College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 3 days, 3 campuses

KU, K-State and UMKC in 3 Days: A Kansas and Kansas City College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City in three days from one hotel next to KU in Lawrence: KU on day 1, a day trip to K-State in Manhattan on day 2, then UMKC on day 3 before flying home from Kansas City International. Official visit sign-ups, parking at all three schools, the KU Natural History Museum and the free Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art for siblings, and Kansas City weather by season.

Fraser Hall, a tall limestone building with twin red-roofed towers and flags, on the University of Kansas campus under a deep blue sky
Fraser Hall, University of Kansas, Lawrence (May 2017). Photo: Gen. Quon · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
University of Kansas (Lawrence) · Kansas State University (Manhattan) · University of Missouri-Kansas City (Kansas City, MO)
Days
3: KU on day 1, K-State on day 2, then UMKC on day 3. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Kansas City International (MCI), about 1 hour from Lawrence with no traffic. Fly home from MCI too, about 38 minutes from UMKC.
Best base
The Oread Lawrence, a 4-minute walk from KU's Jayhawk Welcome Center.
Car or transit
You'll need a car. Lawrence to K-State is about 1 hour 37 minutes each way, and Lawrence to UMKC about 57 minutes, both with no traffic.
Registration
All three schools take visit sign-ups online: KU's Jayhawk Days, K-State's campus visits and UMKC's Roo Visits.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare three different schools around Kansas City: the University of Kansas on the Hill in Lawrence, Kansas State's limestone-lined campus in Manhattan, and UMKC in Kansas City, Missouri.

KU and UMKC are about an hour apart, while K-State is about 85 miles west of Lawrence, so it gets its own day. One hotel in Lawrence keeps all three within a day's drive.

Why this order

  • Day 1: KU's Jayhawk Days pair a group presentation with a guided campus tour led by student ambassadors; KU says to plan at least two hours on campus.
  • Day 2: K-State's Wildcat Welcome Tours last two to three hours and open with a 25-minute welcome session with an admissions representative and a current student.
  • Day 3: UMKC's Roo Visit starts with an overview of the university and a walking tour led by a student ambassador, then it's about 38 minutes to Kansas City International with no traffic.
Each campus parks you differently
  • Kansas: park in the Mississippi Street Parking Garage, directly across from the Jayhawk Welcome Center. Instructions for complimentary parking come in your confirmation email, and KU asks visitors not to pay at the garage.
  • Kansas State: parking is free for student visitors in the garage south of the Student Union, with reserved stalls for visitors. The entrance is on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., north of Anderson Avenue.
  • UMKC: there's no free parking on campus. Visitors use metered spaces, such as the fifth level of the Cherry Street Garage at 5009 Oak St., and pay with the AMP Park app.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Spring is the wettest stretch: May and June each average more than 5 inches of rain at Kansas City International.
  • KU visits go on rain or shine, with ponchos provided in the rain; in thunderstorms or heavy rain, KU may run the tour by shuttle bus instead of on foot.
  • Summers are hot: July averages about 88°F highs at Kansas City International.
  • Winters are cold and can be snowy: January averages about 38°F highs and 20°F lows, with about 5 inches of snow.

2. The suggested 3-day plan

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Leave extra time on I-70 and in Kansas City rush hour.

Arrival evening: fly into Kansas City and drive to Lawrence

  1. Kansas City International Airport (MCI) → The Oread Lawrence (1200 Oread Ave.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr, 50.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • KU's visit page notes that Lawrence is just 40 miles from Kansas City, and it points families to Mass Street downtown for coffee and dinner.

Day 1: University of Kansas in Lawrence

  1. The Oread → KU's Jayhawk Welcome Center (1266 Oread Ave.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Walk from the hotel
    Driving
    ~4 min walk, 0.2 mi

  2. Jayhawk Welcome Center → KU Natural History Museum, Dyche Hall (1345 Jayhawk Blvd.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Walk
    Driving
    ~4 min walk, 0.2 mi
  • Book a Jayhawk Day on KU's sign-up page. If a date shows as unavailable or filled, you may still be able to join the waitlist.
  • When you pick an academic interest during registration, related academic sessions appear as options, and you'll get a personalized schedule before your visit.
  • Your student ambassador stays with you for the tour but won't walk you to extra appointments, so review your schedule before you arrive.

Day 2: Kansas State in Manhattan, then back to Lawrence

  1. The Oread → K-State Student Union parking garage (entrance on N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Manhattan)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 37 min, 85.1 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  2. K-State → The Oread

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 37 min, 85.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • Book a visit on K-State's sign-up page. Wildcat Welcome Tours run Tuesday through Thursday afternoons; K-State + Little Apple Experience Tours, which add a bus tour of Manhattan, run on Mondays and Fridays.
  • Want to meet with a department? K-State's Academic Visit + Campus Tour adds a session with your academic area, and availability differs by college.
  • The Berney Family Welcome Center sits inside the main entrance of the university on N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, next to the K-State Alumni Center.

Day 3: UMKC in Kansas City, then fly home

  1. The Oread → UMKC's Robb & Robb Welcome Center, Atterbury Student Success Center (5000 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~57 min, 44.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive

  2. UMKC → The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (4525 Oak St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 1.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    ~20 min walk, 0.9 mi

  3. UMKC → Kansas City International Airport (MCI)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~38 min, 24.3 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Drive
  • Book a Roo Visit on UMKC's sign-up page. All visits take place in the Robb & Robb Welcome Center in the Atterbury Student Success Center.
  • Want to meet your academic area too? UMKC's Roo Visit + Major adds a meeting with your program of interest, and Roo Visits are also offered in Spanish.
  • UMKC's walking tour goes inside buildings, but plan for the weather between them.

3. Campus by campus

Fraser Hall, a tall limestone building with twin red-roofed towers and flags, on the University of Kansas campus under a deep blue sky
Fraser Hall, University of Kansas, Lawrence (May 2017). Photo: Gen. Quon · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of Kansas (Lawrence)

Where visits start
  • Jayhawk Days are daily visits with a group presentation and a guided campus tour by student ambassadors. You can add housing tours, academic appointments or financial aid meetings.
  • Plan at least two hours on campus; added appointments make the day longer. Contact visit@ku.edu if you need to change your schedule.
  • Tours are mostly outdoors, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. The route can be adjusted for mobility needs if you note it when registering.
Visitor parking
  • Park in the Mississippi Street Parking Garage, directly across from the Jayhawk Welcome Center. Follow the complimentary parking instructions in your confirmation email, and don't pay at the garage.
  • Staying at The Oread? It's about a 4-minute walk to the Jayhawk Welcome Center, so you can leave the car at the hotel.
Getting there
  • About 1 hour from Kansas City International and 57 minutes from UMKC with no traffic.
What to know
  • KU's visit page suggests walking the Hill, past Watson Library's lawn and Wescoe Beach, and seeing Allen Fieldhouse and the new David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
  • The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is typically available on visit days in the 1502 Building; email financialaid@ku.edu to book ahead.
Contact
KU visit team: visit@ku.edu.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: KU: Visit FAQs · KU: Visit the University of Kansas · KU Dining: Locations and hours

Anderson Hall, a limestone building with a central tower, on the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan
Anderson Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan (Jul 2015). Photo: ShameraKane · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Kansas State University (Manhattan)

Where visits start
  • Wildcat Welcome Tours last two to three hours: a 25-minute welcome session with an admissions representative and a current student, then a student-led tour past Hale Library, the Student Union, a dining center and residence halls.
  • The K-State + Little Apple Experience Tour adds a guided bus tour of Manhattan, including Aggieville and K-State Athletics. Neither tour includes an academic session.
  • The Academic Visit + Campus Tour combines a 25-minute admissions presentation, a session with your academic area and a 60-minute walking tour.
Visitor parking
  • Parking is free for student visitors in the garage south of the Student Union, which has reserved stalls for future Wildcats. The entrance is on Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., north of Anderson Avenue.
Getting there
  • About 1 hour 37 minutes from The Oread with no traffic. K-State says Manhattan is about a two-hour drive from Kansas City International, and Manhattan Regional Airport has daily direct flights to Chicago O'Hare and Dallas.
What to know
  • K-State calls the Student Union the heart of campus life and Hale Library an iconic resource for study and collaboration; both are on the tour.
Contact
K-State Office of Recruitment and Admissions, Berney Family Welcome Center, 705 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Manhattan, KS 66506; 785-532-1521, events@k-state.edu.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: K-State: In-person campus visits · K-State: Getting ready for your visit · K-State: Welcome Center location and parking

Scofield Hall, a stone building with columns and a red tile roof, seen past bare trees and curving walkways on the UMKC campus
Scofield Hall, University of Missouri-Kansas City (Mar 2017). Photo: 1mikegrn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC)

Where visits start
  • A Roo Visit pairs an overview of UMKC with an admissions counselor and a walking campus tour with a UMKC ambassador.
  • All visits take place in the Robb & Robb Welcome Center in the Atterbury Student Success Center, 5000 Holmes St.
  • UMKC also offers Roo Visit + Major, with a meeting in your academic area, and Roo Visits in Spanish.
Visitor parking
  • There's no free parking on UMKC's campus. Visitors pay at metered spaces through the AMP Park app; there are no coin meters or pay stations.
  • The Cherry Street Garage at 5009 Oak St. has designated metered spaces on its fifth level.
Getting there
  • About 57 minutes from The Oread, 4 minutes from The Raphael Hotel and 38 minutes from Kansas City International with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is about a 20-minute walk or 5-minute drive from the Welcome Center, an easy add before your flight.
Contact
UMKC Office of Admissions, Atterbury Student Success Center, 5000 Holmes St., Kansas City, MO 64110; 816-235-8652, admissions@umkc.edu.

Last checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: UMKC: Visit campus · UMKC: Campus visit options · UMKC: Visitor parking

4. Where to stay: three nights in Lawrence

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

The Oread Lawrence, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

1200 Oread Ave., Lawrence, KS

Why here

  • It's about a 4-minute walk from KU's Jayhawk Welcome Center, 1 hour 37 minutes from K-State and 57 minutes from UMKC with no traffic.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Parking and amenities change, so confirm them on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn Lawrence

2300 W. 6th St., Lawrence, KS

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 5 minutes from KU's Jayhawk Welcome Center, 1 hour 35 minutes from K-State and 57 minutes from UMKC with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Amenities and room types change, so confirm them on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection

325 Ward Pkwy., Kansas City, MO

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 4 minutes from UMKC (a 22-minute walk) and 35 minutes from Kansas City International, but about 56 minutes from KU and 2 hours 20 minutes from K-State with no traffic, so it suits a final night before UMKC.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Three nights at The Oread put KU a short walk away and K-State and UMKC each within a day's drive. On day 3, check out and drive to UMKC, then on to the airport.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

KU campus (Lawrence)

Eat

Kansas Union dining

1301 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS

One of KU Dining's 18 campus locations, about a 3-minute walk from the Jayhawk Welcome Center. KU's visit FAQ points to the dining hours page for current options.

Details →

Kansas City (UMKC)

Eat

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO

The museum hosts Sips & Snacks with small plates on Thursday and Friday nights in Bloch Lobby; check its visit page, since some cafés are currently closed.

Details →

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

KU Natural History Museum

Dyche Hall, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS

Four floors of exhibits in historic Dyche Hall, including the famous Panorama, a living Paleo Garden, Kansas wildlife and fossils, about a 4-minute walk from the Jayhawk Welcome Center. Admission is a suggested contribution, and everyone is welcome.

Official page →

With siblings

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO

Admission is free every day, for everyone, and the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park is free and open sunrise to sundown. Check in at the entrance or online first. It's about 5 minutes from UMKC.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • At KU, use the Mississippi Street Garage with the complimentary instructions from your confirmation email. At K-State, park free in the Student Union garage. At UMKC, pay a meter through the AMP Park app.
  • KU Natural History Museum visitors who aren't on a KU visit pay hourly in the Mississippi Street garage; many lots are free on weekends and after 5 p.m. on weekdays, per posted signs.

Flying in and out

  • Kansas City International (MCI) is about 1 hour from The Oread and 38 minutes from UMKC with no traffic.
  • K-State to Kansas City International takes about 2 hours 23 minutes with no traffic, so basing in Lawrence saves time on day 2.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Kansas City International Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 66°F highs and 44°F lows, with about 4.1 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 88°F highs and 68°F lows, with about 4.6 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 67°F highs and 46°F lows, with about 3.3 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 38°F highs and 20°F lows, with about 1.2 inches of precipitation and 5 inches of snow.

Parent checklist

  • Register for all three visits online: KU on day 1, K-State on day 2 and UMKC on day 3.
  • Pick K-State's tour type by weekday: Wildcat Welcome Tours Tuesday through Thursday, Little Apple Experience Tours Mondays and Fridays.
  • Book three nights in Lawrence and fly in and out of Kansas City International.
  • Pack comfortable shoes and weather-ready layers; KU's tours are mostly outdoors, and UMKC's walk goes between buildings.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

3 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (University of Kansas, Kansas State University and University of Missouri-Kansas City): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: University of Kansas
  5. University of Kansas Athletics (official site)
  6. University of Kansas Athletics: Compliance
  7. University of Kansas Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. University of Kansas Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: Kansas State University
  10. Kansas State University Athletics (official site)
  11. Kansas State University Athletics: Compliance
  12. Kansas State University Athletics: Staff Directory
  13. Kansas State University Athletics: schedule of events
  14. NCAA Directory: University of Missouri-Kansas City
  15. University of Missouri-Kansas City Athletics (official site)
  16. University of Missouri-Kansas City Athletics: Compliance
  17. University of Missouri-Kansas City Athletics: Staff Directory
  18. University of Missouri-Kansas City Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 27, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. University of Kansas Admissions: Visit the University of Kansas
  2. University of Kansas Admissions: Visit FAQs
  3. University of Kansas: Jayhawk Day campus visit (official sign-up)
  4. KU Dining: Locations and hours
  5. KU Natural History Museum: Visit
  6. KU Natural History Museum: Parking
  7. Kansas State University Admissions: In-person campus visits
  8. Kansas State University: Campus visit registration (official sign-up)
  9. Kansas State University Admissions: Getting ready for your in-person visit
  10. Kansas State University: Berney Family Welcome Center location and parking
  11. UMKC Admissions: Visit campus
  12. UMKC: On-campus Roo Visits (official sign-up)
  13. UMKC Office of Admissions: Campus visit opportunities
  14. UMKC Parking: Visitor and short-term parking
  15. UMKC: Metered public parking near the KC Streetcar
  16. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: Plan your visit
  17. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  18. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  19. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  20. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Kansas City International Airport, MO (USW00003947)
  21. Expedia listing: The Oread Lawrence, Tapestry Collection by Hilton (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Topeka-Hotels-The-Oread.h3529546.Hotel-Information)
  22. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Lawrence (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Topeka-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Lawrence.h42533.Hotel-Information)
  23. Expedia listing: The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection (star class, checked 2026-10-27) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Kansas-City-Hotels-The-Raphael-Hotel.h10533.Hotel-Information)