Downtown Lawrence Area Real Estate And Homes For Sale In Lawrence, KS

Late every September, Downtown Lawrence blocks off streets and side streets for our much anticipated Busker Festival. This year will have the same dates plus a new weekend this year in May! This is an awesome three-day extravaganza that features street performers earning their livelihood through a myriad of different types of acts. These acts include a variety of performers which includes magicians, aerial artists, comedians, musicians, fire performers, and a strong woman. Bring cash to put money in the hat to pay the performers for their time after watching an act. This three-square block event has beer vendors, food vendors, and local face painting and henna artists. There is fun for the whole family and with the late summer date, the weather is always favorable. Visit the link below for the new and updated information!

Mass St. is the heart of Lawrence. Although there are changes occurring, residential space is going up in mid-rise buildings, the Eldridge Hotel is expanding, new and exciting restaurants are going in, and there's talk of a downtown grocery store. Many of the changes are happening on New Hampshire and Vermont streets, swelling Downtown from its main drag where most activity has been concentrated for most of Lawrence's history. But Mass St. itself is as recognizable as ever, and just as unforgettable. All you have to say is "We're heading down to Mass," and everyone in town knows exactly what you mean.

Downtown Lawrence has its share of bars and coffee shops, but it's only in a couple select joints that you can order both an espresso and a cocktail. The Bourgeois Pig is such an establishment. From lattes and macchiatos to red wine and rare bourbon, this is one of my favorite locations to unwind in the afternoon, or bring the iPad and send some work emails.

The interior is well-designed and cozy, and the exterior features a large patio area. There's even a back-deck for added outdoor space. Recently they began serving Torn Label Brewery beer, a Kansas City startup in the Crossroads District that is quickly becoming one of my favorite local breweries.

I highly recommend this long-time Lawrence spot, whether you're a long-time local yourself, or looking for a new spot and you can't quite decide if you're craving a cappuccino or an old-fashioned and the best answer is: both.

What better way to close out a lazy summer evening than to head to the Lawrence Public Library for the Downtown Lawrence Film Festival! This summer features some kid-friendly selections like "Back to the Future" and "Jurassic Park". The events take place on the lawn by the library and local food and drink vendors are on-hand to provide dinner. This evening we're heading down to check out "Despicable Me" and maybe scope out a food truck or two!

Downtown Lawrence has much to offer any cerevisaphile, gastronome, epicure, enthusiast, foodie, bon vivant, or any parent who's interested in taking the night off from cooking. But as far as restaurants go around here, there aren't many that are as sought after as Free State Brewery. Offering a menu with a variety of salads, appetizers, sandwiches, entrees, and desserts, all of which are incredible, Free State is best known for its array of craft beers brewed on-site. It's also well known for being the oldest brewery in the state of Kansas.

But before I get too deep into all that, a history lesson is needed. Kansas has had a struggle, if you will, with alcohol. It's not that the state needs to lay off the sauce, it's more to do with those that would have rather seen Kansas as "bone-dry". Prohibitionists were active early in Kansas, and the movement to ban alcohol started almost as soon as people began to settle here. By the 1880's, they had won and prohibition was established well before the U.S. Congress passed the 18th Amendment. And so it went, all the way until 1948, when the state allowed local governments to make their own determinations of the sale and use of alcohol. Beer brewing had effectively been dead for quite some time. In fact, it wouldn't really get going again until 1989, when Free State Brewery opened its doors, and its taps, in Downtown Lawrence.

Finally, serious craft brewing is now firmly established. Anchored by its main offerings such as Ad Astra Ale (which is named after the state's motto), Copperhead Pale Ale, Wheat State Golden, and Oatmeal Stout, there are always several other seasonal and specialty choices throughout the year. A current peak at the "on tap" list reveals delights like Black Eye Rye Porter, Festivus Ale, and Post Rock Pilsner. You can even purchase Free State beers in local liquor stores, since they expanded their brewing services a few years back. Servicing Kansas and some nearby local states, Free State's offerings can now be found throughout the region. My personal favorite is Ironman Imperial Stout, and as its name suggests, it's quite heavy and incredibly delicious!

As good as the beer is, some might say the food is even better. Every time I go with my wife, I struggle to decide what I'm having this time. A Cuban sandwich? Artichoke Tomato Tortellini? The Pastrami Reuben? I always have trouble nailing it down. My wife, on the other hand, has a classic favorite she rarely strays from because it is simply that great: The Fish & Chips. And don't skip out of dessert either, the La Prima Tiramisu is to die for! It's often crowded, so expect a short wait for dinner. But don't worry, you can text them before you leave home to reserve your spot in line, and this is a restaurant that is always worth the wait.

Free State Brewery is one of the things that makes Downtown Lawrence the great destination it is known to be. I would say that it is the crown jewel of Downtown, and some might agree. But there are enough gems here for royalty, and when they sparkle as bright as Free State Brewery, they attract hungry eyes from miles around.

People who aren't from Kansas probably don't even know that this is here. Downtown Lawrence, that is. They probably pass the whole state off as having no real destinations. And I don't really blame them. It's easy to miss Kansas most of the time. "Fly-over country" they call it. Well, I think people should take a closer look at Northeast Kansas and that all starts (and ends) in Downtown Lawrence.

Downtown Lawrence consists of a stretch of restaurants, boutiques, bars, book stores, businesses, and theaters that make up the city's main drag, and it's supporting side-streets and parks. From recently built mid-rise condos to old stone and brick storefronts, the area is steeped in history that begins before the Civil War and has yet to be forgotten. The town was burned to the ground and many residents were killed in a raid on the town by pro-slavery raiders from Missouri led by William Quantrill in 1863. That history is recalled by the ever-present use of the term "Freestate". Most notably, Freestate Brewery celebrates the town's history and heritage as the state's oldest active brewery and is known as one of the Midwest's best restaurants.

If you're looking to check out Lawrence, or the nearby University of Kansas, be sure to book your lodgings at the famous Eldridge Hotel. Rumored to be haunted, it is nevertheless a fantastic and elegant place to stay while enjoying the sights and tastes of the town. There is an incredible variety of restaurants to choose from, along with great shopping and entertainment, all within walking distance. Any night, the area bars, clubs, and theaters feature numerous local and national musical acts that go out of their way to play here.

Don't miss Downtown Lawrence. It's always been great and it's most definitely getting better, every day!