Wichita is a must-visit Midwest destination year-round, and wintertime is especially loaded with holiday activities and unique experiences. You’ll find plenty to do, whether you’re planning on indoor family fun or a romantic getaway.
There are Wichita hotels at every price point, and you’ll find affordable indoor attractions and diverse events for every interest. Read along to see how a vacation in the Heart of the Country can be a great destination for your winter break this November, December and January!
Holiday Experiences
Wichita is where you’ll want to be for unlimited holiday fun, from pop-up bars to annual lighting events considered the best in the region and holiday themed booths at The Selfie Spot on Douglas photography playground to cookie decorating at The Enchanted Mermaid. Wichita has a plethora of holiday events to keep you merry this season. You can even keep tabs on Santa.
You can count on annual traditions such as 2 million lights strung throughout 30+ themed gardens at Illuminations at Botanica Wichita, scheduled for Nov. 18 to Dec. 31; lights, activities, Santa and live registered North American reindeer Itsy-Bitsy and Sparkle at Fulton Valley Farm’s Country Christmas Nov. 25 through Dec. 23; Victorian Christmas at Cowtown on Dec. 2-3 & 9-10; and tours while the Frank Lloyd Wright's Allen House Museum and Study Center is decorated for the holidays. There’s also Wild Lights at the Sedgwick County Zoo, Holly Jolly Jurassic Holiday at Field Station: Dinosaurs, Safari of Lights at Tanganyika Wildlife Park and Lights at Ability Point (formerly The Arc’s Lights) drive-thru light display.
Spectator Sports
Wichita is a sports city, and we’ve got just the ticket for you this winter:
- Wichita Thunder Hockey – Cheer on the home team at INTRUST Bank Arena where the Wichita Thunder Hockey take to the ice in all their ECHL glory. The regular season runs October to April.
- Wichita State Basketball – Head to Charles Koch Arena for a home game for Wichita State Shocker athletics. The men’s basketball games draw a loud crowd, making the roundhouse one of the arenas with the best home-court advantage according to ESPN.
Active Experiences
Ready to burn off some energy? Try these options:
- Bowl at The Alley Indoor Entertainment, Northrock Lanes or West Acres Bowl.
- Aviate – Jump into the fun at this 32,000-square-foot indoor trampoline park inside the Wichita Sports Forum.
- Bliss Climbing & Fitness Complex – With auto-belay, the whole family can enjoy this safe, fun, challenging activity together. There is a 38-foot climbing wall and a 15-foot bouldering wall at this state of the art indoor facility.
- Golf-In – With two state of the art golf simulator bays, visitors can play a round of golf, hit balls on the driving range, take a lesson or host a party.
- Wichita Ice Center – Skate indoors with family and friends on Olympic and NHL-regulation ice.
- Wichita Sports Forum – Get active at this indoor playground for a variety of sports plus a trampoline park.
Game Time
Head to an arcade or have a friendly competition at one of these attractions:
- Axe to Grind / Blade & Timber / Kiss my Axe – Swing an ax at targets in a friendly competition with your family or friends. Check each facility’s age restrictions.
- Chicken N Pickle – Play pickleball, bocce ball, shuffleboard or table tennis while enjoying delicious chicken fare. Enjoy ice skating on the Ice Pond at The Plazzio beginning Thanksgiving weekend.
- Find arcades and other indoor games at: All Star Adventures, All Star Sports, The Alley Indoor Entertainment and Dave & Buster’s.
Amazing Exhibitions
Wichita is home to many exciting cultural and historical attractions and museums that have amazing traveling exhibitions alongside their worthwhile permanent exhibits.
- Sedgwick County Zoo is running Wild Lights, a display of larger-than-life Asian lantern sculptures, on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings through Dec. 4.
- Our science center, Exploration Place, has “Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails” through Jan. 8 and “Arctic Adventure” Nov. 4-Jan. 8, along with its new, interactive “Health Inside Out” permanent exhibition.
- Explore the “Art Deco on the Plains” exhibit through Dec. 31 at Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum.
- Learn about baseball in Wichita at the city’s newest museum, the Wichita Baseball Museum.
- See the new permanent Women of Aviation exhibit on the third floor of the Kansas Aviation Museum, in the historic Wichita Municipal Airport Terminal Building.
- Find even more to enjoy at Wichita's museums and galleries in this blog post of Wichita's Newest Exhibits.
Shopping
Wichita is a year-round regional shopping destination, and we’ve also got special shopping experiences during the holidays. Find out more about shopping local for the holidays and year-round online here and by reading this Small Business Saturday blog post.
- First Friday Gallery Crawl in Downtown Wichita – Nov. 4 & Dec. 2
- 2nd Saturday at various locations – Nov. 12 & Dec. 10
- Kansas Grown Farmers Market Indoor Winter Market at Sedgwick County Extension Office – Nov. 19
- SHOP & GRUB Holiday Season Special Edition at Exploration Place Festival Plaza – Nov. 20
- Small Business Saturday at various locations – Nov. 26
- 7th Annual Holiday Market at the Envision Arts Gallery - Nov. 26-Dec.10
Live Entertainment
From music and comedic performances to holiday shows, the calendar is filling up this winter. The Wichita performing arts scene surprises many with its variety and quality, and welcomes an impressive collection of events.
A sample of upcoming events and venues:
- “Scrooge You! A Bad Christmas Carol” at Mosley Street Melodrama – Nov. 11-Dec. 23
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve at INTRUST Bank Arena – Nov. 17
- Reba with special guest Terri Clark at INTRUST Bank Arena – Nov. 19
- Illuminations at Botanica Wichita – Nov. 18-Dec. 31
- A Crown Holiday Spectacular at Crown Uptown Theatre – Nov. 18-Dec. 18
- Midian Shrine Feztival of Trees at Median Shrine Center – Nov. 18-27
- Wichita Symphony Orchestra's Mozart Requiem at Century II – Nov. 19
- The Ultimate Doors at TempleLive Wichita – Nov. 19
- Los Chicos del 512: The Selena Experience at Orpheum Theatre – Nov. 19
- Blue's Clues & You! at Hartman Arena – Nov. 25
- “A Cabaret Christmas” at Roxy’s Downtown – Nov. 25-Dec. 23
- Holly Jolly Jurassic Holiday at Field Station: Dinosaurs – Nov. 25-Dec. 31
- Country Christmas at Fulton Valley Farms – Nov. 25-Dec. 23
- Metropolitan Ballet Presents The Nutcracker at Century II – Nov. 26-27
- Michael Martin Murphey's Cowboy Christmas at Orpheum Theatre – Nov. 26
- That Arena Rock Show at TempleLive Wichita – Nov. 26
- Wichita Thunder vs. Tulsa Oilers (Nickelodeon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Night/Youth Sports Night) at INTRUST Bank Arena – Nov. 26
- Wichita State University vs. Tarleton State at Charles Koch Arena – Nov. 26
- Little Feat at The Cotillion – Nov. 28
- Slum Village with Chris Barnett, Marrice Anthony, DJ Carbon at WAVE – Nov. 29
- Air Capital Hoopfest 2022 at Charles Koch Arena - Wichita State University – Dec. 1-3
- Victorian Christmas at Old Cowtown Museum – Dec. 2-3 & Dec. 9-10
- 12 Drinks of Christmas at Exploration Place – Dec. 2
- Santa's Pancake Party at Exploration Place – Dec. 3
- Clint Black featuring Lisa Hartman Black at Orpheum Theatre – Dec. 3
- William Clark Green at TempleLive Wichita – Dec. 3
- Wichita Symphony Orchestra's Christmas Fantasies at Century II – Dec. 4
- Music Theatre Wichita’s 2022 Holiday Special at Century II – Dec. 9-11
- Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis at Hartman Arena – Dec. 9
- Christmas with C.S. Lewis at Century II – Dec. 10
- Jim Brickman at Orpheum Theatre – Dec. 10
- Insider: A Tribute to Tom Petty at The Cotillion – Dec. 16
- The Iron Maidens at TempleLive Wichita – Dec. 16
- Ballet Wichita's The Nutcracker at Century II – Dec. 16-18
- Wichita State vs. Oklahoma State at INTRUST Bank Arena – Dec. 17
- Bluey's Big Play at Century II – Dec. 22-23
Upcoming Wichita Events
Wichita has something happening every night. When booking your winter getaway to Wichita, be sure to visit our event calendar for the latest options.
Deals & Discounts
Take advantage of the deals and discounts offered by Visit Wichita through our Explore Card program. Wichita is an affordable destination, but you can stretch your vacation dollars even further by picking up an Explore Card at our offices or one of our participating partners. Explore our itineraries or customize your own experience with our Trip Planner.