19 FUN things to do in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Last updated on May 28th, 2026

Looking for the best things to do in OKC? In this guide we’re sharing 19 FUN things to do in Oklahoma City, plus where to stay, our favorite places to eat, and more!

Despite growing up in Texas, we never visited Oklahoma. And to be honest, we didn’t have a desire to. We ignorantly assumed the entire state was flat and filled with tornadoes. 

But in our quest to visit all 50 states, we made our way to Oklahoma. And we were in for a BIG surprise! The state is nothing like we envisioned. It is filled with some gorgeous nature, including mountains (we were surprised too!), waterfalls, and rivers. Plus some super fun cities, like Oklahoma City!

Watch our jam packed adventure in Oklahoma City to see how we spent 3 super fun days in the city! 

Oklahoma City is not only the largest city in Oklahoma, but also the capital of the state, and is nicknamed the Modern Frontier as a nod to its western and indigenous culture, plus innovation and new growth. 

And that is a pretty accurate description! In Oklahoma City you can find stockyards, trendy neighborhoods, sleek and modern buildings, an amazing food scene, colorful art, and unique activities (like skiing!). All in one!

We left Oklahoma City wondering why the heck we never visited the city (or even the state) sooner! And in this guide we’re excited to share 19 fun things to do in Oklahoma City, plus some trip planning logistics, so you can experience this underrated city for yourself!

19 FUN things to do in Oklahoma City

Whether you like outdoor activities, popping into local shops, devouring local eats, immersing yourself in a museum, or seeing murals and art, there is something for everyone in Oklahoma City. Below are 19 fun things to do in Oklahoma City, based on our experience, plus a couple spots that we hope to check out next time.

Want to have these recommendations handy on the go? We created a custom Google Map above, which you can save to your own Google Maps to reference later. And if you’re curious how to combine these activities into one amazing weekend in Oklahoma city, check out this itinerary!

1. Eat at a local restaurant

We love to eat. So it’s no surprise that one of our favorite things to do in Oklahoma City is check out its local restaurants. Not only did Oklahoma City have some of the best food we have experienced in one destination, but the restaurants themselves were all so cool!

Here are some of our favorite places to eat in Oklahoma City!

Cafe Kacao

Cafe Kacao is a Latin American restaurant serving a variety of savory and sweet dishes, many of which have Guatemalan roots, plus inventive drinks. And it is easily one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had!

What we ordered:

• Horchata Latte
• Underberg Latte
• Tostadas
• Motuleño
• Desayuno Chapin
• Wild Berry Pancakes–the BEST pancakes in the world! They are basically covered in melted vanilla ice cream 😍

Needless to say we needed a wheelbarrow to help us out! And thankfully we had leftovers for later, so we could relive the delicious flavors twice.

Tip: This place is super popular and the lines can be crazy, especially on the weekends. You can join the waitlist from their website, to hopefully reduce your time waiting.

Boom Town Creamery

Boom Town Creamery is a small batch ice cream shop with tons of fun, creative flavors. This place is PERFECT for us! They not only have a neon sign on the wall that says “ice cream is always the answer,” which is basically our life motto, but they also have ice cream flights!

Their ice cream itself is super creamy and loaded with homemade chunks (our favorite). And since they are constantly creating new flavors, you’ll be able to try something new almost every visit!

The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen

At the end of our meal at The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen we both excitedly exclaimed “this is one of the best pizzas we’ve ever had!”

We got Quinn’s Burrata as an appetizer (this is a MUST!), plus the Saturday Night and Sunday Lunch pizzas. The regular crust was super good, but what really set this place apart was their gluten free crust.

Normally gluten free pizzas are lackluster. They are essentially cardboard with pizza toppings. But not here! It was the closest thing I have ever had to a regular pizza. 

Tips: Make sure to ask for the “secret sauce” to go with your pizza. And if you can, sit on their rooftop patio! We’d recommend making reservations, as this place does get busy.

Harvey Bakery & Kitchen

For coffee and baked goods, Harvey Bakery & Kitchen is a must! The green and gold interior is so bright and stunning, with lots of windows. And they even have an area where you can watch them make the pastries! 

Katiebug’s

Growing up (and even to this day), my family nickname was Katie Bug. So going to Katiebug’s in Oklahoma City was a MUST for me! This walk up sweet shop has tons of treats to choose from, like hot chocolate, cookies, an insanely good chocolate cake, and during our fall visit, apple cider donuts with caramel sauce.

It’s also the cutest place ever! The shop is located in a bright blue old house, with a great outdoor seating area, strung lights, cool signs, and even a pumpkin patch in the fall.

Tucker’s Onion Burgers

One classic Oklahoma food item is an onion burger! These are burgers with grilled onions smashed into the patty. They are nicknamed Depression Burgers because they were created during the Great Depression. Since beef was expensive and onions were cheap, they smashed a ton of onions into a burger patty to cut down on costs. And it has been an Oklahoma staple since! 

In Oklahoma City, we recommend going to Tucker’s Onion Burgers, which has a few locations around the city. The onion burgers were delicious! Even Kathryn, who doesn’t like onions, really enjoyed it!

Parlor OKC

Parlor OKC is a food hall located near Automobile Alley and is a great spot if traveling with multiple people. With 7 food stalls, plus a bar, there’s something for everyone! During our visit, we grabbed some delicious tacos and a rice bowl from OhMyGogi.

Big Truck Tacos

For an easy and cheap meal, we loved Big Truck Tacos! It reminded us of a spot you’d find in Austin, with a variety of breakfast tacos and regular tacos. 

Spark

When visiting Scissortail Park, Spark is a must! This colorful burger stand is located right at the north end of the park and has delicious burgers (it reminded us of Shake Shack), PINK fries, and custard! And if you’re craving something a bit lighter or healthier, they have a power bowl and acai bowl too.

Ma Der Lao Kitchen

One spot that we didn’t have time for while in Oklahoma City, but is at the top of our list for next time is Ma Der Lao Kitchen. This trendy spot serves Laotian food family style, which means you should definitely bring some friends and try as much as you can!

2. Scissortail Park

One of the many things we enjoyed about Oklahoma City is that despite being a large city, it still offers different ways to get outdoors. Scissortail Park is an almost 70 acre park that was just fully finished in 2022. And it’s easily one of the best FREE things to do in Oklahoma City!

The park has an upper and lower section that are connected by the stunning Skydance Bridge. Both the park name and the design of the bridge are inspired by the state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher.

At the park you can escape into nature on walking trails that go by a lake and through wetlands, play on a variety of sport courts and fields, or rent kayaks, canoes, or paddle boats. Kids will also LOVE their unique playground! 

The park hosts a Saturday and mid-week farmers market during the late spring through early fall months, plus has holiday events, like ‘Tis the Season Holiday Lights!

3. Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Conservatory

Another great way to experience nature in the city is the Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Conservatory. This is a 15 acre natural escape right in the heart of downtown with 750 different plant varieties! The gardens themselves are free, but to go in the conservatory, it costs $10.50 per adult.

4. Wheeler Park

Want to see the city from higher up? Head to the ferris wheel at Wheeler Park! Which happens to be a historic 100 foot ferris wheel from the iconic Santa Monica Pier.

The ferris wheel is only open seasonally (April-November) and there is a fee of $6 per person. But if you would rather admire the ferris wheel from the ground, it’s free to visit! And the nearby Wheeler District has some shops and restaurants, like Clarity Coffee and Taco Nation, plus pop up events.

Tip: Make sure to snap a photo with the giant OKC block letters with the ferris wheel in the back!

5. Bricktown Water Taxi

Bricktown is an area of Oklahoma City that was once filled with warehouses, but due to the Great Depression and World War II, it fell into disrepair. In more recent years, the area has been revitalized, with trenches dug to create a canal, a baseball stadium, and now lots of restaurants and entertainment options.

While in Bricktown, we highly suggest going on the Bricktown Water Taxi. This is a 40 minute narrated ride through the canal and is a fun way to see the area and learn a bit of history about OKC!

Our guide Joey was SO fun and taught us a ton about the area and the history of Oklahoma. Including some of the state’s less positive history, like the Trail of Tears, as well as the Land Rush. This occurred on April 22, 1889 and is when the US government opened some of the land they had taken from the Native Americans to white settlers, who raced to stake their claim. By the end of the day, the area now known as Oklahoma City was home to 10,000 people, sparking the phrase “Oklahoma City was built in a day.” 

6. RIVERSPORT Adventures

Did you know that you can ski and whitewater raft in Oklahoma City? We didn’t either!

Located in the Boathouse District, Riversport Adventures is one of the most unique things to do in Oklahoma City. Here you can surf, ski, whitewater raft or tube, kayak, test your mountain bike skills, climb, zip line, and so much more! 

Despite many of these activities not naturally being possible in Oklahoma City (there are no mountains to ski or waves to surf), they’ve created man made ways to get people outdoors and active. It’s such a neat concept!

During our time in Oklahoma City we got to do indoor skiing on an infinite, articulating ski slope with artificial ski grass called PoleSnow. We spent about an hour going down the slopes and it was a ton of fun! We also went to their unique climbing walls where we could race each other, take a leap of faith (only one of us had the guts to do this), and more!

7. Automobile Alley

Downtown Oklahoma City is made up of 6 different districts and Automobile Alley was our favorite!

This area was once home to over 50 auto dealers. In the 70s and 80s the area went into a decline, but in recent years it has been revitalized to be a really cool place to hang out. And you can still see many neon signs of car brands along the rooftops of the buildings!

We really loved the vibe of this area. The brick streets filled with local shops and restaurants just gave it a neighborhood feel, while still super close to the heart of downtown. As you wander around, make sure to pop into Plenty Mercantile, Common Dear, Johnny and June, and our favorite Shop Good!

Shop Good is a screen printing company and gift shop, with a bunch of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, and western focused items. Everything is very high quality and has really cool designs–no cheesy souvenirs here! We love everything they sell, so much so that we now work with them for our own merch.

If you happen to own one of the limited edition A+K shirts, they were designed and screen printed by the Shop Good team in OKC. So they hold a very special place in our hearts!

8. Factory Obscura: Mixtape

Besides shopping, one MUST do experience in Automobile Alley is Factory Obscura. This is a 6,000 square foot immersive art experience and their current exhibition, called Mix-Tape, was hand-built by more than 30 Oklahoma artists!

The exhibit includes different rooms that are inspired by the different emotions music creates. And in each room you can find unique art installations, which you can touch and interact with. There are even areas to climb around in, plus slides! Oh and the entire exhibit is dark, with fun lights to guide the way, plus the opportunity to use 3D glasses to enhance your experience.

We have never been to anything like this and we had way too much fun. It was sensory overload, but in the BEST way!

9. Mural Art at Plaza Walls

It’s no secret that we are huge mural fans and Oklahoma City was recently awarded “best street art in the USA” by USA Today. And one of the best places to admire the city’s street art is the Plaza Walls!

This is an alleyway with a collection of over 30 murals from over 25 artists. And every year they have the Plaza Walls Expo, where you can go and watch the artists create new murals. And since the murals do change, there is constantly something new to see! 

10. National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum

Oklahoma City is home to quite a few world class museums. And during our visit we checked out the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. This is the nation’s premier museum of western history, art, and culture. There are exhibits on the American cowboy, rodeos, Native American culture, and Western performers, plus an outdoor area that shows recreations of different Native American living structures. 

We spent a few hours here while exploring Oklahoma City and learned a ton! 

11. First Americans Museum

Another museum in Oklahoma City that we would love to check out next time is the First Americans Museum. 

Long before European Americans claimed the land that is now Oklahoma, many groups of Native Americans lived here for centuries. In 1541, the first Europeans arrived and over the next few centuries, America continued its expansion to every corner of the west. And in the 1800s they began relocating Native Americans from the southeast to the Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma.

This series of forced relocation was called the Trail of Tears and today Oklahoma has the second highest Native American population in the US, with 39 Native American tribes currently in Oklahoma and 5 of those being indigenous. 

And at the First Americans Museum you can learn more about the history, cultures, and contributions of the 39 Native American tribes in Oklahoma.  

12. Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum 

On April 19, 1995, a bombing occurred at the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and leaving hundreds injured. And right on the site where it happened you can find the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.

The exterior has a memorial, which has a bunch of meaning behind it:

• There are two gates. One gate is marked 9:01, which represents before the attack, and the other is marked 9:03, which is one minute after the bombing.
• There are 168 chairs that represent those killed. The chairs stand in nine rows, each representing a floor of the Federal Building and each chair has the name of someone killed on that floor. 
• There are also 19 smaller chairs that stand for the children.
• There’s also a survivor wall, which is the only remaining wall of the building and a survivor tree, which is a tree that survived the blast.

The memorial is free and open 24/7 (with security). We went at night, which was especially beautiful with all of the lights.

Besides the memorial, there is a paid museum as well, which we have heard incredible things about. It’s one of the top things we want to do next time we are in Oklahoma City!

Purchase your museum ticket through Tripadvisor and get 10% off with our code APLUSK10!

13. Stockyards City

To experience Oklahoma City’s western routes, head to Stockyards City! This is a cattle trading and meat packing area that launched in 1910 and was the city’s first major industrial effort. Cattle would be driven, inspected, then sold at auction to be shipped to other places or transported next door to be packed. 

As the packing plants grew, this area did as well, with a streetcar, hotels, restaurants, a post office, and other businesses to accommodate ranchers. By the 1970s, it became the World’s Largest Stocker and Feeder Cattle Market. And it still operates today! You can watch the auctions for free every Monday and Tuesday.

But besides the stockyards, the area is also home to western shops, like Langston’s Western Wear, and restaurants, like the famous Cattlemen’s Steakhouse!

This steakhouse has been in operation since 1910 and is the oldest continually operating restaurant in the city. Over the years it has been featured on multiple TV shows and visited by some pretty famous folks, including some former presidents!

We of course recommend getting their steak (which was AMAZING!), but for the more adventurous eater, try their “lamb fries” as well. Which are….testicles. It’s a food we never thought we’d try, but it’s a western staple and surprisingly wasn’t bad. It tasted like a thin chicken nugget to us. But mentally, it was hard to get over what we were eating.

14. Lake Hefner

The best sunset spot in Oklahoma City is Lake Hefner. This is a reservoir on the northwest side of the city with 17 miles of shoreline. It’s a popular spot for locals to run, walk, ride their bikes, and get out on the water. They even do sailboat races on the weekends from April to October!

And similar to the other unexpected finds we discovered in OKC, like skiing, another thing you might not have expected to see here is a lighthouse! 

The lake is home to a lighthouse that is modeled after the Brant Point Light Station on Nantucket Island in Massachusetts, the second oldest lighthouse in the US! It was built to be a photo opportunity and has turned into a real, registered official lighthouse with the US Lighthouse Society and US Coast Guard.

The lighthouse makes for the perfect spot for sunset, as it faces west. And if you’re looking for a bite to eat, there are a few restaurants on the lake as well!

15. Cheer on the OKC Thunder 

If you’re visiting between October to April, head to an OKC Thunder game! Even though we aren’t huge basketball fans or OKC Thunder fans, it was such a fun way to spend an evening. And the best part is that, during our visit at least, the tickets were super cheap!

16. Catch a Dodgers game at Bricktown Ballpark

Baseball more your thing? Oklahoma City is home to the Oklahoma City Dodgers, which is the minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. From April through September they play in Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, right in the heart of Bricktown. It would make for the perfect summer evening activity!

17. Oklahoma State Capitol Building

We love visiting state capitols when traveling around the United States and close to downtown Oklahoma City is the Oklahoma State Capitol! And what makes this capitol building unique is that it’s the only capitol surrounded by working oil wells. The capitol is free to visit and if you visit on a weekday (between 9 AM-3 PM), you can go on a free guided tour.

18. Learn about tornadoes at the National Weather Center (Norman)

Oklahoma sits in an area known as Tornado Alley, which extends through the central United States. Because of this, Oklahoma experiences a higher frequency of tornadoes during the spring and early summer months compared to many other states in the country. 

Since tornadoes are so prevalent, the state and its residents have developed preparedness plans and warning systems to mitigate the impact of these severe weather events. And part of that is the National Weather Center and National Severe Storm Laboratory in Norman on the University of Oklahoma campus. 

If you are interested in meteorology, you’re actually able to visit the facilities! They offer tours on Fridays and Mondays at 10 AM, which can be booked at the National Weather Service website. 

These public tours include visits to the McCasland Family Observation Deck, School of Meteorology, the NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center, the NWS Norman Weather Forecast Office, and the National Severe Storm Laboratory.

19. Take a Road trip on Route 66 

Ready to get your kicks on Route 66? 400 miles of Route 66 runs through Oklahoma and during our time in the state we drove the 119 mile portion from Tulsa to Oklahoma City. Along the way we experienced unique sculptures, small towns, quirky shops, and delicious eats. In this guide we share over 23 fun and unique stops you can make along the way, 

Planning your trip to Oklahoma City

Getting to Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is located in central Oklahoma, about 3 hours north of Dallas, Texas. It’s a pretty easy destination to get to by flying or driving major highways. Here are some of your options!

Flying to Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is home to the Will Rogers World Airport (OKC), which offers tons of non stop flights all over the United States. Some nonstop flights include Atlanta, New York Laguardia, Nashville, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Francisco, and many more!

Driving to Oklahoma City

Driving to Oklahoma City instead? OKC is located right at the intersection of I-35 and I-40, making it convenient to get to from just about any direction! Here is how long you can expect to drive from nearby popular areas:

Tulsa, OK: 1.5 hours (106 miles)
Dallas, TX: 3.5 hours (206 miles)
Kansas City, MO: 5 hours (350 miles)
Little Rock, AR: 5 hours (339 miles)
Albuquerque, NM: 8 hours (553 miles)

How to get around Oklahoma City

Once in Oklahoma City, you have some options of how to get around. If you plan to just explore downtown, you could take public transportation. The downtown streetcar is a great option and will take you to many spots on this guide. Uber and Lyft are also good options for short distances!

But if you want to explore more freely at your own pace, then you will want to either have your own car or rent a car. During our visit we drove our very large Sprinter van around town. And for the most part we didn’t have any issues finding parking!

When to visit Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City is a year round destination, but certain times of the year might be better depending on your preferences. 

The winters in Oklahoma City can be cold, with occasional snow, which may not make it as fun to be outdoors. But if you love holiday festivities, there are quite a few cool holiday events and lights around town to check out!

April to June will have more pleasant, mild temperatures and lower humidity. This weather will make it much more enjoyable for outdoor activities and exploring the city. Keep in mind these months are tornado season in Oklahoma City, so you may encounter some rain or storms. Despite popular belief, the city does not get tornadoes every single day.

The summers can be very hot and humid in Oklahoma City, but it is a time when lots of big events and festivals are happening. So if you want a more lively time to visit, the summer is a good choice. Just be prepared to sweat a bit!

Similar to the spring, September to November are also great months for slightly cooler temperatures. We visited at the very end of October and while the first couple days were close to 100ºF, the rest of our trip was closer to 80ºF. Nothing was too busy either, since kids were in school.

How much time do you need in Oklahoma City?

While you could squeeze a lot into a one day visit to Oklahoma City, in our opinion, the city deserves at least two days. We spent three full days in the city and felt like we got to experience a wide variety of what makes the city special. 

Looking for a weekend itinerary for OKC? Check out our guide to how to spend a weekend in Oklahoma City! It’s one of the best weekend getaways in the US, in our opinion.

Vacation Rentals

Midtown Apt – very walkable
Modern Southwest
Charming Downtown Home
Condo in Midtown
Stylish Tudor in OKCs Urban Core

Camping

KOA – this is where we stayed during our time in OKC. It’s a bit east of town, but if you’re a KOA fan or need a reliable place to camp or park your RV/van, then this is a good option.
Roadrunner RV Park
Rockwell RV Park & Campground

Harvest Hosts

If you’re a Harvest Hosts member, you’ve got a handful of opportunities for some fun stays in and near Oklahoma City, including breweries (right in downtown!), a winery, farms, museums, and a golf course.

Not sure what Harvest Hosts is? It is a paid membership for self contained RVers that lets you stay at farms, breweries, wineries, golf courses, and other spots for FREE, with the expectation that you will support the business. While this means you do need to spend some money and it’s not totally free, it’s usually a unique experience and you get to support a local business. 

Want to get 15% off a Harvest Hosts membership? Click this link and then use the code HHFRIENDS15!

Ready to explore Oklahoma City?

Pin this guide to the best things to do in Oklahoma City to help plan your trip!