If you’re looking for a city with plenty of attractions and things to do, look no further than Tulsa. The city has long been known for its oil production and cattle ranching, but it’s also home to some of the best attractions around.
This town has been ranked as one of the safest cities to live in America. It’s also known for its cultural diversity and rich history. Tulsa is a city with a booming economy and rich cultural history. While it has a small population, Tulsa offers plenty of things that make it such an awesome tourist destination. This includes local attractions, hiking trails, art scenes, and more.
In this blog post, I will discuss some of the 15 Best and Fun Things to Do in Tulsa that you can enjoy. Whether you’re looking for something historical or just want to have fun, you’ll find something here!
Things to Do in Tulsa, OK
1. The Tulsa Arts District
One of the great things to do in Tulsa is just wandering around the city’s beautiful art district. It offers a variety of things to do for visitors and locals alike. For example, get to enjoy outdoor concerts by popular musicians, art galleries housing interesting paintings, and photography classes where you can try your hand at painting.
In addition, it has a wide range of restaurants, bars, and cafes housed in historic buildings. You can spend hours just exploring every street and admiring architectural details such as ornate sculptures, zigzag lines, and shiny materials.
The highlight of this famous district is the Cain’s Ballroom, which is an old theater that was used as a dancing hall. The place still has its original architectural features and is now used as a concert venue for popular artists who perform in Tulsa. This is a great place to spend an entire day because there are so many fun things to do and see here.
Read more: Best Things to Do in Oklahoma City
2. Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium
Tulsa Air and Space Museum and Planetarium is one of the top tourist attractions in Tulsa that attracts both children and adults. It serves as a great place to educate people about aviation and space science.
This museum holds both interactive exhibits and programs designed for kids, teens, and adults to learn more about aircrafts and spacecraft. It tells the story of aviation history through exhibits related to early planes and NASA space exploration projects.
My favorite exhibit at this museum was a cockpit simulator where visitors get to experience being a pilot during takeoff and landing tasks. In addition to being fun, there is also a planetarium that offers daily shows, including projections of stars onto walls for viewing as well as narrated mini-documentaries about humans exploring the solar system. In this way, visiting this planetarium feels like taking a journey through outer space from the comfort of your seat.
3. Tulsa Botanical Garden
Another interesting thing to do in Tulsa is to visit one of its many botanical gardens and parks. Among them, my favorite is Tulsa Botanic Garden. The garden is very large, with over 170 acres of different gardens, peaceful walking trails with several outdoor art installations, ponds with water fountains, and a conservatory filled with flowers of different colors.
One of my favorite places was the Japanese Garden which had many intricate details, traditional buildings, and statues surrounding small streams with waterfalls. You can also enjoy walking around this fascinating place for some wonderful outdoor relaxation under the shade of tall trees or on one of its many pathways with plenty to see along the way.
Read More: Best Weekend Getaways in Oklahoma
4. The Golden Driller
The Golden Driller, located near the center of Tulsa Expo Square, is a true landmark that is one of many great tourist attractions in Oklahoma. The statue was built back in 1952 for the International Petroleum Exposition and is now a symbol of all things petroleum-related.
Standing 76 feet tall and weighing 43,500 pounds, this statue is painted gold from top to bottom. In addition, it has been made from pieces of scrap steel collected from area oil companies during the drilling boom that was taking place.
And even though this giant statue isn’t really an amusement park itself, I thought it was cool enough to include on my list of top things to do in Tulsa since, for many people, it represents endless possibilities. This is why it serves as an inspirational symbol for many business people who drive past its impressive stature every day while they commute to work.
5. The Boxyard
Another of the most interesting Tulsa attractions is The Boxyard. It’s a shopping district unlike any other, comprising several shipping containers converted into vendors selling clothing, artwork, and trinkets. It’s not very big, but it has lots of interesting stores including vintage clothing shops and other unique boutiques.
Once here, you’ll find it hard to leave because each container offers something different from the next one. There are also several eateries with outdoor seating areas that offer visitors a chance to relax while enjoying the food. And you’ll also find an amphitheater where local musicians play live music throughout the week, giving visitors even more reasons to spend time at this awesome attraction in Tulsa.
And because you can shop at local businesses instead of big chains stores, you get to support Oklahoma families while having fun looking for unique items that are sure to make great souvenirs or gifts for your loved ones back home. I think this place is a lot of fun and I would definitely come back again.
Read more: Best Things to Do in Oklahoma State
6. Woodward Park
Woodward Park is one of the best Tulsa tourist attractions because it is a great place to relax and enjoy nature. The park was originally established in 1929 and includes over three thousand rose plants of more than 50 different species.
The park has many amenities, including manmade lakes, a duck pond and waterfalls, trees, an outdoor stage for concerts and performances, trails for hiking or biking, picnic facilities, lots of playgrounds, and even an indoor waterpark. And if you get hungry while here, there are several food trucks available so you can enjoy tasty treats.
My favorite place in Woodward Park was the rose garden because it has so many different colors of roses all around, including white, purple, blue, and yellow ones. I also loved the peaceful beauty of the garden with its enchanting walkways designed for romantic strolls under a canopy of blossoming flowers.
7. Discovery Lab
Discovery Lab is a modern science and technology center that focuses on fostering kids’ interest in science, engineering, and math. There are lots of hands-on exhibits to explore at this museum, from robotics to biology. In addition, there are programs for both younger children as well as older ones allowing kids to learn various concepts in an entertaining way.
My favorite attraction at this place was “Smart Energy House.” This is a model home displaying how much energy we use for lighting and other electrical appliances versus how much energy we can save by turning things off when not needed.
The center’s staff tries to keep the facility interesting by rotating through new activities periodically so that parents and kids can always find something unique when they come here. And finally, this center also has an outdoor play area where kids can run around and have fun.
8. Gathering Place
Gathering Place is one of the most amazing tourist attractions in Tulsa you can’t miss. It’s a public park that has a unique blend of art and nature. It boasts of lush green lawns, soaring trees, and brilliant flowers, making it a great place to walk, run or relax with friends and family. The outdoors-themed center enables people to connect with nature through various programs that promote physical activity, learning, and laughter.
The park features 100 acres of land with ponds, gardens, and waterfalls. It also includes extensive children’s play areas that allow kids to play and a climbing wall. Other activities that you can do at this place include paddle boating on the lake and biking around the park. There are also several food carts located in Gathering Place where you can buy lunch and snacks during your visit.
What I liked most about this place was its scenic running tracks along different parts of the river while passing by woodlands and other natural habitats. And it’s also one of the best events in Tulsa where people from all over come to enjoy music, dance, and participate in various activities related to different cultures.
9. Tulsa Performing Arts Center
If you enjoy live performances, then there are tons of things to do in Tulsa. One major performance venue is the Tulsa Performing Arts Center (TPAC) which is a world-class venue with an excellent acoustical design.
The center was established in 1977 to help boost tourism in Oklahoma City since it is among the most visited cities in America. The center has four theatres hosting varied performances from opera and ballet to theatrical productions for both children and adults. It also hosts a lot of musical concerts featuring singers from around the world. In addition, there are several art exhibitions being hosted by local artists throughout the year, so you never have to be bored when visiting it.
In addition to enjoying shows at this center, I recommend spending time exploring other attractions nearby, such as Guthrie Green Park, which includes an amphitheater where free concerts take place along with art exhibitions. On the other hand, you can also check out the Owen Park Fountain, which is an icon of the city of Tulsa and a great place to take pictures.
10. Tulsa Zoo
The Tulsa Zoo is one of the top tourist attractions in Tulsa, which is home to several animal species from all around the world. It was established in 1927 and remains one of the most popular attractions in the city since it has a wide variety of animals.
The zoo features over 1,500 animals representing more than 300 different species, including big cats like tigers and leopards, along with various tropical birds and reptiles. The zoo also hosts numerous educational programs for children to learn about the different species of animals at the zoo.
It’s a great place to bring your family on a sunny day. You’ll find peacocks roaming around freely outside their enclosures and even have an opportunity to feed giraffes from just meters away. My favorite displays at the zoo were the big cat habitats, especially where you get to see lions and tigers up close.
For this reason, I highly recommend visiting this zoo if you want to learn more about local animal species and their conservation.
11. Philbrook Museum of Art
The Philbrook Museum of Art is a part of the city’s cultural history and not one to be missed. Opened in 1939, this museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Tulsa for its vibrant art collection.
In terms of design styles represented in their collections, they have African, Asian, European, and Native American artwork that dates back to ancient times up until modern-day artists. Another aspect that I enjoyed about this museum is how it tells a story through its exhibits which began with pre-historic cultures but end with contemporary artists.
In addition, the museum takes pride in its architecture and hosts several architectural tours every day that reveal how different design decisions were made during construction. In other words, this is the perfect place that you never have to get bored when visiting because there are lots of things to do here.
12. Blue Dome District
One of the things to do in Tulsa is exploring its art scene. And one place where you can get all your artsy needs fulfilled while enjoying a great view of the city skyline is the Blue Dome District. The area got its name from the historic building with a blue dome in the heart of the district. People say it was painted blue to attract attention since buildings at that time had standard colors like red, white, and yellow.
This hub is home to a lot of contemporary shops selling fashion clothing and accessories in addition to many other unique stores. There are also several antique stores in the vicinity where you can shop for antiques ranging from furniture to collectibles like vintage radios or telephones.
In addition, to having lots of restaurants and pubs to relax and enjoy, there are also some museums you can check out to gain some knowledge about the history of this district. And because of this, it attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year from across the country due to its rich history and unique atmosphere.
13. ONEOK Field
Among the things to do in Tulsa that you can’t miss is watching a baseball game at the ONEOK Field, which opened its doors on April 8, 2010. It became the home of the Tulsa Drillers, a minor league team affiliated with Colorado Rockies since 2008.
The stadium seats more than 7,500 people and hosts the NCAA baseball tournament along with some other leading league games. The stadium has a party plaza where people gather before the game, play yard games, watch street performers, and enjoy food trucks serving local specialties.
In addition to being a good place to watch baseball games, it is located close to many restaurants and bars in downtown Tulsa. You can combine seeing a game with having dinner at one of the nearby places before heading out for drinks at a popular nightlife spot.
14. Gilcrease Museum
The Gilcrease Museum is a world-class art and American history museum located in Tulsa. The museum’s main focus is the study, preservation, and presentation of American Western Art.
The museum has several galleries with exhibits ranging from pre-Columbian artifacts to modern art pieces. On display are ancient artifacts such as historical paintings, porcelains, Mayan pottery, and sculptures dating back centuries. At the same time, another section holds contemporary art pieces such as those crafted by local artists in Oklahoma City.
Finally, you can definitely spend hours walking around its gorgeous gardens, which contain several types of flowers and plants along with well-manicured lawns within a serene setting.
15. BOK Centre
Finally, I end my list of the best places to visit in Tulsa with BOK Center, a state-of-the-art arena in downtown Tulsa. The building has a beautiful design and acoustic characteristics, making it a perfect location for concerts, family shows, civic events, and more.
The center has a large capacity of almost 20,000 seats, making it one of the largest entertainment venues in Oklahoma. In addition to great performance space, the facility also includes luxury suites and rooms for conventions and banquets. There is also an observation deck available to the public that features fantastic views of downtown Tulsa.
And when you visit the BOK center, don’t forget to spend some time looking at all of the art displayed in different parts of the building.
