Manhattan Kansas is located in the Flint Hills region. The metropolitan Kansas City area is located 115 miles east. The Konza Prairie, a reserve owned by the Nature Conservancy and run by KSU is located south of town. Just north of the city, Tuttle Creek Lake and Park offers outdoor recreation, boating, fishing, and camping.

It is a typical college town with lots of restaurants, fast food chains, bars and movie theaters. The city has several areas for shopping. Close to campus is a small area called Aggieville which is used more by students than the town. The downtown has an indoor shopping mall on one end and is still a vital shopping area.