Location: Wichita
Top Things to do in Wichita
What to do and see in Wichita, United States: The Best Places and Tips
Dorothy clicked her heels to return to Kansas, and you'll want to do the same after you've visited this one-time cattle town turned modern, booming city, where the spirit of the Old West lives on. To get a feel of the early pioneer days, visit the recreated village at the Old Cowtown Museum. For a slightly more eccentric experience, visit the Museum of Ancient Treasures, which has everything from a baseball signed by Joe DiMaggio to a shrunken head. The Indian Center Museum features works by Plains Indian artists. Wichita is an aircraft manufacturing center, and the Kansas Aviation Museum honors pioneers in the field, as well as housing model planes. Exploration Place gives kids more insights into aviation and other scientific wonders. For nature and wildlife, check out Botanica's lovely gardens or head over to the Sedgwick County Zoo, home to over 350 species of animals. Wichita stays up when the sun goes down: there's nightlife, culture, karaoke and cuisine for all tastes.
Restaurants in Wichita
1. Sedgwick County Zoo
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
To inspire discovery, appreciation, and respect for animals and nature.
Reviewed By David S - Piedmont, South Dakota
I'm not particularly a zoo person - but my wife is. I was pleasantly surprised that this zoo was not only just right sized - could be visited entirely in 2-3 hours but it was also well thought out. Animals are separated by area of origin and efforts have been made to tailor both the animal enclosures and the human areas to reflect those geographic origins.
Reasonable admission price and free parking.
2. Botanica: The Wichita Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 578 reviews
Located in Sim Park, this gorgeous patch of cultivated flora offers themed gardens such as the Butterfly Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Rose and Wildflower Garden and the award-winning Sally Stone Sensory Garden, plus special programs for children.
Reviewed By Matthew C
Botanica is a wonderful place to be alone with your thoughts. I would highly recommend visiting for the Christmas light display. The team spends a lot of effort turning the park into a winter wonderland.
3. The Keeper of the Plains
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 576 reviews
The Keeper of the Plains stands at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas rivers with hands raised in supplication to the Great Spirit. Renowned Kiowa-Comanche artist Blackbear Bosin donated the Keeper of the Plains to the citizens of Wichita on May 18, 1974.Since the sculpture's installation to commemorate the United States Bicentennial, it has become a symbol for the city of Wichita and a tribute to the local American Indian tribes. in 1974. A complete renovation of the sculpture and installation of the Keeper of the Plains Plaza now brings people out each evening to see the Keeper and the "Ring of Fire." The 44-foot Cor-Ten steel Keeper of the Plains statue is now 30 feet higher than before with its new pedestal,surrounded by a plaza which describes the Plains Indian way of life. The Keeper also serves as the focal point of an eight-year, $20 million restoration and river beautification project completed in May 2007. Pedestrians can access the area via two bow-and-arrow-inspired cable-stay bridges which span the Little and Big Arkansas rivers. Fire drums on boulders at the foot of the Keeper dramatically light the night. Plantings of sage, bottlebrush, medicinal herbs, prairie grasses, yuccas and cactus add to the sense of place and time. The area is free and open to the public year-round.
Reviewed By Denise W - Oklahoma City
This is a beautiful lighted night time delight. The Keeper of the Plains is well light and visible for a distance. There are paved sidewalks along the river where the Keeper of the Plains overlooks. There are beautiful bridges to the small island that hosts the Keeper of the Plains. On the small island is a display of Indian related trivia. There's also an exhibit of signs Indians used to communicate on caves and they tell a story along with the translation. We were there in February so the fire and water 'show' was not active. Would love to see them in action! Nice break for an evening stroll weather permitting.
4. Museum of World Treasures
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 451 reviews
Discover the treasures . . . around the world and through the ages. Where can you explore the crusty bones of long-lost creatures, marvel at Egyptian mummies, uncover the secrets of ancient civilizations, travel to the land of Conquistadors. and enter the battlefields of World Wars? The Museum of World Treasures, with more than 3,000 artifacts on three floors. Discover your inner explorer!
Reviewed By TheBlackCondor - Colorado Springs, Colorado
This place is really cool. They have a ton of stuff for such a small place, and I was told that's about 25% of the entire collection! They really should find a bigger building.
The first floor is all about history, with mostly complete dinosaur skeletons, and artifacts from ancient Greece, the Orient and Egypt (with two real mummies!).
The second floor is mostly about wars (WW1, WW2, Civil War, etc.). There's also a hall of presidents where they have little fact cards about each that I went through and was thoroughly entertained.
Third floor has some more WW2 stuff and some random things from movies and such. There's also a little room where kids have some stuff they can play with.
Unfortunately, my 3 y/o son got bored and I had to cut my reading short (there's a lot to read!) so we could go. I could have spent another hour at least looking at things. This place is nice for some of the exhibits, but most of the war stuff on the 2nd and 3rd floor wouldn't interest young children (or even teenagers, unless they are studying this particular subject at school and might have an interest).
5. Old Cowtown Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 336 reviews
Be transported back in time at this unique, 23 acre open-air history museum that recreates Wichita and Sedgwick County, Kansas from 1865 to 1880. Museum staff dress in period costume and demonstrate everyday activities including, gardening, tending livestock and cooking. Historic Wichita Cowtown Inc. works with the City of Wichita to further the Museum and its mission. Established in 1952, Cowtown's unique programming chronicles Wichita's transformation from a frontier settlement to a cattle town to an agricultural and manufacturing area. The Museum has the distinction of being accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the highest national recognition achievable by a museum. Accreditation recognizes high standards in individual museums and ensures they continue to uphold public trust. Only 3 percent of the nation's estimated 34,144 museums are accredited.
Reviewed By Valerie W
This is an 20th c outdoor architectural museum. It is arranged in a residential neighborhood, a downtown and a farm. Some buildings like the residential have been moved there, others recreated. Downtown has all kinds of stocked up artisan shops, bank, hotels, dancehall, even a working train station. The Masonic Lodge featured a Mason fellow who was chock full of lore. The farm has a farmhouse, barn, outbuildings and a smaller stock area. It is all well done and seemingly a work in progress as they seem to be adding and improving all around.
We went on a blustery day threatening rain, so it was sparsely crowded. We were told some days were quite crowded. It would be fine for kids. There's food and refreshments. We had sarsaparilla.
6. Exploration Place
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 328 reviews
Delve into hundreds of interactive exhibits that stimulate the mind and teach about science, and that's only inside the main building. Outside there's a park where visitors can observe Kansas wildlife in a wetlands habitat and dig for archeological treasures inside a giant sandbox.
Reviewed By Alex N
This was a very interactive and entertaining place. It would be very good for younger kids. I don’t believe older kids would be entertained for too long, it had smaller, interactive exhibits that took roughly 5 minutes to complete or be tired of. It was a good experience and worth going to. Prices are also not too bad.
7. Great Plains Nature Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 95 reviews
A Kansas wildlife habitat in the city. Bird watching. Paved hiking trails. Discovery programs. Indoor wildlife observatory. Connecting people with nature. The Great Plains Nature Center is a cooperative partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, and the City of Wichita Parks and Recreation Department. Together with the Friends of the Great Plains Nature Center (a 501(c)(3) organization), GPNC provides nature experiences to the community. Visit us to check out the Koch Habitat Hall exhibits with your grandchildren. Stop in for quiet reflection in the Bob Gress Wildlife Observatory. Or, pick up a Kansas critter memento in the Owl's Nest Gift Shop.
Reviewed By BowTiesAreShiny
This is such a wonderful place. I don't believe I have ever paid admission to any of their events. The Pollinator Party is super fun, the guided nature walks are very informative, and there are a ton of summer programs! We've seen a live beaver in the auditorium, movies on wetlands creatures, etc...they have so many neat talks by their naturalists, so many cool presentations. There's a neat aquarium indoors where the kids can see various fish and turtles, and there's a cool little "museum" where you can explore animal horns and shells, bird calls, types of trees, etc.
Outside of the building, there is a lovely nature walk. They have multiple routes with varying distances, so everyone of all fitness levels and abilities can enjoy. I highly recommend spending some time at the ponds watching the turtles, fish, ducks, geese, etc. You can see all kinds of bugs, plants, and other critters if you pay attention here.
The Owl's Nest gift shop is fantastic! They have many nature guides, a lot of them local! They sell t-shirts, stuffed animals, jewelry, all kinds of stuff. The staff is very knowledgeable, so if you have questions don't hesitate! They are also very helpful and pleasant.
Be sure to look up and see the activities available when planning your trip here. You'll find craft and story times, guided walks, nature films, all kinds of neat things! Also, don't forget to pick up your free pocket guide from either the front desk or the gift shop. You get one free guide with each visit, and they're informative little guides on local wildlife and plants.
8. Wichita Art Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 125 reviews
The largest art museum in Kansas offers a sizeable collection of pieces by American painters, potters, sculptors, and textile weavers. Mary Cassatt, Arthur G. Dove, Thomas Eakins, Robert Henri and Winslow Homer are just a handful of the talented artists in our permanent collection. For information about our current exhibitions please visit our website.
Reviewed By Heliodorus - Dallas, Texas
We visited the museum in late August and were very pleasantly surprised. The museum staff were very friendly and welcoming and the building is architecturally interesting. The collection is small but has some real gems. I particularly enjoyed seeing 20th century paintings from the Midwest. There were several magnificent portraits from the Depression and Dust Bowl era that deserve wider reputations. The Chihuly glass bridge was really beautiful with the afternoon sun shining through. We saw the entire collection thoroughly in about two hours--we're slow--and appreciated the curators' notes.
I normally don't comment on museum shops but the Wichita Museum's shop was well worth a stop. Original and creative works of art and great gifts. And very nice personnel.
9. Old Town
Overall Ratings
4 based on 249 reviews
Reviewed By BZimm08 - Olathe, Kansas
I really enjoyed the Old Town in Wichita. I liked the old style brick buildings and roads. I did not spend to much time here, but it is full of restaurants, bars, shops, and museums. You can spend several hours here. There are many parking lots in the area, so parking did not seem to be a problem. I went on a Sunday and it was not very crowded, pretty peaceful actually. Next time I find myself in Wichita, I would like to spend more time here exploring.
10. Sedgwick Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 98 reviews
Reviewed By Becky H - Wichita, Kansas
Along the river, this park has a beautiful setting in the middle of the city. Lots of wildlife coupled with good parking, playground, covered picnic areas, grills and clean restroom. I feel comfortable taking a big group of kids there to run and enjoy time outside.
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