Discover 35 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Oklahoma City (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Water Park, Frontier City, and Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Also, be sure to include American Banjo Museum in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Oklahoma City (Oklahoma).
Table of Contents
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Water Park
Water park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oklahoma City is a water theme park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma built in 1981. Built by the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation and originally known as White Water, the water park was picked up by Premier Parks in 1991 and its name was changed to White Water Bay. Both White Water Bay and the nearby theme park Frontier City were sold again in a seven park package by Six Flags on January 11, 2007, for $312 million. White Water Bay is currently owned by EPR Properties and operated by Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. The park was renamed to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oklahoma City in 2020.[1]
Address: 3908 W Reno Ave, 73107-6626 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Frontier City
Theme park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Frontier City is a western-themed amusement park in Oklahoma City. It is owned by EPR and operated by Six Flags. The park originally opened in 1958. Frontier City is one of three Six Flags parks that are not currently branded as a Six Flags park, with Great Escape in Queensbury, New York and La Ronde in Montreal, Quebec, Canada being the other two. Frontier City is the second-oldest Six Flags park behind Six Flags New England.[2]
Address: 11501 N I 35 Service Rd, 73131-6416 Oklahoma City (Northeast Oklahoma City)
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
Commemorating the 1995 bombing victims. The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a memorial in the United States that honors the victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were affected by the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. The memorial is located in downtown Oklahoma City on the former site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which was destroyed in the 1995 bombing. This building was located on NW 5th Street between N. Robinson Avenue and N. Harvey Avenue.
The national memorial was authorized on October 9, 1997, by President Bill Clinton's signing of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Act of 1997. It was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places the same day. The memorial is administered by Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation, with National Park Service staff to help interpret the memorial for visitors.
The memorial was formally dedicated on April 19, 2000: the fifth anniversary of the bombing. The museum was dedicated and opened the following year on February 19.[3]
Address: 620 N Harvey Ave, 73102 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
American Banjo Museum
Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City is dedicated to the history of the banjo. The museum's exhibits document the rise of the banjo from its arrival in North America via the Atlantic slave trade to modern times. The museum was founded in 1988 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, by Jack Canine and moved to Oklahoma City in 2009.[4]
Address: 9 E Sheridan Ave, 73104 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Remington Park
Race track in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Remington Park is a horse racing track and casino located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Built in 1988 by Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. it was the first world-class pari-mutuel track in Oklahoma. Since 2010, Global Gaming RP has owned and operated the racing facility.[5]
Address: 1 Remington Pl, 73111-7101 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Oklahoma State Capitol
Prominent government building with tours. The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch offices. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City and contains 452,508 square feet of floor area. The present structure includes a dome completed in 2002.
Oklahoma's first capital was Guthrie, Oklahoma, but it moved to Oklahoma City in 1910. Construction began on the Oklahoma State Capitol in 1914 and was completed in 1917. Originally, it housed the judicial branch of Oklahoma, but the state's high courts moved most of their operations to the Oklahoma Judicial Center in 2011, leaving only the Supreme Court Hearing Chamber in the capitol building.
The state capitol complex is the only state capitol grounds in the United States with active oil rigs.[6]
Address: 2300 N Lincoln Blvd, 73105-4805 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden
Animal park with shows and attractions. The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is a zoo and botanical garden located in Oklahoma City's Adventure District in northeast Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The zoo covers 130 acres (53 ha) and is home to more than 1,900 animals. It is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Oklahoma City Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Alliance of Museums.[7]
Address: 2000 Remington Pl, Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Oklahoma History Center
Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma History Center is the history museum of the state of Oklahoma. Located on an 18-acre plot across the street from the Governor's mansion at 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive in Oklahoma City, the current museum opened in 2005 and is operated by the Oklahoma Historical Society. It focuses on the history of Oklahoma from ancient Native American tribal nations to the present day. The OHC was founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association in Guthrie, Oklahoma, then the capital of Oklahoma Territory, but moved to Oklahoma City after statehood was declared in November 1907.[8]
Address: 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr, 73105-7917 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Survivor Tree
The Survivor Tree is an American elm which survived the Oklahoma City bombing and lives on the north side of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma.[9]
The Shoppes at Northpark
Shopping mall in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Shoppes at Northpark is a shopping mall located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with a concentration of high-end retail establishments. It contains 45 tenants comprising approximately 250,000 square feet of gross space for lease.
Thomas Morris purchased a 22-acre (89,000 m2) tract for the mall in 1967 at $2,500-an-acre, and completed the first phase in 1973, which consisted of a 26,000 sq ft (2,400 m2) Safeway grocery store (the largest in the state at the time, no longer in business) and Northpark 4 Cinemas (which is now AMC Northpark 7). In 1973 the new mall was located on (what was at that time) the northern edge of Oklahoma City.
It was followed by an expansion in 1977 which added 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m2) of retail space, and another expansion in 1981. Occupancy fell to approximately 50 percent as a result of the 1980s oil bust, but subsequently improved in the mid-1990s. The mall now consists of a number of smaller high-end retailers.[10]
Address: 12100 N May Ave, 73120 Oklahoma City (Northwest Oklahoma City)
Bricktown Canal
The Bricktown Canal is a canal in Bricktown, Oklahoma City, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The waterway opened in 1999 and has become a popular tourist destination featuring many attractions. Downtown OKC Partnership and the Bricktown Association held a 20th anniversary celebration in 2019.[11]
Myriad Botanical Gardens
Botanical garden in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Myriad Botanical Gardens is a 17-acre botanical garden and interactive urban park located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on the southwest corner of Reno and Robinson. The Gardens is home to multiple tiers of densely landscaped areas that surround a sunken lake. Its primary feature is the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory - a 224-foot living plant museum featuring towering palm trees, tropical plants and flowers, waterfalls, and exotic animals.[12]
Address: 301 W Reno Ave, 73102-5030 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of American rodeo photographs, barbed wire, saddlery, and early rodeo trophies. Museum collections focus on preserving and interpreting the heritage of the American West. The museum becomes an art gallery during the annual Prix de West Invitational Art Exhibition and Sale each June. The Prix de West Artists sell original works of art as a fund raiser for the Museum. The expansion and renovation was designed by Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA of Fentress Architects.[13]
Address: 1700 NE 63rd St, 73111-7997 Oklahoma City (Northeast Oklahoma City)
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is a museum located in the Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. The museum features traveling special exhibitions, original selections from its own collection, a theater showing a variety of foreign, independent, and classic films each week, and a restaurant. OKCMOA also houses a collection of Chihuly glass among the most comprehensive in the world, including the 55-foot Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower in the Museum's atrium.[14]
Address: 415 Couch Dr, 73102-2214 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Museum of Osteology
Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Museum of Osteology, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S. is a private museum devoted to the study of bones and skeletons. This museum displays over 350 skeletons of animal species from all over the world. With another 7000 specimens as part of the collection, but not on display, this is the largest privately held collection of osteological specimens in the world.[15]
Address: 10301 S Sunnylane Rd, 73160-9220 Oklahoma City
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark
Ballpark in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark opened in 1998 in downtown Oklahoma City's Bricktown Entertainment District, replacing All Sports Stadium. It is the home of the Oklahoma City Dodgers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball team. The park has seating for up to 13,066 fans and currently utilizes a seating capacity of 9,000 for Dodgers games.
The stadium frequently hosts the Phillips 66 Big 12 Baseball Tournament and is slated to host the tournament through 2020. The first Big 12 tournament was held at All Sports Stadium in 1997 before moving to Bricktown in 1998. The tournament has been held at Bricktown every year since, except for 2002 and 2004, when it was contested at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, the home park of the Texas Rangers, and in 2015 when Tulsa hosted the tournament. The ballpark also often hosts games of the Bedlam Series, in which the Oklahoma Sooners face the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
The ballpark also hosts numerous other events both during and outside the baseball season. Those events include the Oklahoma High School Baseball Series in March, the snow tubing WinterFest November–January, a variety of community walks and runs, concerts, parties, corporate outings, meetings, seminars and more.[16]
Address: 2 S Mickey Mantle Dr, 73104-2433 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Science Museum Oklahoma
Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Science Museum Oklahoma is a science museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The museum is home to the Kirkpatrick Planetarium, the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and a number of specialized galleries. The facility covers over 390,000 square feet, which makes it one of the largest science museums in the nation. It began as the Kirkpatrick Planetarium in 1958 with major additions in 1980, 1985, 2000, and 2007.[17]
Address: 2020 Remington Pl, 73111 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Skydance Bridge
Pedestrian bridge in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Skydance Bridge is a pedestrian bridge and public artwork in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States.[18]
Oklahoma Governor's Mansion
The Oklahoma Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the governor of Oklahoma and is located at 820 NE 23rd Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[19]
Address: 820 NE 23rd St, 73105-7935 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Brickopolis
Brickopolis is a three-story entertainment venue in Bricktown, Oklahoma City, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Features include an arcade, laser tag, and an 18-hole miniature golf course. Brickopolis was opened by owner Chris Johnson in 2015.[20]
St. Joseph Old Cathedral
Parish church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. St. Joseph Old Cathedral is a parish church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City located in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It was the seat of the 'Diocese of Oklahoma City-Tulsa' from 1905 to 1931; and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The cathedral was severely damaged during the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.[21]
Address: 307 NW 4th St, 73102 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Will Rogers Gardens
Garden in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Will Rogers Gardens is a 30-acre park in Oklahoma City located at the corner of 36th Street and Portland Avenue. It is one of the city's historic parks and is open year-round. Will Rogers Gardens features the Charles E. Sparks Rose Garden, a 7-acre arboretum and a conservatory with a cacti and succulent collection. It also features display beds of daylilies, iris, azaleas, herbs and peonies.
Gardening and nature related classes for all ages and other events are often held in the Garden Exhibition Building, the main building at Will Rogers Gardens. The Gardens, Conservatory and rooms in the Exhibition center are also available to rent for weddings and other events.
Will Rogers Gardens is part of Will Rogers Park, which features a family aquatics center, the 24-court Oklahoma City Tennis Center, a disk golf course, and one of Oklahoma City's two senior adult recreation centers.[22]
Address: 3201 N. Grand Blvd, Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Nichols Hills
City in Oklahoma. Nichols Hills is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The population was 3,710 as of the 2010 census.[23]
Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum
Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum is a museum owned and administered by the Oklahoma State Firefighters Association. The museum is financed by the dues collected from more than 8,000 firefighters, and is located at 2716 N.E. 50th Street in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Groundbreaking for the museum building was performed on April 6, 1967, and was completed in 1969. The building houses the museum, the, the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association, the Council on Firefighter Training and the Oklahoma Retired Firefighters Association offices.
The museum is devoted entirely to the preservation and display of antique fire apparatus and equipment. It contains a remarkable collection of antique gear, dating back to the mid-18th century, and also holds the first fire station in Oklahoma Territory, built in 1864. Many items from the oldest fire company in the United States, commanded by Benjamin Franklin, are on display. Exhibits also include the world's largest patch collection and the distinctive mural The Last Alarm.[24]
Address: 2716 NE 50th St, 73111-7299 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Cathedral in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Catholic cathedral in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.[25]
Address: 3214 N Lake Ave, 73118-5698 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Chickasaw Plaza
Chickasaw Plaza is a plaza along the Bricktown Canal in Bricktown, Oklahoma City, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The plaza features a statue of a Chickasaw warrior, which was sponsored by the Chickasaw Nation, as well as markers describing the tribe's history and land loss following the Indian Removal Act and Trail of Tears.[26]
Overholser Mansion
Mansion. The Overholser Mansion is a mansion in Oklahoma City's Heritage Hills neighborhood built in 1903.[27]
Address: 405 NW 15th St, 73103-3503 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Red Earth Art Center
Museum, Specialty museum
Address: 6 Santa Fe Plz, 73102-9027 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Devon Energy Center
Skyscraper in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Devon Energy Center is a 50-story corporate skyscraper in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is the tallest building in the city and state, though it has fewer floors than the 52-story BOK Tower in Tulsa. It is tied with Park Tower in Chicago as the 62nd tallest building in the United States. Construction began October 6, 2009, and was completed in October 2012. The tower is located next to the historic Colcord Hotel, which Devon currently owns, on Sheridan Avenue between Hudson and Robinson Avenues.
The office tower, a six-story rotunda, and a six-story podium structure comprise more than 1,800,000 square feet (170,000 m2) and was initially estimated to cost $750 million; however, the first formal appraisal of the tower and complex came in at only $707.9 million. It serves as the northern anchor of Oklahoma City's aggressive Core to Shore downtown redevelopment project.[28]
Address: 333 W Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
Civic Center Music Hall
Performing arts center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Civic Center Music Hall is a performing arts center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was constructed in 1937 as Municipal Auditorium and renamed in 1966. The facility includes the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre, the Freede Little Theatre, CitySpace, the Meinders Hall of Mirrors and the Joel Levine Rehearsal Hall.
The Civic Center Music Hall is managed and operated in conjunction with the Rose State Performing Arts Theatre. Together they serve more than 300,000 patrons at around 250 performances at four different stages each year. The center is home to seven professional arts organizations: Canterbury Voices, OKC Broadway, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Ballet, Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Oklahoma City Rep, and Painted Sky Opera.[29]
Address: Oklahoma City, 201 North Walker Ave.
Lake Hefner
Reservoir in Oklahoma. Lake Hefner is a reservoir in northwestern Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was built in the 1940's to expand the water supply for the city of Oklahoma City, in part through the labor of German POW's.
It is named after Robert A. Hefner, who served as mayor of Oklahoma City from April 11, 1939 to April 8, 1947, but was originally named the "Bluff Creek Reservoir." It also serves as a major recreational destination, as it is surrounded by 9.5 miles (15.3 km) of multi-use (bicycle, skating and pedestrian) trails.[30]
Address: Lake Hefner Pkwy, 73118 Oklahoma City (Central Oklahoma City)
First National Center
Skyscraper in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. First National Center, formerly known as First National Bank Building, is a prominent mixed-use skyscraper in downtown Oklahoma City. The art deco tower is 406 feet tall at the roof, and is 446 feet at its spire and contains 33 floors. The building was constructed in 1931 by the First National Bank and Trust Company of Oklahoma City and has 990,000 square feet of office space.
First National Center is currently the third tallest building in Oklahoma City, after the Devon Tower and Chase Tower, respectively. The tower is the sixth tallest building in the state of Oklahoma. The tower has a notable architectural resemblance to the Empire State Building in New York City.
The First National Center is connected to adjacent buildings in the downtown area via the Oklahoma City Underground series of tunnels and elevated walkways. In 2007, the building had a 40% occupancy rate. By 2016, the occupancy rate had dropped to less than 20%.[31]
BOK Park Plaza
BOK Park Plaza is an office skyscraper in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Construction began in 2015 and the building was completed in 2018. At a height of 433 ft, it is the sixth tallest building in Oklahoma City. The building contains 27 floors and received an LEED-CS GOLD energy label.
Bank of Oklahoma has their Oklahoma City headquarters offices here.[32]
Del City
City in Oklahoma. Del City is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. The population was 21,822 at the.
Del City is located near two major interstate highways, both of which connect it to Oklahoma City. Interstate 40 bisects the town from the northwest to southeast, and Interstate 35 lies just a short distance west of the city. The city borders southeast Oklahoma City, Midwest City and Tinker Air Force Base. George Epperly, founded the city, which was incorporated by a vote of its residents in 1948. Del City is named after Epperly's eldest daughter, Delaphene Campbell. Since its incorporation Del City has expanded three times, first by annexing Carter Park in 1954, Midway Village in 1963 and the acquisition of an undeveloped piece of land between the city and Tinker AFB A large area of Del City was significantly impacted by the May 3, 1999, tornado outbreak that passed through the Oklahoma City metro area.[33]
Leadership Square
Building complex in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Leadership Square is an mixed-use office tower complex in downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. The complex was completed in 1984 and comprises One Leadership Square and Two Leadership Square. One Leadership Square is taller at 308 feet and 22 stories. Two Leadership Square is 224 feet and 16 stories. They are the 10th and 19th tallest buildings in Oklahoma City, respectively.[34]