Oklahoma Attractions

Whether it's theater, cowboys, Route 66 lore or chocolate making that interest you and the family, you'll find here.

“Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain…” Whether you’re a resident of the heartland or Oklahoma is only a musical to you, you’ll find plenty of fun and educational family activities amidst this fascinating state’s wide open spaces. There’s even more general information at www.travelok.com.  For lodging ideas, see Seminole Hotels.

Great Fun for the Kids

(Toddlers to Age 8)

Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum
1714 Highway 9 West
Seminole, OK 74868
405/382-0950
Geared to children ages 3-12, this museum is an imaginary town that encourages children to take on grown-up roles. The hands-on educational exhibit enables kids to explore many careers, all from a pint-sized vantage point built to child-sized scale. In the hospital, children can be a physician, a nurse, or a patient. Kids can also try out careers in the fire department, at a construction site, or inside an energy plant. They can play on the climbing maze, in the bubble factory, or dig for fossils. There is a kid-size train, play cars, and bikes. There is even a grocery store you can shop in or work the register at. Also on site is a 13,500-gallon aquarium filled with Oklahoma fish and mazes kids can run through. Adults are encouraged to join in on the fun.

Oklahoma Children’s Theatre
300 Pershing Boulevard (inside Fair Park)
Oklahoma City, OK 73106
405/606-7003
The Oklahoma Children’s Theatre provides entertaining, educational and accessible experiences through theatrical productions, creative programming and events. Throughout the school year, OCT presents professional adult actors on stage at Oklahoma Children’s Theatre, as well as offering touring productions. In addition, OCT presents a Youth Ensemble production in the summer and an Apprentice Production where professional actors mentor young performers. There is also a daily kids’ camp that offers activities relating to the performing arts for children ages 5-12.

Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse
200 East Maple Road
Enid, OK 73701
580/233-2787
Families with younger children enjoy this fun-filled interactive museum. Children can touch a real dinosaur egg, build their own castle in the carpentry shop, play dress up, make friends with the animals in the rainforest room, create music in the music lab, experiment with different scientific principles, tell time on a sundial, travel to the moon in a simulated space shuttle, and lots more. Outside the Warehouse, there is Adventure Quest, a three story science playground. For families who need some quiet time, there is a Tranquility Room with books available for reading.

Fun for Older Children

(Up to Age 18)

Omniplex
2100 NE 52nd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
405/602-6664
Oklahoma’s “amusement park for the mind,” Omniplex has something for everyone — from hands-on science exhibits to aviation and space artifacts, art and cultural galleries, botanical gardens and greenhouse, the state’s premier public-access planetarium and its only giant, dome-screen theater.

National Route 66 Museum
Old Highway 66
Elk City, OK 73648
580/225-6266
This museum encompasses all eight states through which the “Mother Road” traveled. Numerous artifacts and antique cars along with rare historical documents and collections recapture the spirit of “The Road.” The Old Town Museum and Farm & Ranch building are also on premises; admission includes entrance to all. Located next to the museum is Ackley Park, which offers a full-sized carousel, miniature golf and train rides, swimming pool, skateboard area, and walking trail. The park is open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The Tulsa Zoo and Living Museum
Accessible from Sheridan Road exits off of Highway 11 and I-244
Tulsa, OK 74115
918/669-6602
This zoo features all different types of animals, including cheetahs, sea lions, chimpanzees, zebras, and elephants. The site also has a tropical rainforest, a conservation center, and a children’s zoo. Open daily 9am to 5 pm.

The Oklahoma Aquarium
300 Aquarium Drive
Jenks, OK 4037
918/296-3474
The Oklahoma Aquarium, located in a suburb just south of Tulsa, has thousands of animals, a million gallons of water, the largest Bull Sharks in captivity viewable with a walk-through tunnel and dome, and a unique fishing tackle museum. It is open seven days a week from 10am-6pm.

Fun for the Family

Orr Family Farm
14400 S. Western
Oklahoma City, OK 73170
405/799-3276
This 90-acre horse farm unusually features three trains families can ride, including a new replica of the Jupiter locomotive from the Promontory Summit in 1869 on the first transcontinental line. Other attractions include fishing ponds stocked with largemouth bass, crappie and catfish, a 1974 carousel, an animal barn, apple orchard and pumpkins in the fall, pony and hay rides, a corn maze, and the Amaze’n Maze, one of only 8 mazes of its kind in the world, offering 4,900-square-feet of challenging fun.

Bedre Chocolate Factory
2001 W. Airline Road
Paul’s Valley, OK 73075
800/367-5390
This specialty shop has a factory on site that offers tours to visitors. Families enjoy seeing how chocolate is made by Oklahoma’s largest chocolate manufacturer. You can also buy gourmet and novelty chocolates, as well as gift baskets and other traditional candies.

National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
17 NE 63rd Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73111
405/478-2250
Formerly known as the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, this contemporary museum features art from contemporary artists as well as works by master artists such as Charles Russell and Frederic Remington.On the property, there are both botanical and natural gardens. The complex also contains Prosperity Junction, a 14,000-square-foot, turn-of-the-century Western town, and exhibition galleries like The American Cowboy Gallery, The American Rodeo Gallery, and The Western Performers Gallery. The Joe Grandee Museum of the Frontier West Gallery features displays on the contributions of the Buffalo Soldier and the development of the West. Also on site is a children’s interactive discovery area filled with western activities for families.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
32 Refuge Headquarters
Indiahoma, OK 73552
580/429-3222
In southwestern Oklahoma, this nearly 60,000 acre wildlife refuge offers abundant hiking trails and an auto road. The scenic drive will give you a panoramic view of the Wichita mountain range and surrounding prairie lands. Be on the lookout to spot wildlife from your car, including longhorn cattle, bison, elk, deer, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, prairie dogs, turkey and bobcat. The auto road is free and open year round.

Gia interned for Family Travel Forum while an English major at New York University. She now works for True Romance Magazine. She likes to read, write, sing, golf, and of course, travel. One of her favorite places is Rome, and she hopes to live there for at least part of her adult life.