Miles and miles of blue sky above the prairie. Be prepared for wide vistas while driving through this state. Smack dab in the middle. The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is accepted to be outside the small town of Lebanon.
Kansas came to be part of the United States via the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. And when Lewis & Clark led their expedition on the Missouri River, they likely camped at least once in the northeaster portion of the state.
My introduction to the state was on a family trip. One of the differences my young mind latched on to was the fact that windmills were shorter. Cattle and wheat were the main features of the rural landscape.
Many years later, in 1994, I drove the length of the state with my sons. We had a grand time. But be aware that not all 16 year-olds are accomplished photographers.