Free and Cheap Things to do this Week in Wichita KS

My favorite place to start is always with the Top 5 FREE Things to Do in Wichita, which were all recommended by readers! You can see that here: https://wichitaonthecheap.com/the-top-5-free-things-to-do-in-wichita-kansas/

Some things that are not on that list but are always free (and neat!) are the City Arts Gallery in Old Town and the Wichita Boathouse Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. The HOF at the Boathouse is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays only. CityArts is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday 9-5, Sat 9-3, and closed Sunday.

Another fun thing you can do any day of the week is scout out the murals in the Douglas Design District. Many of these are by fun local businesses that your visitors might enjoy. (Donut Whole is one example.) I’ve written more about the murals here (scroll down the page near the bottom): https://wichitaonthecheap.com/walking-trails-wichita/

I also like to stroll through the downtown portion of Douglas and show off our bronze sculptures. If you’re free for lunch, make your first stop the PopUp Park! This article tells you a little more about it. Food trucks are parked there daily from 11 a.m. until at least 1 p.m., I believe.

Reflection Square Park is less than a block east of the popup park, so be sure to walk over. In it you’ll find a sculpture commemorating the Dockum Drugstore sit-in, which was one of the first – but lesser known – events during the Equal Rights Movement. It stands on the spot where the Dockum Drugstore once was.

And Sente Games & Refreshments (just across the street) is a great place to stop and get coffee.

While you’re in the area, you might just want to hop the free Q-Line Trolley, which runs through downtown during lunch hour. Here’s where I’ve written about the Q-Line. (It’s free.) The Delano/Old Town route runs from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Monday through Friday from Old Town to Delano.

If you stop in Delano, be sure to visit Milkfloat for homemade dessert!

Other cool anytime attractions are the Nifty Nut House, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum ($5), and … well, there are so many! Here’s an old article with info about some of Wichita’s attractions and how to save money at each.

If your friends like old arcade games, pinball, or board games, Wichita has some fun spots!
The Arcade
Places to Play Pinball
Sente Games & Refreshments

Cheap movie nights next week are $5 Tuesday at the new AMC Theater (you have to join their free loyalty program to get the deal), $5 Wednesday at the Warren Old Town (which is also near CityArts), and the classic movie at the Wichita Orpheum Theater on Thursday night ($7). And the Starlite Drive-in is open on Friday night while they’re in town! It’s only $13 for the whole carload, and not many cities have drive-in theaters any more.

Also on Friday night (May 18), Exploration Place is hosting a free outdoor movie night on the plaza. It’s bound to be packed, but admission to walk through the exhibits is discounted on that night. Here’s more info: https://wichitaonthecheap.com/free-outdoor-movie-night-series-exploration-place/

I hope that gives you some fun things to do and see in Wichita while your guests are in town! I’m sure I’ve forgotten some things. 🙂 Oh – don’t forget to go see the Troll when you’re down by the Keeper!