Oklahoma

Experience genuine Americana in Oklahoma! Located practically in the middle of the U.S., it is a fascinating mixture of Western history, Native American culture and genuine Southern charm. With powwows and rodeos, Western museums and country music, Southern comfort food and Route 66 relics, Oklahoma’s experiences will give you a true sense American culture.

The ultimate U.S. road-trip should undoubtedly include Route 66, and where better to experience it than in Oklahoma, the state with the longest remaining sections of the historic Mother Road. With quirky roadside landmarks such as a big blue whale, big round barn, large milk bottle on a small building, a totem pole park, the Vaudeville-era Coleman Theatre and the 23-metre-tall Golden Driller statue in Tulsa, Oklahoma’s section of Route 66 certainly has plenty of photo-ops. Discover more of the history at the Route 66 Interpretive Center in Chandler, the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton or the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City, and for an authentic dining experience, make a stop at Pops 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia for a burger and choice from 700 flavoured sodas!

Oklahoma’s 38 State Parks offer everything from rugged mountain landscapes, pristine streams and pine forests to wide open plains, peaceful lakes and sandy beaches, as well as wildlife watching opportunities and options for outdoor adventures. See the iconic and majestic bison roaming the tallgrass prairie – almost extinct in the 1800s, these mighty animals have been brought back to a population of more than half a million. Along with numerous wildlife refuges and recreation areas, the state parks offer a wealth of opportunities on land and water, and for a relaxing stop on your holiday, choose to spend a couple of nights in one of the state park lodges. You can also find outdoor experiences in the heart of some of the cities, including in the Boathouse district and Land Run Monument in Oklahoma City and at the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza and the Gathering Place in Tulsa.

Oklahoma has the largest Native American population in the USA, serving as headquarters for 39 tribes. Discover rich heritage by attending a powwow or visiting the Chickasaw Cultural Center , Five Civilized Tribes Museum, Standing Bear Monument, Cherokee Heritage Center and Red Earth Art Center, home to the well-attended Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival every June. The newly opened First American tribal complex – the Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant – offers an interactive and 3D visual journey of the story of the Choctaw Nation. Pioneer history and cowboy culture is on display at the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, two can’t-miss attractions for Western art and culture. You can also see cowboys buy and sell cattle through live auctions at the Oklahoma City National Stockyards, watch a rodeo and listen to live country music in just about every town, every night of the week.