Northeast K-96 - Wichita, KS

The Native American Quiviras tribe inhabited the agricultural plains before French traders moved into the area. The Women's Christian Temperance Union set Wichita as its center for the Prohibition movement, and then oil was discovered, which furthered the area's popularity. Following World War II, due to its inland location, the airplane industry centered manufacturing facilities in the area, and Wichita became known as the Air Capital of the World. Cessna, Airbus Americas Engineering and Hawker Beechcraft Corporation extend thousands of employment opportunities to local residents. Agriculture also continues to be an important part of the region's economy.

Wichita and the surrounding communities host a Midwest Beerfest and Winefest, a Black Arts, Renaissance and Tall Grass Film Festival, an annual chili cook-off and numerous art and craft fairs. The Ulrich Museum of Art is a short drive away near the university.

When you yearn for traditional, slow-smoked barbecue cooked in wood-burning pits, Two Brothers BBQ has your name on a booth. Since 1997, the restaurant has served this east-side neighborhood in its 1,300 square foot space decorated with aviation memorabilia, a homage to the area's plane-building heritage and the Hawker Beechcraft factory across the street. Sink your teeth into sticky ribs, brisket and pulled pork with sides such as a cheesy corn bake, fried okra or smoked brisket chili, or chow down on the catfish or barbecue melt followed with warm homemade apple or peach cobbler.

Family-owned Barn'rds Roast Beef Restaurant touts a pretty impressive fast-food-that's-good-for-you award, the Positive Plate Award from the Wichita Dietetic Association, due to the from-scratch menu prepared fresh daily on-site. The chef makes the savory vegetable beef soup with fresh-cut vegetables and roast beef instead of hamburger meat. The roast beef and French dip au jus sandwiches contain tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef that's been slow-roasted for over three hours. The Oriental chicken salad remains a very popular choice with patrons and the giant homemade cookies hit the sweet spot for dessert.

When you've finished mowing the lawn or raking leaves, head over to the casual, warm and friendly Mulligan's Pub to find plenty of beer to quench your thirst and tidbits of goodness to satisfy your appetite. Dig into melty fried mozzarella sticks, French fries with cheese and bacon served or a variety of wings, including Jamaican Jerk and raspberry chipotle. More filling fare includes chili topped with cheese, prime rib dip, tortilla wraps with crunchy kettle-cooked chips or a personal-size flatbread pizza.

Originally an indoor miniature golf course, AJ's Sports Grill took over the space and became the home of the Perfect 300 Superdome pizza, a 10-pound pie that feeds up to 13 people, acclaimed as the biggest and best pizza in the area. Bring your pickup if you're doing take-out because the enormous pie doesn't fit into the backseat of most vehicles. Attached to a bowling alley, the bar features 15 well-placed TVs plus plenty of beer and mixed drinks to quench your thirst. Granite City Food & Brewery, a popular hangout for Wichita residents, has an on-site microbrewery serving up a noteworthy IPA in addition to generous portions of common pub-foods.

The neighborhood is car dependent, but wide sidewalks and pleasant landscaping make walking for exercise ideal. Numerous bus stops wind through the Northeast K-96 neighborhood, with cabs and Uber available as alternative transportation options. No public parking garage facilities exist in the neighborhood. Local streets easily access east-west Highway 96, and the neighborhood provides excellent, well-marked biking lanes.

Chisholm Creek park features over 2.5 miles of paved walking trails that wind across native and restored prairies, wetlands and ponds, with numerous species of wildflowers, trees and shrubs, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. No pets, bicycles or skateboards are allowed in the park. The Great Plains Nature Center hosts annual summer workshops for teachers, conducts family programs and field trips. The Chisholm Creek Pet Resort has an off-leash daycare program and a 20-acre Pup Park with a swimming pond, agility equipment, sand hills, shade trees and lots of room to run, jump and play. The local YMCA is a great place for year-round exercise in a state-of-the-art facility with a family pool, cardio strength conditioning area, steam room, gymnasium and a handy drop-in nursery.

The cost of living in the neighborhood equals that of downtown Wichita, significantly lower than other areas of the country. The average cost for public transportation is less than $2 for a one-way trip, although monthly passes assist regular riders. A one-bedroom apartment in Northeast K-96 runs approximately $715 a month, a beer at the local pub varies from $2 to $3. Gas prices in the area are 2 percent lower than the national average.

Shopping in this neighborhood is a dream with nearby stores such as a Sears outlet, Kohl's, JoAnn Fabrics, PetSmart, Sam's Club and a Walmart Supercenter. If you need a special hostess gift or just want to pamper yourself, head over to Cocoa Dolce Artisan Chocolate where master craftsmen claim they follow their own path, lead rather than follow and innovate instead of replicate. Be sure to try the Mayan, a bittersweet ganache infused with piquant ancho chili pepper; the Mocha, ganache with a hint of Kahlua Especial in a rich, dark shell; or the Cocoa d'Or that features bittersweet Tanzanian chocolate ganache wrapped in shiny gold foil.

The Golf Warehouse outfits every member of the family and carries top golfing gear in a one-stop shopping location. The warehouse carries outerwear, golf bags, shirts, balls, range finders and GPS watches from brands such as Izzo, Bushnell and Callaway.

Dillon's, Whole Foods and Aldi grocery stores dot the area. The Kansas Grown Farmers Market at the Sedgwick County Extension on 21st and Ridge Road operates an indoor market during the winter and the outdoor market opens every Saturday from April through October.