You might think a state immortalized in a classic Broadway musical (“Oklahoma!”) would do a little better in attracting visitors. True, there's little in the way of glitz and glamour, but as with many of the other heartland states, Oklahoma offers an interesting history, some pretty scenery, hospitable residents and a pleasing mix of American cultures.

The state is distinguished from all others as the real land of cowboys and Indians. Many states had the cowboys (and requisite cattle), but Oklahoma was once a piece of land set aside just for Indians. It was the destination of the so-called Five Civilized Tribes, who marched from their homes in the Southeast (this became the Cherokee Trail of Tears) to resettle in Oklahoma Territory. Having come from the South, many owned slaves, too.

Today, more than 60 tribes are represented in Oklahoma, and the state is the official home to 39 tribes, more than any other state. As a result, Oklahoma is a major center for Indian culture, whether the visitor’s interest runs to special events, interaction with Native Americans or museums.

Oklahoma also is the site of the famous 1889 land rush whereby the federal government set a specific date after which white settlers could claim land there (no other place in the world saw settlers arrive in quite such circumstances). This was followed by oil booms, and then, simultaneously, the drought-induced Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, sending so-called Okies west, as described in John Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath.”
The cowboy culture survives, in museums and in real life. Visitors can taste it all, beginning with the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City and moving on to ranches for extended stays and the rodeos or other festivals that reflect the state’s unique past. Also, more than a million acres of water in the former Dust Bowl now attract visitors, most often from nearby states, for boating, waterskiing and fishing. Hunting for deer and quail is also popular, so Oklahoma can court outdoorsmen as well.

Spring, summer and fall are the best times of the year for leisure travel, given the hot summers, which are great for water sports, and the hunting seasons.

Hone your rappelling, or your rock climbing, skills in Robbers Cave State Park. The park is also popular for mountain biking, backpack hiking and horseback riding.

Go mountain biking at the Lake Elmer Thomas Recreation Area, where trails are described as advanced or expert — or simply gut-wrenching. The trail at Roman Nose State Park also is described as advanced.

Chase rattlesnakes and sample rattlesnake as food at the Mangum Rattlesnake Derby in Mangum. There are several such rattlesnake hunts in the state.

Drop in on another can’t-miss event: the World Championship Cow Chip Throwing Contest in Beaver, wherein contestants toss dung barehanded.

Play in the dirt and sand: Take your motorcycle (or dune buggy or four-wheeler) to the state parks with setups for off-road driving: Beaver Dunes State Park; Little Sahara State Park, and Lake Murray Resort Park. You can camp in all three parks for an extended stay.

Go waterskiing at the huge (93,000 acres) man-made Lake Texoma, which sits on the Oklahoma-Texas border. Or, fish for record-setting catches of catfish and smallmouth bass.

Go parasailing or ride a waverunner on the Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees. Try the water trampoline, too.

Visit the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa to see the world’s largest collection of art of the American West and a wide-ranging collection of Native American art and artifacts.

Scuba dive or go fishing at Broken Bow Lake.

See the windmill museum in Shattuck, then look for sites on the Texas-Oklahoma Wind Power Trail to learn about this alternative to oil.

Attend the outdoor drama, “Trail of Tears,” performed in summer in an 1,800-seat amphitheater in Tahlequah.

Get close to the source of your beef: Explore the Stockyards City cattle market in Oklahoma City. Sit in on a live cattle auction on Monday or Tuesday morning. Then, sample Oklahoma steak.

Have a canoe or kayak float trip on the lower Mountain Fork River.

Stay at a ranch for a western experience that runs the gamut from cookouts and cattle drives to trail rides, fishing and even snake hunting. Participate in ranch work, too, if you are inclined.

Attend the Oklahoma Indian Nations Pow Wow in Concho.

Find a rodeo that fits your schedule. In Freedom, the annual event is called Rodeo & Old Cowhand Reunion and includes a chuck wagon feed and melodrama called “The Great Freedom Bank Robbery & Shootout.”

See a town frozen in time. Guthrie was Oklahoma’s first state capital, but only until 1910, after which things got awfully quiet. Today, 100 buildings, or about 90% of the downtown area, are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Attend the OK Mozart International Festival in Bartlesville in June.

See candles being made at Keepsake Candles in Bartlesville. Then, buy candles to take home, along with a range of other Oklahoma products.

Take a sightseeing cruise or dinner cruise on the Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees.

Have a guided tour of the 200 million-year-old alabaster cave in Alabaster Caverns State Park.

Play golf at Cedar Creek Golf Course, dubbed Oklahoma’s Little Augusta.

Look for whooping cranes and migratory waterfowl at the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. Approximately 300 bird species are attracted to the salt plains and nearby marshes and reservoir. (Also, be sure to protect yourself from the bright reflections from the salt flats.)

Find the annual Civil War reenactment event in Yale. You will hear speakers discussing life during the war era as well as walk through the camps and tents and see the recreated battle. Alternatively, see a reenactment at the Dripping Springs Rendezvous in Okmulgee, in this case, built around life in the 1830s.

Overnight in a landmark Tulsa home, the McBirney Mansion, which offers six guest rooms and two suites.

For more information, consult the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department at www.travelok.com

back to top