Thanksgiving Holiday in Wichita

I first called the visitor%26#39;s center to inquire about hotels/restaurants which served a very nice buffet for Thanksgiving. The Marriott on Corporate Hills Drive and the Hilton Airport were top choices. I have requested, and received, buffet menus from each. Has anyone eaten at either one at Thanksgiving?

Next topic, hotel choices: I would like to stay at a nice hotel for 2 nights, hopefully not too noisy. Cleanliness and non-smoking room is absolutely the TOP priority. We prefer a king bed with down comforters and very nice pillows. I need a fold-out couch for my 2 children. Most rooms with two beds are full beds. We want no less than queen. An indoor pool/hot tub is a must, per my kids. I have visited several websites for Hilton %26amp; family and Marriott %26amp; family hotels, as well as the Broadview (however, very bad online reviews, so I%26#39;ve counted the Broadview out). It would be nice to have a scenic view, either Arkansas River or any lakes/ponds. I%26#39;m not familiar with the layout of the city. I%26#39;ve heard about the Bradley Fair shopping area. In fact, called the Hilton Garden Inn which is nearby, but no king w/ couch.

Area attractions which are open Wednesday evening 11/26, Thanksgiving Day and Friday morning? I have a 15-year old daughter who loves movies and shopping. Any outlet stores in Wichita? BTW, what is Kansas%26#39; sales tax rate? Also have a 9-year old boy who is into nature, guns/knives, history, anything to do with water, especially frog hunting (I realize this is fall going into winter, though, %26amp; not really frog hunting season). Good movie theatre (great Christmas movies usually come out at Thanksgiving).

Restaurants for lunch %26amp; dinner Wednesday eve, Thursday eve and Friday lunch? (We%26#39;ll eat breakfast @ hotel, if available). If not, is there a Le Peep%26#39;s?I read a blog re: Jalisco, a great place for Mexican food; is that true? As far as chains we enjoy, is there a Cheddars or Macaroni Grill in town?

Weather: Average daytime %26amp; nighttime temps? Is the fall foliage over, or are there still leaves on trees?

Any other suggestions anyone may have, I welcome. We hope this short holiday stay in Wichita will be relaxing w/ cozy accommodations, delicious food, and something for the kids to enjoy.

Thanks for any suggestions!! Lori from Texas

Thanksgiving Holiday in Wichita

I have not eaten at either Thanksgiving buffet, but both hotels have an excellent reputation. There is also the Hyatt downtown.

As for hotels, if you want a view of the river, your hotel would be the Hyatt. It can%26#39;t be too bad; it%26#39;s where the Rolling Stones stayed when they were in town.

There is good shopping at Bradley Fair (21st and Rock). If you are on the west side of town, try New Market Square at 21st and Maize Road.

Wichita has a nice zoo. There is also an interesting science museum on the river called Exploration Place. It%26#39;s hard to predict what the weather will do. Check out the www.wunderground.com for the latest on the forecast. Some years it is sunny and 70 and other years we have had snow.

The Good Egg at 21st and Rock is our equivalent of Le Peep. Wichita is a food town. I agree with the assessments of restaurants listed on Trip Advisor. There are many options. Many good restaurants in the 21st and Rock area. Check out the Waterfront area as well on Webb road. There are many options in the 21st and Maize area as well. Old Town Plaza would be a fun option for lunch/dinner and a movie. There are several outstanding local restaurants, but also an Old Chicago if the kids aren%26#39;t feeling adventurous.

In addition to the above referenced shopping areas, there are two major shopping malls located on Kellogg one at Rock Road and the other between West and I-235.

The Wichita Eagle, our local paper, will have lots of listings on Friday and Sunday for upcoming events. Also, KMUW.org usually has local events as well.

Friday after Thanksgiving will be Final Friday. This is an event where many art gallaries in town stay open late and serve complementary snacks. If it is nice weather, it would be a fun evening activity.

I suggest you buy a newspaper on Friday for the lowdown on what is going on in Wichita next weekend.

Thanksgiving Holiday in Wichita

I stayed at the Hyatt last week. While it has good views from the rooms on the north side, it has two double beds, rather than 2 queens.

Wow! Thanks for the info. I will take a look at the Hyatt. I appreciate your suggestions on restaurants and shopping also.

We will be leaving Wichita on Friday afternoon in order to return to Texas before dark. Up here in the Panhandle, travelers are frequent to have collisions with deer and turkey, especially at this time of year. We want to be able to keep our eyes open for anything. So, unfortunately, we won%26#39;t be able to do much on Friday. Sounds fun, though.

Yes, a newspaper is a good idea.

Your weather sounds very similar to ours, in fact. Unpredictable! It is going to be around 72+ today, but low 50s tomorrow.

We look forward to our stay. Thanks again! Lori from Texas

Would you say that the view is awesome enough to forego a larger bed? Thanks, Lori

There is a great breakfast place in the Old Town area of Wichita called Egg Cetera,they have a web site www.eggceterawichita.com. You might also take a look at the ';Hotel in Old Town'; or the Courtyard by Marriott,both are in the down town area. Your son might enjoy the Museum of World Treasures which is in the old town area but I don%26#39;t know what their hours will be over the holiday.

As far as a view goes Kansas is about as scenic as the Texas Panhandle. The deer are bad here also.

It was for me, Lori. They were nice beds.

My only real complaint was that the Hyatt hit me up for unexpected additional charges. I spent over $23 on parking and internet.

And the things they charged extra for, were not well done. The internet access was poor, and we had an unreasonably long wait for our car when we were leaving - at a time when there weren%26#39;t a lot of pople arriving %26amp; departing. Plus there was no appolgy for being so slow.

I should have self parked, saved $5 plus tips and had much quicker access to my car.

More great info! I really appreciate all of your recommendations. I will go to those websites and check things out.

I made reservations last evening at the Hyatt. We were able to reserve a room on the 18th floor, per my son%26#39;s request. That view should be nice.

I%26#39;m glad to know we need to watch for deer while in Kansas as well. Thanks for the heads-up!

Yes, most of the Panhandle of Texas is not much to look at; however, Canadian (our town) is an exception to that rule. We have mesas and rolling hills and lots of trees compared to the rest of the top of Texas. Very fortunate there, indeed!

Once again, thank you for your prompt and very informative replies.

With Thanksgiving, Lori from Texas

The view wins out. I booked a room on the 18th floor, riverview, at the Hyatt last night. My son wants an awesome view of the river!

You are right that they do not have a King w/ sofa sleeper. I did, however, book 2 double beds, plus a roll-a-way bed at no additional cost (so they tell me...I hope that%26#39;s the real deal). My teenage daughter and pre-teen son will not have to share a bed - problem solved!!

I truly appreciate the heads-up on parking. We will take your advice and self-park. Internet is not an issue as this trip will be for total relaxation and family time.

Again, thank you for your advice and opinion re: the Hyatt!

With Thanksgiving, Lori from Texas

If you will go to www.kansas.com you will find a list of some of the restaurants serving a Thanksgiving buffet. It is at the top of the second column.

I can highly recommend the ';Olive Tree';. They have been serving great food for at least 30 years,but reservations would be a good idea for the more upscale places.