Summer vacation will be here before you now it, and there’s no better place to start an adventure than in Wichita, Kansas! Use the following information to help plan your perfect trip to Wichita ahead of the summer rush. What kind of traveler are you? Wichita is loaded with things to do and family attractions. We have ideas for every visitor!

Educational Experiences

  • Exploration Place – Learn how planes are made in the Design Build Fly exhibit or check out the traveling exhibits.
  • Old Cowtown Museum – Head back to the 1860s to see Wichita as a bustling Cowtown while enjoying this living history museum.
  • Museum of World Treasures – Experience the massiveness of the third-largest T. rex in the world or take the kids up to Ivan’s Playhouse where imaginations run wild.
  • Field Station: Dinosaurs – Expand on your knowledge of well-known and lesser-known dinosaurs from prehistoric eras with life-size dinosaurs, workshops, games and even your own fossil dig!
  • Keeper of the Plains and Mid-America All-Indian Center – Discover the lifestyles of Native Americans and witness the iconic monument overlooking the Arkansas River and downtown Wichita.
  • The Kansas African American Museum – Learn about the history of the black community in Kansas from famous African American Kansans to Negro League Baseball stars.
  • Kansas Aviation Museum – Did you know Wichita is known as the Air Capital of the World? Find out why in this historical museum built in the original Wichita Airport.
  • Wichita Toy Train Club & Museum – If you share a love of trains, you won’t want to miss this enchanting museum in Old Town Wichita celebrating train collectors and enthusiasts.

Wet & Wild Fun

  • Rock River Rapids – Cool off from the summer heat at this unique water park built with six water slides, a lazy river and tons of features for all ages.
  • Greater Wichita YMCAs – With several locations around Wichita and day passes for only $5 each, take the kids to the indoor or outdoor pools at any local YMCA. 
  • Old Town Fountain – Let the kids play in the Old Town Square fountain located in front of the Warren Theatre. 
  • WaterWalk Fountains – Experience what they call, “liquid fireworks” during the 10- to 15-minute water show at WaterWalk Plaza. You can catch the light and water shows every Thursday through Sunday, May through October at 8, 9 and 10 p.m. as long as the wind doesn’t gust past 15 mph. 
  • Riverfest -- Rent a kayak or paddleboat and head out on the Arkansas River during Wichita Riverfest, June 1-9. 

Exotic Excursions

  • Tanganyika Wildlife Park – Get up-close-and-personal with a variety of wildlife from pygmy hippos, penguins and giraffes to kangaroos, lemurs and exotic birds.
  • Sedgwick County Zoo – Visit the seventh-largest zoo in the nation and one of the best elephant exhibits in the country, featuring a 550,000-gallon pool and feeding demonstrations by the zookeepers. 
  • Kansas Wildlife Exhibit – Located at Central Riverside Park, the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit is free for spectators and showcases native Kansas wildlife.

Outdoor Adventures

  • Botanica Wichita – Enjoy more than 30-themed gardens at Botanica Wichita, including the Downing Children’s Garden bringing education and beauty to life in a magical fairy-inspired playground.
  • Bike Share ICT powered by Zagster – Stop at one of the 19 downtown-area bike racks to rent a bike to explore downtown Wichita. There are several bike paths, including the Arkansas River Trail, that showcase the beauty of the Arkansas. 
  • Wichita is home to 125 parks, including OJ Watson Park that offers children’s rides like a miniature train ride, pony rides and hayrack rides, as well as a miniature golf course and sand volleyball court.
  • ICT Pop-Up Urban Park – This park, located at Douglas & Main, offers food trucks during the lunch period, a sand box area, table tennis and games and a chalk wall all situated between two downtown Wichita buildings for an urban experience.

High Energy Fun

Cultivating Creativity

  • Wichita Art Museum – Kids can hang out in the Living Room and create a masterpiece to take home. 
  • Mark Arts – At the new Mary R. Koch Arts Center, everyone can take art or culinary classes to build on creativity and artistic skills.
  • Mural Tours – Walk around downtown to discover how many urban art pieces you can find with the family. They make great photo ops! 
  • Final Friday – Businesses come together the last Friday of every month to stay open late to celebrate the art culture of downtown Wichita. Visit the exhibits or places like Gallery Alley, which usually incorporate music and food into the event. 
  • Music Theatre Wichita – Don’t miss the 2018 Music Theatre Wichita Season with multiple Disney shows and the chance to see current rising Broadway stars. 

Miscellaneous Mayhem

For specific events happening during your summer vacation in Wichita, check what’s going on through our calendar of events page.