Two-Day Getaway to Wichita

Day 1

Old Cowtown Museum preserves the 1870s lifestyle with a history museum, working farm, a business district and warm-weather gunfight shows.

Blocks away, The Keeper of the Plains statue pays tribute to the tribes that once inhabited the region and stands on sacred ground at the confluence of the Big and Little Arkansas rivers.

Inventive starters, like crispy plantain chips with chimichurri, complement tacos and traditional Cuban sandwiches at Sabor Latin Bar and Grille.

The Kansas Aviation Museum features historical aircraft, a flight simulator and an exhibit on how to make perfect paper airplanes.

The Wichita Art Museum reveals a large collection of glasswork, including Steuben glass.

Shop and have dinner at Revolutsia, a cool shipping-container complex with outdoor seating.

Casual elegance is the hallmark of the renovated 1926 Ambassador Hotel.

Day 2

In Goddard (14 miles west), giraffes and lemurs eat from guests' hands and kangaroos accept pats at Tanganyika Wildlife Park.

Back in Wichita, classic sandwiches with flavor twists fill the lunch menu at Doo-Dah Diner.

History buffs marvel at dinosaur skeletons, a Berlin Wall segment and Egyptian mummies at the Museum of World Treasures.

At the beautiful Botanica Gardens, paved paths lead to serenity among 30 themed gardens and a butterfly house.

Mahogany and leather warm the mood at Chester's Chophouse and Wine Bar.

Save the Date

A parade and concerts herald the start of Wichita's annual Riverfest (June 3-11, 2022), but the fireworks along the Arkansas River are the opening-day exclamation point. Celebrate with helicopter rides, ziplines, Jet Ski races, hot-air balloons and fun runs.