7 Best Tourist Attractions and Places to Visit in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Written By Alla Levin
November 29, 2021

7 Best Tourist Attractions and Places to Visit in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Situated along the Arkansas River and Route 66, Tulsa is the second-largest city of Oklahoma State of the U.S. The city is well-known for its rich history and oil production. 

Splendid green spaces attract tourists from all over the world, including the world’s top chefs presenting their farm-to-table creative collections. The city offers fun and recreation to the visitors throughout the day, as well as at night.

On a walk in the city, you will find small cafe-corners and restaurants still selling breakfast for a price as low as $1.99. With art-decorated structures throughout the streets downtown, you may come across Philtower Building, also known as the BOK office tower.

The towers get their inspiration from the design of the World Trade Center destroyed by an offensive act on 9/11 tragedy.

Weather in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Visitors experience the wind in the city, even when no tornado season is there. The climate is subtropical and humid, with an average yearly temperature of 14°C. The Weather in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is favorable all around the year for tourism. 

The summers are muggy and hot, while winter is short with chilly winds. The temperature in Tulsa varies between -1°C in winters to 35°C in summers. October and November months are best to visit Tulsa.

Tulsa offers a variety of places worth visiting. From museums to zoos to gardens and other natural sightseeing places, many such places of attraction will give you a new resemblance of the city.

Best Tourist Destinations in Tulsa

Here is a list of some best places to visit when in Tulsa.

Route 66Route 66

A section of Route 66, running through Tulsa, is a reversion of an earlier period. This section of road is lined-up with rural building structures that give a glimpse of older times. While driving through Route 66, you can find some of the places still embracing a small-town lifestyle.

Do give some of your time to Ollie’s Station Restaurant, which is an inspiration for an animated Hollywood movie, Cars. Enjoy the memorabilia from the movie shoot, along with the traditional Oklahoma food. During your drive on Route 66, do give a visit to places like Campbell Hotel, a perfectly restored building of the 1920s, and Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza.

Philbrook Museum of Art

It is a historic building surrounded by a garden encompassing 23 acres of land area. The building was once a property of Waite Phillips, an oil tycoon.

It is a mansion having 72 rooms and one of the most famous places in Tulsa, attracting a maximum number of tourists. Artwork from Africa, America, Europe, and Asia are the prime collection to exhibit. The gallery of antiquities features Egyptian mummification history.

Changing its exhibits regularly throughout the year is a feature of Philbrook Museum, making it different from other museums.

Tulsa ZooTulsa Zoo

The zoo focuses on the conservation of nature and education. You can find the pieces of evidence as you move through the place. You will never be able to watch the animals in their natural habitats so closely as in Tulsa zoo. The zoo provides a simulated native atmosphere to the animals.

The Lost Kingdom is an Asian-inspired garden exhibiting animals like Komodo dragons and Malayan tigers. The chimpanzee families offer you a chance to get closer to them as they roam freely in the exhibit’s outdoor and indoor areas.

You can take part in special events and educational programs conducted by Tulsa zoo. Take a ride on the ONEOK Safari Train to cover the grounds of Tulsa Zoo if you feel tired of walking.

Woody Guthrie Center

It is wise to spend some time in the Woody Guthrie Center. The center exhibits the powerful lyrics of Guthrie and its influence on the music all over the facility. It also exhibits a few personal belongings of Guthrie, like the mandolin and his lyrics journal. The center provides an opportunity to know the background of Oklahoma native folk music.

Those interested in history can go through the archives of manuscripts, artwork, books, and photographs of the artist.

Places to Visit in Tulsa Oklahoma: The Golden DrillerThe Golden Driller

The Golden Driller statue of 76 feet in height is worth seeing. Tulsa is a name related to the oil industry, and there were times when drilling derricks were very common in Tulsa. The statue represents a part of Tulsa’s oil drilling history.

Another reason to visit here is that the stop is not at all time-consuming. The only time you will waste is to capture a photograph of a 76 feet tall statue in one frame.

Places to Visit in Tulsa Oklahoma: Cave House

One of the most unforgettable and unusual attractions of Tulsa is the Cave House. The Flinstone-esque design makes it a sightseeing structure to visit in the downtown area. An appointment is required to visit the place as it is a privately owned property.

The unusual décor and architecture have given birth to many unusual stories relating to the cave house. Once a restaurant in Tulsa, it served chicken way back in 1924, have an interesting history.

Gathering Place: Riverfront Park, TulsaGathering Place Riverfront Park, Tulsa

Gathering Place is a splendid public space of 100-acre along the city center. The riverfront is designed for outdoor adventure, social interaction, and conversation. Swing Hill is the highest point of the park, situated above Peggy’s Pond. There are gardens, a boathouse, a lodge, and nature trails for recreation activities. Sports courts offer volleyball and basketball games.

The park is famous among the locals and visitors. The park area stretches along the Arkansas River, which provides relaxation and recreation to the guests. Gathering Place schedules events and functions throughout the year.

Tulsa, Oklahoma – A Destination Worth Visiting

Tulsa is famous for its rich history and great architecture. Most of the places of attractions in Tulsa are close to the city center. It is better to stay in any of the downtown lodges. The transportation facilities are excellent; however, you can cover most of the area walking.  

Apart from the sightseeing places mentioned in the list, there are many other spots of attraction. With the ease in the covid-19 pandemic norm, Tulsa is a great place to visit.

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