Oklahoma City also known as OKC is the capital and largest city in Oklahoma. One day in Oklahoma City makes for a fun time to see the sites or a fun way to spend a weekend. Oklahoma makes for a good stop on a trip to the midwest, especially if driving from Kansas to Texas. There are plenty of things to do in Oklahoma City to keep you busy and make for a fun vacation.
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History of Oklahoma City
The area of Oklahoma City was mostly inhabited for a long period of time. The Chickasaw Nation was located slightly to the south. In 1830, when the Indian Removal Act was passed, many Native Americans were pushed to this area.
In 1889, the area became popular due to the availability of land. The area continued to slowly expand until 1928. Then, oil was discovered in the area and thus caused a sudden influx of people to the area. After the oil boom, the population began to decline.
Present-day, improvements have been made to the area and it is the most populated city in Oklahoma. It houses an Air Force base and attracts people to work at the capital. The area continued to evolve and grow each year making it an interesting place to spend a weekend.
When to Spend One Day in Oklahoma City
Any time of the year is a great time to spend one day in Oklahoma City. However, you will want to keep in mind your weather preferences. The summers in Oklahoma can be hot and humid while winters can be cold and snowy.
How to Get to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City has one major airport -the Will Rogers Airport. It is named after the cowboy Will Rogers who was an Oklahoma native. Flights are available from all over the United States. Note that it is not an international airport. You can usually find flights for around $250 and up from across the US.
Transportation in Oklahoma City
If you opt to stay in downtown Oklahoma City, you can walk or take public transportation to most of the main sites. However, a car provides more flexibility, but it is not necessary. Buses and the OKC Streetcar run around the city. The OKC Streetcar costs $1 for an hour or $3 for the day.
Where to Stay in Oklahoma City
TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Search for the best Oklahoma hotels here!
Oklahoma City has a ton of places to stay downtown. Bricktown is a popular area of downtown to stay in. I always recommend hotels such as the Hampton Inn or the Omni. If you stay in this area, you will be close to all of the main sites.
What to do During One Day in Oklahoma City
Day 1
Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
Cost: Free-$15
Hours: Mon-Sat: 9am-5pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm
Start your one day in Oklahoma City with a visit to the National Memorial and Museum. The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum commemorates the victims and survivors of the bombing in 1995. Located on the site of the actual bombing, the outdoor memorial is free to the public. It contains a reflecting pool, a field of empty chairs to symbolize the losses, the survivor tree that survived the bombing, and several other areas.
Right next to the memorial is the museum. The museum covers the story of the day of the bombing and the aftermath. There are only a limited amount of tickets each day, so make sure to book them ahead of time if possible. Plan to spend about an hour and a half in the museum.
Oklahoma State Capitol
Cost: Free
Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-7pm, Sat-Sun: 9am-4pm
After visiting the Memorial, stop at the State Capitol Building. You can opt to walk around for a self-guided tour, or you can take a guided tour. The guided tours are offered at 9am, 10am, 1pm, and 2pm during the week. Each tour lasts 45 minutes.
Tucker’s Onion Burgers
Cost: $
Hours: Varies by location
Grab lunch at Tucker’s Onion Burgers. This fast food place serves delicious onion burgers. They take a beef patty and bake onion into it for a mouthwatering meal. Tucker’s also has some yummy milkshakes to try out as well. It is the perfect place to grab a quick bite to eat.
Hit Up a Brewery
After lunch, head to one of the local breweries. Several of the breweries also have lunch options if you prefer. The following are some of the best breweries we visited while spending one day in Oklahoma City.
Crossed Cannons
Hours: Mon, Wed, Thus: 3pm-9pm, Fri: 2pm-10pm, Sat: 2pm-10pm, Sun: 2pm-7pm
Cross Cannons is located by the University of Oklahoma. It has some fun brews and a cool atmosphere. It is a great place to stop after visiting the University of Oklahoma.
The Big Friendly
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 3pm-9pm, Fri-Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun: 12pm-8pm
Located in the Wheeler District, The Big Friendly has a ton of craft brews and wines. They have a large indoor and outdoor space. The Wheeler District is an up-and-coming community. It has a very friendly vibe with houses surrounding it and a nice park as well. At the Big Friendly, sometimes they have a taco truck so you can grab tacos for lunch.
Next to The Big Friendly Brewery is an area that has a Ferris Wheel and gigantic OKC Letters. It is a great stop for a picture as you can see the OKC skyline in the background. If you would like to ride the Ferris Wheel, it is $6, but keep in mind it closes during the wintertime.
Fair Weather Friend
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 4pm-9pm, Fri-Sat: 12pm-11pm, Sun: 12pm-7pm
Fair Weather Friend is a small batch brewery that had a cool vibe to it with murals on the sides of the building. Also, the brewery had delicious pizza options which was a perfect choice for lunch.
StoneCloud
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 3pm-10pm, Fri-Sat: 12pm-11pm, Sun: 1pm-8pm
StoneCloud is one of the larger breweries to hit during a day in Oklahoma City. It has an extensive tap list and tons of cool spots to hang out in the brewery.
First American Museum
Cost $15
Hours: Mon, Wed-Fri: 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun: 11am-5pm
This afternoon, head to the First American Museum. This museum documents the history of the Native Americans in the United States. It provides a great perspective into Native American life and culture as well as their journey in the United States.
Dinner at Ludivine
Cost: $$
Hours: Mon: 4pm-10pm, Tues-Sun: 11am-10pm
Tonight, grab dinner at Ludivine. Their menu changes frequently as they source from local farms and make the menu depending on what is available. They sometimes will have the menu posted online, sometimes they will not. If you are not adventurous with what you would like to eat, I would not recommend the tasting menu at Ludivine.
While the food here was delicious and I loved the atmosphere, I was not the happiest with the way they handled their menu and dietary restrictions. I have a lot of vegan/vegetarian friends so I always try to be conscious of what is available at restaurants. We had called before to ensure there would be a vegetarian or beef option and they assured us it would not be a problem despite there being a set menu that night.
However, when we showed up at the restaurants, none of these options were available. When we asked about it, they gave us a bit of an attitude about dietary restrictions. While I completely understand they sometimes have a set menu, if they are not going to be able to accommodate dietary restrictions, they should make it clear ahead of time and not say they can accommodate you when you call.
Vast
Cost: $-$$
Hours: Mon: 11am-1:30pm, Tues-Fri: 11am-1:30pm, 4pm-11pm, Sat: 4pm-12am
After dinner, stop for a drink at Vast. Located at the top of the Devon Energy Center, the tallest building in OKC, you will have gorgeous views of the area. There is also a restaurant you can choose to eat at here as well. It is the perfect place to eat during one day in Oklahoma City.
Have More Time Than One Day in Oklahoma City?
If you have more time to spend than one day in Oklahoma City, check out these places as well.
Myriad Botanical Gardens
Cost: Free
Hours: 6am-11pm
The Myriad Botanical Gardens are free gardens that are perfect to stroll around in. In the wintertime, there is an ice rink where you can skate for $14 with skate rental. You can also go inside the Crystal Bridge Visitor Lobby, but note that it is closed on Mondays.
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Cost: $12.50
Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm
The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum covers the history of the cowboy. The museum was originally established as the Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in 1955. It contains over 28,000 Western and Native American artifacts. It has the most extensive collection of American rodeo paraphernalia as well.
Oklahoma Railway Museum
Cost: Free
Hours: Thus-Sat: 9am-5pm
At the Oklahoma Railway Museum, you can wander around the grounds for free or opt to take a 40-minute train ride. The grounds contain various railway paraphernalia such as former train cars, a depot, a model train set, and information about trains. Train rides cost $12 and throughout the year there are sometimes special themed rides like the Polar Express for Christmastime.
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
Cost: $12
Hours: Wed-Thurs: 11am-5pm, Fri: 11am-8pm, Sat: 10am-5pm, Sun: 12pm-5pm
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art contains a ton of immersive exhibits. Some of them change throughout the year, so make sure to check the website ahead of time for current offerings. The exhibits contain all types of art from Modern to Classical type art. One of the popular exhibits includes artwork by Dale Chihuly.
University of Oklahoma
Cost: Free
Hours: Varies
The University of Oklahoma is one of the more popular universities in the state. They have a big football program. At the stadium, you can go inside to see any of the trophies they have won including the championship and Heisman trophies. It is a great stop for football lovers.
If you want to combine Oklahoma City with other places, it is only a little over three hours to drive to Dallas, Texas. Along the way, you can stop at Chickasaw National Recreation Area for some hiking. Dallas has many interesting stops such as the Sixth Floor Museum and the Botanical Gardens. Wichita, Kansas is about two and a half hours north of Oklahoma City or Tulsa is about an hour and a half away.
