Welcome to Oklahoma

With more drivable and diner-dotted miles of iconic Route 66 than any other state, Oklahoma is tailor-made for the classic American road trip. As you cruise around the Sooner State, you’re treated to a landscape full of wide-open plains, low rolling hills, steep river valleys and dramatic sandstone ridges.

One of the most popular routes for sightseeing is the Talimena National Scenic Byway. It stretches from Talihina in eastern Oklahoma to Mena in Arkansas, but the bulk of the route’s 54 miles run through Oklahoma. The drive winds along the ridge of the Ouachita Mountains through the western arm of Ouachita National Forest.

If you find yourself visiting or passing through Oklahoma City, you’ll want to stop at the Oklahoma National Memorial and Museum, which stands in remembrance of the lives lost during the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. The memorial is deeply moving and a testament to the strength of Oklahoma City. The attached museum offers an excellent learning experience for young people.

Other popular attractions around the state include the Oklahoma City Zoo (which sprawls across 110 acres in the heart the city), the Myriad Botanical Gardens (also conveniently located in downtown Oklahoma City) and Tulsa’s Philbrook Museum of Art (housed in a luxurious Italian-style villa and surrounded by lush gardens).

Adventure

Oklahoma is home to three national parks and 32 state parks, so you’ll have no trouble at all finding a great spot to stretch your legs, put some miles on your mountain bike or snag a freshwater trout.

Just west of Oklahoma City lies Red Rock Canyon State Park, where visitors can explore well-groomed hiking trails that are set against the backdrop of striking red canyon walls. On several points along the trails, you can still see the deep wagon-wheel ruts left by settlers who were traveling westward on the old California Trail.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma is a must-visit for hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers. Across its 59,000 acres roam herds of bison, Rocky Mountain elk, white-tailed deer and Texas longhorn cattle.

In northern Oklahoma, you can visit the largest publicly accessible natural gypsum cave in the world at Alabaster Caverns State Park. Guided tours are run through the well-lit cave daily. The park itself sprawls across 200 acres.

Entertainment

The spirit of the Old West, with its romantic open-range sensibility, still resonates throughout the Sooner State. As such, it’s no surprise that one of the most popular events on the yearly calendar here is the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo. Held each March at the Oklahoma State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City, this is one of the most prestigious rodeos in the country, attracting riders from around the world.