Sumner County is abundant with many community parks offering picinic areas, skateboarding, playground equipment, band stages, tennis and basketball courts, walking/biking paths, RV facilities and scenic views of rivers and lake areas.  Several aquatic centers and swimming pools are located throughout the County.

Numerous festivals occur throughout the year and include an International Rocket launch, Christmas in the Country (businesses and homes decorated for Christmas), Chisholm Trail Festival (ghost riders and talking tombstones), Tulip Fesitval (crafts, tulips, entertainment, and food), Wheat Festival (celebrating the wheat harvest), and the County Fair (contests, entertainment, and food).  You will also find the Watermelon Feed and Fall Festivals offering numerous craft and food booths and entertainment. 

Many communities offer rodeo/shodeo (equestrian only) arenas and sports complexes for baseball, soccer, football and playground areas.  The local communities offer baseball, basketball, and football programs outside of the school system.

You will find the Kansas Badlands for the 4X4 enthusiasts.  Wildlife areas with a nature preserve and hunting areas are available offering an opportunity to view several buffalo herds.  The Arboretum is available for nature walks, outdoor events and weddings.  The area is home to both 9-hole and 18-hole golf courses; a lake for camping, boating and fishing; a go-cart track, a winery, and unique restaurants and shops.  You will also find the Kansas Tourism Center which you may visit as you enter Kansas from the South on I-35.

Sumner County also offers many historic buildings (including the Oxford Mill), homes, museums (Salter House, home to the first woman mayor in the United States), and cemetaries available to visit at your pleasure.

Please visit the Community Profiles section of this website for information on each city's individual tourism and recreation opportunities.

Sumner County Economic Development Commission 123 N Jefferson • PO Box 279 • Wellington, KS 67152 Phone 620-326-8779 • email scedc@gosumner.com