7 Fun Things To Do With Your Family in Wichita Kansas
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Surprisingly, there are so many fun things to do with your family in Wichita Kansas. They have pioneer like museums for the History Buff family. Science center and aviation museum for Science Lovers family. Nature center and wildlife park for the Outdoor Explorer family. Art museums and tons of bronze sculptures and murals to find around town for the Artsy family. Not to mention water play and indoor rock climbing area for the Active Adventurers and Adventure Seeker family. And that’s just a few of them.
When we went to road tripping to states north of Texas this summer, Wichita was our first stop and I pinched myself for not going there since years ago. I mean, with so many fun things to do in the city and less than 6 hours drive from where we live in North Texas? How could I miss this city?
Since we only stayed for 2 nights in Wichita, we had to choose the activities carefully that suited our family. Our dog Snoopy was coming with us, too, so that’s another thing to be considered. After searching around, I finally found what’s best for our family when spending two days there. So, here are the fun things we did in Wichita Kansas that is probably suits your family as well.
7 Fun Things To Do With Your Family In Wichita Kansas
- Hiking at Great Plains Nature Center – FREE
Great Plains Nature Center is a wonderful place to learn about wildlife and plant species of the Great Plains Region in Kansas. There are 2-½ miles trails in this place that cross native and restored prairies, wetlands, ponds, and woodlands.
When we were there, we did the outer line of the trails where part of it are shaded. Ducks, herons, and box turtles were plenty in the wetlands. Birds were chirping in the woodlands, and fortunately no snakes during the hike! We were also lucky to see blazing stars blooming abundantly in the restored prairie. They were so pretty! In the woodlands, we saw this cool tunnel looking woods that we had to walk under it. All these things made the easy hike even more fun.
Too bad dogs are not allowed in the Nature Center, so my husband had to stay in the car with Snoopy. Therefore, my son and I decided to skip the Koch Habitat Hall after the hike. We didn’t want to leave them more than 2 hours in the car.
Address: 6232 E. 29th Street North, Wichita, KS 67220-2200.
- Playing while learning at the Exploration Place – FREE to $$ (depending on age)
If your children like everything science and beyond, Exploration Place is for them. They will learn in a fun and creative way of how things are found, made, and developed. Exploration Place has permanent exhibits that includes Explore Kansas – where children discover Kansas from below the ground to the clouds above; Nano – an interactive exhibits that engage children in nano scale science, engineering, and technology; and Design Build Fly – where children learn why Wichita is called the “Air Capital of the World”.
My son and I spent more than half-a-day here, exploring every exhibit but the toddler’s area. Lots of interesting hands-on exhibit that made him played with them more than once. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not is the traveling exhibit that we also enjoyed while there. They will be in the museum until September 2, 2019.
But, there’s no cafeteria in this place. Just a snack bar that sells hot dogs, corn dogs, popcorn, mini buns, chips, and drinks. You can fill up before you visit the museum, or have a late lunch after. Another thing I noticed after we dig around the museum, this place is great for 12 years and under.
If science museum is not your children’s things, visit one of the other museums in Wichita that suit them. Aviation Museum, Old Cowtown Museum, Museum of World Treasures, and Wichita Art Museum are to name a few.
Address: 300 N. McLean Blvd., Wichita, KS 67203.
- Visiting Keeper of the Plains – FREE
No visit to Wichita Kansas without making a stop at Keeper of the Plains. It is a 44-foot-tall stylized sculpture of an Indian Chief standing at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers in downtown Wichita. The sculpture was created by Native American artist Blackbear Bosin (1921-1980), and can be visited by crossing pedestrian suspension bridges from either river. You will find a plaza area by the statue that has exhibits depicting the Plains Indian’s way of life.
Keeper of the Plains is the pride of the city and can be seen any time of the day. We visited both in the morning and in the evening, and it’s easy to say our favorite time to visit it was in the evening. When we arrived slightly before sunset, the view of the sculpture with suspension bridges as the background was just amazing. We waited until 9 p.m. when the sculpture surrounded by a ring of fire for 15 minutes. It looked just dramatic! As we walked across the bridge, we could feel the warmth from the fire. During fall and winter, they lit the fire at 7 p.m. Weather permit.
Address: confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers, Wichita, KS. (You can park your car at the Exploration Place.)
- Hunting for Bronze Sculptures – FREE
I couldn’t believe my eyes seeing so many bronze sculptures around Wichita. However, we only went hunting for them around Douglas Avenue because of the time we had left in the city. We parked across ICT Pop-Up Urban Park on Douglas Avenue and walked around 2 blocks, looking for them.
The bronze sculptures around this area created by Washington artist Georgia Gerber. There are 31 of them, placed in a four-block area of downtown Wichita. Some of the sculptures we found are Hopscotch & Cat, Pedal Car, Soda Fountain, Man With Guitar, and Mother & Child.
At the ICT Pop-Up Urban Park we found the miniature of the Keeper. They were made of fiberglass and painted differently by the local artists. This is also a food truck park, but it was hours before lunch time when we were there.
Other places to find sculptures are riverfront and old town area. If you drive further north, you will find outdoor sculpture collection at Wichita State University.
- Searching for Murals – FREE
Just like bronze sculptures, colorful murals are also covering the city. But you must search for them, since most murals are not on the front side of the buildings. Local artists created the murals and most of them inspired by the everyday life of Wichita or Kansas’ people.
Again, Douglas Avenue is the place for searching the murals, especially between Washington and Oliver Streets. We found just a few of them, and some of the murals we found need fresh new paints, in my opinion.
I think the weekend is the best time to search for the murals, where not too many cars park around the buildings. Or, do it in the late afternoon of last Friday in the month, where the city conducts the Final Friday art crawls. This link is a great source for finding murals and bronze statues around the city.
- Eating at Stearman Field Bar & Grill – $-$$
As the “Air Capital of the World”, I think it is right to enjoy your meal while watching planes take off and land by the landing strip nearby. That’s what Stearman Field Bar & Grill offers to its customers.
Our family had supper there and we were not disappointed! Both by the food and the view while we were eating. Our picky eater son gave a thumbs-up to his meat lovers pizza and my husband and I both liked the burger and the fish sandwich we ordered. And their spinach dip was amazing!
One other thing I like about this place, it’s a dog-friendly restaurant. But you must sit on the patio for your dog to join you. The server brought Snoopy a big bowl of cool water since it was hot when we were there. Oh, a Big Ass Fan is hanging on the ceiling to keep the patio cool. Just like its name, the ceiling fan is really big!
If you want to see part of the city from above, you can always book a flight with Stearman Sky Tours here.
Address: 14789 SW 30th St., Benton, KS 67017.
You might try to stop at The Donut Whole as well while in the city. They have classic donuts to fancy ones, and both donuts we tried were delicious. (We had them at 5 p.m.!) I heard their signature coffee blends are locals favorite, too!
- Digging into Pizza Hut history – FREE
One or two stops at Pizza Hut during a road trip are normal to us. Everyone likes it, and you can almost find them everywhere in the U.S. During our trip to Wichita, we found out that Pizza Hut was born in Wichita and there’s a Pizza Hut Museum in the city! Of course we had to make a stop!
It is located at Wichita State University where the two brothers who started the business in 1958 – Dan and Frank Carney – were students there. The museum is small, honoring the original building of the first Pizza Hut. You’ll find memorabilia from the original Pizza Hut and the history of this world-famous pizza chain here. My favorite is the history behind the name. Bev Carney suggested the name Pizza Hut because the sign could only hold eight letters, and the first five had to be pizza.
The museum opened on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. And docent at the museum told me that the founders are still alive and live in Wichita. Cool!
Address: 2090 Innovation Blvd. on Wichita State University. Park near the Eck Stadium (baseball stadium on WSU campus).
Where to Stay in Wichita Kansas
Wichita has a good number of lodging for its visitors, from vacationers to business people. We were hosting by Visit Wichita and Aloft Wichita Northeast while spending two nights in the city and we loved our stay there.
It’s one of the newest hotels in the city with comfortable loft-inspired rooms. The room is clean and I like its spacious shower in the bathroom. Our housekeeper was friendly, as well as the people in the lobby.
To make our stay here more special, Aloft Wichita Northeast is a super dog-friendly hotel. A bowl of water and a bag of surprise treat was awaiting Snoopy in the room. He also enjoyed sleeping on his new thick bed during the night. And when we walked in the lobby the next morning, we realized that there were bowls of water and treat by the entrance and the door to the pool. How nice! Snoopy really loved his stay in this hotel! I really recommend you this hotel when traveling to Wichita, even without your dog.
Distance from Wichita Kansas to neighboring major cities by road
Wichita – Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas 5-6 hours
Wichita – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 2,5 hours
Wichita – Tulsa, Oklahoma 2,5 hours
Wichita – Denver, Colorado 7,5 hours
Wichita – Kansas City, Missouri 3 hours
Wichita – St. Louis, Missouri 6,5 hours
Wichita – Lincoln, Nebraska 4 hours
Wichita – Omaha, Nebraska 4,5 hours
On our last day there, it’s hard to leave the city but we had to continue to our next destinations. Do we want to go back to Wichita? Of course! There are so many fun things to do with your family in Wichita Kansas that two days stay were not enough. Fortunately it’s not too far from North Texas. So, we can always come back!
Have you been to Wichita, Kansas? What’s your favorite things to do there? Let me know by leaving your comment below.
We were hosting by Visit Wichita and Aloft Wichita Northeast while spending two days in Wichita, Kansas but all opinions are ours and unbiased.
I must admit I never really thought of visiting Wichita. But it looks like a destination for all the family. And for kids of all ages. My son always love places like the Exploration Place to learn and play. We too would make sure to see the Keeper of the Plains at different times of day. Love the difference the light makes for pieces like this. And we will be sure to keep our eyes peeled for new murals.
Another thing to do is visit Riverside Park near west downtown across Arkansas River. It has a free zoo, free Splah Park, multi-section playground for younger and older kids, a “new”old-fashioned bandstand, walking paths and picnic tables under mature trees on green grass. There are a lot of birds roaming freely along with friendly squirrels. And there’s even clean public restrooms you can dry off or change into dry clothes.
Sounds wonderful! I will make sure to spend time here next time we go to Wichita. Thank you for the recommendations.
Fun ideas are great, and free fun ideas are even better!! Thanks for sharing these activities!
My top choice would be hiking region and exploration place. It would be great thing to do with my kid. Thanks for sharing the top things to do in Wichita Kansas.
Good choice! We like them, too!
Wow I love that you have listed so many fantastic free places to go (which is so important when travelling with kids on a budget). Also had no idea there was a Pizza Hut Museum – how cool
Laura x
I think lots of people don’t know about Pizza Hut. Good thing we stopped there and could tell people about it. 🙂
I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Wichita lately. The city sounds like a great place to visit. I would love to check it out someday
Hope your turn to visit Wichita will come soon.
Well, I’ve never heard of Wichita but it looks like there’s lots to do for both adults and kids. The keeper of the plains statue looks huge!
Well, the earth is big. So, none will ever heard every cities in it. Haha… And yes, the Keeper of the Plains is huge.
I never really thought of Wichita as a place to take my kids, but now that I can see how much there is to do, I could consider it. I really appreciate that you listed the free activities first!
I think that’s what most people think about the city. I’m glad to make a trip there and can share our experiences with other.
The Keeper of the Plains is a gorgeous piece of art, and I love that you stayed there until 9 to be able to see it in all of it’s glory with the sunset! I’ve never been to Kansas, but it looks like a lot of great things in Wichita. And the Pizza Hut museum! Awesome!
When you find yourself driving through Kansas, then you must stop at Wichita.
I like that besides providing details about each place, you also mention if a price range or if they’re free. When you travel with family, costs add up fast, so it’s useful to know this information beforehand, to better plan the trip 🙂
True! Family traveling costs more than solo or couples. Places with free or small admission will always be the first choice.
There are so many lovely things to do in Wichita Kansas with family. I would love to check some bronze statues made by Georgia Gerber. It is good to explore this area there is no entrance fee. Aloft hotel looks worth staying here.
Those statues are just amazing! And Aloft is a great place to stay while in the city.
Never heard about this place before but it sounds for sure very interesting to explore. Plus, I have a daughter who will love this place!! Thanks for the tips and all the info.
You are welcome!
Hello,
Great post! I think my favorite would be hiking at Great Plains Nature Center. I love hiking and it would be the most fun for me. In addition, I like the idea of hunting for murals. It could be so cool! Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome, Anna!
The plains and the free hike around it sounds quite interesting. Spotting the 31 bronze statues should be fun, it kinda sounds like a treasure hunt. And am curious abt the Pizza history too. Nice list
We just never know what the city has until someone went there, right?
Wichita, Kansas looks like a fun place to visit during a road trip. Love how there are many free things to do there. I’m a huge fan of street art and would explore Douglas Avenue to find them all. The Pizza Hut museum would be awesome to visit as well. I had great memories eating at Pizza Hut when I was a child.
We were surprised to see what the city has to offer to its visitors. I’m sure other places in the city is as interesting as these ones.
Wichita Kansas is such an extraordinary place. That tunnel tree road which you have mentioned grabbed my attention. Its such a peaceful place to go with family. Thanks for sharing it with us.
My favorite spot in the Nature Center.
A great read especially for family travelers like us! The Pizza Hut museum looks interesting! I dun even know it exists! Thanks for the sharing.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Paulo!
There’s a lot of things to in Wichita, and the children won’t get bored. Not sure if I will do the hiking though, but at least it’s free. But will not skip the bronze sculpture hunting. So they are really bronze? This is a good side-trip when visiting Oklahoma city 🙂
Yes, they are bronze! And yes, you should visit Wichita while in Oklahoma City. A day trip will be great, too. Just take the toll road.
It is so great that there are so many free things in Whicita that the entire family can enjoy. I would love to walk that trail, as I love spending time in nature. The pizza hut museum sounds like so much fun as well, quite unique I would say!
I would like to do the trail again in a different season. That pizza museum, it is unique! A must-stop if you’re a Pizza Hut fan. 🙂
I never knew there were so many bronze sculptures dotted around Wichita – finding those will definitely be fun for the family. I didn’t know that Pizza Hut originated in Wichita and how cool that there’s actually a Pizza Hut museum there – this reminds me of the Frites Museum we visited in Bruges. This post will surely help us plan a fun-filled family trip to Wichita. Thanks for sharing all these details.
We were surprised, too, when we heard that Pizza Hut originated from Wichita. Because back when they started it, I’m sure Wichita was much smaller than today. And now, Pizza Hut became world wide.
I haven’t heard of Wichita Kansas before. It’s a beautiful place with so many things to do for free or very cheap. I love murals, it would be so nice exploring them there. Also, hiking the Great Plains Nature Center will be a great idea and that tunnel tree is a must visit.
Yeah, Wichita offers so many fun things to do with your family when visiting. I agree with you that tunnel tree is a must visit.
I absolutely love visiting Science Centers and Aviation Museums, I would go to the ones near by (in North Carolina) and spend hours getting lost in the information!
Also, pizza is my downfall so I’d probably also spend many hours there!
Ah! I’ll definitely be hunting for sculptures when we stop through! One of my favorite acitivities haha Thanks for the heads up!
You are welcome!
Good to know what the Natural Centre trail is free of cost. Indeed too bad dogs aren’t allowed. More often than not, here, dogs are almost always allowed with leash. I wonder why it isn’t so there!
Exploration Place sounds super interesting. The sculpture is fascinating. Good to know that the artist is a native american as well.
I love those bronze sculptures. I try to set aside sometime to hunt for these sculptures in whichever city is more inclined towards them.
The reason is they want to protect the wild animals there although dogs can always stay on the paved trail IMO. But I guess they learned from other places that most owners didn’t follow through. I still can’t believe how many bronze statues they city has around town. It’s just unbelievable!
I think my kiddos would love all of these places, especially Exploration Place. They love to visit science centers when we travel! I love that most of these activities and places are free. It really helps when you are traveling on a Budget.
Yes! Keep this in mind when you get a chance to visit Wichita, Kansas. And I understand how budget factor is so important in family travelers.
If I have limited time to see the place, I would do the hiking, eating and hunting the secret of Pizza Hut. This is a nice place for the family as well. Appreciated of the tips and thanks for the sharing.
Those are good choices!
I love it when I read an article about somewhere which is completely new to me. This sounds like a great place and yet another one to put on my list of places to visit. I love the idea of looking for bronze statues and also the murals. What a cool idea.
I like reading and visiting new places, too. Sometimes I didn’t prepare myself on what will I see in the places. Just let the places bring themselves to me. The bronze statues and the murals surprised us a lot! I never expected to see them in Wichita.
I have never been to Wichita. It’s great to know there are so many activities for families there! The Great Plains Nature Center looks like a very beautiful park! I like adventure activities like rockclimbing so that would be fun! I think it would be cool to visit a pioneer museum as well!
Wichita really surprised us with all the activities they have in town. I hope to visit the city again. In different season. I think it will bring different mood.
I love the cool tunnel looking area at Great Plains! I wonder if that’s naturally occurring or man made. Pretty cool if that’s just how the trees grew! I always love a good mural walk too, so I’d love to search for fun street art there. Wichita looks like a fun and underrated city!
I don’t think I’ve seen any installation around the trees to make them grow like that, but who knows. And I won’t be surprised if Wichita will be in the list of city to visit in the U.S. for 2020.