When the longer, warmer days of summer settle in, the open road beckons to daytrippers, adventure seekers, and sightseers alike. With dining, shopping, and entertainment tailored to every lifestyle, now is the time to make Wichita Falls your road trip destination for a weekend summer getaway.
The sunshine also brings cyclists to Wichita Falls, a bronze-level bicycle friendly community. Annually over 13,000 professional and amateur cyclists descend upon Wichita Falls to compete in the Hotter’N Hell Hundred, recently named the Best Road Cycling Event for 2024 by USA Today.
After the race, Downtown Wichita Falls transforms into a family-friendly block party with food trucks, craft beer, yard games, and a DJed dance party. In addition to the race and block party, the Hotter N’ Ale attracts a more leisurely crowd that strolls in a 0.5k walk hitting some of the best nightlife spots with ample craft beers, cocktails, shots, and entertainment at each of the ten bar crawl stops.
Designated as a Bronze Medal Bicycle Friendly Community, Wichita Falls has options for every cyclist. The Circle Trail offers opportunities to take it slow, featuring twenty miles of ten-foot-wide reinforced concrete providing spectacular views alongside the Wichita River, by The Falls, through Wichita Bluff, and along the shoreline of Lake Wichita.
Thrill seekers carve their own path on the best urban off-road trail in the state. The Wee-Chi-Tah Off Road Trail is open year-round hosting both dirt and gravel events. The thirteen-mile trail is full of challenging twists, turns, and descents due to the many man-made obstacles including a bridge as well as short, punchy climbs and switchbacks all while surrounded by the beautiful landscape of Lucy Park.
Downtown celebrates the thriving art scene the first Thursday of each month from April through October during the After Hours Artwalk. Attendees leisurely explore downtown, discovering art galleries, studios, and vendor booths while indulging in a variety of dining options, including food trucks and locally owned restaurants. Grab and go beer and wine is available from 6th Street Winery, Hook and Ladder, OG Cellars, and Wichita Falls Brewing. Live music can be enjoyed up and down the celebration starting with the spotlight performance at the Downtown Farmers Market.
Foodies will delight in the abundant selection of locally owned restaurants with tempting offerings to please any palate. Enjoy some leisure time at Fox Hill, a farm-to-table restaurant and urban garden. Relax in the beautifully restored century-old home while observing the tranquil pond and meandering pathways through native flowers and organic greenery. Dine on timeless, American cuisine from the ever-changing menu centered on nourishing and sustainable dishes that highlight seasonal produce from the on-site gardens.
At Progress & Provisions Craft Kitchen, guests tuck into “food as it should be.” Their innovative creations feature the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients and thoughtful compositions that guests find both familiar and refreshingly new. Progress & Provisions keeps their menu short to focus on serving killer flavor at a price point that is family-friendly.
Intimate steakhouse ambiance meets coastal sophistication at Pelican’s. For over twenty years, Pelican’s tradition of culinary excellence has been delighting palates. Complementary fresh baked bread is served with plenty of butter and garlic confit. Steaks are aged for a minimum of 21 days and hand-cut on premises. Pelican’s menu is a combination of timeless classics and rotating weekly specials that take advantage of the freshest seafood and local produce available.
Summer is the perfect time to create lasting memories. Families can immerse themselves in a little friendly competition at Maniacs Mansion, an arcade and toy museum boasting all-you-can-play vintage arcade games and a cereal bar stocked with a diverse selection of classic and rotating seasonal cereals, milks, and toppings.
At Crashworks STEAM Studio & Makerspace art meets engineering. Guests are invited to dive hands-on into exploration and creation. While the end product is always exciting, it’s the journey through the creative process where the true fun resides.
Make a splash at Castaway Cove this summer with a variety of attractions for all ages and preferences from gentle tube rides to thrilling high-speed slides and the expansive wave pool to the relaxing lazy river. Littles are not left out of the fun with their own play area featuring shallow pools, water features, and slides.
Indulge your summertime wanderlust and leave the traffic and noise of everyday life behind and unwind with us. Experience why everyone is falling in love with The Falls.
