Wichita is an affordable place to visit thanks to its wide range of free and low-cost attractions, budget-friendly dining options and lodging choices that won’t break the bank.

Transportation is easy too! You’ll find there are plenty of free and nearly free activities that can be reached by walking, driving your own vehicle or using a ride-hailing service, riding the Q-Line, bicycling using Bike Share ICT or renting an electric scooter.

If you’re a budget-conscious traveler looking to make the most of your time here, this is your guide to free and nearly free fun in the Heart of the Country.

Get active

• Take a walk and learn about people and places of the area and Kansas using walking paths in Downtown Wichita or by exploring the city’s distinct districts. Additionally, the Wichita Public Library has created historic walking tour routes that you can follow with an app.
• Join a sand volleyball game at The Sandbox (Derby or Goddard). Drop in for casual games or look for open play days and other discounts.
• Rent a bicycle through Bike Share ICT. Get some exercise on one of our trails or use the bicycle for convenient, affordable transportation.
• The Great Plains Nature Center is a 240-acre urban sanctuary where you can explore native Kansas wildlife and diverse ecosystems through accessible trails and interactive exhibits – all free of charge.
• Wichita Ice Center has $2 Tuesday evening public skating sessions and offers affordable rates the rest of the week, too. Bring your own skates or rent them for $5.
• On Saturday morning, join in on a free, weekly Parkrun.
• Enjoy yard games, table tennis and other open-air activities at Chicken N Pickle. Pickleball is available at a fee and free courts can be found at parks like Riverside and Edgemoor.
• Try disc golf, FootGolf or stick with traditional golf at one of the city’s municipal courses.

See the city through art

• Take a self-guided tour of Wichita's public art scene or check out one of Wichita’s art galleries, such as Gallery 12.
• Walk through Gallery Alley, an alley that has been transformed into a vibrant public space with art installations.
• Find free entry to galleries and exhibits at CityArts, Mark Arts and Ulrich Museum of Art on Wichita State University’s campus. The Outdoor Sculpture Garden at Ulrich is free 24/7.
• 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 is a regional arts and cultural museum. Adult admission is just $5.50 and there are regular promotions for free admission.
• General admission to the Wichita Art Museum is free. The museum’s PLAY area features rotating activities and hand-on experiences for kids. Note that some special exhibitions require a separate ticket fee even on Saturday. The outdoor Art Garden is free 24/7.

Dive into Wichita's rich culture & history

• Admission is just $10 at B-29 Doc Hangar, Education and Visitors Center. Here you can view Doc, one of only two airworthy B-29s in the country. Check the calendar prior to your visit.
• Learn about local black history around the city at unique sites like the Piatt Memorial Park, Dockum Sit-in of 1958, Chester I. Lewis Reflection Square Park and the Hattie McDaniel Memorial. The Redbud Trail offers 11.5 miles for biking and walking within Wichita city limits and intersects with other paths.
• Go on a nostalgic journey at The Original Pizza Hut Museum, which is always free to enter.
• For less than $10, see a movie under the stars at Starlite Drive-In, where you will have access to double features on two screens, offering a classic drive-in movie experience.
• Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum 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.
• The Advanced Learning Library’s STEAM Learning Garden features interactive play stations that promote learning skills related to science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
• Kansas Sports Hall of Fame offers free, by-appointment tours of Kansas’ sports legends.
• Immerse yourself in rail history at the Great Plains Transportation Museum or the Wichita Toy Train Club & Museum. Admission at both museums is under $10.
• Kansas Firefighters Museum and Fallen Firefighters Memorial 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 is a free, serene riverside park with 18 memorials that pay homage to service members.
• Adult admission is just $12 at Old Cowtown Museum, a living history museum portraying life in Wichita in the late 1800s. 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. 
• You can spend hours browsing for deals and unique finds at secondhand vintage shops scattered throughout the city.

Embrace the outdoors

• Wichita’s most iconic spot is free to explore. Keeper of the Plains is a 44-foot-tall sculpture by Native American artist Blackbear Bosin that stands at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas rivers. Don’t miss the Ring of Fire show at dusk (9 p.m. March-October and 7 p.m. November-February, weather permitting).
• Wichita offers a variety of ways to enjoy the outdoors, including trails, campsites and 140-plus parks and greenways covering more than 5,000 acres. Whether you are looking for a peaceful space or a lively, urban park like Naftzger Park, Wichita has it all.
• Flanked by the Arkansas River on three sides, Riverside Park is home to the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit that has daily feedings at noon. Families with young children can stay entertained for hours here without paying a cent.
• During winter months, cool off at 10+ interactive splash fountains across the city.
• Botanica Wichita is a beautiful 17-acre garden paradise, which offers seasonal discounts and adult admission for just $12.

Whether you're downtown, in the heart of the city, or exploring the Wichita’s green spaces and cultural districts — the Heart of the Country is full of free and nearly free ways to make your trip unforgettable. There are also a variety of free events throughout the year. See what’s happening during your visit with our event calendar.