Like the name implies, Boats and Bikes specializes in boats and bikes! Specifically, renting boats and bicycles. This place is owned/attached to Wichita State University, and this location is the training base of the university's rowing team. The people who work here have a lot of experience with the equipment they're renting, from my experience.
I visited on a sunny Wichita day to rent a kayak to paddle on the Arkansas River. I'm not the most enthusiastic kayaker, to be honest. In fact, I almost backed out of this little adventure. But the kind people at Boats and Bikes made sure I was safe and secure in my vessel. They even offered to give me a thingie to put my phone in so it wouldn't end up at the bottom of the river. (Oh wow! I didn't even think about my phone getting wet, let alone ending up at the bottom of a murky body of water. Good looking out.) The river was calm the day that I visited, though, so I didn't feel like my phone was in danger at all. I had a nice little paddle on the lake. It was fun. From the Boats and Bikes livery, you can paddle by Exploration Place and to the Keeper of the Plains monument.
At the end of the river excursion, they gave me a bottle of water, which was nice. One thing to keep in mind is that the parking for this place is a little ways away from the actual location. It's a little confusing, actually. You might need to call and confirm where to park. read more
