Oklahoma Ideas & Suggestions?
 

My wife and I will be in Oklahoma for three full days. Never been but not finding much that we are interested in. Flying into OKC. We are not into shopping, the zoo, or museums....etc.

Some historical stuff is cool, interesting local things, odd things, outdoor activities, and breweries are things we enjoy.

Already have my breweries together and there are not many in the state.

We are thinking that we can see what we want to see in the OKC area in a day at most. Throwing the idea around to go to Dallas, Whichita, Dodge City, or out to Amarillo/Lubbock for the other days we have. Yes, that is a lot of driving, but when I am on a trip, I do not minnd doing it and we like to cram everything we can into it. We have never been to any of these other cities.

Where would you go if you could choose one other destination outside of Oklahoma?

If I should stay within Oklahoma, tell me why.....

I would probably go for Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Dodge City can be fun, but it's pretty touristy. I'd choose Eureka Springs any day, but it's a long drive. Still, the region there is really interesting. I love love the Ozarks.

Wichita can be fun and has a lot to offer, but I can't think of any reason at all why I'd recommend Amarillo or Lubbock. To me, these are definitely drive-through places and not worth the stop unless you want to try your appetite on the gigantic steak at Amarillo's Big Texan steakhouse.

There's a lot of beautiful scenery in southern Oklahoma, particularly the southeast. And I like Tulsa and Bartlesville, which might make a nice circular trip from OKC. Both have good food, and Bartlesville has the former Frank Phillips ranch Woolaroc nearby as well as a Frank Lloyd Wright building that you can tour. Tulsa has great art deco architecture and a couple of really excellent museums.

You could blow some money at one of the various casinos.

As for breweries, Texas is now trying to catch up in the craft beer race:

http://texasbeer.blogspot.com/p/breweries.html

If you decide to go to Dallas, I would recommend a stop at Turner Falls on the way there from OKC. http://www.turnerfallspark.com/ And then continue on to Lake Murray State Park. Lake Murray is very pretty and the state park offers several things to do there. When we lived in Dallas many years ago, we used to love going there for the weekend. You could even spend the night there at the lodge or in a cabin if you choose.

http://www.travelok.com/article_page...rk-experiences

http://www.travelok.com/state_parks

Following that, you could head down to Dallas, or alternatively head to Beaver's Bend State Park which is more beautiful than Lake Murray, but in a different way. You could hike, fish for trout in the Mountain Fork River, or go canoeing down the river (best way to see some of the beauty). There are state park cabins and a lodge, as well as many nicer private cabins available to rent in that area. http://www.beaversbend.com/ I realize you said you're not into museums, but I would still recommend a stop at the Museum of the Red River in Idabel on your way to Beavers Bend. The museum has many interesting Native American artifacts as well as a complete dinosaur skeleton that was discovered in the area. http://www.museumoftheredriver.org/

Heading into Texas, right along the OK border, you will see either Choctaw casino on I-75, in Durant, or Winstar on I-35 in Thackervile. Worth a look, especially Winstar, which claims to be second largest in the world. It is something to see even if don't gamble, and there are restaurants inside, too. Winstar has a nice concert venue with some big names, too. So you might want check out their website.

I haven't been to the Cowboy Museum in NE OKC on some time, but when I last went, it was enjoyable, esp on a day when you might want an indoor activity.

The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton is spectacular. Much of Oklahoma looks Midwestern rather than western. Not there. Buffalo, elk, prairie dogs, deer, tiny settlements, a nice nature museum, and, on the western edge, high viewpoints where you can look west into real cowboy country. Gas is scarce. Make sure your tank is full before you enter.

Ft Sill is adjacent and has an artillery museum and active military training going on. On the way from OKC, you can stop in Anadarko, Indian City USA, where there is an Indian Museum and, in season, a major national powwow.

NW of Elk City off i40 is the Black Kettle National Grassland. I haven't been yet but it is on my schedule for our next visit to my in laws.

Turners Falls, south of OKC, both the settlement and the state park, are worth a trip, and there used to be a famous fried pie emporium at the intersection of I35 and US 77 tha was a notable stop on the way to or from Dallas.

In general, the little back roads in this part of the country are incredibly interesting and the urbanized areas are wretched. They are wretched because the backcountry youth have moved to the city, close to Walmart, leaving a lot of towns looking like archer, Texas, in the Last Picture Show.

Just pick a state or county route and follow it after you leave wherever you decided to go in the first
place.

What in OKC IS on your list already? That might help in making additional suggestions.

In Oklahoma City you absolutely SHOULD NOT miss the memorial to the victims of the Murrah Building bombing and the adjacent museum. The museum does a fantastic job of telling the story and is one of the best of its kind I have ever visited. The day we were there, one of the survivors of the bombing was on-site, and I talked with him for at least 15 minutes about that day. He visits fairly often.

You might want to visit the stockyards for something different. Stockyards City has cattle auctions and guided bus tours. If you like steaks, go to Cattleman's Steakhouse at the stockyards.

You might catch a rodeo at the fairgrounds.

If you want something offbeat, try the American Banjo Museum.

You can tour the capitol building (which has an oil well on its lawn) and the nearby governor's mansion to get a taste of Oklahoma history.

I agree with the suggestions of Tulsa and Bartlesville. Tulsa has a nice botanical garden (OKC has one as well, but I have not been to it). Tulsa also has Oral Roberts University—if you like architecture, don't miss its "space-age modern" campus! For something different, visit the Museum of Jewish Art in Tulsa.

If you have not already, check out the tourism websites:

http://www.visitokc.com

http://www.visittulsa.com

http://www.visitbartlesville.com

And you could win a "Special experience" in Norman (just south of OKC and home to the U of Oklahoma) by entering here http://www.visitnorman.com/entertowin/

Oklahoma State is north of OKC, in Stillwater, if you want a balanced campus experience (although it's farther away than Norman).

thanks for all the info.

Rigt now, just have the few brewpubs around OKC to stop by. The memorial area, colleges campuses (OK, OKST, maybe Tulsa), possibly Jim Thorpe House. I also put the graves of Geronimo and Lane Frost on my list but they are long drives.

I would say that Amarillo, Dodge, and the Eureka Spings ideas are out because of the length of the drives. Leaning towards one night in Dallas (tour Cowboys Stadium).

To note: beer laws are getting changed in Oklahoma soon, so you should see more breweries popping up.

Keep the ideas coming, especially the cool side roads/trips through Oklahoma.

Since Route 66 was "born" in Oklahoma, it is definitely a state treasure. You will surely be near something of interest on the old road during your trip. There are some cool oddities that make a nice little stop along it, like the Blue Whale in Catoosa: www.bluewhaleroute66.com.

Here is one website with links to different Route 66 stops in Oklahoma. Sorry it is long, but hope it works.
http://www.travelok.com/maps/view.ro...e12_Route66Map

I would also recommend the OKC Bombing Memorial. Awesome memorial! I would say it is a must see.

By the way, today is the eighteenth anniversary of the OKC bombing.

Thanks for the Route 66 info.

"To note: beer laws are getting changed in Oklahoma soon, so you should see more breweries popping up."

I hope you are right. When we were there in March to visit a relative in hospital, all we could find in the grocery was 3.2 beer. We had one local brand that was pretty good -- Mustang 33 -- but 3.2 is 3.2. I didn't find this out until the next to the last night, but it explained why there are no ales.

Here is some information on Lake Murray:

http://edgecast.data.travelok.com/ok...ATE%20PARK.pdf

http://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.4358

If you enjoy outdoor activities, you'll find more than enough to do there.

You are welcome. I liked that Route 66 site a lot. If you find yourself in Miami (pronounced My-am-uh) the Coleman Theatre is free to tour and amazing. The story behind it is fascinating.

Eskimo Joes in Stillwater . .

http://www.eskimojoes.com/

Another vote for the Cowboy museum. Definitely a museum for non museum lovers.

My sister was just in Oklahoma City last month. They found the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the bombing memorial site interesting to visit.