I’m not going to lie, this article started as a joke.
“We should go somewhere completely random,” my friend Ariane said one evening. “Like Wichita!”
It wasn’t a serious proposition, but it got me thinking. Was there really enough to warrant a trip to Kansas’ largest city?
Taking this as a challenge, I created this itinerary to fill a weekend. I’d be lying again if I said that I wasn’t super amped to fly out and take this trip.
Is Wichita the coolest city in the country? Absolutely not, but there’s honestly enough cool things to do that I think you’d be penitent not visiting.
I started working on this article in October 2024. Following the tragic accident at National Airport in D.C., I figured I would shed a light on Wichita. My heart breaks for Wichita, Washington and anyone affected.
What to Do
Friday
Evening
Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) is both the city’s main entry point and the largest airport in the state. It serves seven airlines and has direct flights to several American cities. USA Today also ranked it as one of the best small airport in the country!
After landing, grab a rental and make the ten minute drive down US-400 to Old Town Wichita. Drop the car and check in to your hotel (see below) before grabbing a hard cider at White Crow Cider Company. The locally owned tap room supplies cider across the state of Kansas and has a rotation of seasonal flavors around the year.
To keep the party going, walk about a block to Barks & Brews, a combo dog park/bar that honestly sounds like heaven on earth. Literally what sounds more appealing than getting drunk surrounded by dogs?!
Saturday
Morning
Wake yourself up with a walk along the Arkansas River. The city did a pretty good job developing the trails along the river, especially in the urban parts of the city. Be sure to pay a visit to the Keeper of the Plains, a 44-foot statue honoring the city’s Native American heritage which marks the convergence of the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers.
Interestingly, the Keeper of the Plains does a nightly fire show. For 15 minutes every night, pots in front of the statue are set ablaze. It’s quite the sight to see and I would definitely make an effort to swing by later to see it.
If you’re anything like me, swing by Adelitas Coffee Co for a morning caffeine fix. The small shop is a few blocks off the riverwalk and serves Mexican-sourced Esperanza Coffee. At time of writing, the coffee shop was serving a “Churro-Cchino,” which sounds to be a churro/cappuccino combo topped with a cinnamon-sugar brulee. Heaven in a cup.
Afternoon
The open-air Old Cowtown Museum is dedicated to the Wichita of the late 1800’s. The museum chronicles the evolution of the city, including its time from a frontier settlement to a manufacturing center. The museum holds historical structures (27 of the 54 are historic), artifacts and more to pay homage to the history of the city. The
Next door is Botanica, Wichita’s version of a botanical gardens. Some of the featured gardens in the park are the Chinese Garden of Friendship and the Jayne Milburn Aquatic Collection, but there are over a dozen others to walk around.
Evening
The Starlite Drive-In is just a few minutes outside of downtown Wichita. There’s honestly nothing I can visualize more “Great Plainsy(?)” than watching a drive-in movie. Be sure to check the website to see the schedule of what is showing for when you’re in town. The theater however is seasonal, so be sure it’s operating before your trip!
To supplement the 50’s vibes of a drive in, grab some dinner at the nearby Buster’s Burger Joint. Plastered on the side of the building is a foreboding ad: “It ain’t healthy, but it sure tastes good!!” A burger and fries will also only set you back about $7. Literally what’s not to love about a place like that?!
Sunday
Morning
Jump start your early morning with coffee and breakfast at Kansas-based Cofellow Coffee. The company opened their first shop in the suburb of Gooddard in 2023 and expanded into Wichita quickly after.
Coffee in hand, make the hour trek northeast to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. According to the NPS, Tallgrass prairie used to cover 170 million acres across North America, but now less than 4% of that still exists. The National Preserve protects 11,000 acres of the remaining Tallgrass prairie.
The best place to orient yourself is the Visitor Center. Inside are several trails that wrap around the property giving a taste of prairie life. Southwind Nature Trail starts at the visitor center and is two miles through the grasslands. The monster 10.1 mile Prairie Fire Loop and Davis Loop trail is the ultimate trip around the park.
The southern end holds the Bottomland Nature Trail (1 mile) and Fox Creek Trail (6.5 miles). The trails follow Fox Creek which is a change of scenery from the rest of the park.
Another thing to note is that the park has bison. As someone who has only lived in places without bison, I would love to see them. Should you see a bison, don’t approach them. These docile creatures can still hurt you.
If you’d prefer to stay in the city or have an earlier flight:
Grab a kayak or paddleboard from the self service location at OJ Watson Park and spend the morning on the Arkansas River.
After spending the morning paddling on the river, swing by the Museum of World Treasures. This quirky museum has everything from dinosaur bones to an exhibit on the Civil War.
Next door River City Brewing Company brews some good beer if you have a minute between the museum and your flight.
Evening
Try to grab one of the later flights out of Wichita. This will give ample time to get back from the prairie, return the rental and make it to your flight. If you didn’t have the chance to visit River City Brewing Company earlier, they have a satellite location in the terminal.
Extending your trip?
About an hour northwest of Wichita in Hutchinson, KS is the Cosmosphere. Calling itself “the greatest space museum on Earth,” this museum has several exhibits on space, many of which include actual rockets.
If space is your thing, it may be worth tacking on a day in Hutchinson to see this museum.
(cover image from Visit Wichita)
Turquoise Skies 