During the summer, there are frequent concerts and plays in the city park that are free to the public. Kansas is the headquarters for the two largest manufacturers of civilian light aircraft, and the state is a significant producer of oil and gas. Topeka, the state capitol, is only 60 miles away via Interstate 70. Fort Riley, established in 1852 at the confluence of the Republican and Smokey Hills Rivers, is 10 miles southwest of Manhattan. Manhattan is just 500 miles east of Denver, Colorado, via Interstate 70.
Many residents take regular trips to Colorado for summer camping or winter skiing.
Vail and Aspen can be reached in one day's drive. Housing Several types of housing are available and housing costs are low. Many graduate students rent private apartments or houses off campus. Two dormitories place special emphasis on an atmosphere conducive to studies and are especially designated for single graduate students and upperclass undergraduates. The university's housing for married students is Jardine Terrace , a complex of 576 modern brick apartments located very near the campus.