Your choo-choo-loving kiddos may want a photo with the black engine at Military Park (by the library off Broadway and Main) or the red caboose at the entrance to Sand Creek Station Golf Course. Newton is famous for TRAINS – there’s a little garden and fountain in front of the train station if you want to hang out and watch them.Great for small children, pregnant mamas and anyone who wants to stroll along. Or park at Athletic Park off First Street to walk along the creek. You can start by parking at the Mennonite Central Committee building (121 E 30th St, North Newton, KS 67117) to explore through the trees. Sand Creek Trail is an awesome well-maintained wood-chip walking path around Bethel College (technically North Newton) that connects to the paved paths alongside the creek in Newton.We love Centennial Park, which has a dog park, baseball fields, a playground and shelter, AND a with rock-climbing stations (park by the Blue Skies Sculpture and follow the mowed trail into the grass.).Don’t miss the Splash Park at Springlake – it also has a playground, bathroom and picnic table area.Parks – Newton has 17 parks and over 8.5 miles of bike/jogging paths.They’ve hosted family-friendly special events and movie showings, so check their Facebook page. The Historic Fox Theater is now home to The Gathering church.Tours are by appointment and the house is available for events as well. At Christmas time, the house is fully decked out and amazing. The docents will give you an amazing tour, with so much history of our area. The Warkentin House Museum is the fully furnished mansion of a Mennonite immigrant during Newton’s railroad and cattle heyday.A “Newton Walking Tour” booklet is available at most chamber businesses and tells the history of the business and the buildings – Newton has some Wild West history! The Visitor’s should have a kids version available soon too.See if you can find the sunflowers, the Beatles, wings that feature our first responders and more! Newton Murals and Arts Project has been working to encourage beautiful murals.Sandcreek Nutrition and Railer Nutrition offer healthy shakes and energizing teas and coffee, plus snacks like protein bites.The homemade garlic knot rolls are dreamy. Genova Italian Restaurant is a great family-owned option your whole family can enjoy.Ownership has changed, but it still looks like my parents’ favorite haunt. They open at 11:30pm (11pm Fri/Sat) so kids have a place to hang out and play games while waiting for piping hot donuts. Druber’s Donuts is the legendary second home of college students for a couple generations.They have a varied menu of sweet and salty treats as well. Mojo’s is another locally-owned coffee shop located on the Bethel College campus in North Newton.They usually have 100-150 fifth and sixth graders from the nearby Santa Fe Middle School. Buying coffee at Norm’s means you’re also supporting their outreach program, ’s, which offers kids a free snack and time to hang out with mentor volunteers.Norm’s also sells a bunch of swag for the town’s newly approved city flag.Their coffee is fantastic, as well as their Italian sodas, Chai, and made-on-site pastries and breakfast items. It’s located on Main Street in a gorgeously renovated storefront (and neon!) with a great atmosphere for working, meeting or hanging out – very kid friendly too. Norm’s Coffee Bar is owned by a non-profit, the So Shine Foundation.Burgers, fries, sandwiches, salads, shakes, and more! Gurty’s Burgers & Shakes is another local fave.These feature Verenika with ham gravy, Bohne beroggi, Zwieback with homemade apple butter and more! There’s also a Sunday buffet at 10:30am. The Breadbasket If you like hearty Mennonite/German food, this is your place! On weekdays, they are open 6:30 am to 5:30 pm with deli-style food, with German buffets on Friday and Saturday.KiKos-Mexican Fast Food is a fun drive-through/walk-up with the kind of burritos you dream about.Fun garage-style decor if you dine in, though there’s patio seating and carry-out as well. They also have a delicious selection of salads and sandwiches. I’m told the gluten free crust is pretty good too. You have to try the B.B.Q – it comes with pickles on it. The dough is homemade and the ingredients are all fresh. Back Alley Pizza is one of the top 10 pizzerias in the state, according to Best Things in Kansas.It’s about 25 minutes north of Wichita on I-135, and has some unique day trip opportunities for families. Newton, Kansas is just big enough to have fun stuff to do and eat, and just small enough to make a cozy community.
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