Wichita, Kansas has long been celebrated for its vibrant community life and artistic spirit. Although Topeka serves as the state’s capital, residents concur that Wichita is Kansas’ cultural and psychological epicenter. The greater metro area is home to nearly 600,000 people, and the city itself, once a simple frontier town, has emerged as a major hub for the airport and insurance industries.

People have lived on or around the Wichita region for more than 10,000 years. The famous Francisco Vasquez de Coronado traveled here in the mid 1500s. Western settlers and Indian settlers vied for control of the territory throughout the 1700s and 1800s. And the renowned Wyatt Earp famously helped bring order to Wichita during its chaotic days as a frontier town.

If you’re searching for fun activities for the family in Wichita, definitely head to the Sedgwick County Zoo, which hosts exhibits of over 2,500 different animals. Also check out the Exploration Place and tour the McConnell Air Force Base, one of the more picturesque and fascinating military installations in the Midwest. If you come to Kansas in May, you must check out the Wichita River Festival, which literally takes over downtown. Explore dozens of different events, parades, and amazing cuisine from all over the region — all capped off with fireworks! Sporting fans might try their hand at the popular Wichita sport of disc golf, which you can play at either Oak or Herman Hill Park.

For resources on Wichita and the surrounding metro area, trust this site. Here, you can get links to local hotels, doctors, lawyers, local government offices, local weather reports, and up-to-date schedules for activities, festivals and fairs throughout Kansas.