10 Fun Things to do in Tulsa, Oklahoma: Weekend Travel Guide

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You’re probably wondering to yourself – now what in the world brought me to Oklahoma. OF ALL PLACES. And, much less, what lead to me writing an entire blog post about things to do in Tulsa? What was I doing there in the first place???

Well, inquisitive reader. Let me paint a picture for you.

I was originally going to be in South Africa for the summer, for almost a month in fact (3.5 weeks). Aside from visiting some very dear friends of mine, it would’ve also been my first time in the country AND continent, and I wanted to try to fit in a neighboring country or two, depending on how I was feeling. South Africa is a lot bigger than a lot of maps depict. Anyways, those plans were cut short when provinces locked down due to political unrest and widespread utility shortages.

So.

I needed a plan B.

The summer before, I opted for a domestic road-trip through Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. So this time I was like, let’s do that again, but three new states! So I chose Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma (with a lil bit of Texas). So that places me in Oklahoma, but how’d I get to Tulsa?

Simple, I love Route 66. It goes right through Tulsa. It was a no brainer. Plus, it turned out that there was a ton of other dope things to do in Tulsa as well, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me dial it back a bit and ease you into this weekend guide to Tulsa.

The Basics

• State: Oklahoma
• Airport: Tulsa International Airport (TUL)
• Ancestral Lands: Osage, Caddo, Wichita (as well as the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), and other Nations who were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and relocated here)
• Nearby Major Cities: Oklahoma City (1.5hrs), Bentonville (2hrs), Kansas City (4hrs), Little Rock (4hrs), Dallas (4hrs)
• Best season to visit (in my opinion): Shoulder seasons (late-spring/early-fall)
• Transportation: A car is recommended

Short History of Oklahoma

I usually fall into a bit of a rabbit hole during this bit, but since a lot of the modern-founding of the city is actually covered in one of the things to do in Tulsa, I’ll just give a quick overview here.

The state of Oklahoma is located in the mid-west of the United States of America. If you consider Kansas the dead center, Oklahoma is just right below that. Although Oklahoma is relatively closer to the east coast (compared to the west coast anyway), the geographical colonization of what would become the USA would lead you to believe that it became a state pretty early on in process. But, surprisingly, Oklahoma was admitted to the Union as the 46th state (out of 50) in 1907.

That means the entire west coast became states before Oklahoma. The only other states admitted later than Oklahoma were the non-contiguous states, Alaska and (the Kingdom of) Hawai’i, and New Mexico and Arizona.

If you read my blog post on visiting the Four Corners Monument in Navajo Nation, you’ll see how New Mexico and Arizona actually split from one another. Spoiler, it was because of racism.

Guess which state was in favor of slavery.

In any case, WHY was Oklahoma, which is essentially in the middle of the country, left alone for so long? Was it hidden from sight by natural land barriers? Is it because the government wanted to respect the Indigenous Nations living there?

Where there’s money, there’s the federal government

When the federal government “bought” the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 (which France arguable did not have the right to sell in the first place, but I digress), the land that would become Oklahoma was essentially known as “wild/unsettled/no man’s land” to Anglo-American settlers, regardless of the fact that Indigenous Nations had been there and continued to be there. Or more generally (and offensively) known as “Indian Territories.”

The reason Oklahoma stayed a territory for so long was because…the federal government didn’t see financial gains from settling there. In fact in 1830, for continued western colonization, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act, to literally forcibly remove Indigenous Nations in the east and south from their ancestral homelands and “put them where there is no/low value territories.” Yanno, so white people can settle there instead and have all the resources.

It’s too deep of a conversation to dive into here, but in terms of Oklahoma specifically, AND Tulsa, you have to know about the Trail of Tears. After gold was found in the deep south, the federal government wanted that land. SO THEY STOLE IT. President Andrew Jackson, who was personally an INVESTOR in land himself, was especially giddy about the Trail of Tears of 1830, in which the five large Indigenous Nations in the deep south (Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole) along with about twenty-one other Nations were marched out of their homes at gunpoint to what would eventually become Oklahoma.

The Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole Nations, also referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes, were forced onto reservations in Oklahoma…land which the federal government took from the Indigenous Nations already in Oklahoma (Osage, Caddo and Wichita).

Okay Biscuit, when do we get to Tulsa??

Remember when I said I would make this quick?? Yeah, don’t ever trust me on that. ANYWAYS, fast forward a bit about thirty years after the Trail of Tears to the Emancipation Proclamation (1863, which freed enslaved people…in the Confederacy, and only on paper, but I digress). The 13th Amendment (1865) abolished slavery (on paper), but that did not apply to Tribal Nations.

Guess which Tribal Nations adopted slavery into their economy. (hint: there’s a reason why white settlers referred to those five specific Nations as “civilized like Europeans”)

While the Cherokee Nation was the only one of the five to “officially abolish” slavery a few months after the 13th amendment, it was…hardly enforced. In fact, it remained even AFTER Juneteenth. It wasn’t until the late spring-summer of 1866 that enslaved people were freed from the Five Civilized Tribes.

However, within those three years, now-freed Black Americans had begun to move to Oklahoma (remember, it was still considered “Unassigned” and didn’t have the same Jim Crow laws as the rest of the country) in hopes to create a safe community for themselves. Many Black towns formed in Oklahoma, including the famous Greenwood, a neighborhood of Tulsa. In fact, formerly-enslaved Black Cherokee people (and from other Nations as well), were fundamental in the prosperity of Greenwood.

More on that later though when we touch on things to do in Tulsa – and the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Where to Stay

Omg, I got a little rabbit-hole-y, but we’re back now, and ready to visit all the things to do in Tulsa. WOO. It may have seemed like a lot, but knowing the backstory and history of a place can really enrich your experience there.

Or, if you don’t want to enrich your experience and just wanna go relax and take your mind off the millions of worrisome thoughts circling your head nonstop – no judgement, that’s what the Table of Contents at the top is for.

Anyway, moving along, where do you stay in Tulsa??

Thankfully, Tulsa isn’t the largest of cities, so no matter where you stay, you’ll still be relatively close to all the fun things to do in Tulsa. Maybe a ten minute drive or so. Since I have a Hiltons credit card (email me at awktravels@gmail if you want a referral!), I stayed in one of the Hampton Inns with free parking haha.

But a few of the more central or unique hotels would be the following: The Mayo Hotel, Ambassador Hotel Tulsa, and The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa! The hotels themselves are intricate enough that just taking a stroll through them could be considered fun things to do in Tulsa.

What to Eat

Low-key, eating turned out to be one of my favorite things to do in Tulsa. There’s just SO much good food! I could honestly go on and on, but let’s say you’re just in town for a weekend, maybe a long weekend. I’ll list my favorite three places I ate at in Tulsa for each meal. Or, if you’re looking for a great spot for a caffeine pick-me-up, check out my blog post on the best coffee shops in Tulsa!

Breakfast

• SMOKE. Woodfire Grill: casual bistro vibes, but I’d recommend going for brunch. Loved their cinnamon toast crunch with maple bacon to cut down on the sugar loading haha. The fried chicken skillet was equally tasty if sweets in the morning aren’t your thing!
• Cherry Street Kitchen: I loveddd the theme of this spot, very 60s diner. Super friendly staff, and the breakfast bowl is a gem if you’re looking for something on the lighter side.
• Chimera Cafe: I had included this one in my coffee spot (it IS a cafe after all), but their breakfast options are some of the best in the city. They have great toasts and bowls, and even their breakfast tacos are a slam dunk. Literally cannot go wrong here.

Lunch

Separating lunch and dinner is a bit arbitrary, but for the purposes of this list of things to do in Tulsa, these are the places where I went to lunch and I found typically less busy during their lunch hours compared to their dinner services.

• My Thai Kitchen: I know I’m not a Tulsa resident, but this has gotta be the best Thai food in the city. It’s up there with Portland Thai, and Portland has some AMAZING Thai restaurants (the best in the country, in my humble opinion).
• Wanda J’s Next Generation Restaurant: Perfect lunch (or dinner) spot while you’re exploring the historic and revitalizing neighborhood of Greenwood. I’d recommend getting whatever special they have for the day, or their fried catfish! It’s…whew, it’s GEWD. They also serve breakfast, which I’m sure is just as delicious!
• Mother Road Market: You’ll probably pass right by this food hall when you’re checking out Route 66 and all the other fun things to do in Tulsa, making it a great lunch option. There are dozens of options, all of which smelled amazing. There is also a test kitchen set up, so smaller food entrepreneurs can set up a temporary booth – that’s where I ate and had the privilege of tasting CharEstelle’s! There’s something for everyone at Mother Road Market!

Dinner

Ah yes, my favorite meal of the day. Mostly because it’s my favorite time to eat. What better way to end your day than to stuff your face with delicious food? There’s a lot of good options here, so feel free to take my suggestions but also keep your eye out for spots you mind spontaneously come across on your own trip! Stumbling upon unexpectedly good food is one of the best things to do in Tulsa – and travel in general!

• Sisserou’s Caribbean Restaurant & Catering: If you can only eat dinner at one restaurant in Tulsa, PLEASE make it Sisserou’s. It is…mind blowing. In fact, all of the above pictures are from Sisserou’s because I am just that in love with it. Also…my pictures from the next restaurants were not great, but I digress. EAT HERE.
• JINYA Ramen Bar: This spot was not recommended to me, and it was coincidentally one of the closest restaurants to my apartment that was still open (I arrived in Tulsa pretty late). It had NO business being this good. As the name suggests, get the ramen, but their gyoza as an appi were fantastic too!
• Get some kind of BBQ: I know Oklahoma isn’t traditionally considered “the SOUTH-south,” but you should still have a taste of their BBQ. I did a little taste test run (just ordering ribs from each place lol) to compare, and the following are my personal favs: Stutts House Of Bar-B-Q, Leon’s Smoke Shack BBQ, Oklahoma Style Bar-B-Que, and Big Daddy’s BBQ

Desserts and Light Bites

Yooo, the desserts in Tulsa had no business being this good. In fact, one of the best things to do in Tulsa is to just get a sugar high and run around until you tire yourself out. This section is pretty self-explanatory, so I’m just going to list some of my favs below. Between all of your ripping and running of fun things to do in Tulsa, make sure to treat yoself.

• Frozen Treats: Frios Gourmet Pops, Candy Castle Ice Cream & Soda Shoppe
• Sweet Treats: Pinkitzel Cupcakes & Candy, Queenie’s Pie, Morning Glory Donuts, Waffle That!
• Savory Treats: Tacos Don Francisco, Mack’s Wings
• Refreshing Treats: You Got The Juice, fROOT Bowls, Boss Tea, Cha Bubble Tea, NobiliTea

Things to do in Tulsa

Ah yes, finally, what you ACTUALLY came to learn in this Tulsa weekend travel guide. The BEST things to do in Tulsa. Now, activities in general are subjective, and definitely vary person to person and what they like to do on vacation. If you’re new to my blog – hi I’m Kay – I am someone who loves to grab a quick chai (or boba) and go shopping on vacation. I also love learning what makes particular locations unique, as well as little odd findings here and there.

You’ll see that reflected in this list of my favorite things to do in Tulsa.

Of course, these are the things that I sought out and enjoyed, but there are tons more things to do in Tulsa as well! So keep your eyes peeled, your mind open, and follow some local Tulsa bloggers and influencers for the latest and greatest things to do in Tulsa!

Black Wall Street Tour

Hands down, taking the Greenwood Black Wall Street Tour is one of the BEST things to do in Tulsa. Hands down. In fact, it was my favorite walking tour that I’ve ever done ANYWHERE. In the entire world. Wow, I cannot rate it high enough. Given by a man whose family survived the horrific Tulsa Race Massacre, you’ll learn more about how Greenwood became such a safe and prosperous city for Black Americans, earning it the title of “Black Wall Street,” and why Tulsa burned it to the ground.

The Tulsa Race Massacre was a defining point for the city of Tulsa, and it’s my humble opinion that you can’t really understand Tulsa (and America in general) without learning more about the reality of what happened.

Definitely stop by the Greenwood Cultural Center before your tour (the tour meets right outside of it) for a really great short film about how the media played a significant role in covering up the massacre. You cannot leave Tulsa without taking this tour. In fact, even if you don’t even see the rest of the city, this tour is good enough just as a day trip from Oklahoma City.

Trust me.

Museum Hopping

For such a small-ish city, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of museums in Tulsa! Even me, who isn’t typically a museum aficionado, I’ll admit that visiting at least one is one of the best things to do in Tulsa. There’s a huge variety AND the content is top-notch. My favorite museum was the Philbrook Museum of Art. It’s probably MOST visitor’s favorite museum in Tulsa haha.

I don’t like classical (aka “old”) art, but Philbrook had more contemporary pieces which is up my alley. It was a welcome surprise while I was looking for things to do in Tulsa. There’s also a beautiful garden outside, though it was a little too…HOT to walk around comfortably haha. Again, it is ideal to visit in the shoulder months haha.

Other museums that I recommend are the Woody Guthrie Center, which honors Woody Guthrie’s life and legacy and other musicians, and the Greenwood Rising Center, which offers more insight on the arc of Greenwood’s history and future.

Center of the Universe

This was a kitschy little spot that seems so random to even exist haha. In the simplest of terms, it’s a place in the city that echoes.

…

Like…that’s the only way to describe it. You really just have to go and experience it for yourself. Fair warning though, SINCE NO ONE WARNED ME, it is located right next to like, the business district of the city, so if you go during lunch, you’ll have a lot of professionals walking by on their lunch break as you talk into the air so you can hear your voice echo back to you.

Route 66

If there is one thing to know about me, it’s that Route 66 perfectly explains my personality. No further questions.

So, naturally, Route 66 was one of my favorite things to do in Tulsa, and honestly everyone should check it out! The historic road runs right through the city, with various fun markers and quirky boutique shops along the way.

Starting on the outskirts, you’ll see the Route 66 Neon Sign Park, which has, unsurprisingly, a lot of neon signs. It’s a cute spot for pictures! On your drive, stop at Foolish Things Coffee Company for a pick-me-up. Decopolis is a wild assortment of fun finds, as well as a perfect spot for Tulsa souvenirs! For a quick detour, you can take a picture of the Golden Driller Statue.

Follow the route all the way to the Blue Whale of Catoosa, a literal giant blue whale statue on a lake (beware of mosquitoes!), and Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park, a monument commemorating Native American suffrage in 1948.

Yeah, Native Americans did not have the right to vote until 1948. That’s a little over twenty years after Native Americans were granted US citizenship, with the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.

The Outsiders House Museum

“Stay gold, Ponyboy.”

Did anyone else have to read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton in school?

Did…anyone else just watch the movie instead???

Well, as it goes, you can visit the actual house used in the filming of The Outsiders movie. And it’s in TULSA?! How’s that for unique things to do in Tulsa? However, you should note that it is a weekend exclusive activity, as Outsiders House Museum is open to the public most Saturday and Sundays from 11:00am until 4:00pm. Tickets are $10 a person and can be bought on arrival!

Hard Rock Casino Tulsa

And of course we can’t forget the dope Hard Rock Casino when we talk about things to do in Tulsa! This Hard Rock Casino is owned and operated by Cherokee Nation, so you’re also supporting Indigenous business when you visit! The casino is a huge draw on its own, with tons and tonss of machines so you never feel busy, but there’s also golfing, a spa, multiple restaurants (including fine dining!), and a lot of guest entertainers and shows.

If you’re looking for things to do in Tulsa, chances are you can find SOMETHING up your alley at the Hard Rock.

Gathering Place

The Gathering Place was one of the top recommended things to do in Tulsa when I was planning my trip…and…well, don’t get me wrong, it’s nice…but I don’t want you to build up expectations.

Basically, it’s a large outdoor green space with multiple jungle gyms, obstacles, and play areas for children. That’s the bulk of the Gathering Place. Outside of that, there are mini parks within the space that would be great for a picnic, playing frisbee, or whatever people do on grass, idk I’m not a grass person. There is a large pond and you can rent boats (kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats), though you must be at least 5 years old to be inside of the boat (5-13 must be accompanied by an adult).

There is a large building with art instillations, as well as a few spots to grab snacks and coffee. Events are also often held at the Gathering Place, though there was nothing scheduled during my visit unfortunately. It’s a cool spot for sure and I really enjoyed it, but unless you have kids (or pack a picnic or something), you probably won’t spend more than an hour or so.

Visiting Indigenous Nations

One of the coolest things to do in Tulsa is brought to you by its close proximity to nearby Indigenous Nations: take a day trip out to one of them! If you have the time, it’s a good way to switch up your experience and learn more about other cultures FROM THOSE CULTURES.

It’s one thing to see a (possibly stolen) piece of pottery in some Natural Science Museum in a big city, it’s another to have the opportunity to visit a local museum that tells their own history and stories without glossing over the ongoing effects of colonization.

During my trip to Tulsa, I took a day trip out to Cherokee Nation, and I enjoyed myself so much that I went back a few months later (but, I’ll save that story for another blog post). The Cherokee National History Museum was incredible, and had a really great exhibit on Tsalagi (the Cherokee language, in Cherokee). Indigenous Nations are not a monolith, so it was also great insight on the Nation’s culture.

The Cherokee Prison Museum was super interesting too, and it’s right across the street. There’s a cluster of museums in the center of Tahlequah, so you can museum hop all afternoon! Then grab a bite at The Branch before heading back to Tulsa.

Cute Shopping

When talking about things to do in Tulsa, I can’t forget about shopping!! I know I know, travel is all about the experiences not material things blah blah blah or however the phrase goes. But you know what? Shopping is fun (even if you don’t buy anything!), and it supports local businesses! I dig it. Just…yanno, make sure you have enough room in your suitcase.

There are a few spots in Tulsa where you can just walk around and browse, like The Farm Shopping Center, Utica Square, and the Woodland Hills Mall, I’m going to drop a few of my favorite local stores that I came across!

• The Boxyard Tulsa: cute shopping area featuring tiny boutiques – and it’s made of shipping containers!
• Silhouette Sneakers & Art: Y’all…did I tell you I became a sneakerhead over the pandemic?? They have some FRESH kicks, and really unique finds as well!
• Bookstores: Hands down, head to Mocha Books and Fulton Street Books & Coffee (which also has great coffee!)
• Clothing boutiques: Lexi’s Plus Size Spot, Habit Boutique, and Off The Racks Boutique will give your closet a little love!
• Jenkins & Co: I just bought a house, so I’m personally in loveee with all things home decor! Super cute stuff in here!
• Retro Den: On that same note, I love browsing furniture stores, and this one was chic!
• Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios: located on Route 66, it has a lot of…unique things. And souvenirs! It’s a fun place haha

Things to do in Tulsa: Conclusion

Yooo, did we really just wrap up talking about all the fun things to do in Tulsa? It’s over alreadyyyy???? Yeah yeah, I could honestly talk forever, but I’ll end it here and let you get on with planning your own trip to Tulsa! So, what did you think? Do all the dope things to do in Tulsa have you ready to head there for your next trip? What would you be most excited for? Make sure to take pictures for meeee!!!

Did I leave off any of your favorite things to do in Tulsa? Let me know in the comments below!

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