Ten great things to do in Wichita, Kansas: visit museums, attend festivals, go to the zoo, and more.
Whether you are young, old, single, married, or somewhere in between, you are sure to find something to whet your appetite for excitement, knowledge, and relaxation in Wichita, Kansas. Here are the top ten things to do in this beautiful river city located in the Old West.
1. Sedgwick County Zoo
What began as a small two-exhibit venue has now become a full-fledged zoo with animals from all areas of the globe. If you aren't afraid of heights, make a note to visit the Downing Gorilla Forest via a fifty-foot wooden suspension bridge and enter a jungle with monkeys, flamingos, giraffes, and of course, gorillas. Then make your way to visit the rest of the animals from North America, Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, and the Great Plains. More information about the zoo can be found on its quite impressive and informative websites.
2. Museum of World Treasures
This museum has three floors of treasures to view""Ancient, Middle Ages to Present, and Present Day Fun and Activities. Some of the items are from the United States while others come from other areas of the world. Exhibits of special interest are the meteorites and crystals on the first floor, European Royalty and Nobility Manuscripts on the second, and a display of the Frontier and the Old West on the third. Be sure to check out the Wichita sports hall of fame, which is also located in the museum.
3. Botanica, the Wichita Gardens
Botanica, the Wichita Gardens offers twenty-five beautiful outdoor and indoor displays of plant life. It includes a Shakespearean garden, a peony collection, a juniper collection, a wildflower meadow, and a collection of aquatic plants. There is also a butterfly house open from June to September, a botanical library, and a greenhouse. The gardens host special activities for children, and the facilities can be rented out for weddings, parties, meetings, and retreats.
4. Old Cowtown Museum
If you want to see history in action, visit Wichita's Old Cowtown Museum. It is an outdoor museum where more than forty historical buildings have been collected to portray events in Wichita and surroundings areas from 1865 to 1880. There is an Old Town Area that portrays 1865 to 1869, a Town Area that re-enacts 1870 to 1880, a farm area that represents the county's agricultural history, and business, industrial, and residential areas of the town. The museum also has an impressive collection of artifacts from the Old West that includes agricultural tools and equipment, personal items, and furniture. There is even livestock collection. This is a true and all-inclusive re-creation of an era.
5. Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper
Open all year, the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Supper promises food, music, and entertainment for the whole family. Visitors can ride the Prairie Rose Express train, watch a Roy Rogers or Hopalong Cassidy movie, and eat a home-cooked all you can eat "bar-be-que" meal. Following the meal, visitors are directed to the Opera House to watch the renowned Prairie Rose Wranglers perform. This western-themed fun center also offers wagon rides, recreational areas, an RV park, an outdoor amphitheater, and a gift shop.
6. Exploration Place
Exploration Place is no ordinary museum. Here, people from all walks of life, child to adult, come together to learn. There are exhibits on flight and design, the human body, and Kansas. Visitors can learn about an airplane's "little black box," read the Braille alphabet, and the formation of a tornado. A special exhibit for kids is Dr. Seuss-oriented and includes a shadow room, an animation station, and storytelling.
7. Wichita River Festival
A thirty-three year old tradition going on its thirty-fourth year is a big to-do in Wichita for a week in May. There are over seventy events to watch or participate in, including concerts, river-related events, and a parade. Some other interesting events and exhibits include the National Lumberjack Championships, an Annual Art and Book Fair, an antique bathtub display, and a Cajun Food Fest.
8. Joyland Amusement Park
This family-owned amusement park is well-maintained and offers a variety of fun for every age, at reasonably low prices. Along with the staple rides--ferris wheel, carousel, bumper cars, etc.--it also has a water ride, a roller coaster, games, and rides for kids. Don't forget to hit the go-karts while you're there.
9. Old Town
Old Town is a historical neighborhood in Wichita and a hot spot for urban locals. The neighborhood is home to a plethora of galleries, museums, shops, clubs, and theatres. There is a variety of restaurants that serve traditional, Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, and pan-Asian foods. The neighborhood hosts many annual festivals including the Moonlight Car Show, Cinco de Mayo, Taste of Old Town, and a Farm and Art Market.
10. Crown Uptown Professional Dinner Theatre
This is Wichita's only professional theatre that operates all year. The location is a vaudeville theatre built in 1928 and designed by the Boller Brothers. The dinner theatre has been in operation since 1977. Visitors take pleasure in a buffet-style meal as well as hors d'oeuvres and dessert before the show begins. Broadway musicals, comedy, and guest artists have all been shown here.
These are just ten of the great variety of entertainment to be found in Wichita. There are many more museums, theatres, concert venues, festivals, and parks in the city.
