Looking for a fun, local adventure? Try the Q! The Q line is a FREE and FUN trolley in downtown Wichita. It’s an actual trolley car driving on the street!
I’m dating myself but I used to “drag” Douglas in high school. Fun times, right? I’m so relieved that Wichita has made changes to the downtown area to improve the ambiance and atmosphere. Who really wants to drive down Douglas with your windows down listening to loud music, honking horns, and noisy cars?! Nobody. Or at least nobody sane. But who wouldn’t love to have a trolley drive them down Douglas? Count me in!
The Q line runs along Douglas Avenue in downtown Wichita. It kinda highlights the Delano District (western edge of downtown), the heart of downtown, and the Douglas Design District (a three mile stretch along Douglas from downtown running east to almost Oliver). The three times that I’ve ridden the Q, I’ve hit each different place.
DOUGLAS DESIGN DISTRICT
The first time we rode the Q was last December and we followed the Douglas Design District. We first went by the Creamery and took a nice holiday fireplace pic of the kids. Photo op for you peeps looking for a cozy family fireplace pic. You could put it on your Christmas cards (if anybody sends Christmas cards anymore!)
You could have one pouty kid, one happy kid, and one silly kid. Isn’t that how it usually works?!
Then we hopped on the Q right outside Clifton Square.
We got on around 8 and we were the only ones on the Q that night. We rode up and down Douglas and got to see the downtown Christmas lights. It was festive and a little exciting adventure right in the middle of Wichita. The kids loved it, and it was free entertainment!
DELANO DISTRICT
The second time we rode the Q was in the middle of the day in March (during March Madness) and after the St. Patrick’s Day parade in the Delano District. Of course, you couldn’t get on the Q during the parade, but we parked on the west side of Delano and then walked and watched the parade. Afterwards, we walked downtown to check out the madness of March.
After we had our fill of the madness (it was fun but definitely crowded!), we hopped on the Q, headed back to Delano, and grabbed lunch at Picasso’s. Many people were taking advantage of riding the Q that day because it made traveling around so much easier!
DOWNTOWN
And the third time, Ryan and I rode the Q on a date night. I was in the middle of doing the Wicked Wichita Brew Tour and we went downtown to Norton’s to have some brews.
It was our first time going to Norton’s and it was fabulous. The beers were great, the beer garden was fun, and the bacon crack was AH-MAZING!
I’m not sure that it’s called bacon crack, but I seem to remember that being the name, and if it’s not, it should be. I’m going to try to make something similar to it over the next couple of weeks. I’ll let you know how it turns out!
We wanted to hit a few more spots downtown, and it was starting to rain.
Sooo, we hopped on the Q and traveled around.
We even hopped off and took a picture of the river.
That time, there also wasn’t anybody else on the Q either. I’m surprised that more people don’t take advantage of it, but maybe we’ve just hit on off nights.
FUN EVENT COMING UP
For those of you looking for a fun event coming up and a perfect opportunity for you to take advantage of the Q, you should go to the Christmas Lights Walk on December 15. It’s a guided walking tour in the Douglas Design District to see, well, uh-the Christmas lights. Small groups leave from Clifton Square regularly between 5:30 and 7 p.m. https://www.facebook.com/events/256652148362021/
Parking at Clifton Square, in the evening, is sometimes difficult. Sooo, ride the Q-line! Park alongside Douglas and hop on the Q at any of its stops to get to Clifton Square. Riding the Q will allow you to hop on and off and shop and eat all along the way. And while you’re at Clifton Square, stop in to the College Hill Creamery (shameless plug!) (and soon to be Flavors Coffee and Ice Cream Bar) for the hot chocolate bar (5 to 7:30) that will warm you up before or after your Christmas Lights Walk.
Q LINE TROLLEY TIPS
- Route Changes! They recently made changes to the routes and those changes go into effect December 15, 2018. The route is expanding farther east and west, and they are eliminating its circuitous routes through Old Town. Really simple to find the Q starting December 15: ONLY ON DOUGLAS.
- It runs about every 10-15 minutes.
- Q line stops are located about every other block (city blocks are short!) and are marked with a sign.
- Check the Q line map and schedule here. http://www.wichitatransit.org/QLine/Pages/default.aspx
- Wichita Transit also has a real time finder. http://www.wichittransit.org/Pages/default.aspx
- It doesn’t run on Sundays. Found out the hard way. Sadness.
- Pull the cord if you want to exit the trolley about a block before your stop.
- Let others off the trolley before you enter.
- HAVE FUN!