Stop what you’re doing right now and start planning your mid-west adventure! I genuinely feel like I’ve had my eyes closed to how incredible Oklahoma can be.
Because we had an absolutely amazing time in Tulsa, Oklahoma!
We visited Tulsa this summer and truly had such a memorable, amazing trip in the city!
I absolutely loved exploring this super cool city. There is SO much to see and do.
Plus the food and drinks scene is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, I have some great recommendations for your next visit.
Tulsa is really the perfect weekend getaway and I can’t recommend it enough. Here’s everything that you need to do on your next visit to this vibrant city.
15 best things to do in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Take a drive down Route 66
Our main reason for visiting Tulsa was that it was part of our journey along Route 66.
We drove from St. Louis, MO to Oklahoma City, OK and I think Tulsa was definitely one of our favourite stops along the route.
You can check out my full week long Route 66 itinerary but if you’re in Tulsa, make sure to take a drive down this iconic road, especially to see all of the cool neon signs!
Check out the giant Space Cowboy and Cowgirl at Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios!
Now THIS is an iconic Route 66 stop.
Buck Atoms has the huge giant statues that you’ve probably seen before if you’ve ever researched Route 66. And there are plenty of opportunities for photo ops!
Get your pics with Buck Atoms, the Space Cowboy and Stella Atoms, the Space Cowgirl!
DECOPOLIS Discovitorium
Now this is a super fun magical store! Across the street from Buck Atoms you’ll find the DECOPOLIS Discovitorium.
This is a really neat gift shop filled with tons of curiousities.
I think it’s a really fun spot for both adults AND kids to pop into!
Route 66 Historical Village
Did you know that Tulsa is known for history in the oil and transportation industries?
This was definitely something I learned whilst we were travelling, I had no clue.
So quite a lot of the history and facts around Tulsa also surround transportation. At the Route 66 Historical Village you’ll find The Visitor’s Center is a replica of a 1920’s Phillips 66 gas station, you’ll see the 154 feet tall oil derrick (the tower in the left photo).
This is an outdoor open air museum which is FREE to the public and and open 24/7!
Film fans? Check out The Outsiders House
Calling classic film fans… and book fans too!
The Outsiders House Museum is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and it’s seriously the house that they filmed in back in 1983!
The house has been restaged so that the home looks like it did in the film.
Throughout the house you’ll find plenty of film features, facts and really neat pieces from the cast and crew.
Music fans? The Bob Dylan Center is for you.
I didn’t have a clue that there was a Bob Dylan Centre in Tulsa.
But here we are!
It’s a really cool music museum in honour of Bob Dylan.
I found it was a really fun museum, even though I don’t have a huge wealth of knowledge about Dylan’s life. It was interesting to learn more about his career, personal journey and his impact on music and history today.
Where to eat and drink in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Cocktails at Valkyrie
With a name like Valkyrie, you knew we had to stop here!
And wow, they could not have been nicer. And we enjoyed such great cocktails!
We stopped in right before dinner, so we only stayed for one drink, but I would 10/10 go back.
Romantic dinner at Amelia’s Wood Fired Cuisine
After Valkyrie, we walked across the street to dinner at Amelia’s. This is a must-book restaurant while in Tulsa.
And wow! We had such a great dinner here, the food here is DELICIOUS.
My recommendation is to sit at the counter by the open kitchen on the barstools.
It’s a really fun atmosphere and really cool to watch your dinner being made right in front of you.
And despite being right next to the open kitchen, the atmosphere is quite dark and romantic, we loved it!
Date night at Bull in the Alley
This speakeasy steakhouse in the city is a big win.
I love the dark, sexy interiors to this restaurant, such a stark contrast with the light summer evenings.
The minute you walk into Bull in the Alley, you’re greeted super warmly and a 10/10 experience is on the way.
You can just pop in for drinks at their bar, but I say make a hot date night out of it because the food is incredible! We ordered sharing steak for the table, lobster mac and cheese and plenty of greens. Everything is amazing, so whatever you order, you can’t go wrong.
And don’t miss ordering a martini from their martini bar cart! They whirl the cart over to your table and make it right in front of you, such a fun atmosphere!
Best diner breakfast on Route 66? Tally’s Cafe
Obviously you HAVE to hit up a classic diner when along Route 66!
Tally’s Cafe is the perfect spot for breakfast, it’s brimming with classic, cool diner vibes.
And the best good old fashioned American breakfasts! Fried eggs, toast smothered in butter, bacon, fluffy pancakes!
And I loved how the coffee refills were neverending – I didn’t want to leave!
Lunch or Dinner at Mother Market
I loved visited Mother Market as it’s the perfect spot for everywhere.
It’s like a super cool food hall with loads of different restaurants to choose from. There’s also a bar!
They also have a shop too! I bought a little Oklahoma Route 66 patch.
Catch Live Music at The Colony
Live music but it feels like you’re in a living room. Definitely hit up The Colony at night for live music. This made for a REALLY fun end to our night.
It’s a really relaxed atmosphere and kind of feels like you’re watching a show from your coolest friends house.
Drive along the musical highway
Located on Route 66 but I’m going to be honest, we drove up and down trying to get this right before eventually figuring it out.
Coming into the city of Tulsa, you can drive along the Route 66 musical highway and you need your right tire to hit the pavement in perfectly exact way and you’ll hear “This Land Is Your Land” from the music of your very own tires!
And be sure to hit the road at night to drive along Route 66
Enjoy every minute of checking out the cool neon signs!
I’d recommend checking out the Neon Sign park, which we missed during our stay but anywhere along Route 66 you’ll get a great peek at cool lights!
🏨 Book your stay at The Mayo Hotel
The Mayo Hotel is a great base in the city for exploring.
While we did drive during most of our visit as it was quite hot out, I think this would be a great base for walking around too!