Where not to go if you’re in Wichita for NCAA March Madness | Opinion
David AZ writes about University of Kansas sports on pretty much a daily basis for the national sports blogging network SB Nation, so I’m going to assume he knows quite a bit about that.
But when it comes to things to do in Wichita, well, let’s just say his advice may not be the most helpful to visitors in town for the NCAA basketball tournament this week.
And when I say “may not be the most helpful,” what I’m really saying is, it’s laugh-out-loud funny for anyone who lives here.
I write this in reaction to a blog item titled “A March Madness Guide to Wichita, Kansas,” that ran Monday on the SB Nation blog “Rock Chalk Talk,” of which AZ is the senior editor, managing editor and editor-in-chief (Dude! Pick one).
The best part of the column was this:
“Best place to visit outside the arena: The entire Riverfront district is hands down the best place to visit in Wichita. As long as the volatile springtime weather of the midwest cooperates, you get a beautiful walk along the Arkansas River with a variety of stores, businesses, restaurants, and beautiful scenery to take in. You can’t leave Wichita without exploring the riverfront.”
Whaaaatttt???
The most entertaining thing I ever saw when “exploring the riverfront” was a guy noodling gar (a species of prehistoric fish) out of the river with his bare hands down by the Lincoln Street Bridge.
As we are now in the midst of a prolonged drought, the river is down to a muddy trickle.
The low water level has revealed the mud-encrusted electric rental scooters that have been thrown in the river. Fortunately, they can be cleaned and reconditioned - and then inevitably thrown back into the river again when it’s not so dry.
Mr. AZ may be confused because for the past 20 years or so, we’ve been promised “a variety of stores, businesses, restaurants, and beautiful scenery” on the riverfront.
First it was the WaterWalk, and later the “Baseball Village” that was supposed to crop up when we replaced Lawrence-Dumont Stadium with ̶R̶i̶v̶e̶r̶f̶r̶o̶n̶t̶ ̶S̶t̶a̶d̶i̶u̶m̶ Equity Bank Park — home of the Wichita Wind Surge.
Those plans are certain to jump off the architect’s sketch board any year now. Meanwhile, you can marvel at our world-class wonderwall of overpriced riverfront apartments.
From the Keeper of the Plains statue to the Lincoln Street Bridge, I can only think of two restaurants on the riverfront — in the Drury and Hyatt Regency hotels. The only riverfront “stores” I can think of offhand are the gift shops at the stadium and Exploration Place.
Be careful around the King of Freight building that backs up to the river. It used to be a Gander Mountain outdoors store and still looks like one. But if you go inside looking for a fishing pole, you could wind up in a cubicle directing truckers in Tallahassee.
Here’s another weird piece of advice from our good friend Mr. AZ:
“Best place to eat before the game: The Newport Grill has you covered for everything from a burger to steaks and a variety of seafood sandwiches and entrees. It has a pleasant atmosphere for enjoying a meal that will keep you going through the rest of the day’s events.”
There’s nothing wrong with the restaurant. But it’s all the way up at 21st Street and Rock Road — a long drive to the other side of town from the arena.
If you’re flying into Wichita and don’t have a car, there is bus service that will get you there.
It’s roughly a 35 minute ride.
Each way.
And no, our city’s not that big. Our bus routes are that slow.
Special note to fans of UNC-Wilmington: If we visited your lovely seaside town, we’d have seafood. In Kansas, go with the steaks and pork chops. You’ll thank me later.
But enough of this.
If you really want to know where to go and what to do, The Eagle’s Carrie Rengers is your best source on where all the best basketball parties are and Denise Neil has you covered for Wichita restaurants that are within walking distance of the basketball action.
And welcome to Wichita.
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 11:12 AM.
