10 Fun Things to Do in OKC: Weekend Guide to Oklahoma City

I am a participant in affiliate programs, so basically I earn a small commission if you use any of the affiliate links on this post - at no extra cost to you! Dope right?

How the heck did I end up in Oklahoma? Well, it’s a funny story.

Actually, I’m lying. It’s not a funny story. In fact, it’s the most bland story in the world. Step 1: I realize I hadn’t been to Oklahoma. Step 2: I go to Oklahoma.

Seriously, it was as straightforward as that. In the summer of 2021, I was doing a three week roadtrip in central USA. I started in Colorado, then decided to drive through Tornado Valley, aka Kansas and Oklahoma (and a little bit of Texas at the end). To keep a long story short, I had the highest expectations of Colorado, which fell short (that’s a whole other blog post), and surprisingly Oklahoma ended up being my favorite of the states I visited. Who knew there were so many things to do in OKC, and even MORE outside of the city.

Oh, and just so I don’t have to type Oklahoma City out every 5 seconds, Oklahoma City = OKC.

Throughout this post, if it sounds like I’m hyping DA HECK out of OKC, it’s because I am. Despite the state’s policies, I enjoyed the actual people I interacted with in Oklahoma City. And the FOOOD. Oof I can’t wait to get into the food. Buuuut, you know me. I always gotta do a book report. So, if you’re interested in learning more about Oklahoma City, please keep reading! Or, if you want to just straight into the meat of things to do in OKC, please use the Table of Contents hahah.

THE BASICS

• State: Oklahoma
• Nearest Cities: Tulsa (1.5hrs), Wichita (2.5hrs), Dallas (3hrs), Bentonville (3.5hrs)
• Closest International Airport: Will Rogers World Airport (OKC)
• Ancestral Lands: Wichita, Kiowa, Osage, Caddo, Comanche, Kickapoo, Cheyenne-Arapaho (as well as the Chickasaw, Seminole, and other Nations who were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and relocated here)
• Best season to visit (in my opinion): Late spring-fall
• Transportation: Car is highly recommended (city is more sprawled out than you may expect – one of the largest land mass cities in the US!)

Background

FOR ONCE, I’m not going to go into an entire history lesson before I jump into my list of things to do in OKC. I KNOW I KNOW, where has the real Kay gone and what did I do with her???

Well, I actually did a deeper dive than expected on my Tulsa post, so if you’re interested, then read the background bit on that post. There’s some real interesting stuff to know about Oklahoma! What I will say here is that the US Government declared the territory of Oklahoma as “unassigned lands,” meaning that there were no official American settlements and no Indigenous Tribes had been “assigned” (aka, violently forced onto reservations) to the area.

Nevermind ALL of the Indigenous Nations ALREADY living, vibing, and thriving there since time immemorial. But I digress.

However, “unassigned” lands led to American outlaws escaping and Black folks setting up a life for themselves. The latter was more pressing to the government. SO, the government enacted the “The Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889” which, similar to the Homestead Act of 1862, promised “free” land to Euro-settlers of Oklahoma. Specifically, 160 acres to each settler.

That’s a lot of land to promise that wasn’t even the government’s to begin with. But again, I digress.

Immediately, 10,000 settlers flocked to what is now known as Oklahoma City. In only ten years, 1900, the settler population doubled. By the time Oklahoma City became the territorial capital in 1910, the population of Euro-settlers was about 64,000 – give or take.

OKC is often referred to as the “modern frontier,” and you’re going to see that motif played throughout the city. If you want to know the real history of Oklahoma, and why it was given the name “frontier” by Euro-American settlers, there are a few museums that paint a beautiful (though hard) reality. More on that later, but it’s one of the best things to do in OKC.

In relatively more recent years, there are a few things that have earned OKC another nickname, “The Big Friendly.” First, well, it’s a big city (land wise) and people are friendly. After the domestic terrorist attack of 1995, 7000 residents showed up to donate blood and their were multiple accounts of residents using their cars as ambulances and donating the shoes off their feet to help neighbors in need.

A few of the most notable celebrities from OKC are Charlie Christian (legendary jazz musician), Ralph Ellison (iconic American writer/scholar), Megan Mullally (actress/comedian), Sam Bradford (sport guy??), James Marsden (one of my fav actors #bringbackromcoms), and Olivia Munn (loved her back in her G4 days haha). And Hobby Lobby! Go figure.

WHERE TO STAY

Okay okay, let’s get back on track to planning your trip. Before you dive into all the dope things to do in OKC, you’re going to need a place to rest your head. I do have two suggestions, but FULL DISCLOSURE, I didn’t stay there. BUT HEAR ME OUT!!

I visited OKC as part as a long road trip, so I had to stick to a budget – at least in the lodging department. I am a loyal Hilton Honors member, so I literally just stayed at a no frills Hampton Inn on the edge of town that had free parking. I don’t even reallyyy remember the hotel, but it worked for my situation. However, if you want to have a good lodging experience (and don’t want to drive 10 min just to get into the meat of OKC RIP my rental car mileage), then I recommend staying at either Bradford House or the 21c Museum Hotel Oklahoma City.

I always recommend Bradford House first because, as I learned on my trip, it is a small boutique hotel that is beautifully decorated and hosts one of the best things to do in OKC (more on that later). They have really good food and is located in Uptown OKC.

Now the 21c Museum Hotels in themselves are works of art. Literally. They feature huge art galleries. They are located in a few different cities around the US, and I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the ones in Louisville, KY and Bentonville, AK. I actually ran into the OKC location during a flash rainstorm and I needed cover, then I spent the next hour cruising through the halls looking at art and penguin statues (you’ll understand when you visit). This one is located in the arts district, near a lot of fun things to do in OKC so it’s a great choice as well.

When I come back to OKC, and I DEFINITELY will come back, I’m going to stay at one of these two spots.

What to Eat

Omg, the foooood in Oklahoma City. When I say one of the best things to do in OKC is EAT, I mean it. I would estimate about half of my time in OKC was spent stuffing my face. AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND. For sure, you will find delicious food in the city probably without even trying, but below are a few of my favorite spots that I visited on my trip.

As always, be sure to check the opening times and days for the restaurant below. I have the terrible habit of just showing up and expecting an establishment will be open….that way of thinking has failed me MANY times. Don’t be like me! For this blog post, I tried to narrow down my absolute top favorites if you were visiting just for a 2-4 day weekend, and it was really hard. So if your personal fav didn’t make my list, please, it’s nothing personal!! BUT, feel free to drop your own recommendations in the comments below if you’ve visited a restaurant in OKC that you loved!

Also, as a disclaimer for this post in general, I did a terrible job at taking pictures during this trip. Partly because it was raining and just not great outdoor weather.

Partly because I’m a space cadet and…simply forgot about taking pictures haha. When you’re not an active content creator on social media anymore, it’s really easy to forget okay?? I also never think about blog posts or prepping for content before I visit a destination, so the photos I do take are really random and irrelevant most of the time haha. SO with that in mind, please excuse my use of stock images for the following suggestions about food and things to do in OKC. I promise I was actually in Oklahoma City!!

Cafes & Coffee

One of my favorite activities in any new city is check out the café scene. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see tooo much of it in Oklahoma City.

I was much to busy eating.

BUT, I did enjoy the few cafes that I did stop into! I’ll have to put together a little list of all the boba spots, tea houses, and coffee shops in OKC that I went to (it won’t be long), but until then, my favorite place to pick up a caffeinated beverage was at Culture Coffee. It’s located only a few minutes outside of the busy area of Bricktown, so it’s close but has the casual-paced atmosphere. It feels very residential and calm, which is personally what I look for in an ideal coffee spot.

Vibe aside, they have fantastic specialty drinks, with really unique combinations. I just looked up their current menu and the summer specials are a Honey Peach Mint Latte, Coconut Key Lime Chai, and a Hibiscus Berry Matcha. Noww, you cannot lie in my face and tell me that doesn’t sound absolutely divine. So that’s my top recommendation for coffee and snacks.

If you’re more of a teahouse pal, then All About Cha has a few locations but I went to the one in Bricktown. Super cozy, and even better tea. It seemed like a hot spot for students and those working from home, so if you want to get some work done while visiting OKC, this a great spot!

And for juice – Wheeze the Juice was my favorite of the few I visited, located in the Deep Deuce neighborhood!

Breakfast

Breakfast was SUCH a good start to the day, and really fueled me up for all of the fun things to do in OKC. Don’t judge, but twice on this trip, I woke up really early just so I could eat breakfast twice.

I know. It’s giving obsessed.

For this list, I tried to prioritize spots that were open every day or most days of the week and not “weekend brunch only” menus. Just in case you visit on days outside of conventional weekends (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

• Kitchen No. 324: The offer breakfast all day (PLUS) with great pastries as well.
• HunnyBunny Biscuit Co: If you’re a buscuit gal, you’re gonna wanna go here!! The fact that the bring fried chicken and collard greens and caramelizzie onions…surpreme.
• Waffle Champion: As the name suggests, all waffle based menu items, but they get really creative!
• Hatch: So I ordered Hatch to go and ate my scramble in my rental car (they were PACKED), so I’d recommend going here early. The food was amazing tho, so I GET IT.
• Cafe Kacao: I originally went here for coffee after I had already eaten, but I HAD to order their small brunch tostadas after smelling the food haha. DEF holds its own for food.

Lunch

For lunch, you’ve got a few options. First, I want to say that if you are a fan of BBQ, then you have to give Oklahoma BBQ a try. I had a few Oklahomians (is that a word??) recommend two spots, but I unfortunately only had time to eat at one. The three top recommended spots were Leo’s BBQ, Texlahoma BBQ (outside the city), and George’s Happy Hog BBQ. I opted for George’s Happy Hog and it was delicious and are open most days (except Sunday) which can sometimes be hard to find for BBQ joints.

Aside from that, I feel like I ate less lunch spots during my time in Oklahoma City. Honestly, my days were so full of the things to do in OKC that it was a struggle to pull myself away for a sit down place. But I have a few suggesties!

(Photos by VisitOKC)

• Carican Flavors: Really good Jamaican spot, def get the oxtails
• Florence’s Restaurant: Soul food that also isn’t too heavy (not that “heavy” soul food is bad, but I try to avoid the itis during lunch or I would never get to all the fun things to do in OKC). Yall know I love a good wing, but I also highly recommend their daily specials! Honestly you can’t go wrong here
• Parlor OKC: For lunch, I stopped by a few food halls – which I appreciate in big cities. It’s nice to have a variety, especially when you’re meeting up with a large group of friends or with people with temperamental taste palettes that can’t agree on one cuisine. Parlor has pizza, chicken, pasta, burgers, tacos, sushi…it basically covers all the basics! Another option is Fassler Hall, though it is more of a beer hall with German snacks like sausages and pretzels. I’m not a beer person so I didn’t go, but it sounds like a good spot if you do like beer!

Dinner

I am MOST excited to talk about the dinner options because it’s where I felt the city really shined. Eating dinner is easily one of the best things to do in OKC. Without further ado–

• Grey Sweater: One of my favorite restaurants IN THE COUNTRY. I cannot speak high enough. It is a bit of a fancier tasting menu meal, but worth every single penny. I would go back just to eat here and leave.
• Black Walnut: The sister restaurant to Grey Sweater, but a tad bit more everyday, if you know what I mean. Still absolutely delicious food!
• Thai Street Eats: Portland has some of the best Thai food in America, but gosh darn this place held their own against my high standards! I grabbed takeout but the food alone would make me go back to dine in.
• Off The Hook Seafood And More: I actually ate here for lunch, but for me I would’ve loved to go for dinner so I could order more. Everything was great, but my fav item was the Kool-Aid pickle haha. Divine.
• Kindred Spirits: So full transparency, I didn’t personally stop by this place (I’m not much of a drinker), but my good OKC friend SWEARS by it and honestly if I wasn’t so stuffed with food I would’ve gone for late night snacks alone. If you’re looking for a good cocktail or beers on tap, Kindred Spirits is THE spot. They also have lots of events and seasonal concerts (Sunset Sundays) so if you’re a solo traveler it’s an easy place to interact and meet new people. I’ve heard so many folks rave about it that I had to include it!

Things to do in OKC

Omg finally we’re getting to the juicy part of this blog post – fun things to do in OKC! I think the reason many folks overlook Oklahoma City as a vacation destination (aside from the fact that it’s in Oklahoma) is because they don’t really know what the interesting things to do in OKC are. Think about it. Why do people go to…say, Las Vegas. It’s because you know there are x, y, and z activities that you would be interested in.

If you haven’t heard about the things to do in OKC, how would you be interested in visiting? That’s what I’m here for. Hopefully after reading about some of the things to do in OKC, you’ll have a more well rounded view of what a vacation here may look for you and if you would enjoy your time or not (hopefully you will!).

Museums

It should come as no surprise as the biggest city in Oklahoma, but there are a lot of incredible museums. Thus, visiting one of these great museums is naturally one of the best things to do in OKC. Of course, there are the city usuals – Museum of Art, Science Museum, Museum of Natural History, ect etc – so if those are your go-to’s, then you’re in good hands.

However, I tend to only visit the “usual” museums if it’s raining or I’ve run out of other activities. But that doesn’t mean I completely forgo visiting museums in new cities; I just opt to visit more specified museums with specific topics or lessons (bonus if they pertain to the location!). Great news, Oklahoma City has more than a few of these. I’d recommend the following, depending on you interest:

• American Banjo Museum
• Museum of Osteology
• Oklahoma Railway Museum (GREAT for kids!)
• 99’s Museum of Women Pilots

And MY personal favorite museum in Oklahoma City -> The American Pigeon Museum & Library. Have you EVER been to a PIGEON museum before????? I’m betting not. SO GO HERE. If the mere thought of “what in the world is in a pigeon museum” isn’t enough to get you there, let me explain what makes it so great. The museum goes into the history of pigeons in the Americas (they used to be so numerous that they BLACKED OUT THE SKY) as well as what caused their downfall.

Can…can you guess what (who) caused their plummeting population?

Take a wild guess. You’ll be correct.

It also goes into how pigeons were used for communication, pigeon racing, pigeon pageants (YES there are some PRETTYYYY pigeons), and even the importance pigeons played during the World Wars. Pigeons are apparently a big deal. Who knew?

Well, YOU will once you visit. They’re open Friday and Saturday and admission is completely free (though donations are GREATLY appreciated if you can!).

Any other “must-see” museums?

Aside from the Pigeon Museum, I’d also highly recommend the First Americans Museum and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. They’re close to each other, their context of each kinda go hand-in-hand, and you can get a joint ticket to see both of them. Score score. The First Americans Museum (FAM) is newly opened in 2021, and challenges the inherent nature of learning “history” through a colonized lens. Along with a boatload of information, you’ll also experience the collective histories of 39 Tribes that are currently in Oklahoma today. ANDDD!! Be sure to stop by the restaurant Thirty Nine to get a taste of modern Indigenous cuisine.

My good friend Anela from Feed the Malik did a fantastic TikTok overview of the First Americans Museums, check it out for a more visual description!

As for the National Cowboy Museum, well, America’s association/fascination/obsession with (American/white) cowboys and the way of life in the Wild Wild West is directly tied to Manifest Destiny. Which…is interesting because FIRST, 1 out of 4 cowboys in the American west were Black/African American. And second, “cowboys” came from Mexico. I loved that this museum touched on the Indigenous roots of vaqueros (Mexican “cowboys”) my favorite exhibit was how the cowboy hat, one of the most recognizable accessories in the world, originated from vaqueteadas and sombreros (this exhibit is becoming a permanent one!!).

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

Another one of the fundamental things to do in OKC (at least in my opinion) is to visit the OKC National Memorial and Museum. It is a memorial that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995.

If you’re like me and born in the 90s, and also don’t know much about OKC in general, then it’s possibly you may not have even heard of the Oklahoma City bombing. The bombing was one of worst (non-government sanctioned) terrorist attacks on American Soil. You can walk around the outside grounds for free, but I recommend checking out the museum to get a deeper understanding ($15 for adults) and parking is free with admission.

It is one of the more sombering things to do in OKC, but it is such a beautifully moving memorial and shows the actual magnitude of the bombing, as well as the impact it had on the city.

Route 66

If you don’t know ANYTHING else about me, please remember that I LOVE Route 66.

Literally. That one highway is my entire personality.

Luckily for me, Route 66 passes RIGHT THRU Oklahoma, meaning I got to drive it in its Oklahoma stretch during my roadtrip through Tulsa and OKC, and then onward as I traveled to Amarillo, Texas. But it’s not just me and my affinity to weirdness, I promise. Exploring Route 66 is truly one of the most interesting things to do in OKC.

It doesn’t go into the heart of Oklahoma City, but while you’re over by the FAM and Cowboy Museum, it’s the perfect location to continue on and see a few Route 66 stops that are close by. Though, you WILL need a car for this activity. Well, unless you convince your taxi or Uber to stick around for you.

The spots you’ll be seeing close to Oklahoma City are Pops 66, Arcadia Round Barn, and John’s Place (OK County 66). Pop’s 66 is a full service gas station and convenience store – it even has a restaurant! While I didn’t eat at the restaurant, I did browse the aisles upon aisles of bottled soda (or “pop”) and bought two vintage-looking Dr. Pepper, the second best soda flavor in the world (only behind Baja Blast). Make sure to come at night to see the giant soda bottle lit up with LED lights (I didn’t and regret it immensely, whomp whomp).

Not gonna lie, I didn’t get out of my car at the Arcadia Round Barn becausee the sun was setting and I had to choose between taking pics at the barn or another stop (I chose the other stop erp). BUUUT it’s pretty iconic on Route 66 so do you. Instead, I personally opted to spend more time at John’s Place, which had a bunch of weird quirky things sticking out of the ground. In fact, those random quirky things are actual replicas of other Route 66 stops, so you can “visit” all of them in one space!

Although it’s not technically a “Route 66 attraction,” visiting the iconic Milk Bottle Grocery (it has a giant Braum’s milk bottle on top of it) is another one of the fun kitschy things to do in OKC.

Factory Obscura Mix-Tape

Hands down, of all the things to do in OKC, Factory Obscura was one of my favorites. If you’ve been to or heard of Meow Wolf, then this attraction has the same vibe. It’s not at ALL the same though, and some people might prefer that, so don’t use that comparison as a deciding factor on whether or not to go.

I’m not going to claim Factory Obscura is like…a hidden gem or one of the unknown things to do in okc. It’s not, it’s a solidly popular attraction, but when I visited, I had no idea what it was. I was actually in the area going shopping and saw the outside haha. Luckily for me though, it was a weekday and not busy at all (there were only two other small groups there, so about 6 of us total). Admission for adults is $20 usd, while those 4-12 years old are $12.

Each room is set up with a different theme, though it all flows and melds well together. Just a heads up, there is a lot of sensory stimulation – which can either be a good thing or a concern. In total, I spent about an hour there, and that felt like a good amount of time. I absolutely LOVED the gift shop, and they even had a few snacks from local small businesses like “Michi’s Paletas,” which reallyyy came in handy on the hot summer day haha.

Myriad Botanical Gardens

It’s a CLASSIC botanical garden, and a really pleasant break from the city if you’re in need for some greenery.

The gardens are a legit 15-acres, and the outdoor gardens are basically open all day every day (6am-11pm). However, if you would like to visit the visitor lobby, you’ll have to drop by Tues-Sat between the hours of 10am-5pm, and 12pm-5pm on Sundays. It’s closed on Mondays.

Aside from just being a beautiful garden, they also offer gardening classes, tree sales, various workshops, and guided garden tours for those interested in learning more about the plants on-site. Your trip might even overlap with the Flower and Garden Festival (mine didn’t whomp whomp). Honestly, visiting the Myriad Botanical Gardens is one of the best things to do in OKC just on its vast variety of activities alone.

If you happen to visit during the winter, which I didn’t, there is even an ice rink! All the more reason for me to make a return visit. Nature lovers, this is gonna be one of your fav things to do in OKC.

Afternoon Tea at Bradford House

Bradford House is a boutique hotel that is absolutely GORGEOUSSS. I unfortunately didn’t stay there, but I most definitely WILL the next time I’m in the area. What I CAN say though, is that you should absolutely go to Bradford House for their afternoon tea, AT THE VERY LEAST.

I’d go as far as to say you should be planning your trip and things to do in OKC around having afternoon tea at Bradford House.

Here’s why.

So they have afternoon tea once a month, and it is an EVENT! Everyone dresses real cute and are feelin themselves, people were meeting up with their loved ones and catching up, and it’s just a very joyous occasion that you can make as bougie as you want.

There are three different tea tiers to choose from. The first is the standard traditional tea tier with all your favs – mini sammiches, quiches, fruits, tarts, macarons, yanno the works. The second is a gluten-free version of all that. Both of those tiers come with a Bradford exclusive hot or iced tea (and you can add a glass of champagne or prosecco if you are so inclined). The last tier is for childrens and has lil crustless sandwiches, cookies, and bite-sized cupcakes (with juices and milks as a beverage).

Hands down, one of the standout things to do in OKC. If you don’t want to take my word for it, take the word of a globally acclaimed publication, Conde Nast Traveler, who nominated Bradford House as best in Hotel & Resorts for their 2022 Reader’s Choice Awards. WOO!!

Stroll Bricktown & Deep Deuce

I absolutely HATEEE when people say “oh, get lost in the xyz neighborhood! explore blah blah district” because like…99% of the time, it’s a boring suggestion.

Similar to the San Antonio and Wilmington Riverwalks, and this is the 1% situation where strolling is warranted if you’re looking for a chill and laidback break from other attractions. Or if you need to walk off all of the good food you’ve eaten throughout your trip, haha. Bricktown is smackdab in the middle of downtown Oklahoma City and actually used to be the industrial/warehouse section of the city. AKA, Bricktown (and Deep Deuce, nearby) used to be the “Blacks only” neighborhood during segregation, and suffered under the racist redlining and exclusionary acts upheld by the city and white neighbors.

Still, the neighborhoods persevered until the Great Depression when the area’s farming, distribution, wholesaling, and railroad industries went bankrupt. To top it all off, the city demolished many of the abandoned buildings and constructed a railroad right through the neighborhoods, further segmenting Oklahoma’s Black communities.

As was common in many Black neighborhoods in cities across America.

Once desegregation swept through OKC, many Black residents and businesses of Bricktown and Deep Deuce moved east of the city (1950s). The neighborhoods were effectively “cleared out for resettling,” to put things simply. In the 80s and 90s, a rich developer by the name of Neil Horton bought plots of land and many wealthy, college-edumacated white folks moved in. The city suddenly decided to reinvest public funds into revitalizing this historic district. Lemme tell ya, they did a bangin’ job too because it’s one of the trendiest neighborhoods and coolest things to do in OKC now.

Funny how that works out, huh?

soo…should you go…?

I tell you the backstory not to discourage you from visiting or anything, honestly, it’s a nice spot with a lot of things to do. BUT!!! Keep it in the back of your mind what events went into making Bricktown such a hot spot, and who the city ripped from the neighborhood in order to do it (without them benefiting or being recognized).

OKAY now with that covered, what things does Bricktown offer in terms of things to do in OKC? Well, first there’s plenty of parking garages and some restaurants validate as well so keep your ticket with you. I mostly just window browsed as I walked along the riverwalk, and that felt like a good hour or so of entertainment. Plus, I also went to an open mic night at Bricktown Comedy Club which was the highlight of the district for me. It featured a lot of local and regional comedians – AND it was free! Highly highly recommend.

Shopping

Speaking of shoppingggg….I admittedly didn’t do as much of it in Oklahoma City (since I was too busy eating), but as it turned out. I DID need to buy a new pair of pants after mine randomly shrunk sizes haha. I did a bit of window browings in Bricktown (see above) and in Paseo (but it was mostly artsy), but I also managed to find a few cute stores randomly sprinkled throughout the town while I tackled all the fun things to do in OKC. I’ll bullet them here!

• Nappy Roots Books: You know I love a good bookstore! I visited a few and this one was my favorite (and also stood out the most). The staff are all super fun and the bookstore hosts a lot of community events (tho my trip didn’t overlap with any).
• DNA Galleries: I ALSO love a good contemporary art gallery! Every month they feature a new exhibit with both established and emerging local artists! They’re over in the Plaza district, but more on that later!
• Out on a Limb: Nearby DNA Galleries, has a lot of fun trinkets and souvenirs!
• Common Dear: Also has fun trinkets and whatnots, but located in the Arts District
• Sue & Evelyn Boutique: If you’re into vintage clothing finds, definitely check out this shop. It’ll be different every visit, and it’s a bit of a treasure box because you never know what you’re gonna get.
• Oklahoma Native Art & Jewelry: As the name suggests, if you’re looking for Native American art and jewelry, this is the spot to go! Owned by Yolanda White Antelope, a Native artist herself, here you’ll find sculptures, jewelry, and art pieces from over sixty Native American artisans.
• Inspired Nail Bar: Okayyy it’s not exactly shopping but I popped in to get my nails done and it was absolutely divine. They hooked ya girl UPPP. Go and at least get ya nail beds cleaned up cuz trust, it’ll be one of the best things to do in OKC.

Plaza Walls

I’m SOOOO MAD AT MYSELF FOR NOT GETTING PICTURES HERE!!!! Honestly, I don’t even remember why I didn’t. My time in Oklahoma City was towards the end of my roadtrip, so I was probably just all pictured out. But I promise I did go and look around! See look!!

If only I had a selfie though…*le sigh

Anyways.

Plaza walls is SUPER cute. In short, it’s a few blocks in the Plaza District dedicated to beautiful murals. Kinda like Wynwood in Miami, but less structured (in a good way). Every second Friday of the month, there are art walks where new pieces are revealed and artists start up fresh projects. It’s always fun to see work being created live, but even if there isn’t any action when you visit, dressing up for pictures and taking pictures is always one of the most joyful things to do in OKC.

Visit Tulsa

And of course, if you have the time, taking a day trip to Tulsa is one of the absolute BEST things to do in OKC. I visited Tulsa on it’s own for a few days before visiting Oklahoma City, but a day trip is definitely warranted. While there are tons of fun things to do in Tulsa that could keep you occupied for a few days, in short, if you’ve only got one day or a half day, here’s what I would recommend.

If you get into town in the morning, I highly highly highly recommend breakfast and hot bevvies at Chimera Cafe. Not only do they have great toasts and bowls, but they are also one of the best coffee shops in Tulsa. After breakfast and coffee, a good morning activity would be checking out the Philbrook Museum of Art – the gardens can get a little…unbearably hot to enjoy if you’re visiting in the summer.

As lunch rolls around, or if you decide to head out a little later in the day, go to Greenwood. In fact, the rule of thumb for Tulsa in general is go to Greenwood. Hands down, the best thing to do in Tulsa is to take the Greenwood Black Wall Street Tour. It will blow your mind. That’s all I’ll say about that. Get lunch at Wanda J’s in Greenwood while you’re there!

Now, you can either head back to OKC, or….stay the whole day. I’d recommend checking out the rest of Route 66 since it also passes through Tulsa. You can check out my Tulsa post for the exact locations, but that’ll keep you occupied for a few hours. If you do decide to stay for dinner, PLEASE go to Sisserou’s. It’s my second favorite restaurant in Oklahoma, haha.

Things to do in OKC: Conclusion

So…what did you think of all the fun things to do in OKC?? This post was probably a tad longer than you expected, especially for a city in Oklahoma, but hopefully it was at least entertaining! While it’s a major city in the midwest/south-adjacent, OKC is definitely overlooked in terms of national tourism. But I’m here to tell you Oklahoma City is absolutely one of my all time top ten favorite cities in the USA.

Huh…I should do a blog post of my top ten…maybe after I at least visit all the states first.

In any case, what did you think about this round up of things to do in OKC? Did any attractions or activities catch your eye? Did this post maybe peak your interest in visiting? Let me know in the comments below! As you can probably guess, there is not limit to how much I can talk about this city haha.

Thanks as always for reading, and I’ll catch ya in the next post!

Pin for Later: Things to do in OKC

Sharing is caring!