Tulsa, OK Road Trips

Situated between the prairies of central Oklahoma and the foothills of the Ozarks, Tulsa is located in the Green Country region of Oklahoma. It is also affectionately called “T-town” by the locals. Tulsa was settled in the mid-1800s by the Loachapoka Band of Creek Native American tribe. A booming city during the 1920s, rich oil barons built stately mansions and skyscrapers, turning Downtown Tulsa into a treasure trove of art and architecture. Tulsa was the most important hub for the American oil industry for most of the 20th century. Tulsa sustained heavy economic hardships during the oil crises of the 1970s and 1980s which led to diversification efforts that created an economic base in the energy, aviation, finance, telecommunications, and technology industries. Tulsa is known as the arts and culture center of Oklahoma. Tulsa contains two world-renowned art museums, the Philbrook Museum of Art and the Gilcrease Museum of Art. Tulsa also boasts full time professional opera and ballet companies, which are a rarity in the region. Tulsa contains one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco in the nation, ranking number 9 on US News and World Report's list of top cities for Art Deco. Tulsa has also been called one of America's most livable large cities by Partners for Livable Communities, Forbes, and Relocate America. In Tulsa you will find old west charm and southern hospitality as well as a cosmopolitan atmosphere. The people of Tulsa take pride in their city, welcoming outsiders with open arms. Most are willing to help you find your way around.

1 Creek Council Oak Tree, 18th St. and Cheyenne Ave. It was under the Creek Council Oak Tree in 1836 that the Lochapoka Creek Indians kindled a ceremonial fire using live coals they had carried from their Alabama homeland. This oak was Tulsa's first town hall, first conference room, first church and first court of law. This tree symbolizes the spirit of Tulsa's early settlers. Penguins on Parade. There are dozens of 6 ft (1.8 m) tall penguin sculptures scattered throughout the city. It is a local art project to raise funds for the Tulsa Zoo. The fundraiser began in 2002 as a way to raise money to build a black-footed African penguin exhibit. As of 2012, you could still find more than 50 of the penguins in and around Tulsa. 2 Tulsa Botanical Garden, 3900 Tulsa Botanic Dr (Take the L. L. Tisdale Parkway north to the Gilcrease Expressway and go west. When you get to N 41st West Ave, go north. When you get to 43rd Street North, go west and the road turns into Tulsa Botanic Drive. Take that 0.7 mi (1.1 km) to the entrance), ☏ +1 918 289-0330. Tu W F-Su 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-8PM, closed Monday. The mission of the Tulsa Botanic Garden is to promote the beauty and importance of plants and nature to create a more sustainable and harmonious world. $8 - ages 13+, children ages 3-12 $4, Children under 2 free. (updated Apr 2019) 3 Greenwood Cultural Center, 322 N Greenwood Ave, ☏ +1 918 596-1020. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Serves to promote the history of Tulsa's Greenwood District, which was home to one of the worst racially-motivated massacres in American history (in 1921).

1 America's Incredible Pizza Company. 2 Safari Joe's H2O (formerly Big Splash Water Park), 4707 E 21st St, ☏ +1 918-749-7385, [email protected]. (updated May 2021), 3 Sky Zone Tulsa. - located in Tulsa 4 BOK Center, 200 S Denver Ave, ☏ +1 918 894-4200. Tulsa's sleek, and modern center is the pride of the city. Opened in 2008, it has hosted such acts as The Eagles, Celine Dion, Elton John, and Billy Joel. With fine dining nearby and numerous hotels to stay at, this center is the centerpiece of Vision 2025, a plan to revitalize Downtown and certain parts of the city. Depends on act/performance. 5 The Center of the Universe. At the top of a pedestrian bridge in Tulsa. The bridge goes over the railroad tracks from Archer St. to First St. West of the Jazz Depot and immediately north of the Williams Center Tower. If you stand on the opposite side of the brick circle from someone else, you hear their echo, but not your own. If you stand at the center of the brick circle and talk, you will hear yourself echo, but others will not hear any echo. Overlooking the Center of the Universe area is a large, totem-like steel sculpture called Artificial Cloud. 6 River Spirit Casino Resort, 8330 Riverside Pkwy (81st & Riverside), toll-free: +1-888-748-3731. (updated Jan 2018) 7 The Expo Building (QuikTrip Center), 4145 E 21st St. Contains what was once the largest unobstructed indoor area in the world. The "Golden Driller" in front is still pretty impressive. Hosts numerous shows including home and garden shows, arts & crafts events, boat show, gun and knife shows.

If you're looking for nicer restaurants, then the major dining corridors can be found along 15th Street South ("Cherry Street") near downtown, along 71st Street South near Woodland Hills Mall, in the Brookside district near midtown, the Blue Dome district, and in the Utica Square shopping area. However, if you want an authentic experience, then you should be looking for good barbecue and regional fast food chains like Taco Bueno. For dessert, head to Braum's for Oklahoma ice cream. This popular regional chain does farm-to-fork dairy products, and refuses to open stores more than 300 mi (480 km) away from their home farm in Central Oklahoma. 1 Albert G's, 2748 S Harvard Ave. (Midtown), ☏ +1 918 747-4700. M-Sa 11AM-9PM. Tasty BBQ run out of an old gas station. 2 Elmer's BBQ, 4130 S. Peoria Ave. (Brookside), ☏ +1 918 742-6702, [email protected]. Tu-Th 11AM - 8PM, F Sa 11AM - 9PM. This barbecue place is not to be missed, seeing Bill Clinton and other celebrities among its past patrons. "It be bad." 3 Jamil's, 3823 E 51st St (Midtown), ☏ +1 918 742-9097. Tulsa's oldest steakhouse. Known for Lebanese style appetizers (Tabouli, hummus, cabbage rolls, etc.) and desserts, along with traditional steakhouse fare. 4 Rib Crib, 1601 S Harvard Ave (Midtown), ☏ +1 918 742-2742. Remarkably successful joint from midtown. Opened in 1992, but has managed to franchise into 8 states. The original location burned down a few years back, but they rebuilt this in its place. 5 The Chalkboard, 1324 S Main St (in the Hotel Ambassador, just N of 15th). Fantastic bistro cuisine.

1 Arnie's Bar, 318 E 2nd St. (Blue Dome). Tulsa's Irish bar since 1956. (updated Feb 2016) 2 The Max Retropub, 114-C S. Elgin Ave. (Blue Dome). 2PM-2AM. Late 1980s-early 1990s themed bar and arcade, featuring Skeeball and tons of arcade cabinets many Gen X'ers will remember from their childhood. Also featuring gourmet junkfood. (updated Feb 2016) 3 Kilkenny's Irish Pub, 1413 E 15th St (Cherry Street), ☏ +1 918 582-8282. Has a nice selection of beers, nice atmosphere and good food. Pours the best Guinness. A little more upscale than McNellie's. (updated Feb 2016) 4 McNellie's Public House, 409 E 1st St (Blue Dome). An Irish pub with over 60 beers on tap. (updated Feb 2016) 5 White Lion Pub, 6927 S Canton Ave. A very authentic pub in South Tulsa. The proprietor brought much of the furniture and decor from an actual pub in England. They serve English food and drink. Make sure to try the "Brown Bitter" ale. (updated Aug 2021) 6 Cafe Cubana, 1328 E 15th St (Cherry Street). (updated Feb 2016) 7 Topeca Coffee, 115 W 5th St (at The Mayo Hotel). (updated Feb 2016) 8 Coffee House on Cherry Street (Cherry Street), 1502 E 15th St. (updated Feb 2016) 9 DoubleShot Coffee Company, 1730 S Boston Ave (18th & Boston). Local coffee roaster and barista, DoubleShot caters to Tulsa's coffee snobs and neighbourhood residents. Be sure to ask the staff about their trips to origin. (updated Feb 2016) 10 Gypsy Coffee House & Cyber Cafe, 303 M.L.K. Jr Blvd (Brady), ☏ +1 918 295-2181. 11AM-midnight. Tulsa only late night coffee house downtown, great desserts and the best espresso.

1 Microtel Inn & Suites - Admiral Place, 16518 East Admiral Pl, ☏ +1 918 234-9100. 2 Super 8 Motel - Downtown, 3211 South 79th East Ave, ☏ +1 918 660-8080. (updated Feb 2016) 3 Hyatt Regency Tulsa, 100 E 2nd St (adjacent to Williams Towers and the Tulsa Performing Arts Center), ☏ +1 918 582-9000. (updated Feb 2016) 4 Doubletree Hotel - Downtown, 616 W 7th St, ☏ +1 918 587-8000, fax: +1 918 587-1642. (updated Feb 2016) 5 Doubletree Hotel - Warren Place, 6110 S Yale, ☏ +1 918 495-1000. (updated Feb 2016) 6 Postoak Lodge & Retreat, 5323 W. 31st St. North Tulsa, ☏ +1 918 425-2112. (updated Feb 2016) 7 Hyatt Place Tulsa-South/Medical District (Hyatt Place Tulsa Southern Hills) (7037 South Zurich Avenue Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136), ☏ +1 918 491-4010. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated Feb 2016) 8 Hotel Ambassador, 1324 S. Main St, ☏ +1 918 587-8200, fax: +1 918 587-8208. Also housing the excellent Chalkboard restaurant. (updated Feb 2016) 9 The Mayo Hotel, 115 West 5th St, ☏ +1 918 582-6296. Once regarded as the preeminent Tulsa luxury hotel when she opened in 1925, the Mayo Hotel has convenient amenities, superior services and an exclusive address in the heart of downtown. (updated Feb 2016)

Tulsa is served by one major airport and three general aviation airports. 1 Tulsa International Airport (TUL IATA) (in the northern part of Tulsa). It has major airlines with direct flights to major cities in the U.S. It is a small but nice airport with sofas and chairs all around and a very laid-back feel. The car rental area and parking is well integrated. The airport offers free short term parking (first half-hour free). 2 Richard L. Jones, Jr. Airport (RVS IATA often called the "Riverside Airport") (is south of downtown). Is a general aviation airport. 3 Okmulgee Regional Airport (OKM IATA) is south of Tulsa and is a general aviation airport. 4 William R. Pogue Municipal Airport (FAA LID: KOWP) is west of Tulsa and is a general aviation airport. 5 Greyhound Lines, (bus station) 317 S Detroit Ave (downtown), ☏ +1 918 584-4428, toll-free: +1 800 231-2222. Connects Philadelphia to Los Angeles continuously through Pittsburgh, Columbus OH, Indianapolis, St Louis, MO; Springfield MO, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, RS TA Truck Stop in Say, OK; El Reno, OK; Elk, OK; Amarillo, Albuquerque, Gallup, NM; Flagstaff AZ, Phoenix, AZ; Blyth, CA; San Bernardino, CA; Los Angeles and points in between. They also have a shorter route connecting Tulsa to Dallas (via Plano, Durant, McAlester, Atoka, Muskogee, etc). Passengers transfer in Dallas or in an intermediary stop on the longer Philadelphia - Los Angeles route to reach additional cities. Connections to the Amtrak Heartland Flyer is in Oklahoma City and to the Texas Eagle is in Dallas or St Louis.

Thanks to urban planning, the major city streets are placed in a grid layout. Almost all major intersections are 1 mi (1.6 km) from each other, and exactly in a straight line. That makes it much easier to find places than in cities where streets go every which way. The major exception is downtown, which is slanted at a 25 degree angle to the rest of the grid. This is due to the original town not facing true north and instead putting main street at a 90 degree angle to the original MKT railroad tracks. Several freeways and bypasses can be used to easily get around the Tulsa Metro area: I-244, I-44, US 169 (Mingo Valley Expressway, "Pearl Harbor Memorial Expressway"), US 75, US 64/OK-51 (Broken Arrow Expressway, The "B.A."), and OK-364 (Creek Turnpike). The streets and avenues are planned on a 1 mi (1.6 km) by 1 mi (1.6 km) grid system, with the main arterials running on each mile. In the core of the city, named avenues run north/south and are named after US cities, generally in repeating alphabetical order (for example, Winston-Yale-Allegheny-Braden). In the mid-town area the names are taken from colleges and college towns. North/South is divided by Admiral Blvd. Name streets East of Main are cities east of the Mississippi River, vice versa for name streets west of Main. In the parts of the city farther from downtown, north-south streets are numbered. It is important to recognize that the specific format of the north-south numbered street names is North/South 145th East/West Avenue.

Take precautions as you would in any other larger American city. Generally speaking, the areas of Tulsa immediately north and east of downtown have a rough reputation and caution should be taken. The tornado sirens are tested at noon on Wednesday, but they are not tested if it is rainy, stormy, or very windy. You might want to check the tornado safety page if you are visiting Tulsa. Tornado season is normally in the spring and early summer, but they can occur anytime during the year. Oklahoma Weather is very harsh on road conditions and road repairs are needed on an almost yearly basis. Please be prepared to slow down or stop for road workers as fines double for accidents in work zones as specified by Oklahoma State Law. Swimming in the Arkansas River is inadvisable due to the large amounts of pollution and the currents created by the dams near downtown. The intersections along 71st Street, especially the one at Memorial, are amongst the most dangerous in America. Drive defensively.