Escape to Olathe
Come to Olathe, KS where you can eat like a king and watch movies like a star. Between the mega movie-plex, the famous Kansas City barbecue and the kid-friendly fun, it’s hard to get bored in this bustling metropolis. Read on to learn more about this hopping Johnson County city.
Homes
Looking for the perfect home in Olathe? Browse the properties below and find a house, condo or patio villa that fits your budget and your lifestyle. Use the “modify search” button to customize your results.
Olathe Homes For Sale:
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up to $300,000
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$300,000-$450,000
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$450,000-$600,000
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$600,000-$750,000
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$750,000-$900,000
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$900,000-$2M
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$2M and up
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Patio Villas, Condos, and Townhomes
Fast Facts
Population:129,241
Size: 61 square miles
Major employers: Farmer’s Insurance Group, Garmin International, Honeywell, Olathe Medical Center, TransAM Trucking
Schools
The Olathe Public School district is the only public school district in the city and that’s just fine because it’s one of the finest around. With 17 National Blue Ribbon School Awards from the U.S. Department of Education, the Olathe district has racked up more blue ribbons than any other district in the state.
The Kansas School for the Deaf (for students ages 3-21) is also in Olathe along with more than 40 private schools in the area to serve you.
Dining
Many Kansas Citians will argue that you haven’t tasted real barbeque unless you’ve tried Joe’s Kansas City sauce-slathered grub. The original restaurant is located in a gas station in Kansas City (47th and Mission)—yes, we’re serious and yes, there’s usually a line out the door. Lucky for you, the Olathe location serves the same savory pulled pork, beef brisket and smoked ham in larger, slightly classier setting.
Or if you’re feeling funky, visit Joe’s Crab Shack where the servers are known to burst into song and dance throughout your dinner. (Birthday boys and girls better start practicing their hula dance … on the table. Don’t think they won’t make you do it!) Get cracking on buckets of crab legs or challenge yourself to finish the lobster daddy feast. With Joe’s colorful lights, beachy keen atmosphere and “peace, love and crabs” mentality, you won’t want to seafood anywhere else.
When you’re done with dinner, treat yourself to some homemade ice cream from Sylas and Maddy’s or get your Froyo fix at Orange Leaf. Don’t forget the cherry on top—so it still counts as healthy snack.
Shopping
Shop off some of those calories at The Bass Pro Shop. Hunters, campers, and fishermen will all be in heaven when they see the selection of firearms and outdoor gear. We’re talking 135,000 square feet of hunting, fishing, shooting, camping and clothing supplies.
And for your slightly “cuter” shopping needs, there’s a HomeGoods store at 119th and Black Bob Rd. From furniture to bedding, kitchen appliances to lighting, all of the ingredients for a happy home hide out here. There are also entire sections of the store dedicated to the two-legged and four-legged kids in your life.
Entertainment
Recline, all the way, back and enjoy the show at AMC Studio 30. With Imax and dine-in theatres you can have your dinner in a movie while sitting pretty in personal recliners. And Ladies, you can have your Cosmo and drink it too because AMC’s upscale Cinema Suites are strictly for the 21-and-older crowd. The eight-foot row spacing doesn’t put a damper on the luxury experience, either. Want to bring the kids? The Fork and Screen option is the same concept but on a smaller scale—and you won’t have to fork out as much dough.
If you can’t picture your kids sitting through a full-length feature film, help them get some of their energy out at Main Event. This hopping place has a host of activities including state-of-the-art bowling, laser tag, gravity ropes, and video games.
If walls simply can’t contain your children’s energy, just take them to the farm—Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm (1200 Kansas City Road). Ride a real stagecoach, help a blacksmith or feed some chickens all at this stop located on the Santa Fe Trail.
If stagecoaches don’t get you revved up, maybe Cadillacs, Mustangs and Ford Model Ts will get your motor running. Head out on the highway to the Kansas City Automotive Museum in Olathe, KS. A private donor made this non-profit museum possible—might as well take advantage and jump in the driver’s seat! Where else can you hop inside a 1985 Lamborghini without getting arrested?
Parks and Recreation
Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a hot air balloon flying over Olathe? Believe it or not, the Olathe area is hot spot for hot-air ballooning. One of the advantages to being the fifth largest city in the state is that there’s a lot of room to play. If you prefer water toys there are also two public lakes for your boating and sail boarding pleasure: Olathe Lake (172 acres) and Cedar Lake (45 acres).
Another way to fill your lungs with fresh air is to explore Ernie Miller Nature Center where the trails are open from dawn until dusk. Complete with summer programs, park naturalists and rangers will teach your campers how to identify animal tracks, scat and other survival skills in case they end up stranded in the wilderness—or worse: on a reality television show.
If none of those outdoor options sound good, there are also 43 neighborhood and community parks, 57 miles of public trails, 18 miles of bike lanes and 27 miles of shared roadway to keep every bicycler busy.
For some indoor fun, head to the Olathe Community Center (1205 E. Kansas City Rd). Make a splash at the indoor pool, complete with slides, lap lanes, lazy rivers, hot tubs and more. Or get moving on land with yoga, cycling or another fitness classes that fits your style.
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