Well, we have a senior at OCU - so just a few more trips from Ohio to OKC! Just wondered if there is anything we have missed over these past 3 years. Also, we'll be there for a week in October and would like to do "something" for 2 of those days- maybe Tulsa? Any suggestions?

Here's what we've done/seen - (at least what I can remember off hand):

SITES:
National Memorial (day and night) & Museum
Crystal Bridge & Botanical Garden
National Cowboy museum
Art museum
Omniplex
Photography museum (and the "other" place - can't think of the name - they're all at Omniplex)
Paseo
Bricktown

RESTAURANTS:
Classen Grille (boy, will I miss this place!!!! We go there and actually know people!)
Terra Luna Grill
Ted's Cafe Escondido
sushi place (can't remember name -- on Western?)
Souper!Salad! (ok - we don't have these in Ohio - loved it the first 2 years, but it has gone downhill since then)
Flip's Trattoria
Hideaway Pizza
Some places in Bricktown, but can't remember the names offhand
(we like to go to local places - chains are all right if it's not something we have at home)

SHOPPING:
Penn Square & 50th
All the shops on Western

Thanks!!

Guthrie, have you been to Guthrie. Not alot there, but nice to walk the town and hit some of the shops there.

Nope, never been to Guthrie - I'll add it to the list. Thanks!!!

Sure, I go everytime I visit OKC. How about the Bass Pro Shop in Bricktown?
To me it's nice, but I like those stores anyway.

Oklahoma Art Museum - Cocktails on the Roof at the Art Museum -have you seen the wonderful Chiluly Exhibit?

Sam Noble's Natural Art's Museum in Norman

The Zoo is great.

Red Rock Canyon or Pearls on Lake Hefner

Toby Keith's Bar and Grill
River Boat Ride
Nonnas Restaurant in Bricktown

Have fun!

Close to OCU is Little Saigon (officially the Asian District) on NW 23rd and Classen. Just north of the intersecton you'll find Grand House for dim sum and Chinese food and the Super Cao Nguyen market. Sala Thai on NW 23rd west of Classen, is also a favorite. There's also a developing multicultural center/gallery in the golden dome bank tower on that intersection's southeast side. For Spanish tapas, try Tom and Jerry's also west of Classen on 23rd. For shopping, try the 23rd Street Antique Mall on 23rd and May west of OCU.

On the other side of town, is Cafe Bella, a terrific coffee and tea bar and bistro. You'll find the city's best espresso there, as well as boba tea (featuring tapioca balls) and Vietnamese po boys. It's on SW 89th and Penn.

If you can make it at that time, try going to Stockyards City on Agnew and Exchange in South OKC. You can watch a cattle auction on Monday and Tuesday mornings and have a steak and lamb fries at Cattlemen's. You'll find some great western wear there too, at Langston's and other places.

As Karried mentioned, a restaurant AND experience is taking in the sunset at Red Rock Canyon Grill at Lake Hefner. Why not earn that dinner and bring your bikes or rollerblades to the Lake Hefner Trail connected to the restaurant development.

I know you mentioned the Museum of Art, but I recommend attending one of the Cocktails on the Skyline on Thursday nights (also Saturday/Sunday from noon to 3PM). It has become quite a scene. Check it out at http://www.okcmoa.com/cocktails.htm .

Another classic OKC restaurant is Sleepy Hollow, where is focus is the cast-iron fried chicken. Another classic is Applewoods on Memorial Road in far north OKC.

Besides the Asian district, there's also the city's Hispanic district on Commerce Street, east of 25th and Walker. Some new streetscaping marks it. You'll find some restaurants there.

Drive through the historic homes in Heritage Hills and Mesta Park. These neighborhoods are between NW 13 and NW 23 from Western to Robinson. You'll find some Mission, Georgian Revival, Prairie School, Chatauesque, and Craftsman style homes there:

http://www.okc.gov/planning/hoods/heritage/HeritageHills.html
http://www.okc.gov/planning/hoods/mesta/MestaPark.html

In terms other towns, I second Guthrie. The other cool small town, IMO, is Bartlesville. Sleep in the only skyscraper designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Check out the Woolaroc Museum (for Native America) and Wildlife Preserve. Other attractions and restuarants can be found at http://www.visitbartlesville.com/

Finally, of course, there's Norman, the home of OU. The campus is beautiful, with lots of attractions from sports to terrific museums. Of note is the aforementioned Sam Noble Natural History Museum and the Fred Jones Jr. Art Museum, with a new wing dedicated to its French Impressionist collection. Even the campus buildings are cool, from the Student Union, to Gaylord Hall (journalism school), to the library. You can grab a bite to eat on Campus Corner on Boyd. All around the campus you find historical markers, public art and gardens. Overall, it's a great orientation to Oklahoma history. Outside of campus, it has a nicely developing Main Street too.

ha,ha.... Cocktails on the Roof does sound much less sophisticated than Cocktails on the Skyline... I knew it didn't sound right when I originally typed it ... thanks floater for the clarification...

No prob. I was typing so long, you slipped in first. I didn't catch that you had already mentioned it.... :bow:

Wow - great list - thank you!!! We actually did the Heritage Hills/Mesta Park and Nichols Hills drive through at Christmas one year (day and night). That was awesome. Yes, we must get to Red Rock Canyon Grill - it's always been closed when we've gone (too early or too late), so I need to find their hours. Cocktails at the art museum...I do need to see the Chiluly one more time (although we now have one in Akron, OH that I need to go see as well -it's outdoors at the University of Akron.)

And now, maybe I can go to Bartlesville, which I've wanted to do for 2 yrs. I'll tell my hubby that it was recommended by an expert. You've listed some other great options, too - I'll see how many we can fit in!

Some of those places we've driven by many times, but just never stopped. Thanks again for all your help Floater, Karried and mariner62 - I really, REALLY appreciate it.

They aren't in OKC but are worth the short drive.

Okarche:
Eichen's Bar--the best fried chicken in the state

Chickasha:
Roy's BBQ--Forget about Jake's, Roy's is the true king of BBQ. Best time to visit Chickasha is during the Festival of Lights
(late Nov. through New Years Eve).

FYI,

Sleepy Hollow closed a couple of months ago. Not sure of the future of that restaurant.

Some other local restuarants for you:

Rococo's
Tom and Jerry's
Cheevers
Thai House
Boca boca
Deep Fork

If you liked the historic neighborhoods, Crown Heights and Edgmere Park are nice too. The houses are about 20-30 years later than Heritage and Mesta (more tudor influences, I think, but I don't know much about architecture).

Might hit Martin Nature Park out on Memorial.

You can take a tour through a couple of the old historic homes in Heritage Hills, namely the Overholser Mansion and the Hefner Mansion.

Taking a stroll through Coles Garden across from the National Cowboy Museum might be an option.

If you're into Softball, the National Softball Hall of Fame is nice.

Oklahoma Firefighters Museum is pretty neat.

A trip to Anadarko to see Indian City, USA.

A short trip to Medicine Park to see the Whichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

Lake Murray, Arbuckle, Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur.

Frontier City/White Water Bay

You might pickup a tour guide at the OKC Convention and Visitor's Bureau. They're pretty inclusive.

In addition to the restaurants mentioned here:

Might as well try Braums. Can't beat their ice cream.

Kona Ranch Steak House (on Meridian and I-40)

Lottinville's in Edmond.

Bricktown Brewery

Coach's

Oklahoma Station BBQ

Johnnies

Keller in the Castle German Restaurant (a must see)

The Haunted House (Fancy Restaurant but very hard to find...but worth it once you find it)

Well, if you would like to come to Tulsa, there are a couple of things to try.

Brand new, opening it’s new campus in September is the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. It’s in north Tulsa near Tulsa International and not far at all from Mohawk park, which has the Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum and a pretty good public golf course.

Also new, there’s the Tulsa Historical Society’s new museum. Just south of downtown on Peoria, it’s right next to Harweldon and the Tulsa Rose Gardens, which itself is next to the outstanding Woodward Park. Right down the street is the classic Utica Square, the states finest shopping plaza with Sak’s, Miss Jacksons and many other upscale shops and restaurants.

Also just a few blocks away is Philbrook, Waite Phillips (Phillips 66) oil mansion reborn as a fine museum filled with renaissance art, Native American art and artifacts and one of the finest formal gardens in the United States. Philbrook is in the Forest Hills area, which is filled with many mansions built with oil money, and just a few blocks from there is Maple Ridge, with it’s Black Gold Row of mansions. On the northern edge of Maple Ridge at 18th and Boston on the edge of downtown is a great little nightlife district often called SoBo.

To the east of Maple Ridge is another nightlife and shopping district, called Cherry Street, lining 15th St to the southeast of downtown are art galleries, restaurants, antique shops and pubs. To the south of Maple ridge lies Tulsa’s restless ribbon, Brookside. Lots of galleries, upscale stores and shops, bars, restaurants. And by far most of the restaurants are NOT chains. Upscale places to eat include Monte’s Chop House, Table Ten, Ford’s Filling Station (Head Chef and Parted owned by Harrison Ford’s son), In the Raw, and many more. Less upscale but just as good are Elmer’s BBQ, Weber Rootbeer Stand and Claud’s Hamburgers. To the west of Brookside on the river is Tulsa’s Riverparks, miles of parkland and trails lining the Arkansas River.

You can head downtown where Tulsa has one of the best collections of Art Deco buildings in the world. The Adams Hotel, Boston Avenue Methodist Church, The Philtower, The 320 S Boston Building, the list goes on and on. There is a bar and restaurant district on the east side of downtown known as the Blue Dome for a classic Art Deco blue domed gas station that has been converted to a classic Irish pub. In the northern part of downtown are two areas to see, first the Brady Arts District, another gallery, bar and restaurant district. And then there is Greenwood, the restored last remaining section of America’s Black Wall Street that in 1932 was the scene of the worst race riot in American history. Also to the north of downtown visit Gilcrease Museum, which has the largest and probably the best collection of western art in the world.

In south Tulsa is Woodland Hills Mall, the states largest mall and shopping district. On the river in south Tulsa (Jenks) is The Oklahoma Aquarium, which is a great attraction by itself, but then next door is the Riverwalk with riverfront stores and restaurants, a great place to spend the day.

Out east is the Cherokee Casino and Resort, the states most upscale casino. Gambling, upscale hotel, bars and restaurants, golf, whatever you want is there.

In Claremore to the north east of Tulsa is the JM Davis Gun Museum and the Will Rogers Memorial.

There is much more than what is on this list, but that will more than fill a few days.

Another restaurant you might try in Edmond is called Cascata. It's a very upscale italian restaurant. There is also the UCO Jazz Lab in Edmond which has live shows on weekends and they serve Hideaway Pizza. Also I don't know if it's been mentioned, but another place in Edmond is Boulevard Steakhouse, which is known for really good steaks.

For your two day trip, I will recommend a couple excursions. The Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge is a couple hours southwest of OKC and is the oldest National Wildlife Refuge. You'd be suprised by the size of the mountains down there, and it's very scenic. There is a drive to the summit of Mt. Scott with a great view, a really nice visitors' center, and make sure to eat at the famous Meers Restaurant.

Another option is the Ouachita Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma. It is a bit longer of a drive but it is well worth it. This area is known as the "Little Smokies" and a couple highlights are the Winding Stair National Recreation Area in the Ouachita National Forest, which includes the Talemina Skyline Drive, which follows the ridges of the Winding Stair Mountains east into Arkansas. Just south of there is Oklahoma's most beautiful state park (imo), Beavers Bend. It is a very popular getaway for Dallas-ites and it encompasses Broken Bow Lake and rolling pine-covered foothills. This area is also part of the Ouachita National Forest. The Beavers Bend area has some really nice cabins you can rent for a night or two. There are several rental companies but I highly recommend this one: http://www.beaversbendgetaways.com/.

Here's some other links:

Boulevard Steakhouse: http://www.boulevardsteakhouse.com/

UCO Jazz Lab: http://www.ucojazzlab.com/

Ouachita Nat'l Forest: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/ouachita/recreation/

Beavers Bend area: http://www.mccurtaincountygetaways.com/

Wichita Moutains NWR: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/oklahoma/wichitamountains/

http://www.bikeusa.com/wichita/treasuresmall.JPG
The Wichitas

http://www.biosurvey.ou.edu/okwild/images/talimena.jpg
The Ouachitas

That is gorgeous - I'll bet the fall foliage would be especially gorgeous in this area.

Good call, jbrown. I love the Wichita Mountains -- the scenery, the hiking, the buffs in their native state. Incidentally, it's where Patrick proposed to Megan :love_bed:

AWESOME IDEAS!!!! Thank you so much. We'll definitely check out those links, JB. And, Swake - thanks, too, for your Tulsa ideas. We went there on a day trip about 2 years ago - I loved the Art Deco buildings. I want to go back now and see some of the things you've suggested. Hmm...think I may need to put together a ballot for the family to vote on what they'd like to do. (I'm so glad I found this site!)

If you decide to go to Tulsa, no need to get a new Tulsa travel Guide. If you have one from back in the 80's, nothing has really changed in it! LOL!

If you decide to go to Tulsa, no need to get a new Tulsa travel Guide. If you have one from back in the 80's, nothing has really changed in it! LOL!

LMAO, Patrick. Okay, that's enough.

Very nice, pithy almost........

If you decide to go to Tulsa, no need to get a new Tulsa travel Guide. If you have one from back in the 80's, nothing has really changed in it! LOL!
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Good One

That is gorgeous - I'll bet the fall foliage would be especially gorgeous in this area.


Yes, I grew up in the area and the fall colors are absolutely stunning. I haven't done it in years, but I used to tour Talimena drive and stop for a good meal and fun just across the Ark. line at Queen Wilimena State Park. It's one of the better places to camp this time of year due to the location on top of the mountain and gets every breeze.