If you’re planning to attend the 2022 regional rounds of the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship or another event at INTRUST Bank Arena, you may be looking for things to do in downtown Wichita. We’ve published this blog post with outdoor activities and these suggestions for indoor activities, and below are ideas specifically for travelers on a budget.

You’ll find there are plenty of free and nearly free activities near Wichita’s downtown arena. These can be reached by walking, driving your own vehicle or using a ride-hailing service, riding the free Q-Line trolley, bicycling using Bike Share ICT or renting an electric scooter.

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Get active

  • Wichita Ice Center, 0.8 miles west of the arena, has $2 Tuesdays public skating sessions and offers affordable rates the rest of the week, too. Bring your own skates or rent them for $3.

  • Take a walk and learn about people and places of the area and Kansas using walking paths in Downtown Wichita or by exploring one of our nearby districts. One mile to the northwest of the arena is the Historic Delano District, a half-mile to the northeast is the Old Town District and about three-quarters of a mile northeast is the start of the Douglas Design District. The Wichita Public Library has created three historic walking tour routes that you can follow with an app, and you’ll also see signage downtown for walking loop routes themed around arts, sports and culture.

  • Cover more ground by combining walking with riding Wichita’s free trolley called the Q-Line. Its route runs on Douglas Avenue, just a short walk from the north side of the arena. Jump on board the Q-Line for fun and convenient transportation to restaurants, bars, hotels, museums and entertainment venues throughout the city core – from as far west as the Historic Delano District to as far east as Douglas Design District’s Clifton Square.

  • Rent a bicycle through Bike Share ICT for as low as $1.50 for 30 minutes or a maximum of $30 for a full day of use. Get some exercise on one of our trails or use the bicycle for convenient transportation.

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See art

Many of Wichita’s art galleries, art museums, art organizations and public art are downtown or in neighboring districts.

  • Take a self-guided tour of the Alley Doors community art project, Wichita Murals and Keepers on Parade.
  • Immediately south of the arena, you’ll find Commerce Street, a revitalized warehouse district that is home to art and design galleries, companies and organizations.
  • Walk through Gallery Alley, a little-used alley 0.3 miles north of the arena that has been transformed into a vibrant public space with art installations.
  • Explore 31 bronze sculptures along a small section of Douglas Avenue just a couple blocks north of the arena.
  • CityArts, our city-run arts center offering classes as well exhibition gallery space that is free to visit, in the Old Town District.
  • The free Envision Arts Gallery is the premier, national destination for artists and audiences who are blind, visually impaired and/or disabled. 
  • The Kansas African American Museum, 1.3 miles northwest of the arena, is a regional arts and cultural museum. Admission ranges from $3-$6 and there are regular promotions for free admission.
  • General admission to the Wichita Art Museum, 2 miles northwest of the arena, is free every Saturday with hand-on experiences for kids in the Living Room. Note that some special exhibitions require a separate ticket fee even on Saturday. The outdoor Art Garden is free 24/7.

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Explore other attractions

In addition to the museums above, Wichita has an array of free and affordable attractions close to INTRUST Bank Arena.

  • Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 0.5 miles northwest of the arena, is a must-see for its 170-foot tall clock tower. Venture inside to learn about Wichita and Sedgwick County’s history and cultural heritage, with artifacts ranging from a full-scale Victorian home to a Wichita-built 1916 Jones Six automobile to electric guitars. Admission is $2-$5; watch for free concerts you can enjoy just outside the museum.
  • Watch the dancing fountains at WaterWalk, , 0.5 miles west of the arena. The fountains’ 1,200 nozzles put on a 10- to 15-minute show set to music at noon, 8, 9 and 10 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays during summer months.
  • Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, 0.6 miles west of the arena, offers a free look at the rich history of sports in Kansas through pictures, videos, artifacts and interactive exhibits inside a 1920s building overlooking the Arkansas River.
  • Wichita Toy Train Club & Museum, 0.6 miles east of the arena, has more than 50 feet of multilevel display cases showcasing trains and related items as well as full size train items. Open Saturdays only; admission is $4-$7.
  • Kansas Firefighters Museum and Fallen Firefighters Memorial, 1.1 miles south of the arena, houses vehicles and artifacts depicting the firefighting history in Kansas in a 1909 restored fire house that contains many. Open Saturdays only; admission is $2.50-$5. The adjacent Kansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial is free and open 24/7 year round.
  • Veterans Memorial Park, 1.5 miles northwest of the arena, is a free 4.5-acre riverside park with 18 memorials that pay homage to individuals who have died and fought throughout various wars.
  • Wichita’s most iconic spot is free to explore. Keeper of the Plains, 1.6 miles northwest of the arena, is a 44-foot-tall sculpture by Native American artist Blackbear Bosin that stands at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers. Many visitors stop by during the day to explore the plaza and exhibits, then return for the evening Ring of Fire, a lighting of fire pots at the base of the Keeper (9 p.m. March-October and 7 p.m. November-February, weather permitting).
  • Riverside Park, 1.6 miles northwest of the arena, is one of the city’s more than 5,000 acres of park land. Flanked by the Arkansas River on three sides, this park features a children’s playground, an interactive fountain and a Kansas Wildlife Exhibit that locals call the “Riverside Zoo.” Families with young children can stay entertained for hours here without paying a cent.
  • Old Cowtown Museum, 2.3 miles northwest of the arena, offers free admission to its living history campus every Sunday from April through October (excluding special events). Additionally, as a Blue Star Museum, Cowtown offers free regular admission to active-duty military and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Otherwise, entry ranges from$6-$9.
  • Botanica Wichita, 2.6 miles northwest of the arena, offers discounted admission during the winter. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, youth and military. Children 2 and under are free.

Watch our calendar of events for free events in Wichita throughout the year, such as free concerts and movies at Naftzger Park just north of the arena.

For more blogs about things to down while in downtown Wichita, see: