Wichita may be the biggest and most populated city in all of Kansas, but it is also an area that holds on to its traditions and history, and you can feel that while traveling around the vibrant city and seeing all the exhibitions, landmarks, and museums.

The food and beverage scene has also continued to thrive in Wichita, and while its distillery industry is still in its infancy, it has begun seeing an explosion of popularity over recent years, especially with the constant waves of tourism.

If you’re planning to take a trip down to Wichita, you aren’t going to want to miss out on the chance to visit a few of the city’s finest distilleries, especially considering many have only opened their doors to the public in the last few years.

Here’s a full Wichita traveling guide featuring a list of the best local distilleries, along with all the other attractions that make Wichita such a beautiful area to visit.

An Introduction To Wichita

Located right next to the Arkansas River in south-central Kansas, Wichita has always been a city that has welcomed visitors from across the world with open arms.

The biggest draw to Wichita for many tourists is its huge selection of museums, alongside the art and food culture which have always been very lively, but in recent years, it has also become very popular for its zoos and wildlife exhibits.

Nowadays, it feels like whenever you turn a corner in Wichita, you will inevitably run into some rare and unique animals, which has actually made it an incredibly popular destination among animal lovers.

While food has always been a big part of the local culture of Wichita, over the last decade, the distilling and winery scene has also started becoming much more popular thanks to a lot of funding from the local government and incredibly successful social media campaigns.

Local Distilleries In Wichita

From classic distilleries that have expanded their menu selection over time to new faces who are just making a name for themselves, here are a few of the very best distilleries you can visit in Wichita the next time you visit.

Wheat State Distilling

Located in North Mosley right at the end of Old Road, Wheat State Distilling doubles as both a distillery and a social hub where you can relax with friends and play a game of pool or shuffleboard while sipping on a freshly crafted cocktail.

Despite the modern and groovy aesthetic, this was actually the very first legal distillery ever opened in Wichita, and this doesn’t come as much of a surprise when you come to see the menu.

Vodka, gin, whiskey, and bourbon all made from wheat are crafted and sold within the distillery, or you could even buy an entire barrel if you want to take a gift back home to surprise someone in the family.

After enjoying some drinks and snacks at the bar, it’s always worth asking David if you can learn more about the distilling process, and he and the team will then lead you through everything that goes into making their delicious drinks.

Trolley House Distillery

The Trolley House Distillery, which you can find in the middle of Commercial Street, is open until 9pm every day except for Monday and Tuesday and is a classy restaurant and modern distillery all rolled into one.

The building used for the distillery had actually been abandoned for many years before it was refurbished and transformed, and the best part is you can take a tour around the building by simply asking the friendly staff when you arrive.

Alongside the food menu which is packed full of tasty snacks including loaded nachos, cheese sticks, and ham and cheese sandwiches, you also have an even bigger menu where you can pair this delightful food with a distilled beverage of your choosing.

You will find a huge selection of scotch, whiskey, gin, and vodka on this menu, but it’s the liquors that have the most variety, including flavors such as Campari, Lillet Blanc, Screwball, and even Drambuie.

Distillery 244 Old Town

While this building doesn’t technically function as a distillery anymore in the traditional sense, with it being transformed into a wedding venue several years ago, it is still fascinating to see how closely it still resembles its past self.

Oak barrels, bricked walls, and empty beer bottles all harken back to when the distillery was first established back in 1959, where it served some delightful beverages to the people of Wichita for over 50 years.

On days when the venue isn’t being used, you are free to book a tour and explore the distillery for yourself, making for a unique and memorable trip where you can get a feel for what distilleries really looked like all those years ago.

Things To See And Do In Wichita

Wichita has always been known as a place full of fun, excitement, and adventure, so without further ado, let’s take a look at what else you can see aside from the distilleries while journeying around this large and glamorous city.

Sedgwick County Zoo

Get up close and personal with gorillas, lions, and even elephants in one of Wichita’s most popular zoos which can be found right in the center of Zoo Boulevard. If you aren’t a huge fan of bigger animals, there are also frogs, penguins, and other small creatures that you can admire too.

13 Sinister Souls

Take a 30-minute trip around this haunted house full of ghouls and ghosts and see if you and the family can reach the exit before the 13 sinister souls find you.

Axe To Grind

Ever been curious to give axe throwing a try? Axe to Grind welcomes all visitors, no matter how much prior experience they’ve had with axe throwing, to try their hand at this incredibly fun sport and even get involved in some competitions.

Botanic Wichita

Since it first opened its doors to the public in 1987, the Botanic Wichita Garden has skyrocketed in popularity.

Featuring over 4,000 species of plants that stretch over 18 acres of land, this is a great place to visit when you want to take a load off and relax from all the traveling.

Summary

While there are only a handful of distilleries currently situated in Wichita, we can expect even more to open up in the next few years considering how much bigger and more prominent the drinking scene in Wichita is slowly becoming.