What to See in OKC, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City

Traveling Gingerbread Note: A free shuttle takes visitors from the Will Rogers World Airport to the rental car terminal every 7-10 minutes and is available 24/7.

Lake Hefner

• Along the 17 mile shoreline of Lake Hefner is The Lighthouse on East Wharf, a replica of America’s second oldest lighthouse, Brandt Point Lighthouse, near Nantucket, Massachusetts built in 1746.

Anthem Brewing

• Choose from 10+ draft beers including 9 flagship beers available in 8oz. or 16oz. pours, crowlers, and growlers at Anthem Brewing in the airy taproom. #MadeonEarthbyHumans

Bricktown Brewery

• Oklahoma’s first brewery, Bricktown Brewery has multiple locations throughout Oklahoma, Taxes, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas. Order a flight to sample their 6 flagship beers. A menu of appetizers, burgers, soups, salads, pizza, and sandwiches is available to enjoy in the bar area or 2 story dining room. We recommend Blues Berry Ale, the Old King Keg brewed with about 1,000lbs. of blueberries.

Paseo Arts District

• Visit Paseo Arts District on the first Friday of every month for the First Friday Gallery Walk through 20 studios with nearly 80 artists. This colorful district has unique boutiques, restaurants, food trucks, bars, a spa, and lots of art!

Bricktown

• This area of warehouses has been transformed into a vibrant entertainment district with over 30 bars and restaurants, shops, mini golf, laser tag, an arcade, art, and more. Stroll along the Bricktown Riverwalk past the hustle and bustle, sculptures, waterfalls, and brightly colored murals to visit the Centennial Land Run Monument. 

• At the end of the Bricktown Canal is The Centennial Land Run Monument, one of the world’s largest bronze statues. The emotion of the 1889 Land Run is carved into more than 45 faces in this life size display by artist Paul Moore. 

Elk Valley Brewing Company

• Elk Valley Brewing Company has nearly 20 draft beers and a small selection of wine. Most drafts are available in 4oz. pours in lieu of flights. Enjoy some free popcorn and grab a seat in the taproom or on the upstairs, outdoor patio. We recommend Emergency Meeting, an imperial stout brewed with chilis, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Prairie Artisan Ales

• Prairie Artisan Ales quickly became one of our favorite breweries for the variety of unparalleled flavor combinations. The OKC Taproom, in the 8th Street Marking Building, has nearly 20 draft beers. Grab a table in the open pedestrian corridor among Prelude Coffee Roasters, Balance.Yoga.Barre., Prairie, and Magasin Table, serving modern Vietnamese (appetizers, vermicelli bowls, rice bowls, noodle soup, Banh Mi sandwiches, and vegan options). Vegan Pho and egg rolls were the perfect complement to Prairie’s unique drafts. We recommend Char Char Binks, a sour ale with grilled pineapple and marshmallow, and a holiday ale straying away from the traditional heavier stouts, Seasick Crocodile, a sour ale with cranberries, ginger, cinnamon, & nutmeg. 

Scissortail Park

• Skydance Bridge, a 380 feet long pedestrian bridge over Interstate 40, connects upper and lower Scissortail Park. The 197 foot tall sculpture modeled after Oklahoma’s state bird, the Scissor Tailed Flycatcher, is best viewed at night in our opinion. Organizations are welcome to request special lighting of Scissor Tail Park.
• Check the Scissortail Park website for information on markets, food trucks, classes, story time, Sky Rink ice skating hours, and more. Visiting the park on Sunday around 9:00pm, we found well lit paths and plenty of other visitors.

Broke Brewing Company

• Sample the 10+ beers on draft with a flight of 4 at Broke Brewing Company. There is no menu but a variety of Lunchables, chips, and noodle bowls are available. Grab a seat in the taproom or lounge area and order an Eote IPO imperial stout

Angry Scotsman Brewing

• Enjoy the 20 draft beers at Angry Scotsman Brewing in the modern taproom with a small lounge area or on the spacious outdoor patio. Check their calendar for beer releases, trivia, workshops, and more. We recommend Pints of Persia, a Belgian witbier with hibiscus, orange and saffron, and Raspberry Unicorn, a house kettle raspberry sour.

Roughtail Brewing Company

• Roughtail Brewing Company has 20+ beers on draft, a private room with projector that’s perfect for watching the game, and a large taproom. We recommend Platonic Cuddle, a fruited gose sour with lime and raspberry, and Polar Eclipse, an imperial stout with cocoa nibs. For a unique beer try Vacation Bible School, an apple brandy barrel aged imperial stout with pie spices and graham cracker apple pie.

Outside of Oklahoma City

Freedom: Alabaster Caverns State Park

• Explore one of the largest gypsum caves in the world and the only cave in the United States with black alabaster at Alabaster Caverns State Park. Black alabaster has only been found in 3 caves throughout the world: Italy, China, and Freedom, Oklahoma. 
• Take a guided tour for $10 per person to see names carved into the cave walls dating back to the 1900’s, bat colonies, and travel up to 125 feet underground. Due to heavy rains causing a rockslide in 2020, the entrance to the cave is closed. A shuttle takes visitors from the gift shop to the exit of the cave for a 45-60 minute guided tour through 3/4 of the cave before turning around to return to the exit. 

Cherokee: Great Salt Plains State Park

• Turn off US-64 East onto Garvin Road to reach the Great Salt Plains Selenite Digging Area. This Southwest corner of the Great Salt Plains State Park is the only area in the world hourglass shaped selenite can be found. The salt is all the remains from an ocean that once covered Oklahoma.
• The Sandpiper Nature Trail offers views of the Northern salt plains near Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. The salt flats are only on the West side of Great Salt Plains Lake. 

Traveling Gingerbread Note: The Great Salt Plains Selenite Digging Area is closed October – March. 

Waynoka: Little Sahara State Park

• Sand dunes are common in Northwest Oklahoma. Rivers carried sand from the Rocky Mountains to the riverbanks of Oklahoma during the last ice age. In 1960, Little Sahara State Park consisted of 345 acres of sand dunes. Now, the park has over 1,600 acres of sand dunes, some reaching 75 feet tall, and is one of the United States’ most popular ATV parks. Bring your own ATV or rent one from a nearby vendor. Regardless, it’s $10/person (including drivers and all passengers except those under 10 years of age) to drive into the park.
• The sand dunes are constantly on the move. Pictured above, a section of the dunes has drifted almost burying a barbed wire fence along the edge of the ATV area.

• With most of the park focused on ATVs, there are few hiking trails. Walking on the dunes is permitted, but watch out for ATVs! Pictured above is the view from the observation center, reached by a concrete and boardwalk trail. 

Fairview: Gloss Mountain State Park

• The Gloss Mountains were named for their shimmer. The crystal, selenite, is one of the most sacred crystals in history representing spiritual, purity, and light. The crystals glisten in the sunlight giving the mountain a glossy appearance. The white rings around the mountains are caused by gypsum, a sulfate mineral, leaking out of the ground.
• A single trail leads to the top of Cathedral Mountain from the parking lot. Stairs make up most of the trail, but near the end climbing large rocks is required to reach the top. Gloss Mountain State Park reminded us of the Painted Hills Unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon. 

Edmond: Frenzy Brewing Company

• Frenzy Brewing Company is the first and only brewery in Edmond, Oklahoma. There are almost 20 beers on draft to choose from. Grab a board game and a seat in the spacious taproom. A selection of local menus is available with delivery to your barstool. We recommend Blue Hippo, a blueberry milkshake IPA, and Oh My Gourd, Becky!, a pumpkin spice latte stout.

• We arrived in Oklahoma City Saturday morning and flew back to Pittsburgh, PA Monday afternoon.

---

January 2021