eyes off the
cretaceous period before getting schooled about wildlife past and present.
game, you’ll often spot famous faces like Kansas natives Jason Sudeikis
Those dire wolves on “Game of Thrones?” Real (once upon a time).
and Rob Riggle, as well as celebs like Olivia Wilde and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
1 p.m., Free State Brewing Co. Free State holds its own in Kansas as the state’s first legal brewery to open
8 p.m., The Wagon Wheel
post prohibition. After ordering a full-bodied Ad Astra Ale and a hop-
The city offers no better way to celebrate a victory or mourn a defeat than
forward Copperhead Pale Ale, we study the bustling restaurant’s menu, a
a slice of greasy pepperoni pizza and a cold beer at The Wheel, an only-
mix of different cuisines and dishes, such as steak, chicken and crawfish
slightly off campus bar and restaurant. It’s a bit of dive, painted bright red
gumbo and gorgonzola mushroom gnocchi. Fish and chips are a natural
and blue and crammed with KU memorabilia, students and character—the
pairing with our beers.
perfect spot to end a day in Lawrence. liveworkkc.com
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