Wichita

Where the Arkansas River meets the Little Arkansas River stands a steel figure of an Indigenous man with raised arms, more than 44 feet tall: the Keeper of the Plains. If you're planning a trip to Wichita, you'll land in the largest city in Kansas, which calls itself the "Air Capital of the World" and moves between prairie history, aircraft manufacturing, and a surprisingly lively arts scene.

From Cattle Drives to Aviation Hub

Wichita grew up in the 1870s as a stop on the Chisholm Trail, along which cowboys drove cattle herds from Texas to the railheads. Saloons, stockyards, and, briefly, Wyatt Earp as a lawman shaped those years. The 20th century brought the oil boom, then airplanes: Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Lloyd Stearman founded their companies here, and Learjet and large Boeing plants followed later. To this day, Wichita builds aircraft parts and business jets, and the industry shapes the region's job market. Pizza Hut and the camping brand Coleman also have their roots in the city.

Sights in Wichita

The Keeper of the Plains is especially impressive in the evening, when the fire pots around the platform are lit. Right next to it, the Mid-America All-Indian Museum displays art and everyday objects of the Indigenous peoples of the Plains. The Old Cowtown Museum uses historic buildings to recreate Wichita in the pioneer era, complete with a blacksmith shop and a saloon. Aviation fans head to the Kansas Aviation Museum in the old terminal of the municipal airport, an Art Deco building. Botanica, the botanical garden along the river, and the Sedgwick County Zoo, one of the larger zoos in the Midwest, are well suited to relaxed afternoons. Art lovers will find American painting and a beautiful Dale Chihuly glass collection at the Wichita Art Museum.

Dining in Wichita and a Night Out in Old Town

The historic warehouse district of Old Town is the center for restaurants, pubs, and live music. Breweries, steakhouses, and barbecue joints have settled into the brick buildings; in Kansas, beef is taken seriously. One distinctive feature of the city is its diverse food scene: thanks to the large Vietnamese community, you'll find numerous pho restaurants along the Broadway corridor, as well as Lebanese influences that show up in bakeries and family-run restaurants. On Saturday, it's worth stopping by one of the farmers markets, where local producers sell fruit, honey, and baked goods.

Culture on the Arkansas River

On the riverbank, the Museums on the River district brings several attractions together in a compact area: besides the Mid-America All-Indian Museum, it includes the Exploration Place science museum, with a view of the Keeper of the Plains, and the Botanica garden. Wichita State University has the Ulrich Museum, with a collection of modern art and a sculpture park on campus; one facade is decorated with a large mosaic by Joan Miró. The Orpheum Theatre, built in 1922, shows concerts and films downtown. In the evening, a walk across the illuminated bridges at the confluence is worthwhile.

Getting Around Wichita and the Best Time to Visit

Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport lies west of the center and is served by connecting flights through major hubs such as Dallas, Denver, and Chicago. Once you're here, a rental car is handy, since Wichita Transit buses don't run very frequently. Downtown, Old Town, and the riverfront are easy to explore on foot or by rental bike, though. Spring and early fall are considered the best times to visit: summers are hot, but spring also brings thunderstorms and the occasional tornado across the prairie. The Riverfest takes place in early June, the city's biggest festival, with concerts and fireworks. For excursions, consider the Flint Hills with the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, one of the last large tallgrass prairies in North America, as well as the Cosmosphere space museum in nearby Hutchinson.