Why You Should Visit Wichita for Winter Vacation

Kansas’ largest city, Wichita, is a must-visit Midwest destination year-round, but wintertime is 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 hotels at every price point, and you’ll find affordable indoor attractions and diverse events for every interest. Discover how to spend a vacation in the Heart of the Country this November, December, and January!

1. 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.

You can count on annual traditions such as the light displays at Illuminations at Botanica Wichita, which include 2 million lights strung throughout 30+ themed gardens, scheduled for Nov. 24 to Dec. 30.

You’ll find lights, activities, Santa, and live registered North American reindeer at Fulton Valley Farm’s Country Christmas Nov. 24 through Dec. 23. Victorian Christmas at Cowtown takes place on Dec. 1-2 & 8-9. Enjoy special tours at the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Allen House Museum and Study Center while it’s decorated for the holidays.

There’s also Wild Lights at the Sedgwick County Zoo, Holly Jolly Jurassic Holiday at Field Station: Dinosaurs, and Arctic Adventure at Exploration Place.

2. Always Something New

New this year to Wichita’s holiday scene is the inaugural Kansas Global Holiday Market. Inspired by the winter holiday markets in Europe, this market will be a family-friendly place to shop for artisan gifts from around the globe, taste international holiday foods such as Mexican chocolate-covered churros and German sausages, and enjoy performances inspired by a myriad of cultures.

Women shopping for unique ornaments at the Kansas Global Holiday Market in Wichita, Kansas.

3. Spectator Sports

Wichita is a sports city, and they’ve got just the ticket for you this winter:

Hockey – Cheer on the home team at INTRUST Bank Arena where the home team 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. The basketball games draw a loud crowd, making the roundhouse one of the arenas with the best home-court advantage according to ESPN.

4. Hands-On Activities

Ready to burn off some energy? Try these options:

Blast Off Bay – This newly opened indoor water park just west of Wichita in Goddard has a dual surf machine, lazy river, a hot tub, swim-up bar, 11 slides, an arcade, and more!
Bliss Climbing & Fitness Complex – With auto-belay, the whole family can enjoy this safe and fun 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 golf simulator bays, visitors can play a round of golf, hit balls on the driving range, take a lesson, or host a party.
Topgolf Wichita – This complex offers climate-controlled hitting bays for you and your family to take aim and swing at outfield targets. Plus, the entertainment venue has TVs throughout for a sports bar atmosphere.
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.
Axe to Grind and Blade & Timber – 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 (as weather permits).
Find arcades and other indoor games at All Star Adventures, All Star Sports, Bowlero (Wichita, Northridge and Northrock), and Dave & Buster’s.

The view while playing at Top Golf in Wichita, Kansas.

5. Amazing Exhibitions

Wichita is home to many cultural and historical attractions and museums that have amazing traveling exhibitions alongside 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. 17. This year, the exhibit has a literary twist, featuring an “Alice in Wonderland” theme.
The city’s science center, Exploration Place, has a variety of films showing in its Digital Dome Theater and “Arctic Adventure” Nov. 10 – Jan. 7, along with its interactive, permanent exhibitions such as “Health Inside Out.”
Explore the “Being Modern” exhibit through Dec. 31 at Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum.
The Mid-America All-Indian Museum is featuring “Voices from the Drum” through Dec. 2 and “Ivory Miniatures” and “What We Collect” through Dec. 31.
A National Watercolor Exhibition , showcasing 83 exquisite paintings created in the watercolor medium by leading artists around the country, will be on display at Mark Arts through Dec. 16.
The Wichita Art Museum will have a variety of exhibits including “Upside Down, Topsy-Turvy and In-Between: Images of the Carnival and Circus from the Wichita Art Museum” and “Barbara Earl Thomas: The Illuminated Body.”
See new permanent exhibits, Women of Aviation and the Rip Gooch Black Aviators, on the third floor of the Kansas Aviation Museum, in the historic Wichita Municipal Airport Terminal Building.

The Wild Lights event at Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas feature an Alice in Wonderland theme.

6. Lots of Shopping

The Heart of the Country is a year-round regional shopping destination, complete with special shopping experiences during the holidays. Find out more about shopping local in Wichita for the holidays and year-round online. Special shopping events include: