Zip Trip: Louisburg is home to more than a cider mill. They have lions, tigers and more

LOUISBURG, Kan. — About 45 minutes south of Kansas City, you’ll find Louisburg, Kansas. It’s located right off 69-Highway.

Home to 4,800 people, Louisburg isn’t just a small town, it’s a destination. After all, how often do you get to be up close with some of the world’s most endangered species?

“We’ve got 28 animals total. We’ve got lions, tigers. We’ve got a leopard, a cougar, several bobcats,” Steve Klein of the Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory and Sanctuary said.

Cedar Cove Feline Conservatory and Sanctuary aims to educate and protect large cats on the edge of extinction.

If you’re a stargazer, you may want to check out the Powell Observatory, home to the largest telescope in the five-state area.

“Out here on a nice night you can see the Milky Way. The first time someone sees Saturn or Jupiter, or a big star cluster, you can tell they’ve seen it when they say ‘ahhh oh my gosh.’ Saturn is usually the one that impresses people. We’ve been accused of putting a picture in the telescope,” David Young with the Powell Observatory said.

Or you can head a little further south to the Isinglass Estate Winery with 30 acres of vineyards and berries. Whatever your taste, there’s something for everyone.

Becky Bowes from the Chamber of Commerce summed it up nicely.

“We have a lot more to offer than people realize,” Bowes said. “We have five antiques and shopping boutiques. We have the wineries, Cedar Cove, the Cider Mill. There’s a lot to do here in Louisburg. Easy day trip.”