Why visit Hays
Townapedia lists 8 museums and landmarks, 36 parks and trails, 76 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Fox Theatre, 12th Street Auditorium, Ellis County Historical Society and Fort Hays.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Hays
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Hays
Hays is a city in and the county seat of Ellis County, Kansas, United States. The most populous city in northwestern Kansas, it is the economic and cultural center of the region. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 21,116. Hays is home to Fort Hays State University.
From the Wikipedia article Hays, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks8
Fort Hays
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Was a United States Army fort near Hays, Kansas
Justus Bissing Jr. Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic district in Kansas, United States
St. Joseph's Church and Parochial School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Church building in Kansas, United States of America
Sternberg Museum of Natural History
Museum · 1.3 mi
3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays
Tu-Sa 09:00-18:00; Su 13:00-18:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds36
Fort Hays Rose Garden
Park · 1.2 mi
Lovely rose garden, with bird baths and benches. Great place to stop durring a walk.
600 Park Street, Hays
Hays Aquatic Park
Sports field and stadium · 1.3 mi
300 Main Street, Hays
24 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes76
7 Brew Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.9 mi
3380 North Vine Street, Hays
Su-Th 05:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:30-23:00
Breaks Eatery & Bar
Restaurant · Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch · 0.8 mi
3203 North Vine Street, Hays
Mo-Su 06:00-14:30
Imperial Garden
Restaurant · Chinese · 0.7 mi
2918 North Vine Street
Mo-Sa 10:30-21:00; Su 10:30-18:00
La Curva
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.5 mi
2804 North Vine Street, Hays
Su-We 10:00-21:00; Th-Sa 10:00-22:00
Hickok's Steakhouse
Restaurant · Steak House · 0.9 mi
3402 North Vine Street
Tu-Th 16:00-21:00; Fr 16:00-22:00; Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Old Chicago
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.3 mi
Mo 12:00-22:00; Tu-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Osaki Japanese Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese
2522 Vine Street, Hays
Mo-Th 11:00-15:00,16:30-21:30; Fr 11:00-15:00,16:30-22:30; Sa...
64 more on the map.
History
Before American settlement of the area, the site of Hays was located near where the territories of the Arapaho, Kiowa, and Pawnee met. Claimed first by France as part of Louisiana and later acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, it lay within the area organized by the U.S. as Kansas Territory in 1854. Kansas became a state in 1861. The state government delineated the surrounding area as Ellis County in 1867.
From the History section of Hays, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay15
Churches and places of worship25
First Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Cornerstone Southern Baptist Church
Church · Southern Baptist · 0.9 mi
1065 East 29th Street
Shopping15
Gas and EV charging9
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare6
Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center Community-Based Outpatient Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.3 mi
4107 North Vine Street, Hays
Map of Hays
208 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 44°F | 20°F | 0.6 in | 3.2 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 22°F | 0.8 in | 3.4 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 31°F | 1.3 in | 1.7 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 39°F | 2.2 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 77°F | 51°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 63°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 67°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 91°F | 65°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 56°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 42°F | 1.8 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 30°F | 0.9 in | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 22°F | 0.8 in | 3.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Hays (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Ellis County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-05-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (Severe Storm)
- 2022-05-25: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Snowstorm)
- 2022-02-17: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-10-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Hays Regional Airport (HYS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Victoria 10 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Ellis 13 mi west, about 21 min by car
- Gorham 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Plainville 24 mi north, about 39 min by car
- La Crosse 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Russell 25 mi east, about 41 min by car
- Natoma 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
- Otis 28 mi southeast, about 45 min by car
- WaKeeney 32 mi west, about 51 min by car
- Hoisington 39 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Welcome to the City of Hays, KS, CityOfHays, CC BY-SA 3.0
- FHSU Albertson Hall, FUBAR007, CC0
- St. Joseph's Church and Parochial School Hays Kansas 5-7-2014, Richard Bauer, CC BY 2.0
- Fort Hays Blockhouse 01, IveGoneAway, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hays, Kansas 504 W 12 from SE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
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