Outdoor Family Fun in Wichita
When the sun is shining and temperatures make for the perfect day spent outdoors, Wichita has tons of family-friendly activities to enjoy and many of them are free and affordable.
From feeding giraffes at our nationally renowned zoo, cooling off at a water park and experiencing nature in the heart of the city, there is never a shortage of things to do in Wichita.
Boats & Bikes
Boats & Bikes is a rental company operating from a 240-foot public dock on the Arkansas River near the Douglas bridge. The operation is run by Wichita State University’s rowing program and among their offerings are youth and adult paddleboards, pedal boats, kayaks and more. Boats & Bikes is open daily from Memorial Weekend through October, and by reservation outside those dates by emailing boatsandbikes@wichita.edu. Hours of operation are subject to change due to weather or special activities in the area.
Bar2Bar MX Park
As the No. 1 motocross track in the state of Kansas, Bar2Bar MX Park offers outdoor racing on a sandy loam track and the perfect spot for riders to practice. Check out their website for a list of upcoming events or grab your bike and hit the track today.
Bike Share ICT
Hop on a bike and ride around downtown Wichita exploring all the city has to offer with Bike Share ICT. Download the app, pick your package and choose a bicycle from one of 40 stations scattered around the area. For only $1.50 a half-hour, rent your bicycle for a short period of time, or pay $30 a year and bike whenever you want. Riders must be at least 18 years old to use the service. Be sure to get out and explore Wichita’s parks and trails and swing by for a visit to the Keeper of the Plains.
Botanica Wichita
No matter the season, head to Botanica Wichita to explore more than 30 themed gardens and exhibits, including the Downing Children’s Garden. Designed with kids in mind, this educational, hands-on environment allows the whole family to learn more about the natural world. Botanica offers 18 acres of plant life and houses more than 4,000 native species.
City of Wichita Park & Recreation
The City of Wichita Park & Recreation maintains more than 140 parks, greenways and courses for visitors to enjoy. Fans of disc golf will find more than 15 courses in the Wichita area for all skill levels. Similar to disc golf, Wichita is a great place to play footgolf. Both sports are played like regular golf, one with a disc and the other by kicking a soccer ball into a hole. In Wichita, visitors have the chance to play footgolf at two courses: Pine Bay Golf Course and Andover Municipal Golf Course.
For the lover of traditional golf, Wichita has five public golf courses each offering different golfing experiences. With fairways and hazards big enough to challenge even the strongest golf game, professionals and amateurs alike say Wichita has some of the best courses in the country. The city is home to a number of private courses such as the ones at Crestview Country Club and Rolling Hills Country Club.
Wichita has six public pools throughout the city, which typically open for the season each year on Memorial Day. The city also has 10-plus interactive fountains that are open to the public (no pets) and do not charge an admission fee. There are additional splash pads at New Market Square Plaza (at 21st St North & Maize Road), Old Town Square at 334 N. Mead and at various surrounding area parks.
Field Station: Dinosaurs
Experience a one-of-a-kind prehistoric expedition at Field Station: Dinosaurs in Derby, located just south of Wichita. The park is a dinosaur-lovers dream with 40+ life-size, animatronic dinosaurs from different eras, live shows, a raptor maze, miniature golf and more.
Great Plains Nature Center
Investigate native Kansas wildlife and develop an appreciation for the environment while making your way through 240 acres of accessible wildlife trails at Chisholm Creek Park, which is just outside the doors of the Great Plains Nature Center, which is always free to visit. You may want to bring a quarter for turtle food before heading out to the trails though.
Indoor/Outdoor Entertainment Complexes
Wichita has a variety of entertainment complexes with both indoor and outdoor areas to play and eat, including Topgolf Wichita and Chicken N Pickle. The Sandbox at Derby offers year-round beach volleyball, cornhole and a pickleball complex. All Star Adventures or All Star Sports have a variety of activities, such as go-karts, mini golf, laser tag, a rock-climbing wall and batting cages. Both locations are also equipped with a full indoor arcade.
Old Cowtown Museum
Step back in time to the days when Wichita was a booming cattle town. At Old Cowtown Museum, visitors can experience life as it was in the late 1800s and watch blacksmiths at work or witness a gunfight right outside a local saloon. Stop in for an ice-cold sarsaparilla and interact with characters from the past. Visit on Sunday to take advantage of free admission.
Public Art
Take the family on a photo journey via public art in Wichita. Swing by Gallery Alley in downtown Wichita, track down murals and keep an eye out for Alley Doors, bronze sculptures and chrome bumper art along the way. Throughout the city you will find Keepers on Parade, smaller, hand-painted versions of the Keeper of the Plains. There is also an impressive collection of art at the art garden at Wichita Art Museum and on the Wichita State campus where the Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection touts nearly 80 unique pieces and everyone gets in free to the Ulrich Museum of Art.
Rock River Rapids
Are you looking to cool off? Summer fun starts at Rock River Rapids, where families can enjoy numerous activities like the tree house-themed spray area, a lazy river, shallow water play area and several water slides.
Sedgwick County Zoo
One of the nation’s 10 largest zoos, Sedgwick County Zoo houses more than 3,000 animals and 400 species in its 25-acre outdoor environment. See exotic creatures from all over the world including orangutans and rare okapis. Take a boat ride to see the Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley and check out recent additions such as the Safari Express electric train ride, Slawson Family Asian Big Cat Trek featuring Amur leopards, snow leopards, Amur tigers and red pandas as well as Stingray Cove experience.
Splash Aqua Park
Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, Splash Aqua Park features an impressive course of inflatable slides, runways, jumping bags, trampolines and extreme fun. The attraction allows for those ages 5 and up to experience a unique water playground. Don't miss this Wichita water park located on a 27-acre lake in the middle of the Steeple Bay Development at I-235 and Seneca Street.
Sports
Wichita is home to many sports teams, from hockey to indoor football. If you like to experience the excitement of sports while getting fresh air, make plans to cheer on the Wichita Wind Surge minor league baseball team at Riverfront Stadium and attend one of Wichita’s exciting outdoor sporting events such as NBC World Series, the Prairie Fire Race Series, Wichita Open and more.
Stearman Field Bar & Grill
Take the family out to lunch or dinner with an up-close-and-personal view of planes taking off and landing on the runaway just 40 feet away from your table at Stearman Field Bar & Grill. Order aviation-themed menu items like a Flyover Philly Cheesesteak and Bi-Plane Cheeseburger or try a unique Stearman cocktail.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Take the family and head just west of Wichita to Tanganyika Wildlife Park. Sign up for one of 10-plus animal experiences and get the rare opportunity to interact with creatures like lemurs, giraffes, okapi and pygmy rhinos. Stop by and pet kangaroos. You can even go swimming with penguins. During summer months, play in the water at Tanganyika Falls. Tanganyika Wildlife Park opens for the season in March and closes after their signature Halloween event, Pumpkins at the Park.
YMCA Water Parks
Beat the heat during summer months at any of the four Wichita YMCA outdoor waterparks (North, Northwest, South and Andover locations). For just $10 a day per person, non-members can drop in and enjoy the parks at any time.
Veterans Memorial Park
Within walking distance from the Keeper of the Plains is Veterans Memorial Park, which showcases 19 memorials representing six wars and every branch of the military. Additionally, this 4.5-acre park is just one of three in the country that houses a Berlin Airlift Memorial.
Plus, you’ll find cozy outdoor patios at restaurants across the city as well as a number of open-air shopping districts like Bradley Fair and New Market Square. If that’s not enough fun and excitement for you and the family, check out all the events going on in Wichita during your stay and other things to do while in town.
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