WICHITA, KS
A blend of natural beauty, rich culture, and delicious local cuisine makes Wichita a great place for groups to visit. Here are a few highlights.
DAY 1: OUT & ABOUT
1:00 PM
Explore some of Wichita's natural beauty at Botanica, The Wichita Gardens. This horticultural center showcases more than 4,000 species of plants throughout its 26 themed gardens (including Butterfly Garden, Woodland Bird Garden, and Shakespearean Garden), with many spaces available for private groups.
7:00 PM
Experience the dining and nightlife options in Wichita's Old Town. Some 50 restaurants and bars -- from the Latin-flavored Sabor to the sushi spot Wasabi -- as well as great live-music clubs like Rock Island Live make for a lively evening.
DAY 2: HISTORY & CULTURE
11:00 AM
Visitors can experience life as it was lived in the 1870s at the Old Cowtown Museum. This functioning cattle town offers wagon rides, blacksmith demonstrations, and a sasaparilla-serving saloon. Visitors will not only learn about the era, they will live it.
3:00 PM
Visit the Mid-America All-Indian Center to learn about the history and culture of the area's Native Americans. While there, be sure to view Keeper of the Plains, the 44-foot-tall sculpture of a Native American chief. The stunning work, which stands at the point where the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers merge, is even more impressive at night.
DAY 3: SHOP & CHOMP
11:00 AM
Eat and walk on one of the guided Wichita Food Tours, which will introduce attendees to local restaurants and hidden gems, giving attendees a peek into some of the local favorites.
2:00 PM
For a truly local souvenir, pay a visit to Hatman Jack's, where Wichita native Jack Kellogg has since 1976 been offering up just the right hat to everyone from B.B. King to Luciano Pavarotti to the average customer.
5:00 PM
Work up an appetite shopping at the high-end shops around The Waterfront before grabbing a bite at one of its numerous restaurants. Alternately, visitors can consider one of the city's many other shopping spots, including Bradley Fair, NewMarket Square, and Clifton Square.
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This article appears in the May 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.