Get to know some of the legendary characters and historic figures who made Oklahoma what it is today on this weeklong adventure in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and beyond.
Day 1
- Arrive in Oklahoma City
- Cocktail meet-and-greet at Bricktown Entertainment District
- Overnight in Oklahoma City
Day 2
- Depart Oklahoma City
- Travel to Norman to tour the National Weather Center at the University of Oklahoma
- Proceed to Sulphur for a Native American cultural experience and lunch at the Chickasaw Cultural Center
- Tasting at Bedre Fine Chocolate Shop
- Return to Oklahoma City and tour the First Americans Museum
- Overnight in Oklahoma City
Chickasaw Cultural Center — Sulphur
Located on 184 acres in southern Oklahoma, the Chickasaw Cultural Center opened in 2010 to preserve and promote the traditions and practices of the Chickasaw tribe. Its beautiful campus is home to sculptures, gardens and water features that allow guests to enjoy the natural beauty of the area, as well as an amphitheater for performances and gatherings. Groups can also explore a historically accurate replica of a 1700s Chickasaw Village, where they may catch demonstrations of traditional Chickasaw language, games and dances. Inside the exhibit center, interactive rotating exhibits highlight different aspects of Chickasaw life. The exhibit center also houses several fine art galleries and other educational exhibits that teach visitors about the Chickasaw’s history. Groups can tour the facilities on their own or with a guide. They can enjoy some traditional Chickasaw recipes at the center’s café. For an authentic Chickasaw souvenir, groups can visit the gift shop, where they can purchase native clothing, jewelry, pottery and baskets of their own.
Day 3
- Tour Oklahoma City, beginning with a stop at the Centennial Land Run Monument
- Visit the American Banjo Museum
- Tour, dinner and film screening at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
- Overnight in Oklahoma City
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum — Oklahoma City
The American West has long captivated the minds of the public. A history rich in adventure and saturated with different cultures makes it a fascinating topic to explore, which is what groups can do at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Opened in 1955, this museum boasts an extensive collection of art and artifacts that help tell the story of the Wild West. Visitors can browse the museum’s galleries, which are devoted to different times or themes in Western history. One gallery features a rotating collection of Native American Art, while another is dedicated entirely to the history of the American cowboy. Guests see historic artifacts, such as Native American clothing and firearms from the 1800s. The museum also features rotating exhibits, such as artwork with Western themes. For lunch, groups can enjoy a sandwich, salad or hot dog at the Museum Grill, which overlooks the museum’s sculpture garden.
Day 4
- Head northwest toward Tulsa on Route 66
- Stop for soda at POPS
- Photo op at the Route 66 Interpretive Center
- Lunch at the Rock Café in Stroud
- Photo op with Tulsa’s Golden Driller
- Tour Boston Avenue Church
- Explore the Woody Guthrie Center
- Overnight in Tulsa
Golden Driller — Tulsa
A trip through Oklahoma would be incomplete without a visit to one of its most unique and impressive monuments. The Golden Driller, a 76-foot-tall, 43,500-pound statue of an oil worker, was first erected in 1953 for the International Petroleum Exposition. The statue’s right hand rests on a real oil derrick. It was later donated to Tulsa’s fairgrounds, where it stands today in Expo Square as a tribute to Oklahoma’s oil workers and the oil industry’s contributions to Oklahoma’s economy. The steel-framed concrete and plaster statue is one of the tallest freestanding statues in the United States. Groups can stop for a photo-op with Oklahoma’s official monument and learn about the history behind it. Those visiting in the fall can check out the Tulsa State Fair in the Tulsa Expo Center where the monument resides.
Day 5
- Continue northwest on Route 66
- Stop for a photo at the famous Blue Whale in Catoosa
- Arrive in Claremore for a tour of the Will Rogers Memorial Museum
- Tour and lunch at Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch
- Return to Tulsa for an afternoon visit to the Philbrook Museum of Art
- Overnight in Tulsa
Day 6
- Depart Tulsa and head north
- Tour and lunch at the Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve near Bartlesville
- Dessert stop at the Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska
- Visit the Conoco Museum in Ponca City
- Dinner and tour of the E.W. Marland Mansion
- Overnight in Ponca City
Conoco Museum — Ponca City
The Conoco Museum was founded in 2007 to educate the public about the long history of Conoco, the American oil and gas company that started in 1875 and later merged to create ConocoPhillips. The museum is located in Ponca City, where Conoco was headquartered, right across from the Phillips 66 refinery. Groups can check out the museum’s interactive and educational exhibits, which were designed to teach visitors everything about the company, from its creation to its marketing. Some exhibits also teach visitors about the oil industry by depicting how oil is produced and refined with photos and CGI graphics. In addition to educating visitors, the museum celebrates the Conoco story and the company’s journey from a small oil and kerosene distributor to an international energy company. Groups are welcome to learn the Conoco story at their own pace, but guided tours of the museum are also available upon request.
Day 7
- Explore Standing Bear Park and Museum
- Depart south toward Oklahoma City
- Tour the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art in Shawnee
- Evening visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
- Farewell dinner at Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar and Grill”
Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art — Shawnee
Founded by Gregory Gerrer in 1919, the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art has been bringing pieces of other cultures around the world to Oklahoma since before it was even a state. Gerrer was a Benedictine monk, artist and assistant pastor who collected art and artifacts during his travels to Europe, South America and Africa. He was passionate about sharing his collection with the public and bringing the world to Oklahoma. In 1979, a building was constructed by the Mabee foundation to house Gerrer’s thousands of artifacts and continue Gerrer’s legacy. Groups can take docent-guided or self-guided tours through the museum to view its artwork and artifacts, which span thousands of years and many civilizations. Some of the museum’s most prominent exhibits include Oklahoma’s only Egyptian mummies; ancient Chinese bronze statues and terra cotta figures; and Mayan jewelry. The museum also features rotating exhibitions of art that highlight different periods, from the Renaissance to contemporary American art.
You can find this itinerary along with more resources to plan your group’s trip to Oklahoma at travelok.com/group-tours/toolkits.
