USA TRAVEL GUIDE, “SOUTHWEST” OKLAHOMA

OKLAHOMA: THE SOONER STATE

BY CLAY LARROY

Traveling is great personal interests because it will make a more open-minded person when it comes to inter acting with people. It also made it easier to understanding as to why people act the way they do in their own society and in a society as diverse as the U.S. It has long been said that travels “broadens the mind”. Now new evidence proves that jumping on a plane will not only make you smarter, but more open-minded.  When you need to plan a vacation contact me!

 

Oklahoma Travel Guide

Native American powwows, cowboy capers, Route 66 adventures and outdoor escapades are all par for the course in Oklahoma.

Some 60 Native American tribes have lived in ‘The Sooner State' and visitors can wander among prehistoric mounds at Spiro, experience early Cherokee life at Tahlequah's replica villages and hit Oklahoma City for the Red Earth Festival, an energetic extravaganza of Native American artists from across the continent.

There are few better states in which to giddy up for an authentic cowboy experience than Okie. Kit yourself out in clothing at Langston's in Oklahoma City, which has been dressing cowboys and gals since 1913. Then take your pick of cattle-wrangling on a ranch, cheering on bronc riders at a rodeo, chowing down on belt-busting hunks of steak, or stomping your boots to country music at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa.

Oklahoma lays claim to the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, which is littered with quirky roadside attractions. Snap pics of the iconic neon sign hanging outside Clinton's Route 66 Museum and dive into POPS, a landmark diner in Arcadia, which serves classic road trip fare and a heroic selection of sodas. Catch a silent flick at the Coleman Theatre in Miami (no, not thatMiami) or cast your eyes over vintage motorbikes at the Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum in Warwick.

If all that driving sounds too sedentary, duck underground at Alabaster Caverns State Park, rappel down walls at Red Rock Canyon State Park, or zip across Lake Murray on waterskies.

Take time too to visit the moving memorial commemorating the 1995 Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma City, where the bronze Gates of Time mark the minutes immediately before and after this tragic event.

Things to see and do in Oklahoma

Cherokee Heritage Center

Learn about Native American culture at sites such as the Cherokee Heritage Center (outside Tahlequah), the Cheyenne Cultural Center (in Clinton) and the Five Civilized Tribes Museum (www.fivetribes.org).

Chisholm Trail Heritage Center

See a life-size statue of a cattle drive outside the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center (www.onthechisholmtrail.com), in Duncan. Cattle are still transported along the Chisholm Trail route, nowadays in trucks, heading for the country's largest cattle auction in Oklahoma City.

Discoveryland

Don't miss the opportunity to see the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Oklahoma!, still running at Discoveryland, in Sand Springs, near Tulsa (http://discoverylandusa.com).

Gilcrease Museum

Witness how fortunes from the oilfields left a legacy in northeastern Oklahoma of mansions, museums, art galleries and art deco architecture. The Gilcrease Museum (www.gilcrease.org) in Tulsa contains the world's most comprehensive art collection of the American West.

National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

Delve into history at Oklahoma City's National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (www.nationalcowboymuseum.org), showcasing Western and Native American art and artifacts, the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum (www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org) and the Myriad Botanical Gardens & Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory (www.myriadgardens.com).

Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival

Attend the annual Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival, an enormous celebration of art, music and dance held each spring. The Oklahoma Prison Rodeo and the Rattlesnake Roundups offer a unique experience for visitors.

Robbers Cave State Park

Robbers Cave State Park is a favorite spot for spelunking, trail riding, hiking and rock climbing. Explore this former hideout for outlaws in the San Bois Mountains of southeast Oklahoma.

Route 66

Drive on the longest drivable stretch of Route 66, and discover old bridges, diners and memorials to America's historic Route 66 (www.oklahomaroute66.com).

  

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

Something called 'the Oklahoma Standard' became known throughout the world. It means resilience in the face of adversity. It means a strength and compassion that will not be defeated.

Brad Henry

Experience life by traveling with friends and family!