Meet The Chickasaw Plum Cobbler And Five Other Desserts Worth Ordering At These Oklahoma Cafes
I only stopped for a cup of coffee, and somehow I left with a sticky spoon and a plan to come back the next weekend. That is how dessert works in Oklahoma, where a small counter...
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7 Oklahoma Hobby Shops Where One More Aisle Always Steals Another Hour
I only meant to grab a tube of glue on a slow Saturday in Oklahoma, and somehow I walked out two hours later holding a model kit, a pack of dice, and a plan for the whole winter....
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Vietnamese Banh Mi Costs Less Than Fast Food At These 6 OKC Area Bakeries
I walked into a tiny Oklahoma bakery expecting a quick snack and walked out holding a warm, crackly sandwich that ruined drive-thru burgers for me. The bread shattered, the pickled...
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Over 12 Animals Wait For Hand-Fed Snacks At These 12 Oklahoma Spots
I only stopped to stretch my legs, but a goat with a cracker habit had other plans for my afternoon. That is the funny thing about Oklahoma: some of the best memories hide behind...
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This Oklahoma Military Museum Lets Kids Take The Controls Of A Flight Simulator Instead Of Just Looking
I almost drove right past it, a plain little building on an ordinary Oklahoma street that did not look like it held anything special. Then I stepped inside and found a retired...
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This Oklahoma Renaissance Festival Fills Vinita With Viking Campfires, Costumed Pirates And Merchants
Some of the best weekends in Oklahoma start with a quick detour you almost skipped. You pull off a highway expecting a small-town fair, and suddenly a king is waving, a falcon...
Read More 10 min read
Why Thanksgiving Pie Orders Start Now At These 5 Small-Town Oklahoma Bakeries
The best pie I ever ate came from a plain little counter I almost drove right past on a gray Oklahoma afternoon. No fancy sign, no big crowd, just a glass case and a smell that...
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Oklahoma Has A Whole Pioneer Village Of Log Cabins You Walk Through Like A Town Stopped In Time
Some road trip stops look like nothing from the parking lot, and then they swallow your whole afternoon. I pulled in expecting a quick look at a few old cabins and walked out hours...
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Hot Tamales Keep Oklahomans Coming Back To These 7 Family Kitchens
The first time I unwrapped a corn husk in a little strip-mall kitchen in Oklahoma, I expected a quick snack and got a whole new obsession. Steam rolled out, the masa was soft and...
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Oklahoma’s Quilt Shop Trail Runs Through These 6 Small Towns Packed With Fabric Bolts
You pull off a two-lane highway in Oklahoma expecting a quick look, and suddenly you are lost among towering shelves of cotton prints. That is the magic of a good small-town quilt...
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This Oklahoma Family Pecan Farm Store Only Opens In November And December For Fresh Local Pecans
I almost drove right past it, a little farm store sitting quietly off a country-feeling road in Oklahoma, with nothing flashy out front to slow me down. Ten minutes later I was...
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Most Tulsa Drivers Never Guess A Mansion Full Of Art Sits Behind These Italian Gardens
I only meant to kill an hour on a slow afternoon in Oklahoma, maybe grab a coffee and stretch my legs. Then a quiet side street led me past tall trees and a pale stucco wall, and...
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You Can Feed Giraffes By Hand At This Family Wildlife Park In Southern Oklahoma
I figured it would be a quick stop, maybe a few cages and a gift counter, the kind of place you forget by the next gas station. Instead, I found myself holding out a palm full...
Read More 9 min read
This Oklahoma Donut Shop’s Glazed Donuts Have Regulars Swearing They Beat Every Other One
I almost drove right past it, a plain little storefront with nothing fancy out front except a sign promising donuts. One bite of a warm glazed ring changed my whole morning, and...
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Why Oklahomans Drive Hours For Barbecue Bologna At These 5 Smokehouses
Somewhere along a quiet Oklahoma road, I pulled into a plain little smokehouse expecting a quick lunch and walked out planning my next trip back. The reason was a thick, smoky...
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One Look At The Donut Selection Turns A One-Donut Stop Into A Haul At This Oklahoma Shop
I only meant to grab one donut on the way to work. Then I saw the glass case, glowing with pink frosting, cartoon faces, and fritters bigger than my hand, and my plan fell apart...
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Vintage Sewing Machines Are The Star At This Small Museum In Oklahoma
Some of the best afternoons in Oklahoma start with a plain little building you almost drive right past. I walked in expecting a few dusty machines on a shelf and maybe ten minutes...
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Regulars Can’t Tell These Fluffy Oklahoma Donuts Are Vegan And Mostly Gluten-Free
I only stopped because the smell of warm sugar drifted out onto the sidewalk and my stomach made the decision for me. The little counter looked like any donut shop you have ever...
Read More 11 min read
Every Room Is Stacked To The Ceiling At This Massive Used Bookstore In Oklahoma City
I only meant to stop in for one paperback, maybe ten minutes tops. Two hours later I was still wandering, arms full, wondering how a plain storefront in Oklahoma could hold this...
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About 15 Dollars Fills Your Whole Trunk With Finds At These 15 Oklahoma Flea Markets
I pulled into a gravel lot one Saturday morning expecting a few folding tables and maybe a box of old magazines. Two hours later, my trunk held a cast iron skillet, a stack of...
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Country Burritos, Churros And Unhurried Tables Make This Oklahoma Brunch Cafe Worth The Drive
I almost drove right past it, a small storefront tucked into a strip of shops with nothing fancy out front to slow me down. Then I caught the smell of grilled steak and warm cinnamon...
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These 7 Enormous Oklahoma Antique Malls Hold Enough Booths To Fill An Entire Saturday
I only stopped to stretch my legs and grab a cold soda, and somehow three hours later I was still wandering aisles of old lunchboxes and milk glass. That is the funny thing about...
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Gothic Spires And Century-Old Stained Glass Make This Oklahoma Cathedral Worth The Drive
Some Oklahoma road trips end at a pie case, and some end with your neck craned back so far you nearly lose your balance. I pulled up expecting a quick peek at an old church and...
Read More 7 min read
This Unusual Oklahoma House Has Made Drivers Hit The Brakes For Generations
You are cruising past open fields in Oklahoma, half thinking about lunch, when a shape on the horizon makes you slow way down. It is not a barn, not a church, and not quite like...
Read More 9 min read
Somewhere In This Packed Oklahoma Game Shop Sits The Console You Begged For As A Kid
Some stores look like nothing from the street, and then you open the door and lose an entire afternoon. That is the kind of surprise waiting in one crowded Oklahoma shop where...
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Over A Million Lights Wrap The Old Mill Town Of Chickasha Every Christmas, And Families Stroll It For Free
I only planned to stop for gas and a cup of cocoa on a cold December drive through Oklahoma. Then the sky over a quiet park started glowing like someone had spilled a jar of stars...
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Unlimited Pizza Comes With Go-Karts And Laser Tag At This Oklahoma Family Fun Spot
We only stopped because the kids were hungry and the parking lot looked big enough to hold half of Oklahoma. Inside, the smell of hot pizza hit first, then the hum of engines and...
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These Fluffy From-Scratch Pancakes Make This Small Oklahoma Diner Worth Setting An Alarm For
Some of the best breakfasts in Oklahoma hide behind plain storefronts you could pass a hundred times without a second look. I almost did, until a hungry stomach and a quiet main...
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These 6 Abandoned Oklahoma Places Still Stand Silent Along Forgotten Back Roads
Some of the best stops in Oklahoma never show up on a billboard. You turn off the highway, the pavement gets thin, and suddenly a stone wall or rusty tower appears out of nowhere...
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The Mercantile In Kenton Is A Tiny Oklahoma Panhandle Cafe Worth The Long Drive For Pie
Some of the best meals in Oklahoma are hiding where the pavement feels like it might just give up. I went looking for a slice of pie and a hot lunch at the far end of the map,...
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The Kiowa Tribe Shares Its Own Artistry At The Gáuihòñàun Museum In Carnegie, Oklahoma
I pulled off a quiet two-lane road in southwest Oklahoma expecting a quick stretch break and maybe a cold drink. Instead, I found painted walls that told a story stretching back...
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Smothered Enchiladas And Sizzling Fajitas Make This Oklahoma Mexican Kitchen Worth The Drive
Some of the best meals in Oklahoma hide behind walls that look like they could use a fresh coat of paint. I almost drove past this little Mexican kitchen, and I would have missed...
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Once You Hit The Corner Of Eastern And Northwest, These 5 OKC Spots Serve Indian Curry Worth The Drive
The first time I followed my nose into a plain little curry house in Oklahoma, I almost turned around in the parking lot. Ten minutes later, I was tearing warm naan and wondering...
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Pierogi, Pelmeni And European Sausages Keep Old-World Roots Alive In This Oklahoma City Shop
I walked into a tiny strip mall shop in Oklahoma expecting a quick look around, and I walked out with a bag of dumplings, a jar of pickles, and a craving I still can't shake. The...
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This Old-School Oklahoma Deli Keeps It No-Frills, With The Owner Himself Serving Up Cheap Subs
I almost walked right past it, a plain little storefront with nothing on the outside begging for attention. Then the smell of fresh bread hit me, and suddenly my lunch plans changed.
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Oversized Patties Meant For Sharing Keep Families Coming Back To This Old-School Oklahoma Burger Joint
Some of the best meals in Oklahoma come from places you would drive past a hundred times without a second look. A plain storefront, a parking lot, a sign that has seen a few decades.
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Built From 625 Aluminum Panels In 1958, This Route 66 Dome In Oklahoma City Still Looks Like The Future
I was only looking for a quick lunch stop when a giant golden bubble showed up at a busy Oklahoma corner, glowing like a spaceship that forgot to leave. My sandwich could wait.
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Over 1,000 Lighted Displays Turn Muskogee’s Honor Heights Park Into A Free Christmas Drive
We almost skipped it, figuring a city park light show in Oklahoma would be a few strands on a fence and a plastic snowman. Instead, we rolled down the windows, cranked the heat,...
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These 6 Oklahoma Family Farms Sell Fresh Eggs, Honey Or Beef Straight From Their Own Land
The first time I bought a dozen eggs from a folding table at the end of a gravel drive, I figured they would taste like any other eggs. They did not.
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Hundreds Of Wild Mustangs Run Free Across The Ranch You Can Tour in Oklahoma
I figured I would see a few horses in a field, snap a picture, and head home in time for supper. Instead, I found myself bouncing across open Oklahoma pasture while hundreds of...
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A Wooden Boardwalk Leads Through Cypress Swamp At This Southeast Oklahoma Wildlife Refuge Few People Visit
Somewhere past the end of the pavement in Oklahoma, the gravel gets quiet, the trees get taller, and a wooden walkway slips into water the color of strong tea. I expected a short...
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This Oklahoma Amish Market Bakes Pies So Good Shoppers Call Them The Best Ever
Some of the best food in Oklahoma hides behind a plain storefront you could drive past without a second look. I almost did, until a craving for something homemade pulled me off...
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Collectors Cross State Lines To Dig Through Thousands Of Comic Books In This Ordinary Tulsa Strip Mall
You almost drive right past it, just another storefront in a row of plain shops along a busy Oklahoma road. Then you step inside and realize the walls, the floor, and even the...
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Families Pile Their Plates With Endless Fried Catfish While Watching The Water At This Oklahoma Spot
The gravel road kept going, and I kept wondering if my stomach had made a bad call. Then the trees opened up, a quiet building appeared, and the smell of hot cornmeal and frying...
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Step Inside This 1920s Oklahoma City Landmark And Look Up At Its Painted Ceilings For Free
Some of the best afternoons in Oklahoma start with a simple plan to stop in for a quick look and end with a sore neck from staring straight up. I walked through the front doors...
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Fried Catfish Comes With Free Hush Puppies At These 6 Oklahoma Fish Houses
Some of the best meals in Oklahoma come from buildings you would drive right past without a second look. A gravel lot, a hand-painted sign, and suddenly a basket of golden catfish...
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Anyone Can Walk The Quiet Prayer Gardens At This Oklahoma Monastery For Free
I went looking for a handmade rosary and came home thinking about silence instead. Down a winding country road in Oklahoma, past woods and pasture, sits a place where monks chant,...
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11 Tiny Oklahoma Cafes In Towns Under 500 People
The sign was faded, the parking lot was gravel, and I almost kept driving. Then I smelled onions on a flat-top grill and pulled over, and that plate turned into the best meal of...
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This Oklahoma Bakery Fills Warm Czech Kolaches With Fruit And Sausage Every Morning
Some of the best mornings in Oklahoma start with a hunch and a growling stomach. You pull off a two-lane highway, spot a modest storefront, and figure you will grab a quick pastry...
Read More 10 min read
This Small Town Oklahoma Diner Serves A Chicken Fried Steak That Hangs Off The Plate
Some of the best meals in Oklahoma start with a wrong turn and a growling stomach. You spot a plain little building on a quiet street, figure it will do, and walk in expecting...
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Real Tallgrass Bison Herds Roam Right Past Your Car Window In Northeast Oklahoma This Fall
I figured it would be a quick look at some grass and maybe one shaggy animal way off in the distance. Instead, I found myself rolling down a gravel road in Oklahoma while a full...
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Steak Sandwiches Hang Way Past The Bun At This Old-School Oklahoma Drive-In
I pulled in expecting a quick lunch and maybe a decent burger, nothing more. Then a paper-wrapped sandwich landed in my lap with crispy steak poking out on every side like it was...
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Seven Oklahoma City Museums And Galleries Open Their Doors Without Charging You A Dime
Some of the best afternoons I have spent in Oklahoma started with an empty wallet and a hunch. You walk through a plain door expecting a quick look, and two hours later you are...
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Oklahoma’s Woolaroc Lets You Drive Past Bison And Elk Before Wandering A Museum Packed With Western Art
The road curved through quiet Oklahoma hills, and I figured the morning would be a simple museum stop. Then a shaggy bison lifted its head right beside my window, chewing slowly,...
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Vietnamese Staples Fill These 6 Spots In Oklahoma City’s Asian District
I only stopped because I was hungry and the parking lot looked easy, and I left already planning my next visit. A plain strip mall storefront handed me a bowl of soup so fragrant...
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Pick Your Own Pumpkin Straight Off The Vine At This Family Farm Near Tulsa, Oklahoma
I only meant to grab one pumpkin for the front porch, maybe snap a quick photo, and head home. Three hours later my shoes were dusty, my cheeks hurt from grinning, and a camel...
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This Oklahoma Roadside Stop Loads Your Tray With Smoked Brisket, Fried Catfish And A Whole Pickle Bar
Some of the best meals in Oklahoma show up when you only meant to stretch your legs and grab a quick bite. You pull off the highway, walk into a plain little building, and suddenly...
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This Oklahoma Bookstore Lets You Curl Up By The Fireplace With A Book And A Coffee
From the parking lot, it looked like just another plain building on a busy Oklahoma road. Then the door swung open, and the smell of fresh coffee and old wood hit me like a warm...
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Anyone Can Wander Into The Buddha-Filled Garden Behind This Tulsa Temple For Free Every Day
I pulled off a quiet road in Oklahoma expecting maybe five minutes of looking, and I stayed for well over an hour. A towering stone figure watched over rows of trees, little statues...
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