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Family time is special and memorable, especially when it involves making new discoveries. During planned or spontaneous outings, take advantage of the exciting attractions Wichita residents and visitors can enjoy. Here are a few unique experiences Wichita has to offer: more Dinosaurs Like Never Before If you are looking for a family-friendly experience you will never forget, take a trip to Derby, where you'll find the theme park Field Station: Dinosaurs. This interactive park is packed with prehistoric exhibits. You and your family will be transported to a land before time, surrounded by ancient creatures that come alive with the use of animatronics. The exhibits are both exhilarating and informative. Each exhibit offers important facts about the displayed dinosaur. You can also become an honorary paleontologist! The park is open during the spring (end of April to May) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Their summer hours, from June to August, are Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The park is open on Memorial Day and Independence Day as well. Up-Close Animal Encounters Create unforgettable memories by coming face-to-face with your favorite creatures. Located in Wichita, the Sedgwick County Zoo houses both native and exotic wildlife. This zoo ranks seventh out of the top 10 largest zoos in the United States. It is home to more than a whopping 3,000 critters and 400 different species. This 25-acre outdoor ecosystem boasts customized environments ideal for a wide variety of animals. Creatures from all over the globe are on display, including red pandas, apes, elephants, and more! The Sedgwick County Zoo transports visitors to five different continents to see and experience magnificent creatures up close. The zoo is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter. If you are looking for an up-close and personal animal encounter, try visiting the Tanganyika Wildlife Park. Located west of Wichita, it is just a short ride away. Here, you have the rare opportunity to feed and interact with a variety of unique creatures like giraffes, okapi, lemurs, and pigmy rhinos. Feeling adventurous? Take a dip with penguins! Looking to update your profile pic? Take a selfie with a kangaroo! The park is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Old-Time Wichita There are a lot of historical museums and attractions in and around Wichita. Take a ride over to the interactive Old Cowtown Museum and be transported back to Wichita's cowtown days. There are homesteads, fully functioning shops, schoolhouses, and farm animals. Old Cowtown is complete with actors reenacting 19th-century life. The museum is open for visitors year-round but has reduced hours during the winter. The next time you are looking for something to do with the family, drive on over to one of these exciting attractions. They provide an interactive experience to keep the whole family engaged. Image via Pixabay by Pexels

Wichita has many kid-friendly educational and entertaining sites to have fun. Keep reading to learn more about a few of our favorite sites for children. more 1. Sedgwick County Zoo Get Wild in Wichita Sedgwick County Zoo is the seventh-largest zoo in Wichita. This 250-acre zoo has nearly 400 species and over 3000 animals preserved in natural habitat simulations. You can find them easily as they are all grouped geographically. Elephants The zoo has elephants from the Valley of Zambezi River. It is known to be the third-largest elephant habitat in the country. It encompasses an outdoor space spread over five acres. The elephants also enjoy an 18,000 square-foot indoor facility. The elephant pool holds 550,000 gallons, which makes it the largest elephant pool in the world. Experiences You will enjoy watching penguins, feeding the giraffes, and taking a tram and boat tour. Event Space Host your next meeting or event next to the exotic animals. There are eight meeting rooms, and the largest one can hold 350 people. Admission is free for children up to 2 years, while you have to pay $11.70 to $15.70 for others, depending on their age. 2. Exploration Place Exploration Place is the prime discovery and science center of Kansas. It stands on a 20-acre parcel in the scenic downtown Wichita Museums, parallel to the Arkansas River. Mosh Safdie, a world-renowned architect, designed the building and the adjacent park. The place has a free venue for a wetland habitat, picnic groves, Festival Plaza, adventure play yard, and a mini-golf course. Once inside, you can get a souvenir from the gift shop, grab a bite from a snack bar, enjoy some art at Theater and Planetarium Boeing Dome, visit the Creative Learning Studio – Kemper, and enjoy a dozen permanent exhibits. You can also view traveling exhibits that emphasize the presence and importance of science and math around us. You can visit Exploration Place from Monday to Saturday between 10 am to 5 pm and on Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Visiting hours are closed during Christmas, Thanksgiving, and some of the other holidays. Admission fees range from $5 to $13.5 for adults, $4 to $11 for senior citizens, and $3 to $8 for the youth. There is no fee for children below 3 years. 3. Old Cowtown Museum If you want to have some old-time fun, come to Old Cowtown Museum. The museum brings back the memories from 1865. Try iced sarsaparilla, listen to the blacksmith anvil ring, and duck in one of the doorways on hearing gunfire. You can visit the museum from 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Admission fees start at $6 for kids 4-11, $7 for teens 12-17, $9 for grown-ups, and $8 for seniors 62 and older. Kids love to study while having fun, so Wichita is a place where you can take them for doing their homework or learning activities while they enjoy the atmosphere. Image via Pixabay by Free-Photos

If you live and Wichita, Kansas, and have an adventurous spirit, getting out and exploring the city is one of the best ways to spend a weekend. Here are some of the best spots in Wichita to put on your itinerary for weekend explorations. more 1. Botanica Wichita For flower lovers, there's no better place to go for weekend exploring in Wichita than Botanica Wichita. This popular spot has been open since 1987 and offers four gardens filled with gorgeous flowers and plants. If you want to know more about any of the plant species that you see, you can stop by the horticultural library to learn something new. Botanica Wichita also features numerous themed gardens that display different species depending on the time of year. 2. Keeper of the Plains Plaza The history of Wichita is inextricably linked to that of the Native American people who have long called this area home. If you'd like to learn more about this cultural link, then the Keeper of the Plains Plaza is a great place to explore this weekend. At the center of the plaza is a massive steel structure depicting a Native American keeping watch over the land. The statue stands where the Arkansas River meets the Little Arkansas River and in the evenings the plaza is lit by the Ring of Fire that surrounds the statute. 3. Exploration Place If you have a passion for science, Exploration Place is a must-visit location in Wichita. This science center is tucked on the banks of the scenic Arkansas River and offers several ways that you and your kids can have fun. Exploration Place features multiple exhibits dedicated to math and science, as well as exhibits dedicated to the culture and history of Wichita. You can also see a show at the Dome Theater or go for a stroll through the outdoor Exploration Park. 4. Sedgwick County Zoo Do you love seeing exotic animals up close and in person? If so, then you need to spend a day exploring the Sedgwick County Zoo. The zoo is separated into different world regions to make it easy to find the exact animal you're looking for among the more than 3,000 creatures that call this zoo home. If you visit the Africa region, you can see large animals such as gorillas and hippopotami. You should also be sure to stop by the penguin cove to watch these playful and gregarious birds glide through the water. 5. Arkansas River Path If you're in the mood for a long, leisurely walk, you should head over to the Arkansas River Path. This paved trail is over 3 miles long and winds its way along the gorgeous river waters. Walk the entire path and you'll get a great look at some of the top attractions in Wichita, including the All-American Indian Center. The River Path is also near the downtown area, so after you're done walking, you can stop by a nearby eatery for a delicious meal. Wichita is one of the best cities to live in if you love exploring on the weekends. The next time your work week is over, make sure to stop by one of these excellent exploration spots. https://www.flickr.com/photos/tylercipriani/32913715534/sizes/l Image via Flickr by tyler.cipriani

Wichita is one of the best places to experience wildlife from around the world. There are many animal encounters to choose from at local zoos and parks. Here is a handful of our favorite places to visit for fantastic animal encounters in the Wichita area: more Rolling Hills Zoo For a chance to see some rare and exotic animals, head over to Rolling Hills Zoo. Big cats, primates, reptiles, birds — there are ample opportunities to see animals you've never seen before. Some of their rare creatures include the white rhinoceros and the Amur leopard. Let the kids loose in Kid's Country, the park's interactive domestic farm animal exhibit. You can also visit their Wildlife Museum to explore ecosystems from around the world and learn about places you may have never been. Their Overlook Restaurant has a full menu that can keep you and your family going during your visit. Rolling Hills' spring hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day from March 11 to May 28. During the summer, they open at 8 a.m. Admission is $13.95 for adults, $7 for children ages 3 through 12, and free for children 2 and under. Sedgwick County Zoo The Sedgwick County Zoo is the seventh largest zoo in the country and is home to over 3,000 animals from almost 400 species. Visit their massive elephant habitat, feed giraffes, hang out with penguins, and much more at Sedgwick. This zoo holds events throughout the day to give visitors the chance to see interactionswith animals and learn more about them. The park is split up into exhibits that feature continents' ecosystems, as well as species-specific habitats. Admission is free for children 2 and under, $11.95 for children ages 3 through 11, and $15.95 for adults. The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tanganyika Wildlife Park This is one of the top-rated places to experience animal encounters and one trip shows why. Each visit to the park is a different one, due to their specials on "Experiences." You purchase tickets for these special events and exchange them for up-close-and-personal visits with sloths, okapi, penguins, animal meet and greets, animal painting, and much more. At Tanganyika, you create life-long memories with each visit. For the kids, they offer day, night, and summer programs to give them the chance to learn something new every day. Sign up the young ones for Tanganyika's summer safari camps and let them explore the world. On family trips, you can stop at the cafe and deli in the park for a quick bite during your visit. Tanganyika is open March 8-17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 17 to April 30, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May through Labor Day, the park will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $19.99 for adults, $14.99 for children ages 3 to 11, and free for children 2 and under. Take some time to explore Wichita's great animals and learn more about the world around you. Each of these places offers experiences that you won't find just anywhere. Let us know what your favorite animals and exhibits are. Image via Flickr by Chris Barker