Overview
Dodge City is a town of 27,000 people (2019) in the Western region of Kansas. In and around the city, there are historical sites, museums, and landmarks dedicated to Dodge City's Old West heritage.
7 sights · 4 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 5 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Dodge City
Boot Hill Museum
The Boot Hill Museum contains a reconstruction of 1876 Dodge City and Boot Hill Cemetery, so named because most of the deceased were buried with their boots on. Between Memorial Day and the end of August, visitors can se…
Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge served as a supply depot and a base of operation while fighting the Indians from 1865-1882.
Southwest Kansas Storm
United Wireless Arena in West Dodge City is home to the town's professional indoor football team, the Southwest Kansas Storm, replacing the Dodge City Law.
Carnegie Art Center
Art gallery in the historic Carnegie Library building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.
Coronado Cross
38-ft-tall cross marking the spot where Spanish explorer Francisco Vasques de Coronado crossed the Arkansas River in search of the fabled "Seven Cities of Gold" in 1541.
Mueller-Schmidt House
The 1881 house of a bootmaker with original furnishings and a gallery dedicated to local pioneer women.
Plan your trip
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- DDC Dodge City Regional Airport, Dodge City — 3 mi away. Directions
- GCK Garden City Regional Airport, Garden City — 40 mi away. Directions
- OKC OKC Will Rogers World Airport, Oklahoma City — 211 mi away (major hub). Directions
The most common way of getting to Dodge City is by car, and it is a worthwhile stop for anyone road-tripping along the US-50, which goes from Garden City on the western end of the state, through Dodge City and Emporia, before angling up to Kansas City in the east.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $48–$48 a night (typical $54), from 2 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$90, mid-range ~$130, comfortable ~$210.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Boot Hill Museum, Carnegie Art Center, Depot Theater Co.
- Lunch The Cowboy Capital Saloon & Grill
- Afternoon Mueller-Schmidt House, Long Branch Lagoon Water Park
- Evening Boot Hill Distillery Tasting Room
Day 2
- Morning Coronado Cross, Fort Dodge
- Afternoon Dodge City Days
Day 3
- Morning Boot Hill Casino & Resort
- Afternoon Southwest Kansas Storm
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
In 1865 Fort Dodge was constructed along the Santa Fe Trail to help protect travelers from Indians. Dodge City was formed near the fort in the years that followed. In the 1870s it exemplified the spirit of the Wild West portrayed in American television and movies, most notably in the American television show Gunsmoke, which was set in Dodge City and popularized the phrase "Get the hell out of Dodge."
The town had its heyday during the cattle drives of the late 1800s as quarantines made it one of the few places along the railroad where Texas ranchers could bring their cattle. This quarantine, created to protect other breeds of cattle from a parasitic tick carried by longhorns, was extended to Dodge City in 1885, essentially ending the town's run as the "Queen of the Cow Towns". By 1886 the gambling saloons, brothels, and other notorious establishments that had built the town's reputation had mostly closed. The connection to the cattle trade remained, however, and can be seen in the meatpacking plants and the lines of refrigerated trucks on the highways.
Most of western Kansas has struggled with de-population since the 1970s, but Dodge City was a center of population growth from the 1970s through the 2010s. It is now a majority–minority community, with nearly two-thirds of the residents being Latino.
Get in
By car
The most common way of getting to Dodge City is by car, and it is a worthwhile stop for anyone road-tripping along the US-50, which goes from Garden City on the western end of the state, through Dodge City and Emporia, before angling up to Kansas City in the east.
By plane
By train
Arriving by rail is less common, but fully possible via Amtrak and its daily Chicago–Los Angeles Southwest Chief train, which has five other stops within Kansas and many more outside it. East-bound trains (next major stop outside of Kansas: Kansas City) arrive just before midnight, while west-bound ones (next major stop: Albuquerque, New Mexico) arrive in the early morning around 5:30AM.
See
See Boot Hill Museum
The Boot Hill Museum contains a reconstruction of 1876 Dodge City and Boot Hill Cemetery, so named because most of the deceased were buried with their boots on. Between Memorial Day and the end of August, visitors can see gunfight re-enactments, a variety show, and have a chuckwagon dinner.
See Coronado Cross
38-ft-tall cross marking the spot where Spanish explorer Francisco Vasques de Coronado crossed the Arkansas River in search of the fabled "Seven Cities of Gold" in 1541.
See Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge served as a supply depot and a base of operation while fighting the Indians from 1865-1882.
Do
See Dodge City Cowboy Band
Tuesday nights in June and July only. The oldest municipal band west of the Mississippi River.
Buy
While the cowboy-era downtown buildings were torn down in the 1970s, the "new" downtown maintains a frontier feel and offers dozens of shops ranging from vintage photos and art galleries to the more utilitarian.
Eat
Eat The Cowboy Capital Saloon & Grill
Drink
Drink Boot Hill Distillery Tasting Room
Sleep
Hotel options tend to be large chains, with a few no-name budget motels with little to recommend them beyond the price. Almost all of the hotels are along US Highway 50, mostly on the western side of town. There are four RV parks.
There are also a couple dozen home stay rentals available in town and in the surrounding area. These generally run about $150 a night and have two or three beds.
Stay Regency Inn and Suites
Stay Dodge City KOA
An RV park right where you want to be for summer-time fun: next door to the dog park, a few minutes' walk to a big water park in town, and a half mile from the historic downtown area. Also offers 10 two-bedroom cabins ($170–250/night) and tent camping sites ($35/night).
Go next
- Wichita, the largest city anchored in Kansas, is about 150 miles (250 km) east of Dodge City.
Nearby
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.