L

My boyfriend is being transferred to Tulsa from Southern California and is prepared for some culture shock. I'm planning on some visits in the next few months to see if it's a place I would even consider living. Can anyone suggest the highlights for this midwestern city? Best sightseeing, best restaurants, etc. Thanks!

Ryn

It's been awhile, but I went to grad school in Tulsa. It's actually a rather pretty place, surprisingly green and hilly.

Things: downtown has the largest collection of art deco buildings outside of Miami, including a church.
There are also quite a few very nice examples of streamlined architecture as well. The shopping is pretty good in Tulsa, as there is a LOT of oil money in the area.

Art: Lots of very good Native American art, especially at the Gilcrease. The Philbrook Museum is a very impressive art collection.

Can't tell you about restaurants, it has been too long. There were plenty of very good ones 15 years ago; I'm thinking there will be many more now.
Some counties in Oklahoma are still dry counties, Tulsa went wet in 1984, which means you can have a glass of wine with dinner now (without having to buy a "club card" to do it.)

If you like outdoorsy stuff, there are lots of lakes and parks in the Tulsa area, so hiking, rafting, etc. are certainly available.

The cost of living will be very low compared to what you are used to. Generally, Tulsans tend to emphasize family life, and the percentage of regular churchgoers is very high.

cd

I remember a riverpark for biking,walking and running that was nice. I also remember it was easy to get around traffic wise.

gc

Tulsa should be a pleasant surprise. There is a lot of old money there (from the oil patch)which has its benefits. There are good restaurants and a good amount of high tech culture (American Airlines reservation center is in Tulsa).

Make no mistake, it has its share of rednecks, but it is not the wasteland that some think.

MD4

All the good things mentioned here are true- you will be pleasantly surprised. Some highlights to check out:
For shopping, Utica Square is my favorite- open air, mostly upscale stores and great places for a girls lunch- check out Wild Fork and Cafe Boston. The Polo Grill is nice for a romantic dinner. There are also several other traditional malls (Woodland Hills, Promenade).

Restaurants- Tucci's (great patio!), Pomodori's and Mary's for Italian; Sobo Loco (Latin American, another great patio); The Warren Duck Club (very expensive steak place, but very good); Flavors (variety); Genesis Grill (variety); Atlantic Sea Grill and Bodean's for seafood; Bourbon Street Cafe for Cajun; Mezza Mediterranean.

Nightlife areas- midtown especially has seen growth in the last couple of years and downtown is trying really hard. New places are opening all the time. Main districts include Brookside, Cherry Street, the Brady District, 18th & Boston and the Downtown District. All have an assortment of bars, restaurants and some fun boutique shops.

For the size city we are, we have a lot to offer culturally. Broadway shows, the ballet, art museums, the symphony in addition to seasonal things like the Utica Square concert series every summer.

Hope this helps- if you have additional questions, post them and I'll try to answer.