activities

5 Ideas for Exploring Wichita While Staying Active

June 23, 2021 by Vanessa Whiteside Leave a Comment

Updated May 2023

Calling all outdoor enthusiasts! If you live in the Wichita area and would appreciate new ideas for exploring the city while staying active, I have a treat for you. My good friend, Jennifer Strong McConachie, and I decided to collaborate on a blog post that outlines a summer itinerary that gets you up and moving.

Jennifer is a native Wichitan who has recently authored “Go Far: How Endurance Sports Help You Win At Life,” a book that provides an inspiring look at endurance sports and how they make us better, more successful people. Having grown up in the Riverside neighborhood, staying active on the Arkansas River was just one aspect of her lifestyle. Today, she is a working mom who gets her workout in almost daily by biking, rollerskiing, swimming, packrafting, or kayaking. You name the sport, and Jennifer is ready to try it.

Even though I don’t exercise much (she inspires me to get moving!), Jennifer and I share quite a bit. We’re native Wichitans, and our pride for the city runs deep. We both appreciate making the most of each day and seeking adventure in everyday life. It’s that inner spirit that drives us to make life more delightful.

We hope that our ideas for adventure are ones that you can’t wait to seek out when exploring the city. We’ll identify how you can get in a workout while exploring a destination for each excursion.

BIKE RIDE ALONG THE ARKANSAS RIVER

Jennifer:

Riding along the Arkansas River is one of my favorite places to get in an outdoor workout. The best thing is that you stay out of traffic! This makes the paved trails a great place to bring kids along for a ride in your bike chariot.

Vanessa:

The 10-mile peaceful and scenic path runs along the bank of the Arkansas River, giving cyclists a view of the city’s downtown skyline. Cyclists have access to parks and attractions along the route, including the Museums on the River and the Keeper of the Plains iconic statue.

I suggest planning your route to end at Milkfloat (535 W. Douglas), the historic Delano District west of the river. The cafe is known for its long list of specialty coffees and drinks. After a long bike ride, why not try a Blueberry Lemonade Milkshake or iced coffee? Better yet, sit down and enjoy your beverage with one of their delectable baked goods. I recommend the classic chocolate brownie or homemade strawberry Pop-Tart. Plan your visit by viewing the cafe hours here.

RUN WITH AN EXPANSIVE VIEW

Jennifer:

Running to Elderslie Farm on an early summer morning for a treat gets you out of the city and gives you a way to celebrate after sweating bramble-side.

Vanessa:

Locals appreciate Elderslie Farm’s Bramble Cafe (3501 E. 101st St. North, Kechi) for its beautiful surroundings, a hard-to-resist menu of breakfast items, and flavorful drinks. Feeling parched after a run? Consider ordering a refreshingly tart blackberry lemonade with a scone. If you have extra time before setting out for a return home, don’t miss interacting with the goats roaming the grounds.

Prepare for your adventure before setting out on your run, view the cafe’s hours, and pack a cold pack to bring home fresh cheese from the creamery near the cafe.

SET OUT ON A SCOOTER

Jennifer:

Channel your inner kid and scooter (not the electric kind, but the good old fashion kick scooter kind!) around downtown Wichita. Don’t have a scooter? Try rollerblades, skates, or any other form of wheeled fun. Stop in Cocoa Dolce for an iced drink and a sweet treat.

Vanessa:

You can always find something delightful on Cocoa Dolce’s (235 St. Francis) menu. The downtown location is the perfect pitstop to relax and enjoy flavored iced tea, artisan chocolates, or made-from-scratch cookie. The friendly staff will suggest menu favorites or tell you about their latest specialty drink offerings. If you have a few extra minutes, step over to the glass wall to view employees making chocolate in the nearby factory. Plan your visit by viewing their hours here.

CYCLING AND SANDWICHES

Jennifer:

Why not bike or run to the Bartlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine? You could pack a tasty sandwich from Tanya’s Soup Kitchen to take with you and enjoy a picnic under the trees. Go for live music, a program, or stroll the gardens. One of my favorite events is their annual croquet soiree.

Vanessa:

Tayna’s Soup Kitchen serves menu items made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients made from scratch daily. I love to order the City Chicken sandwich made with sliced chicken, bacon, provolone, romaine, and Caesar dressing on an onion kaiser. Jennifer’s favorite sandwich is described below: Delilah’s Light Lunch, made from sliced chicken breast, apricot relish, sharp cheddar, and romaine on an onion Kaiser roll. Ask about their seasonal soups. View their lunch hours here.

WATCH THE SUNSET FROM A KAYAK

Jennifer:

Another great idea is to take a kayak out to watch the sunset with cookies and snacks from J’Rae’s to nibble on while you’re on the water. Their frosted sugar cookies come in various festive shapes for any occasion.

Vanessa:

Always a supporter of dining locally, I recommend stopping for a sweet treat at J Rae‘s (2357 N. Maize Rd.). They make baked goodies ranging from cheesecakes and cupcakes to cookies and chocolate truffles. Whether celebrating a special occasion or simply rewarding yourself for a high-intensity workout, it’s a win-win! Don’t forget to pack chilled sparkling water for your dessert session on the river! View the bakery’s hours here.

Did we inspire you to explore the city? You must be hungry by now! Wichita is nestled between two rivers and linked by several bike trails. Building your own adventure and finding your favorite fuel around town is easy and fun. Enjoy the outdoors this summer, and don’t forget to order your copy of “Go Far: How Endurance Sports Help You Win At Life” for more ideas, global travel inspiration, and tools for living adventurously. My book, 100 Things To Do In Wichita Before You Die, is available in paperback or via Kindle on Amazon.

How I’ve Stayed Happily Busy During the Pandemic

November 15, 2020 by Vanessa Whiteside Leave a Comment

This stay at home thing isn’t ending anytime soon. During my time at home, I’ve found myself reviving old hobbies, experimenting with new things, and well, cleaning and eating a lot.

How have you kept yourself from going stir crazy while stuck at home?

Maybe an activity or recipe below will inspire you to cross something off your fun to-do list OR perhaps it will simply leave you with the feeling that only being productive can bring. If you’re like me, you want to keep yourself busy!

COMFORT FOODS

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Scalloped Potatoes
Egg Salad
Banana Bread
Fruit Cocktail Cake
Peach Dump Cake
Smoked Pork Ribs
Apple Salad
Rasta Pasta
Vodka Sauce
German Potato Salad
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Biscuits and Gravy
Garlic Rosemary Chicken Thighs
Sautéed Red Cabbage
Italian Stuffed Peppers
Green Tomato Relish
Stuffed Summer Squash
Sesame Kale
Hamburger Soup

MUSEUMS & ATTRACTIONS

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Leaf Peeping
Bird Watching
Chiminea
Dog Walks
Sidewalk Chalk
Raised Bed Gardening
Stargazing
Landscaping
Biking
Neighborhood Litter Pick Up

HOME ACTIVITIES

DIY Dog Bandanas
Clean Garage
Clean Grill, Traeger Smoker
Deep Clean House
Clean Car
Declutter Drawers and Closets
Game Night
Classic Movie Night
Spa Treatments
Living Room Dance Party
Mail Cards to Loved Ones
Puzzles
Paint a Room
Coloring Book
Reading
DIY Wooden Bead Garland
Blogging
Indoor Gardening
Online Shopping
Dehydrate Herbs

TV SHOWS (I’ve watched every episode of these series.)

Masterclass
Growing a Greener World
Somebody Feed Phil
Hart of Dixie
Hollywood Reporter Actor’s Round Table
Get Organized
The Chef Show
The Ranch
Grace and Frankie

What has inspired you to stay active during the pandemic? Share an idea with me in the comments below! Together, we’re going to get through this time.

50 Ways to Break Up the Monotony of Your Life: A List of New Experiences to Try

August 13, 2017 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

Recently I lost a close family member to cancer and during that time of grieving, I was reminded how fleeting life can be and that I wanted to seize every moment moving forward. I vowed to try something new, to push myself to show up to life every day.

My life had become a routine of commuting to work, sitting in a cubicle, and then coming home and repeating the same evening activities almost daily. Do your work days all seem to be a blur, and before you know it, you’re waking up on Saturday uninspired? I can relate.

So, I promised myself that I would incorporate new experiences into my day to break up the monotony and force my brain to fire off new circuits to positively impact my life and health. Some days I wake up and already know what new experience I will have on that particular day, and other days I refer to a bucket list of sorts saved in my phone notes.

Either way, I’m having a blast learning about myself, firing up my brain, and sharing these experiences with others. I’m feeling rejuvenated and showing up for life, a more delightful one.

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” – Henry David Thoreau

We only get one life, and I plan to live mine to the fullest. This list consists of activities I recently experienced or that I hope to try soon. Not all of these experiences require spending too much money or require a lot of time. Perhaps you would like to stretch the boundaries of your comfort zone and try one or all of them too?

Go to brunch with your parent at a restaurant you’ve never tried.
Drive a different route to work.
Call up a family member you haven’t spoken to in years (or that you only text occasionally) and ask about their day.
Reach out to a co-worker or friend who works nearby and ask them to meet you for lunch.
Volunteer on a committee, for your church or kid’s school or a neighborhood association.
Say yes when a friend invites you to travel to the lake, go camping, or site-seeing outside of town. Better yet, ask them to go with you.
Eat local. Sip coffee at a local cafe or try the seasonal beer at a brewery.
Style your hair differently than you did yesterday.
Change up your fragrance. Wear new perfume or cologne.
Pull your bicycle out of the garage and take it for a spin around the neighborhood after dinner one evening.
Visit the library, walk over to a book category that interests you, and close your eyes. Run your hand across the shelf of books until you decide to stop. Remove whatever book your hand landed on and check it out to read it.
Introduce yourself to a stranger and make small talk.
Tour a neighborhood in your city that you never explore.
Smile and say hello to a stranger on the street. You might find you have something in common with them.
Don’t just sunbathe while at the lake or pool. Run and jump in the deep end with careless abandon. “Cannonball!”
Desk yoga.
Paint and sip wine at an art studio.
Visit a festival and eat at a food truck. Ever tried bbq nachos? Curry chicken?
Eat your lunch away from your workplace at a park.
Try an adult coloring book.
Learn new skills by taking a webinar.
Grab some friends and sign everyone up to try an escape room challenge.
Experience a local seasonal activity like riding in a horse-drawn sled at Christmas, making s’mores with the Girl Scouts on National S’mores Day or grab a map and navigate a corn maze at a pumpkin patch.
Wear colored socks to work.
Pick up a new hobby that doesn’t involve using technology.
Create a date jar with ideas for date night fun. Draw a new idea from the jar this weekend.
Buy yourself flowers.
Travel anywhere you’ve never been before.
Throw a party that coincides with a random food holiday.
Follow a recipe for food you normally buy. No churn vanilla ice cream anyone?
Visit a tourist attraction or museum in your own city.
Pick fruit in an orchard.
Point the car west and just drive.
Stop and talk to your neighbors when you see them outside.
Always go to the movie theater? Try a dramatic play production instead at a local theater.
Lasertag. Paintball. Water balloon fights.
Grow vegetables or purchase them from a local farmer instead of buying them from a store.
Walk into a toy store and buy a toy to assemble yourself like a puzzle or box of Legos.
Try a different way of exercising or use a different exercise machine at the gym.
Watch wildlife anywhere but in your own neighborhood.
Take a new car for a test drive.
Walk your friend’s or neighbor’s dog.
Host a potluck or food contest amongst friends at your home. Who can make the tastiest beef jerky, mac-n-cheese, or pizza?
Let a local artist or friend sketch your portrait.
Get a henna tattoo.
Celebrate your city or town’s birthday. Take in the sites and buy cupcakes to celebrate.
Try a Pinterest DIY project.
Listen to a different radio station all day long.
Take a tour of the city from the air.
Do anything counter to your normal routine, and when a friend or family member suggests doing something you’re about to reject, say “yes!”

Have an idea of something I should try? Challenge me by leaving your idea in the comments section below!

35 Free Summer Activities for Adults

June 15, 2016 by Vanessa Leave a Comment

If summers “off” as a high school teacher taught me anything, it was that I was always on the hunt for free (or nearly free) summer activities. I certainly couldn’t afford to go out every weekend for a wine night or to a summer concert series on my salary alone. So, I created a fun list of 35 Free Summer Activities. Scroll down to choose an activity!

Visit the local art museum. Most offer a no-cost day on the weekend, but it is common courtesy to donate a dollar or two when you enter.
Ask a friend if you can swim in their neighborhood’s community pool.
Walk the air-conditioned mall and head to a department store’s make-up counter to try on a shade of summer lipstick.
Check out the latest magazines or books from the local library. They often have summer reading group discussions planned. Ask for their calendar of events.
Sample tasty local fare at the area’s farmers market. Many farmers offer samples of honey, sausage, and artisan cheeses.
Host a summer-themed movie night for friends with fresh-popped popcorn. (See our popcorn seasonings recipes). Encourage each attendee to bring their favorite candy to share.
Volunteer to be on the building site crew for Habitat for Humanity.
Tour a flea market, mall, or city-sponsored event. Enjoy the people watching.
Plan a seriously competitive game night at home. How long has it been since you broke out the ol’ Scrabble board?
Mark down your not-so-new belongings and host a one-day garage sale. If it isn’t sold, it goes to Goodwill.
Stop by an area winery for free samples. Check their calendar for the release of their newest blend.
Go on a model home tour.
Test drive a convertible.
Go fishing at the state park or your neighborhood’s pond.
Invite your musician friends over for a jam session on the deck in front of the chiminea.
Seek out your area’s nature center. Walk hand-in-hand with your honey or take the dog for a brisk walk.
Check your park board’s event calendar. Yoga in the park at sunrise anyone?
Brush up on your Shakespeare while enjoying a dramatic local theater production at the city park.
Put the chairs in the middle of the yard and stargaze with ooey-gooey smores.
Go geocaching. Don’t forget to bring your own trinket, pen, and paper to leave in the capsule once you find it.
String up a hammock or lay back in the gravity chair and read a hot romance novel checked out from the library.
Kick off your flip flops and dance with your special someone on the deck by the light of the moon.
Go on a photo shoot outdoors capturing beautiful landscape, nature images.
Take the dog to the area dog park and meet other fur baby parents.
Take up frisbee golf.
Turn on the sprinkler system and have a backyard water party.
Make a competition out of catching fireflies in a jar with a friend.
Host a BYOB party or assign each guest a food item to bring.
Play quarter pool (or going during a open to the public free time) at billiard hall.
Have a watermelon seed spitting contest from the deck.
Lay on a beach blanket at the park and let your thoughts wander while you declare cloud shapes.
Wash your car in your swimsuit. Take breaks to drink lemonade. Let’s face it. Detailing your car is hard work.
Make alcohol-infused fruit popsicles.
Go to a local airport’s airshow or tour their aviation museum.
Actually talk to your neighbors when out for a walk. They secretly want to break the ice with you too.

5 Ideas for Exploring Wichita While Staying Active