A Kansas Prairie Gem, Once Voted the ‘Friendliest Small Town in the US,’ Radiates Midwest Hospitality

You may think your hometown is friendly, but residents of one far-flung farm town in the heart of Kansas have the credentials to prove it. Concordia, a community of about 5,000, was named in 2023 the “Friendliest Small Town in the U.S.” by Travel Awaits, which gathered nominations and solicited votes to narrow its list to 14 places. Concordia tops them all. In addition to Midwest hospitality, the town is overflowing with history, the arts, and pastoral views. Like Chanute, another Kansas city that provides a quiet getaway, visitors will likely feel a sense of simplicity in the bucolic setting of Concordia.

Concordia is deep into farm country in north central Kansas, about 50 miles from the nearest interstate. All around the town, farmers grow corn, wheat, and soybeans, among other crops. In June and July, you’re likely to spot large combines out in the fields, harvesting wheat (a surprisingly interesting scene to witness if you didn’t grow up in farm country). To get to this remote mecca of friendliness, visitors could fly to the national airport in Wichita, Kansas, and drive 145 miles north, or get a flight into a regional airport in Salina, Kansas, and drive about 60 miles north from there. More often than not, visitors to Concordia are fellow Kansans, seeking out the town for a day trip.

Visitors staying for an evening in Concordia can be entertained with a classic combo: dinner and a show. Reminiscent of Cottonwood Falls, a small Kansas city with delightful downtown food, Concordia boasts a handful of restaurants operated by hospitable owners and friendly staff. That list includes Easy G Sports Grill. Located on Sixth Street, the main thoroughfare, the watering hole serves up nine different burgers, plus a special burger of the week. 

You can round out the evening with a show at Brown Grand Theatre, which was built in 1907 and has been restored as a 534-seat performing arts venue. While you may think of impressive theaters belonging on the East Coast, like America’s only replica of Shakespeare’s indoor theater in Virginia, the Brown Grand was praised when it opened for being the most elegant theater between Kansas City and Denver. Now, it hosts a variety of events, including movie nights, dance recitals, symphony performances, community plays, comedy shows, and even paranormal tours.

You’ll get a big dose of Concordia’s hospitality at the town’s lodgings. There are only three hotels in town, with Holiday Inn’s simplicity being about as lavish as things get, but nearly a dozen short-term vacation rentals are available. Midwest hospitality is alive and well in Concordia, with vacation rental hosts going above and beyond to provide guests with an unparalleled stayover.