Kansas' largest city, Wichita is located right in the heartland of the United States where the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers meet. The city was named for the Wichita Indians who lived in the area long ago. The metropolitan area is the economic hub of the region, and Wichita has provided the world with products such as aircraft, camping products, pizzas, and even amusement park rides. The city is full of things to see and do, from the visual and performing arts to historic museums to natural gardens to golf and baseball. The Wichita River Festival, an annual ten-day celebration with more than 80 events, draws 250,000 visitors and citizens together every May. With all of this and more, the city's greatest asset remains its friendly people, making visitors feel welcome and right at home. Best Western Wichita Kansas.
Things to do in Wichita
81 Speedways
One of the top facilities in the country, 81 Speedways offers dirt track auto racing excitement March through October. Located at 7700 N. Broadway Street. Find Best Western Wichita Lodging nearby. Call 316-755-1781 for more information.
Arthur B. Sim Golf Course
Located near downtown Wichita, the Sim municipal golf course measures 6,330 yards and features tree-lined fairways that lead to well bunkered greens. A full-service pro shop, food and beverage concessions, and lessons are available. Located at 2020 W. Murdock. Call 316-337-9100 for more information.
Auburn Hills Golf Course
Auburn Hills, Wichita’s newest municipal golf course, was designed by Perry Dye and is one of the finest municipal courses in the region. The course takes the player through scenic wetlands and upscale residential areas. Sixty-two sand traps and fourteen lakes add to the challenge of the game. Facilities include a large driving range, two practice greens, full service pro shop, and full service clubhouse with a bar and grill. Lessons are available. Located at 443 S. 135th Street West. Call 316-219-9700 for more information.
Botanica, the Wichita Gardens
Botanica features 24 themed gardens filled with flowers, sculptures, and water features including the Butterfly Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Rose Garden, Wildflower Garden and the award-winning Sally Stone Sensory Garden. Located in the Museums on the River District in Sim Park at Murdock and Amidon. Call 316-264-0448 for more information.
Cheney State Park & Reservoir
Cheney State Park offers a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities. The focus of the park is Cheney Reservoir, where the breezes of central Kansas make it an ideal spot for sailing. Other popular activities include fishing, camping, swimming, boating, and picnicking. Two interpretive nature trails allow visitors to observe wildlife. Located 18 miles west of Wichita on 21st Street. Call 316-542-3664 for more information.
Chilsholm Creek Park
One of the largest parks in Wichita, the 282-acre Chisholm Creek Park features habitats representing most of the major habitat types in the Great Plains. Accessible paved trails cross native and restored prairies, wetlands, ponds and woodlands. The park is home to numerous species of wildflowers, trees and shrubs, mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and fish. The park entrance is located at 3238 N. Oliver. It can also be accessed from the main parking lot of the Great Plains Nature Center. Call 316-268-4638 for more information.
Crown Uptown Dinner Theatre
One of the largest dinner theatres in the U.S., Crown Uptown presents professional performances of Broadway shows with classic American cuisine. Located at 3207 East Douglas Avenue. Call 316-681-1566 for more information.
Delano District
The streets of the Delano district were once walked by gunslingers and saloon girls. Now, 100 years later, visitors can browse unique shops, dine on delicious food, or just stroll and take in the sights. Located just minutes from downtown Wichita. Call 316-650-6200 for more information.
Exploration Place
Dedicated to informal and entertaining learning, Exploration Place offers a variety of hands-on exhibits for people of all ages to enjoy. Included in the exhibits are topics in flight, health, Kansas, and imaginative spaces for young children. The CyberDome Theater lets visitors virtually visit distant destinations. Children can play outdoors in the Exploration Park and the MiniGolf course. Located on the banks of the Arkansas River in the scenic downtown Wichita River District at 300 N. McLean Boulevard. Call 316-263-3373 for more information.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Allen-Lambe House Museum
Designed in 1915, Frank Lloyd Wright considered the Allen-Lambe House to be among his best work. The house is one of the last of the Prairie Houses. Located at 255 North Roosevelt Street. Call 316-687-1027 for more information.
Great Plains Nature Center
The Great Plains Nature Center is a nature education center that seeks to provide information regarding the natural resources, especially the wildlife and plant species, of the Great Plains. The centerpiece of the facility is the 3,500 square foot Koch Habitat Hall, a nature center with exhibits on the prairie, the climate of the Great Plains, streams and wetlands, lakes, rivers, Riparian habitat and woodlands. A wildlife observatory overlooks the wetlands of Chisholm Creek Park, Coleman Auditorium provides the venue for state-of-the-art audio visual programs, and the Owl’s Nest shop offers a variety of nature-related gifts. Located in northeast Wichita at 6232 E. 29th Street North, 1/2 mile south of Kansas Highway 96. Call 316-683-5499 for more information.
Great Plains Transportation Museum
The Great Plains Transportation Museum features displays of railroad transportation equipment. Located north of the historic Union Station at 700 East Douglas Avenue. Call 316-263-0944 for more information.
Historic Wichita Trolley Tour
Wichita’s Historic Trolley Tour takes visitors back to the days of Carrie Nation and Wyatt Earp. The tour begins at the Wichita Boathouse in the heart of the River District, and winds along the beautiful Arkansas River on a replica of a 19th-century American Heritage streetcar. The 1 ½ hour narrated trip travels by some of Wichita's most distinguished neighborhoods and establishments. Located at 335 W. Lewis, off Main and Lewis. Call 316-337-9088 for more information.
Kansas African American Museum
The Kansas African American Museum is dedicated to preserving the African American heritage through the collection and presentation of historic documents, programs, and visual art forms that reflect African American life and culture. Located at 601 North Water Street. Call 316-262-7651 for more information.
Kansas Aviation Museum
The Kansas Aviation Museum showcases Kansas’ rich aviation heritage. The museum displays over 40 planes, notably a Beech Starship, a 1957 B-52, a 1934 Stearman Trainer, a KC 135E midair refueling tanker, and a 1927 Swallow. An extensive display of model aircraft and engines from a variety of time periods is also on site. Visitors can view the Wichita skyline from the original 1941 tower. An archive of nearly 200,000 aviation photographs and documents is available. Located at 3350 George Washington Blvd. Call 316-683-9242 for more information.
Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center
Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center houses one of the most extensive collections of international space artifacts in the world, including items from the U.S. and Soviet space programs. The center was named one of the first affiliates of the Smithsonian Institution. The state’s only IMAX Dome Theater is on site. Located in Hutchinson just 45 minutes northwest of Wichita. Call 800-397-0330 for more information.
Kansas Firefighters Museum
Located in the historic Engine House #6, Kansas’ first fire museum features fire fighting exhibits from the early 1900s to present day. The building is listed on National and Kansas Registers of Historic Places. A memorial garden south of the museum includes a wall with the names of Kansas fallen firefighters and a life-size statue of a firefighter. Located at 1300 South Broadway Street. Call 316-264-5990 for more information.
Kansas Sports Hall of Fame
The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame highlights distinctive Kansas sports figures and teams including Olympians, world and national champions, and legends such as Sanders, Chamberlain, Ryun, Walter Johnson, Dean Smith, Stallworth, Dickey, Sayers, Woodard and Spani. Located at 238 North Mead Street. Call 316-262-2038 for more information.
L.W. Clapp Golf Course
Located in the southeast area of Wichita, the 95-acre L.W. Clapp municipal course features a challenging round of golf with a tight layout, tree-lined fairways and creek meandering through the course. A full-service pro shop is on site, and lessons are available. Located at 4611 E. Harry. Call 316-688-9341 for more information.
Lake Afton Public Observatory
At Lake Afton Observatory visitors can explore the night sky and wonders of the universe through a 16-inch telescope. The observatory’s museum features interactive astronomy exhibits. Located 20 miles southwest of downtown Wichita at MacArthur Road and 247th Street West in Lake Afton County Park. Call 316 -978-7827 for more information.
MacDonald Golf Course
Considered Wichita’s finest municipal course, the MacDonald golf course measures 6,387 yards and features fairways lined with old cottonwood trees. A full-service pro shop and food concessions are on site. Lessons are available. Located at 840 N. Yale. Call 316-688-9391 for more information.
Mid-America All Indian Center
The Mid-America All Indian Center provides the opportunity to learn and participate in the rich heritage of Kansas’ native peoples. Exhibits include a tepee, paintings, jewelry and native dress. Located in the heart of the Museums on the River District along the banks of the Arkansas River at 650 North Seneca Street. Call 316-262-5221 for more information.
Museum of World Treasures
A wide variety of over 10,000 items from ancient days to modern times are on display in the Museum of World Treasures. Among the treasures and exhibits are genuine dinosaurs, royal Egyptian mummies, European royalty with armor and crown jewels, American presidents, war exhibits, the Sports Hall of Fame, exhibits on the western frontier, Hollywood celebrities and more. A large shop offers gift items and souvenirs. Located at 835 East First Street. Call 316-263-1311 for more information.
Old Cowtown Museum
The Old Cowtown Museum recreates Wichita and Sedgwick County during the period of 1865-1880. The unique, 25-acre living history museum includes 40 historic buildings, a working farm, and costumed interpreters depicting the life of the 19th century Kansas cattle town. A café and museum store are on site. Located at 1871 Sim Park Drive. Call 316-264-6398 for more information.
Old Town
Wichita’s premier entertainment district, Old Town Marketplace offers more than 100 restaurants, shops, clubs, theaters, galleries, museums, and businesses. Brick-lined streets and historic lampposts offer a nostalgic atmosphere for the high-energy district.
Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper
Prairie Rose offers the largest authentic cowboy chuckwagon supper in the Midwest. Visitors get a taste of the Old West with wagon rides, barbecue and musical entertainment. From Wichita, take Hwy K254 East toward El Dorado, turn left on Butler Road, and travel north two miles. Turn right and follow the signs. Call 316-778-2121 for more information.
Rock River Rapids
A huge treehouse-theme water sprayground, six wild water slides, 50-meter lap pool, and a "lazy river" offer water park fun at Rock River Rapids. Full concessions are available. Located at 1900 E. James Street in Derby. Call 316-788-POOL for more information.
Sedgwick County Zoo
More than 2,500 remarkable animals in eight naturalistic exhibits are featured at the Sedgwick County Zoo. Visitors can observe species from Africa, North America, Australia, South America, and the Jungle. The zoo also offers an outstanding selection of special events and programs. Located at 5555 Zoo Boulevard. Call 316-660-9453 for more information.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Tanganyika Wildlife Park is a non-profit foundation dedicated to the exhibition, conservation and propagation of rare and endangered species. Visitors become part of the wild as they walk among the kangaroos and feed giraffes and lemurs by hand. The park is home to a variety of endangered birds and animals not typically seen anywhere else. Located approximately 3 miles west of Wichita just north Highway 54 (US 400) on 183rd Street West. Call 316-794-8954 for more information.
Tex Consolver Golf Course
Tex Consolver is the longest of Wichita’s municipal golf courses at 7,361 yards. It is also considered one of the most challenging, with six water holes and a good amount of tree cover. Facilities include a large clubhouse with a full-service pro shop and a large driving range. Lessons available. Located in west Wichita at 1931 S. Tyler. Call 316-337-9494 for more information.
Ulrich Museum of Art
Located at Wichita State University, the Ulrich Museum of Art presents the modern and contemporary work of renowned artists worldwide. In addition to an impressive permanent collection, a schedule of changing exhibitions showcases the extent of human imagination, often using state-of-the-art technology. The museum's largest and most recognizable mosaic by Joan MirĂł greets visitors as they arrive. The museum is also well known for the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection, a group of more than 70 works situated across WSU's campus. 1845 N. Fairmount Street. Call 316-978-3664 for more information.
Wichita Art Museum
Kansas’ largest art museum, the Wichita Art Museum features a nationally renowned collection of more than 6,000 American works of art. The museum also offers a lending library, children’s interactive area, cafĂ© and store. Located at 1400 West Museum Boulevard. Call 316-268-4921 for more information.
Wichita Center for the Arts
Wichita’s oldest visual and performing arts organization presents an impressive visual art gallery hosting national and regional shows, a library of film, professional theatre productions, and an art school offering classes in the visual arts. Located at 9112 East Central. Call 316-634-2787 for more information.
Wichita Grand Opera
Wichita’s professional opera season presents fully staged operas such as Don Giovanni, Mikado, Barber of Seville, Aida and others. Performances are held at Century II Concert Hall and feature the WGO Orchestra and Chorus, artists in residence and international guest stars. Call 316-683-3444 for more information.
Wichita Greyhound Park
Wichita Greyhound Park features year-round, live racing with thoroughbred and greyhound simulcasts. Park facilities include a climate controlled grandstand, lounge and clubhouse. Located in Valley Center at 1500 E. 177th Street North. Call 316-755-4000 for more information.
Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum
Located in Wichita’s historic 1892 City Hall, the Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum is dedicated to the preservation of the history and heritage of Wichita and Sedgwick County. The museum relates the area’s story through a series of unique and informative exhibits. Located at 204 South Main Street. Call 316-265-9314 for more information.
Wichita State University
Founded in 1895, Wichita State University is a vibrant part of the Wichita metropolitan area. With an enrollment of more than 15,000, students come from almost every state in the U.S. and 110 foreign countries. The 330-acre campus is modern and yet reflects the University's 107-year heritage. Situated around the campus are more than 60 pieces of sculpture by internationally known artists. WSU is a Division I institution and fields teams in tennis, cross-country, basketball, track, golf, crew, bowling, men's baseball and women's volleyball and softball. The university’s mascot name, the Shockers, comes from its early days when students earned money by shocking, or harvesting, wheat in nearby fields. WSU’s campus is bordered by 17th and 21st streets and Hillside and Oliver, approximately three miles northeast of downtown Wichita. Call 316-978-3456 for more information.
Wichita Symphony Orchestra
The Wichita Symphony Orchestra brings a full schedule of concerts to the area, with programs that range from classical to pops to “blue jeans” and twilight pops on the river. The symphony sponsors a number of youth performances as well. Performances are held at the Century II Concert Hall September through May. Call 316-267-5259 for more information.
Wichita Thunder
The Central Hockey League’s Wichita Thunder brings the excitement of professional hockey to the Kansas Coliseum. Located at 1229 E. 85th North in Valley Center. Call 316-755-1243 for more information.
Wichita Wranglers Baseball
The Wichita Wranglers, the Texas League affiliate for the Kansas City Royals, provide baseball entertainment for the entire family. Little baseball fans will enjoy Wilbur, the Wranglers mascot. Home games are played at Lawrence Dumont Stadium at 300 South Sycamore. Call 316-267-3372 for more information.