Downtown Guide: Six indoor activities near INTRUST Bank Arena

Posted: Aug. 02, 2024

If you’re planning to experience the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships this January at INTRUST Bank Arena, there are many activities for visitors and locals alike to enjoy in between competitions. If you’re attending, take a look at this guide on how to get around and where to park.

We’ve put together a list of six indoor options to help fill that time, all within walking distance (or a short ride on the free Q-Line or on two wheels using Bike Share ICT or electric scooters) of INTRUST Bank Arena.

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Eat, drink and have fun

Our sports bars serve tasty food but if you’re looking for a different type of cuisine, you’ll find everything from local sandwich shops to fine dining among the hundreds of restaurants in the downtown Wichita area.

Check out a few popular eateries within walking distance from the arena: Solly & Jude’s, Tor Brewing, Doo-Dah Diner, The Depot, Old Mill Tasty Shop, Homegrown Wichita, The Kitchen, The Envision Bistro at NICHE, Lotte, Station 8 BBQ, Public, Emerson Biggins Old Town or Nortons Brewing Co.

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Relax

If you’re spending a lot of time sitting or standing at the arena, you might want to schedule a massage or body treatment at one of Wichita’s spas. Just down the street from the arena, Bohemia Healing Spa uses natural and holistic methods of treatment, specializing in therapeutic massage and more. A. Jay’s Health and Wellness spa will soothe all of those aches and pains with a variety of massages and times they offer.

A photo taken by Darrin Hackney features plants inside of Grow Giesen Plant Shop

Shop 'til you drop

Hop on the historic Q-Line and discover works of art, bath and body products, clothing, jewelry, home décor, antiques, snacks and Wichita souvenirs, among many other items within close proximity to the arena. You’ll find fun shops like The Workroom, Planterior (located inside The Workroom) and Plant Grow Bar within a block of the arena, plus many more in nearby Old Town Wichita, Historic Delano and Douglas Design District. Click here to find more unique shops Wichita offers.

Couple throwing axes at Blade & Timber

Play Hard

You'll find lots of fun places to play in downtown Wichita, from games galore at The Arcade to laughing out loud at Mosley Street Melodrama. Ax throwing is a perfect activity for friends and family, and Wichita has two spots located downtown that hit the mark: Axe to Grind and Blade & Timber. Before you go, it’s a good idea to do online research to be aware of any age restrictions that may exist. If it’s physical play you’re looking for, get a day pass at the Greater Wichita YMCA’s downtown branch.

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Look at art

Many of Wichita’s art galleries, art museums and art organizations are downtown. Just a couple blocks north of the arena you’ll find Gallery XII, Wichita's longest running artists’ cooperative art gallery. You can also find Gallery Alley and Envision Art Gallery nearby. Wichita is a pipeline of creativity and expression you can find public art such as:

Immediately south of the arena, you’ll enjoy touring Commerce Street, a revitalized warehouse district that is home to art and design galleries, companies and organizations.

In Old Town, you’ll find CityArts, our community arts center offering classes as well as an exhibition gallery and gift boutique featuring works by local and regional artists.

Along the Arkansas River, you’ll want to explore the Wichita Art Museum—the state’s largest art museum devoted to American art—and the Indian American art at the Mid-America All-Indian Museum, including the largest collection of Blackbear Bosin paintings.

Museum of World Treasures