Blog / Nature viewing in Wichita

5 Best Places to See the Spring Blooms in Wichita

April 11, 2019 · 3 min read

As the popular adage goes, "April Showers bring May Flowers." When the time for blooming flowers comes, you'll be glad you're in Wichita. With parks, gardens, and other outdoor areas full of flowers, you'll get wonderful photo-ops and a burst of color that only nature can provide.

1. Botanica, The Wichita Gardens

Opened in 1987, Botanica, The Wichita Gardens is Wichita's premier community gardens, featuring flora from across the globe. The gardens cover just over 17 acres, providing plenty to see as you wander the footpaths that wind their way across the park. Some of the highlights include a children's garden, a rose garden, a greenhouse full of succulents and cacti, and examples of local flowers and foliage.

Botanica is located at 701 Amidon St. in Wichita. The gardens are open from mid-May to mid-September. Admission is $7 for adults (13-61), $6 for seniors (62+), and $5 for youths (3-12).

2. Great Plains Nature Center

Located in the heart of Wichita, the Great Plains Nature Center is a city-owned reserve that demonstrates what Wichita was like before settlers arrived. While the park is mainly geared to the preservation of local mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and birds, it's also home to 800 species of non-woody flowering plants. This includes the iconic sunflower, which adorns Wichita's state highway signs and is one of the most striking sights throughout Kansas.

The Great Plains Nature Center is located at 6232 E. 29th St. North. Admission is free.

3. Linwood Park

Just south of downtown Wichita, Linwood Park offers a sense of community through its public swimming pool, basketball courts, volleyball courts, picnic tables, and barbecue grills. However, it also has several trails that wind their way through the unspoiled wilderness. Along the way, you'll be treated to a colorful array of perennial and annual flowers that provide a calming getaway right in the middle of the city.

You can find Linwood Park at 1901 S. Kansas St.

4. Sedgwick County Park

Located just outside the Interstate 235 loop in western Wichita, Sedgwick County Park goes into full bloom during spring. With numerous hiking and walking paths, you can explore the flowers, trees, and shrubbery that are native to the park. The park is also home to ducks, geese, rabbits, and other wildlife, especially around one of the park's four lakes. Once you're done soaking in the scenery, check out the playground or the fishing areas.

Sedgwick County Park is located at 6501 W. 21st St. North.

5. Chisholm Creek Park

Chisholm Creek Park is one of the biggest parks in the city, covering 282 acres of relatively natural wilderness. There are few amenities here, but the natural beauty of the park more than makes up for a lack of playground equipment or ball fields. Head out on a bicycle to cover the park in a timely fashion while leaving enough time to take amazing pictures.

From the well-manicured gardens of Botanica to the natural flowers and foliage of Wichita's city parks and reserves, spring brings a beautiful bouquet of flowers that provide a stunning visual and a much-needed respite from the long winter.

Image via Flickr by RichardBH

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A view of the Keeper of the Plains statue outside of Wichita, KS

Sep 06, 2019 in Active Living in Wichita

5 Things to Expect When You Move to Wichita

Located in the south-central part of Kansas, Wichita is the largest city in the state. Since it was founded as a trading post on the Chisholm Trail in the 1860s, the city has been attracting new residents all the time. If you're making a move to Wichita and you're wondering what to expect, here are five things to keep in mind. more 1. Minimal Traffic If you're coming from another major city in the United States, you might be surprised by the minimal traffic in Wichita. Even though it's the biggest city in the state, you'll rarely have to deal with major traffic delays. You might occasionally run into a slow down during rush hour or when the roads are being worked on, but almost everything in Wichita is a 15- to 20-minute drive away, which makes commuting and running errands a breeze. 2. Easy to Get Around Perhaps one reason why Wichita doesn't have to deal with major traffic issues like other cities is that the city is laid out in a grid system that's fairly easy to navigate. The interstate system also makes it simple to get around the city. If you want to avoid the heart of Wichita, Interstate 35 runs east of the city and Interstate 235 runs west of it. On the other hand, if you need to head to downtown Wichita, Interstate 135 takes you directly through the heart of the city. 3. Plenty of Things to Do When you arrive in Wichita, you'll discover you have plenty of activities to enjoy. You can check out the animals at the Sedgwick County Zoo, learn more about nature at the Great Plains Nature Center, tour the Wichita Art Museum, stroll through the lovely Botanica Wichita Gardens, and more. 4. East Versus West After you move to Wichita, you might notice people will ask if you live on the east side or west side. This is because Wichitans have a friendly East Wichita versus West Wichita rivalry. At one time, it wasn't so easy to get from one side of the city to the other. People who lived on the east side or west side typically didn't leave their side of town. While new major highways have now made it much easier to get around, this good-natured teasing about which side is best still persists. 5. Numerous Golf Courses Although places like Florida and Arizona get all the glory when it comes to golf courses, Wichita also has plenty of excellent options. If you enjoy golfing, Wichita has five premium public courses conveniently located around the city. Each course offers its own unique layout and provides a different challenge for golfers of all skill levels. Of course, these aren't the only golf courses in the area. You'll also find numerous private clubs that have some spectacular courses and other amenities. Wichita is a lovely city with a unique vibe. If you're planning a move to the city, these are just a few things you can expect when you arrive. Image via Flickr by Ty Nigh

An open book sitting on a table with bookshelves in the background at a local bookstore in Wichita,KS

Dec 27, 2019 in Bookstores in Wichita

Find Your Next Read at A Wichita Bookstore

Looking for some new additions to your book collection? Whether you’re a collector or just searching for your next good book, find it at a local Wichita bookstore. Here are five places to find the perfect book. more Watermark Books & Cafe For a truly local bookstore experience, be sure to visit Watermark Books and Cafe on East Douglas Ave. Open six days a week and closed on Sunday, the store offers a variety of books across many genres. With an excellent children's section, the store hosts many storytimes and author signing events to help encourage young readers. In addition, the bookstore publishes newsletters for kids, teachers, new releases, and seasoned readers. With a big focus on local and regional authors, you can find some Wichita gems at Watermark. The bookstore's cafe offers soups and a variety of pastries to enjoy with your book. F.C. Ziegler Co. Also located on East Douglas Ave., F.C. Ziegler Company is a small Catholic bookstore chain. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, they carry prayer books, devotionals, bibles, and gift items. You can find history books and commemorative edition books to celebrate special occasions such as baptisms and weddings. Book-a-holic Book-a-holic is a wonderful independent used bookstore. With three locations in Wichita, all three are open seven days a week. Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The store allows you to buy, sell, or trade for your next great read in any genre from cooking to science-fiction and everything in between. Barnes & Noble Are you ready to explore a store with something for everyone? Stop by Barnes and Noble on North Rock Road. Free WiFi means you can escape the daily grind to study or work while enjoying a Starbucks coffee in the on-site cafe. You can also relax and disconnect in many of the welcoming seating areas located throughout the store. With weekly storytimes (featuring free cafe items and giveaways for the kids), author events, book release parties, Barnes & Noble is a great weekly stop for the kids. In addition to their events and extensive periodical inventory, you can pick up special orders in-store. Al's Old & New Book Store LLC If you are looking for a new copy of an old book, head over to Al's Old and New Book Store on East William Street. The store focuses on carrying older titles that are hard to find in other locations, including classics and a variety of history books. If you are looking for a treasured book from years ago, ask them to show you the special research tools they have to help cut down your search time. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to explore their more than 40,000 book inventory. With so many options, it will be fun and easy to find your next read at one of these Wichita bookstores. Make it a weekly after-school field trip with the kids or make it a date night stop to sip a cup of coffee and browse the extensive book selections at your favorite store. Image via Pixabay by geralt

An orange 2019 Jeep Renegade driving through a creek near Wichita, KS

Dec 13, 2019 in 2019 Jeep Renegade

Here's What You Need to Know About the 2019 Jeep Renegade

A subcompact SUV, the 2019 Jeep Renegade is a powerful off-roading vehicle that delivers a strong ride. Originally introduced in 2015, the Renegade now features six trims — Sport, Latitude, Altitude, Limited, Trailhawk, and High Altitude. As Jeep's smallest SUV, the Renegade includes several features that set this vehicle apart from others in its class, including a new engine as well as a handful of interior and safety upgrades. more Performance There are two engine options available with the 2019 Jeep Renegade. The base 2.4-liter, 180-horsepower engine produces 175 pound-feet of torque and works well, but if you're looking for more power, consider the 1.3-liter 177-horsepower turbo-four engine that produces 200 pound-feet of torque. The latter engine is new for 2019 and comes standard on the Limited, Trailhawk, and High Altitude trims. Both engines are paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard on the Sport and Latitude trims, while all-wheel drive is available on all trims. Also, when properly equipped, the Renegade can tow up to 2,000 pounds. Entertainment Features To keep you and your passengers entertained, the Renegade has plenty of technology features. It now comes standard with a 5-inch touch-screen display and Bluetooth capabilities. Previous standard features remain, and these include a six-speaker audio system and USB port. The vehicle also offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities as well as an upgraded and user-friendly Uconnect system with either a 7- or 8.4-inch touch-screen display, satellite radio, and a nine-speaker Beats audio system. Fuel Economy With the base engine and all-wheel drive, the Renegade attains 22 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. For the turbo-four engine along with front-wheel drive, numbers increase to 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Cabin Space Unlike other subcompact SUVs, the 2019 Jeep Renegade provides ample headroom and legroom for both rows. The driver benefits from superb front and rear visibility thanks to a high seating position. You can upgrade to receive a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat. When it comes to cargo space, the Renegade holds 18.5 cubic feet of space, and if you fold down the seats, you gain 50.8 cubic feet of cargo space. Safety Features The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Jeep Renegade with four out of five stars for frontal crash and rollover tests. Although it only comes standard with a rearview camera, the vehicle has numerous upgrades available. You can opt for a forward-collision warning, front and rear parking sensors, automatic high beams, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking. Also, the vehicle offers two full sets of LATCH car-seat connectors on its outboard rear seats and a tether anchor in the middle seat. The 2019 Jeep Renegade is a smart choice if you're looking for a well-equipped and powerful vehicle. For more information about the Renegade or to schedule a test drive, reach out to the experts at Davis-Moore Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. They can help you determine which trim works best for your needs so you can drive off in this vehicle today. Image via Jeep.com

*New Car MSRP is the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. New Car All In Price includes the manufacturer's destination charge, dealer discounts and/or factory rebate(s), dealer administration fee and any dealer added accessories that are currently installed on the vehicle. Additional discounts may be available on the New Car Internet Price, contact the internet representative for details. Used car All In Price includes the dealer administration fee. Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, all information, and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, license. EPA Estimated MPG is shown is based on EPA estimates, actual mileage may vary. Please verify all information with Davis-Moore.