Best Things to Do in Tulsa

The crown jewel of Tulsa’s outdoor scene, and maybe even the entire city, is this scenic swath of urban green space along the Arkansas River. Within the Gathering Place you’ll find walking trails, a skate park, a spacious lodge, obstacle courses and plenty of places to escape into the woods. You’ll also see a complete cross-section of the city, so you’ll learn as much about Tulsa’s people here as you will its nature.

For urban hiking with a little more challenge, head a few miles south of downtown to Turkey Mountain. Here you can traverse over 300 acres of native trees and animals, stopping to reflect and relax by one of its tranquil ponds.

Kayaking along the Arkansas River is a refreshing way to see the city. But for something a little more idyllic, head to this lake into which the river flows. Much of it is surrounded by a state park, where you can rent a boat or spend the night in a campground.

The Philbrook is almost as notable for what’s outside the museum as what’s inside. So once you’ve finished perusing the easily accessible collection of local and classical art inside, take an hour or so to stroll the palatial gardens outside. The terraced, flower-packed landscapes and peaceful stream make one feel as though they’ve stepped out of Oklahoma and onto an Italian villa.

This classic, old Art Deco movie house was converted from a massive single-screen theater to a three-screen miniplex. It shows independent movies and art films every night, and offers a unique movie-going experience for those longing for the golden age of cinema.

Tulsa’s boom years of the ’20s and ’30s coincided with the rise of Art Deco architecture, and outside of Miami Beach no city in America has more of it to see. This hour-and-a-half tour takes you past 10 of the city’s most significant Art Deco structures, teaching you as much about Tulsa’s history as it does about the facades.

This neighborhood a few blocks northeast of downtown is named after an old gas station along Route 66, which still stands as the area’s historic centerpiece. The Boxyard shopping center is Blue Dome’s biggest attraction, with independent shops, restaurants and a bar set in shipping containers. Blue Dome is also chock-full of cool spots to eat and drink, like the German-style beer hall at Fassler Hall and the breakfast classic Dilly Deli.

The rehabbed redbrick warehouses across the railroad tracks from downtown are Tulsa’s best neighborhood for food, cocktails and live music. The legendary Cain’s Ballroom — a dance hall dating back to 1924 — sits on the far end of the district. You’ll also find Tulsa’s top craft cocktail lounge at Valkyrie, its best burger at Tavern, and Tulsa Drillers baseball at ONEOK Field.

A trip down Route 66 is a must in Tulsa, and you’ll find the best of the highway’s classic souvenir shops and Instagrammable signs in The Pearl. But it’s not all about tourist photos here: The Pearl also houses some of Tulsa’s best spots for beer, like the sand-themed Pearl Beach Brew Pub and stalwart American Solera Brewery.

Step into 1921 Tulsa at this interactive museum on the most important intersection in Greenwood. Through immersive films, photos and live-action holograms you’ll learn the story of Greenwood and the Tulsa Race Massacre through the eyes of those who lived it.

The lone structure to survive the 1921 massacre was the basement of the Vernon A.M.E. Church. Residents quickly rebuilt the church as the structure that stands today, with the historic wall intact as a monument and reflecting place called the Prayer Wall.  

Across the Pathway to Hope from the Greenwood District you’ll find this public park, where you can wander through a labyrinth or learn Oklahoma’s history along the side of a towering art installation.

If the weather is nice, there’s no better place to enjoy it than the sunny rooftop at Welltown. This brewery boasts the city’s top elevated outdoor patio, where you can soak in the sun and the skyline with a cool sampling of lagers and light ales.

Baseball and beer: This brewery right off the main entrance to ONEOK Field lets you sample local craft beers before, during and after Drillers games. Even if you’re not here for baseball, you can belly up and watch other sports while eating pizza at their massive center bar.

The most interesting beers in Tulsa can be found about ten minutes from downtown, at this unassuming taproom on an industrial strip just off I-244. While Heirloom might not be for everyone, if you’re into stuff like British lager with coffee, fruited goses and oak-fermented beers it’ll be like nothing else you’ll find in Tulsa.

While bars and restaurants everywhere try to duplicate the taste and feel of New Orleans, Nola’s actually comes close. The dripping chandeliers and menu of Creole classics will impress even New Orleans natives, where everything from po boys and muffalettas to Cajun fried chicken make for a calories-be-damned delight.

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into Santa Fe at this white adobe eatery from James Beard Award-winner Kevin Nashan. The chef opened it as a tribute to the restaurant his family ran in New Mexico, with a menu full of fresh tortillas, stacked enchiladas and plenty of green and red chiles.

You know when you ask locals for food recommendations, they always list off a bunch of places, then pause, then suggest one item from one place you HAVE to have? That’s the kimchi fries at Lone Wolf, the sandwich shop’s signature item that Tulsans seem to agree is a must-eat. Though the Vietnamese-fusion sandwiches are pretty good too, so if you want more than fries for dinner, try the cilantro pesto chicken.

Temporarily closed as of July 2022

Locals will tell you that BurnCo can hold its own with any barbecue joint south of the Red River. Judge for yourself and order up a pound of their smoked brisket, then immerse yourself in the smoky surroundings while devouring it at a long wooden table. If you have plans for the rest of the day and don’t want to spend it in a brisket-induced food coma, grab a pulled chicken sandwich and cover it with BurnCo’s famous sauce.

Formerly known as “The Old Lady on Brady,” this stately brick theater dates back to 1914. It was the city’s premiere live music and performance venue for decades, and is as much a lesson in the city’s history as a place to catch a show. Haunted legends abound about the building, but if you’re not afraid of ghosts it’s one of the coolest places you’ll ever see a show.

A neon sign at the end of the Tulsa Arts District beckons visitors with a pink promise of ballroom dancing. And while its days as a 10-cent dance hall are long gone, the “Carnegie Hall of Western Swing” and its spring-loaded maple dance floor is still going strong. The historic home of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys was indeed the epicenter of Tulsa’s genre of country-estern music, and you can see all the ballroom’s history on the walls while watching rock, country and other bands today.

Tulsa’s most historic hotel is this Art Deco gem in the heart of downtown. The Hilton Curio Collection property has a chic, midcentury design in the rooms and the lobby, with a spacious rooftop terrace to take in the city views. It’s walkable to the Blue Dome District, Arts District, Downtown and almost everywhere else you’d want to go in the city. And if you do want to venture farther out, the Tulsa Club has a free local shuttle.

To immerse yourself in the Blue Dome District and all its retro glory, grab a room at the Indigo. The building has bars, restaurants, a bowling alley and even a comedy club within literal feet. The interior is the colorful, modern decor you expect at an Indigo. Plus, there’s also a sweet rooftop bar at Roof Sixty Six and fried chicken at Prospect Local Bar and Kitchen downstairs.