We are heading to Wichita, Kansas right now as I am sharing this post! Yeah, I know, not the first thing on people’s mind when they think of where they want to travel, but we are taking a road trip and decided to check out this little city that we have mostly only breezed through while going east or coming home. With that said, I did some research and found some of the most exciting things to see and do in Wichita. We are both looking forward to exploring a few of these while in the area for the long weekend. Here are seven things I found and they are not in any particular order:
Botanica Wichita
This 17.6-acre garden includes an aquatic collection, a 2,800 square foot butterfly garden, and a butterfly house featuring pansy exhibits during the winter. There is also a greenhouse for tropical plants. You will also find such things as a juniper collection with more than 30 types of junipers, a peony collection of 104 cultivars, pinetum, rock garden with sedum and sempervivum, a beautiful rose garden with more than 350 rose plants, a sensory garden, and the Shakespearean garden. The woodlands area is full of azaleas, dogwoods, elm, hackberry, honey locust, mulberry, osage orange, and redbuds. One other thing is a Xeriscape demonstration garden. I really hope to be able to make it to this garden as it looks beautiful. If you like gardens, make sure to check out my post on the Missouri Botanical Gardens and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Ontario, Canada.
Address:
701 Amidon St, Wichita, KS 67203
Phone:
316-264-0448
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday: Closed
Price: *Excludes Special Events
Pricing: $10 adults
$8 Seniors / Youth / Military
Children 2 & Under – FREE
Guided tours and school groups must call ahead for reservations.
Most special events do not accept passes, coupons or other discounts. Please call 316-264-0448 if you have questions.
Kansas Aviation Museum
The Museum features many display aircraft including the WB-47E Stratojet, B-52D Stratofortress, KC-135 Stratotanker, Boeing 727, Boeing 737-2H4, Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, Beech Starship, Cessna T-37, Learjet 23, Cessna 500/501 Prototype, Stearman 4D, Texico 11, Stearman Trainer, 1920 Laird Swallow, 1926 Swallow, 1930 Watkins Skylark SL, 1944 Beech Staggerwing, U-8 Seminole, and Lockheed T-33. This is a museum Gene is really looking forward to seeing. Read his post about the Museum of Flight in Tukwila, Washington.
Address:
3350 South George Washington Blvd. Wichita, KS 67210
Phone:
316-683-9242
Hours:
Monday-Tuesday – Closed
Wednesday – 12 noon- 5 pm
Thursday-Saturday – 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday – 12 noon -5 pm
Prices:
Adults $9.00
Seniors 55+ $7.00
Children 4-12 $6.00
Children 3 and under Free
Old Cowtown Museum
This Museum was established in 1952 and is one of the oldest open-air history museums in the central United States. It contains 54 historic and re-created buildings, including a period farm and out-buildings. Situated on 23 acres of land off the original Chisholm Trail, Cowtown is a combination of attraction, museum, living history site, and historic preservation project. Seems like a nice place to take a stroll and learn some history about the 1800s.
Address:
1865 W Museum Blvd Wichita, KS 67203
Phone:
316-350-3323
Hours:
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm
Sunday: CLOSED
Last admission sold one hour before closing
Price:
$9 – Adults
$8 – Seniors (62+)
$7 – Youth (12-17)
$6 – Kids (5-11)
FREE – Kids (4 and under) & Members
Sedgwick County Zoo
Having over 3,000 animals of nearly 400 species the zoo ranks as the number one outdoor tourist attraction in the state. They have such exhibits as Downing Gorilla Forest, Pride of the Plains, Penguin Cove, African Veldt, and Tiger Trek. Last year they were making a new elephant management complex, as well as some new additions to the Amphibians and Reptiles building. With that said, the zoo is proud to say that it has been recognized with national and international awards for its support of field conservation programs and the successful breeding of rare and endangered species. Sounds like a great place to spend a day and be immersed in the animal world for a while.
Address:
5555 W Zoo Blvd, Wichita, KS 67212
Phone:
316-660-9453
Hours:
Daily 9 am – 5 pm
Price:
Adults $22
Senior (62+) $17
Children (3-11) $17
Infants (0-2) Free
Keeper of the Plains
Standing at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers and adjacent to the Mid-America All-Indian Center is a 44-foot Cor-Ten steel sculpture by Kiowa-Comanche artist Blackbear Bosin. Around the statue are multiple displays which describe the local tribes that used to inhabit the area, as well as several fire pits which are sometimes lit to illuminate the statue at night. These pits are known as the Rings of Fire and run in 15-minute increments starting around 7 pm during the winter, and at sunset during the summer. This seems like a cool thing to see during the day and then come back to see it lit and night. This is for sure on our list.
Address:
650 N Seneca St. Riverside, Kansas
Phone:
316-303-8663
Hours:
24/7/365
Price:
Free
Exploration Place
This science-based museum is housed in some stunning buildings alongside the Arkansas River. Many guests have said that In places it feels like you are right out there in the water. There are a lot of exhibits, nearly all of them full of hands-on interactives. There were live science demos and movies in the giant dome theater. Here is a list of some of their permanent exhibits: Health Inside Out, Design Build Fly, Drone Topography, Where Kids Rule, Kansas Kids Connect, Explore Kansas, Kansas in Minature, Bridging Art and Science, Sun-Earth-Universe, Making a Landmark, Keva, Big Mouth, and Exploration Park. Seems like a fun place to explore if you have kids in your group. This place reminds me a lot of the Arizona Science Center.
Address:
300 N. McLean Blvd. Wichita, Kansas 67203
Phone:
316-660-0600
Hours:
| Monday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Thursday | 10:00 am – 8:00 pm |
| Friday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
Price:
Adults (12-64) $11:50
Senior (65+) $10.00
Youth (3-11) $8.00
2 and Under Free
Wichita Art Museum
The museum was established in 1915 when Louise Caldwell Murdock’s Will created a trust to start the Roland P. Murdock Collection of art in memory of her husband. When the museum first opened in 1935, it only contained art borrowed from other museums. The first work in the Murdock Collection was purchased in 1939. Mrs. Elizabeth Stubblefield Navas, Mrs. Murdock’s friend, and business associate, selected works of American art for the museum. Now 10,000 strong, the prized collection emphasizes American art and is nationally recognized for its distinction.
Address:
1400 West Museum Boulevard Wichita, KS 67203
Phone:
316-268-4921
Hours:
Tues – Sat 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday Noon – 5 pm
Monday – Closed
Price:
Adults: $10
Seniors (60+) $5
College Students (with ID) $3
Youth (5-17) $3
Under 5 Free
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What an awesome tour! Lia would love the gardens and the butterflies!