Image by WIN-Initiative / Getty Images

Oklahoma

Oklahoma gets its name from the Choctaw name for 'Red People.' One look at the state's vividly red earth and you'll wonder if the name is more of a literal than an ethnic comment. Still, with 39 tribes located here, it is a place with deep Native American significance. Museums, cultural displays and more abound.

The other side of the Old West coin, cowboys also figure prominently in the Sooner State. Although pickups have replaced horses, there's still a great sense of the open range, interrupted only by urban Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Oklahoma's share of Route 66 (the largest of any state) links some of the Mother Road's iconic highlights and there are myriad atmospheric old towns.

Explore Oklahoma

0

Latest Stories from Oklahoma

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Oklahoma.

  • Historic Building

    Price Tower

    You can tour the only Frank Lloyd Wright–designed skyscraper ever built, the 221ft Price Tower (1956). Inside and out it is like Architectural Digest…

  • Wildlife Reserve

    Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

    The 59,020-acre Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge protects bison, elk, longhorn cattle and a frenetic prairie dog town. Wildlife is abundant; observant…

  • Museum

    Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame

    Tulsa's beautiful Union Station is filled with sound again, but now it's melodious as opposed to cacophonous. During the first half of the 20th century,…

  • Visitor Center

    Decopolis

    Part museum, part souvenir store, part bookstore, part candyland, this multifaceted place should be your first stop in downtown Tulsa. All things art deco…

  • Museum

    Woody Guthrie Center

    Woody Guthrie gained fame for his 1930s folk ballads that told stories of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. His life and music are recalled in this…

  • Museum

    Cherokee Heritage Center

    The excellent Cherokee Heritage Center features Native American–led tours through a re-creation of a pre-European-contact woodland village and 1890s…

  • Film Location

    Pony Bridge

    So named for the 38 'pony' trusses that comprise it, this landmark Route 66 bridge is 3944ft long and crosses the Canadian River and its flood plains…

  • Museum

    Gilcrease Museum

    Northwest of downtown, off Hwy 64, this superb museum sits on the manicured estate of Thomas Gilcrease of the Muscogee Creek Nation, who discovered oil on…

  • Sculpture

    Centennial Land Run Monument

    Four dozen huge bronze sculptures, spread across several hundred feet of open land near Bricktown, capture the chaos and drama of the 1889 land rush that…

  • Architecture

    Boston Avenue United Methodist Church

    This 1930 church, rising at the end of downtown, is an exceptional example of the city's art deco architecture. It's 15 stories tall and was designed by…

  • Area

    Paseo Arts District

    With its Spanish Revival architecture, lively bars and over 20 funky art galleries, this is Oklahoma City's most bohemian corner.

  • Museum

    National Route 66 Museum

    Several museums in one, including old cars and photos, a re-created pioneer town and a farm museum.

  • Historic Site

    Fort Gibson Historic Site

    Built as a frontier fort in 1824, Fort Gibson came to play an integral – and notorious – role in the Trail of Tears. It was home to the removal commission…

  • Historic Site

    Hunter's Home

    This 1845 plantation home recreates pre-Civil War life in Oklahoma. George Murrell, who was of European descent, married Minerva Ross, a member of a…

  • Historic Building

    Henry Overholser Mansion

    Fittingly, Henry Overholser, known as the 'Father of Oklahoma City,' lived with his wife Anna in what remains Oklahoma City's grandest mansion. This three…

  • Museum

    Will Rogers Memorial Museum

    The hilltop Will Rogers Memorial Museum, 30 miles northeast of Tulsa off Route 66, is an engaging tribute to a hugely popular local entertainer from the…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Oklahoma.

  • Activities