Category: Attractions

A Weekend in Wichita

Just 5 hours from St. Louis, Wichita is the heart of the country and it is the largest city in Kansas. This weekend in Wichita was our first time exploring Kansas and our family was floored by the natural beauty, as well as the rich history of this area.

We explored Wichita for 2 nights/3 days over 4th of July. Here is a snapshot of what we visited while there.

Weekend in Wichita Day 1:

OJ Watson Park

We had a blast exploring this 119-acre park in Wichita. They offer a miniature train ride, pony rides, miniature golf, paddle boat rentals and $1 sno-cones!! We really liked the train ride around the lake. It reminded us of the St. Louis Zoo train and we saw many ducks swimming!

Exploration Place

Think Science Center + Magic House in St. Louis! There are lots of hands-on exhibits. Wichita claimed the Air Capital of the World in 1928 (and it still is true today), hence the many airplanes here. My favorite exhibit was the interactive medieval castle! The Children’s area is all-things Kansas, including lots of farming and gardening topics. To end our visit, we viewed a movie in the largest dome theater in Kansas (attached to Exploration Place). We saw “Sea Lion: Life by a Whisker,” which followed a sea lion colony in Australia.

Keeper of the Plains

Along the Arkansas River, there is an incredible urban trail!! It is more than 10 miles long. It goes right by the Exploration Place! We walked along this trail and viewed the lighting of the Keeper of the Plains statue. At 9pm each night in the summer (weather-dependent), the Keeper of the Plains statue has a ring of fire for 15 minutes. This 44 foot sculpture honors the region’s original citizens and has become a special symbol for Wichita. This is the spot where the Big and Little Arkansas rivers join.

Boats & Bikes

We rented a pedal boat and watched fireworks along the Arkansas River! Our boat rental was right along the riverfront. There is also a public dock here, so you can bring your boat for no charge. They have life jackets here for kiddos 30lbs and up, so make sure to bring a proper infant life jacket if needed. The fireworks were over the river and it was so unique to view them from the pedal boat. People lined up to watch fireworks on both sides of the river too!

Weekend in Wichita Day 2:

Field Station: Dinosaurs

We started the morning with dinosaurs! There are over 40 life-sized and realistic dinosaurs here!! Seriously so cool. We walked along the trail to view the dinosaurs up close. There are informational signs by each one to learn more. We also really enjoyed the fun shows (included with admission). We saw a show on the mighty T-Rex, which included fun facts and songs. There is also a dinosaur maze, digging site, bounce house and more.

Tanganyika Wildlife Park

Then, we went to one of the most unique places we have ever visited: Tanganyika! Mark swam with penguins (the only place in the USA), I fed the lions and our girls fed giraffes and rhinos! We had a meet-and-greet with the penguins and rhinos, where we learned more about these animals, fed them and pet them. The rhinos were much softer than I thought! There are many animals to view and pet (my girls’ favorite animals to pet were the kangaroos). The splash pad and playground were right next to covered pavilions and a concession stand. They really thought of everything here and we definitely could have spent more time here.

Gallery Alley

This interactive alley is in downtown Wichita. It features a large spider! My favorite art installation was the “make a wave” exhibit. You pull on the rope to cause other ropes to move, creating a wave!

Weekend in Wichita Day 3:

Great Plains Nature Center

This is a fantastic and free nature center just outside of Wichita! Head inside the nature center first to pick up free turtle food. Inside here, there are many exhibits and animals for viewing. It blew me away! Outside, there are many short trails including boardwalks, which I could walk on all day. We had so much fun feeding the turtles and (very large) fish off of the boardwalk.

Cowtown Museum

We then stepped back into time at Cowtown! There are over 25,000 historical artifacts and 54 buildings here. It spans 23 acres and is nestled in Wichita’s Museums on the River District. It mirrored what Wichita looked like from 1865-1880. Cowtown reminded me of a much larger version of historical Faust Park. People were in character and there were cooking demonstrations, as well as free horse carriage rides.

Lodging:

We stayed at Hyatt hotels next to Wichita State University. Our room had 2 Queen beds and a pull-out couch, which was great to fit our family. The included breakfast buffet and indoor pool were wonderful too! The hotel is just 2.5 years old, so everything feels clean and modern.

Top 3 places to eat:

Donut Whole for unique donut flavors! Make sure to go in the morning (before they sell out) as they make them fresh each day. This reminded me a lot of Strange Donuts in STL. I chose a cinnamon coconut and it was heavenly!
Cocoa Dolce for the best chocolate shop in town! It is rated Wichita’s best chocolate. Mark got a mocha with 70% cocoa and I got a hot chocolate with 54% cocoa–so tasty!
B & C Barbeque is the highest reviewed barbeque restaurant here. I’m still dreaming about the ribs and the brisket!

Would we visit here again? Yes. In a heartbeat. My kids actually started crying when we left because they had so much fun here. Frankly, I was blown away by Wichita and the proximity to St. Louis was a huge plus! Thank you for a great visit, Wichita. We are excited to return again soon!

Free St. Louis Attractions Part 2

Here is part two of some more free attractions around St. Louis! I continue to be amazed and so thankful for these free resources for families.

St. Louis Zoo

Lions, tigers and bears…oh my! Home to 16,000 animals and is 90 acres in the heart of Forest Park. It is one of the only zoos in the world that offers year-round free admission! I love that the zoo is free because when I come with my kids, I don’t feel pressured to stay the whole day to make the most out of the admission price. They have extended spring and summer hours too, so I will take my kids for an hour after school sometimes! I like to park at the South entrance (which is $15 for admission), but there are other options of free parking on the street especially if you arrive early in the morning. The zoo is very stroller-friendly and I love the lactation room and family restrooms by the Carousel.

Our four favorite areas to explore here are River’s Edge, the Penguin and Puffin Coast, Sea Lion Sound and the Primate Canopy. River’s Edge is one of the most beautiful areas. It features a waterway path through 4 continents…our favorite is the elephants! The Penguin and Puffin Coast feature 4 species of penguins and two species of puffins. When this open air exhibit opened in 2003, it was the first of its kind in North America! The penguins and puffins are SO close. It is unreal! Sea Lion Sound has a 35-foot-long underwater tunnel where you can view the sea lions! The Primate Canopy is a 35,000 square feet addition completed in 2021. There is a fun structure where you can climb up next to the primates! Overall, this is such an incredible free attraction!

Suson Park

A county park that is also a working farm? Yes please!!

This gem (located at 6073 Wells Rd, Saint Louis, MO 63128) has free admission. There are many animals to explore from sheep, chickens, goats, turkeys, pigs and more. The big barn with the horses and cows is open from 10:30am-3pm daily. There is a great family restroom here, as well as a craft corner and a pretend cow to simulate milking. Make sure to bring quarters for the feed machines for the smaller animals!

The grounds are stroller-friendly and there are paved trails around the fishing pond. There are pavilions and a playground too! We love to spend all day here. It is really an incredible place to hang out with the animals and take in the pretty pond views.

Delmar Trolley

This trolley was built in 1903 and was refurbished in 1991. There is no charge to ride the trolley along Delmar Blvd, and no tickets and reservations needed either.

We picked the trolley up right outside of The Pageant. There are timetables listed on the different trolley stops. We rode the trolley westward to the end of the line and back East to The Pageant. You can stay on as long as you would like…even all the way to the History Museum! This is such a beautiful and historic way to explore more of St. Louis. We also love walking in and out of the shops along The Loop, as well as Ackert Park’s splash pad!

St. Louis Science Center

We are so lucky to have one of the best science centers in the country right here in STL. There are over 700 interactive experiences throughout 10 galleries (and it is always changing). The 5 story OMNIMAX and planetarium are awesome. This is where my kids saw our first movie (we loved the Superpower Dogs & Ocean Odyssey). There are science demonstrations and flight simulators/virtual reality. Our whole family loved the Pulseworks Adventure pod. My husband had a blast experiencing the I-360 Interactive Flight Simulator.

GROW is a 5,000-square-foot pavilion and an acre of beautiful outdoor space that goes through the story of agriculture (we love the sunflowers in the summer and chickens here are so fun to watch!).

My 6yo, 4yo & 2yo especially love the preschool science series class, science storytime and the Discovery Room! Both the preschool science series and the Discovery Room are ticketed and limited to a small number of kiddos & parents. Such a great way to explore and learn new things!

The Science Center doesn’t only cater to children…I learn so much while there. There are date nights, evenings and events like “First Fridays,” “Yoga Under the Stars,” the yearly giving Golf Tournament, “Doctor Who” display, Omnimax Films, “Science of the Zodiac” and more!

As one of the only free, nonprofit science museums in the country, the Science Center serves more than one million people each year, making it one of the largest science centers in the U.S. and abroad. It is both stroller-friendly & wheelchair-accessible.

The Science Center is changing all of the time, so take part in the wonder of new exhibits!

Missouri History Museum

Also located in Forest Park, this gem was originally the first national monument to Thomas Jefferson…so cool. It looks at the history of St. Louis from the founding of St. Louis in 1964 to the present day.

It is free admission and there are special exhibitions throughout the year.

My recent favorite is Coloring STL, where you actually color the dry erase walls of St. Louis buildings. The History Museum’s History Clubhouse is a fantastic hands-on experience that is designed for children and their families. This area is free as well…just grab a sticker at the front desk to sign in. We have loved storytimes here throughout the years!

Gateway Arch Museum

Did you know that this free museum is actually located under the Arch?! This renovated museum opened in 2018 and has six interactive exhibits. It shows 200 years of St. Louis history. My kids especially had fun with the hands-on tactile spots throughout the museum, as well as different smells! My favorite area is seeing the different Arch designs and viewing the runner up Arch designs. There are over 5 miles of paved trails on the grounds too!

St. Louis offers many great opportunities, and it is a wonder to have so many free options!

Free St. Louis Attractions Part 1

Can you believe that all of these St. Louis Attractions are free?!! I am a St. Louis transplant, growing up in Wisconsin. I’ve lived in St. Louis since 2015 and I continue to be amazed by all of the places here that are free and accessible to all.

Free St. Louis Attractions

Lone Elk Park

This unique St. Louis safari is a county park that has elk and bison. You can hike a trail among the elk or drive through the 546 acre park to view animals and the beautiful nature. This park is free to enter, but there is a cup for donations by the entrance. I recommend arriving right when the park opens at 8am. The rangers and the feed truck go through the park at 6:30am, so the wildlife is still usually close to the road for easy viewing. The elk and the bison are separated, and it is so fun to watch the herds. My lucky place to spot elk is near the Ralph Foley shelter.

The White Bison Loop is a 3.1 mile unpaved loop here and we have fun spotting elk in the woods. However, if you see an elk on the trail, I usually turn around and go back the way I came for safety. Also, this trail is rustic and is known for lots of ticks on the trails. I recommend hiking here in other seasons besides summer or taking necessary precautions to avoid insect bites (I like to treat our hiking clothes with permethrin).

Union Station

I just learned this year (March 2024) that there are two free shows here! There is a fire & light show that is outdoors over the Koi pond, as well as a light show inside of the historic Grand Hall.

The fire & light show is located outside on the lake near the Wheel and Aquarium entrance. This show features water, light and 25 foot tall flames synchronized to music. It operates on the hour daily from 5pm-9pm. On the weekends and special events, the show often runs from 12pm-9pm, but check their schedule to make sure.

The indoors light show is a beautiful 3D show in the historic Grand Hall. The show’s theme varies and it operates daily on the hour from 5pm-10pm. We were mesmerized by the flowers, designs and even fireworks moving across the ceiling!

Powder Valley Conservation Area

I’m always in shock that this nature center in Kirkwood is free! This has been a family-favorite of ours ever since we had our first daughter. What’s not to like? Wildlife, shaded and 3 paved trails, not to mention the epic nature center. The Nature Center hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 8am-5pm, but the trails are open every day. There is so much to explore inside from animals to pupper to art to an observation beehive. We love the staff here, who frequently walk around with snakes or point out fish in the tank.

Powder Valley has three trails:

1.) Hickory Ridge (1/2 mile loop and 1 1/5 mile loop)-pretty hilly, but so beautiful in the fall.

2.) Broken Ridge Trail (2/3 mile)- Pretty hilly and some fun bridges.

3.) Tanglevine trail (1/3 mile)-all flat! This is the only trail that I would classify as stroller-friendly. It also has an a year round storybook walk.

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Free Factory Tour

My Willy Wonka dreams come true here! We had such a blast visiting this free factory tour. In 1981, Dan and Rosalie Abel started crafting chocolates in small batches. Today, they are joined by their three children and the chocolate is delicious. Factory tours are free, but you must call to make a free reservation. Not only did we get to see the factory floor, but we tried free samples that were made that day. Everyone must wear a hat to cover their hair during the tour (they hand them out), so I like to prep my kids as we are walking in.

On our most recent visit, my daughter brought her lovey. Stuffed animals are not available on the tour, oops! But, the workers kept the lovey on the store counter while we were on the tour. When we returned from the factory tour, the stuffed animal had its own hat and piece of chocolate!

Address: Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate (5025 Pattison Ave,m St. Louis)

Phone Number: (314) 338-3501

Hours for Tour: Monday-Friday 9am-2:30pm, and tours run every half hour. The maximum capacity per tour is 10 people.

Purina Farms

From dog performances to farm animals to wagon rides, this area is such a blast. When you enter the visitor’s center, there are some interactive areas and adoptable animals before entering the animal barn. There are tunnels, rope swings, trikes on the top floor and lots of animals (goats, pigs, horses, cows, bunnies, etc) on the bottom floor. We always look forward to the live cow milking in the barn. They even invite kids to come up and try milking the cow!

The 2024 Visitor Center officially reopens on April 20th and April 21st. Mid-April to May, the center is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9:30am-3:30pm. June to October, the center is open Thursday-Sunday from 9:30am-3:30pm.

Also, it is right down the street from Shaw Nature Reserve, so this is a great place if you feel like hiking afterwards!

St. Louis offers many great free experiences!

Check out part 2 for more free St. Louis attractions. Happy exploring!