35 Day Trips from Tulsa (with LIVE Updates as I Complete Them!)

If you’re looking for fun things to do within an easy day trip from Tulsa, then you’re in the right place!

One of the things on my “24 in 2024” list is to spend more time exploring closer to home so I’ve made it a goal to go on at least 24 day trips this year. 

So what counts as a day trip?

These day trips span anything from 1) spending the day in a city/suburb close to Tulsa (i.e. Broken Arrow, Jenks, Sapulpa, Claremore, etc.) to 2) Driving as far as 2.5 hours away. 

Normally I would consider something 2.5-3 hours to be more of a weekend trip, but I’ll do it as a day trip if there’s just one big thing I want to do and it’s kind of a remote area (i.e. I’ll go to the Great Salt Plains to dig for selenite crystals as a day trip but would probably spend the night if I was going to Springfield, MO even though they’re the same distance). 

Day Trips from Tulsa

SO…I’ve put together a list of 50 day trips from Tulsa and I’ll update details here as I mark them off my list.

Day Trips from Tulsa (Under 50 Miles)

Tall Grass Prairie & Pioneer Woman in Pawhuska

Whenever I have visitors, I always like to take them to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska. 

The tallgrass prairie used to cover the Great Plains, but most of it has been lost to farmland, so it’s a treat to find a preserve. The Joseph H Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska is home to a bison herd of about 2500. Go in the springtime and you just might see some babies! 

While you’re in Pawhuska, you’re definitely going to want to stop for a meal at one of the Pioneer Woman’s places. 

Ree Drummond (aka the Pioneer Woman) has built up quite the little empire in Pawhuska. Despite its early days as an oil boomtown in the Osage Nation, Pawhuska has been as sleepy as you can imagine for quite some time. Along comes the Pioneer Woman and BOOM. Pawhuska is back in business, baby! 

Here are the don’t miss spots: 

The Mercantile: This is what everybody comes for! The Mercantile is the main restaurant where you’re going to find all that good, stick-to-your-ribs food that the Pioneer Woman is so famous for. 

My favorites here have always been the fried chicken sandwich and the grilled cheese and tomato soup dippers. But seriously everything is GOOD and the prices are more small town Oklahoma than celebrity chef. 

And don’t miss the bakery upstairs! Everything is fantastic. Last time we went, we got a box of cupcakes to take home. 

The Lodge: Plan your trip to coincide with one of the days where the lodge is open for tours. The Lodge is where Ree films the TV show and you’re not going to want to miss it. It’s partly like being on a TV set and partly like being in someone’s home. 

Check the schedule here and you can pick up tickets and directions at the Mercantile on the day of. There’s not a limit on the number of tickets given out in a day, so you don’t need to rush and get there early. 

The Lodge is a good 25+ minute drive from the Merc so plan accordingly, but it’s very scenic. 

P-Town Pizza: I love the Merc, but honestly P-Town Pizza is kind of my new favorite spot in town. It’s a cool space inside and there’s a really nice patio too. 

Just like the Merc, the food at this place is really good, very large portions, and not terribly expensive. You’ll definitely want an order of the Garlic Not Knots. The cesar salad is seriously splittable between four people (and they’ll plate it separately for you too) and comes with a few garlic knots. The pizza is all cooked in a wood fire oven and it was fantastic. 

Charlie’s Sweet Shop: Coming from Oklahoma where Braum’s ice cream reigns supreme, I’ll admit I was skeptical. But the ice cream here is very good and pretty much every topping and add on is homemade. The sundae are very reasonably priced and big enough for at least two people to share. We found that out the fun way ; )

Will Rogers Museum & Antique Shopping in Claremore

Claremore may be most famous for being the home of Will Rogers, but there’s plenty going on in this little town to justify a day trip. 

Claremore’s historic downtown is only a few blocks, but there are a handful of pretty good antique shops plus The Same Page bookshop. 

I highly recommend lunch at Wildflour Baking Co. Their chicken salad sandwiches were amazing plus they have an enviable bakery case. Their chocolate chip cookies are to die for ; )

Claremore also has a pretty strong mural scene! I love the Will Rogers/Route 66 ones just off Mainstreet plus the Kelsey Montague mural on the side of the Spectrum Paint building is a fun photo op. 

And of course, you can’t come to town without visiting the Will Rogers Memorial Museum. I’ve been here a few times on field trips as a kid but it’s been awhile and I’m due for another visit. 

Sapulpa’s Historic Route 66 & Christmas Chute

Sapulpa has been up to BIG things in the last few years and they’ve managed to turn the small town’s spot on Route 66 into a big destination. 

The prime time to visit Sapulpa is during the holiday season when they close down their historic mainstreet to vehicle traffic and put up the “Christmas Chute.” On the weekends it has a pretty buzzing atmosphere with vendors, food trucks, and even little igloos that you can rent for some extra fun. 

No matter what time of year you visit, don’t miss souvenir shopping and Route 66 nostalgia at Gasoline Alley, a ride in a classic car at the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum, and an outdoor movie at the TeePee Drive In.

More Day Trips on My List

Price Tower & Woolaroc in Bartlesville

Broken Arrow’s Historic Main Street

Jenks Aquarium & Antique Shopping

Berry Picking in Bixby

Living Kitchen Farm in Depew

Keystone Ancient Forest in Sand Springs

Will Rogers Birthplace in Oologah

Honor Heights Park Azalea Festival in Muskogee

Redbud Valley Nature Preserve in Catoosa

Day Trips from Tulsa (Under 100 Miles)

Route 66 to the East

Route 66 is one of the best road trips in the US and it runs right through Tulsa. Take a day and drive 100 miles or so east of Tulsa on the interstate, hop off and cruise Route 66 back to town. 

I’ve done this a couple of times now (once as a day trip and once as part of the full 2500 mile road trip) and this is a GREAT section of Route 66. 

Take I-44 up to Miami and hit these spots on your way back: 

Dairy King in Commerce

Coleman Theater & Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger in Miami

Totem Pole Park in Foyil

Blue Whale in Catoosa

Read my full post about this stretch of Route 66 here for more details. 

Route 66 to the West

Driving Route 66 from Tulsa to OKC is the PERFECT day trip. It’s one endless string of small towns and ranchland completely out of sight of the interstate. 

I’ve mentioned Sapulpa already (worthy of a full day of exploring in itself), but you’ll also want to stop for lunch at the Rock Cafe in Stroud which has strong ties to the Pixar movie Cars

66 Bowl in Chandler is a fun place to bowl a frame or two. Don’t miss the Round Barn in Arcadia and of course, you have to stop for a soda at Pops. 

Read my full post about this stretch of Route 66 here for more details. 

Oklahoma City

You could easily spend DAYS in Oklahoma City seeing the sites and exploring all the new places that are opening up nowadays, but it’s one of my favorite spots to just pop over for the day from Tulsa. 

I usually like to pick an attraction or place that I’ve been wanting to go and then explore the area around there and find fun places to eat and shop. 

There are quite a few museums and indoor attractions in OKC that make for great rainy day or winter activities. 

Some of my favorite places I’ve been in OKC lately: 

First American Museum

Cowboy Hall of Fame

Myriad Botanical Garden

The National 

KatieBug’s

Bentonville, AR

There is SO MUCH going on in Northwest Arkansas (NWA) lately that it’s hard to keep up!

I’ve got a full post tracking my favorite things to do in NWA here, but here are the places I always go back:

Crystal Bridges Museum of Art: This is a world class art museum and while you’ll have to pay admission to special visiting exhibits, the main collection (it’s extensive) and the museum’s sprawling grounds are always free to all. 

Shopping in the Town Square: There’s a great used bookshop in town (Once Upon a Time Books) plus several good outdoor/gear shops. 

Breakfast at Buttered Biscuit

Lunch at Table Mesa Bistro

Dinner at Preacher’s Son

Coffee at Onyx Coffee Lab (downtown AND the location at the Monumentary)

More Day Trips on My List

Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah

Sequoyah’s Cabin in Sallisaw 

Heavener Runestone

Marland Mansion in Ponca City

Har-Ber Village at Museum at Grand Lake

Honey Springs Battlefield in Checotah

Robber’s Cave State Park

Natural Falls State Park

Pawnee Bill’s Ranch in Pawnee

Grey Snow Eagle House in Perkins

Hunt for Rose Rocks at Stanley Draper Lake

Day Trips from Tulsa (Over 100 Miles)

Great Salt Plains & Sod House

If you’re up for a FULL day trip from Tulsa, I think digging for selenite crystals at the Great Salt Plains is one of the best adventures you’ll find in Oklahoma. 

Just west of Enid in Great Salt Plains State Park is the only place in the world that selenite crystals can be found in an hourglass shape. And the park is open for digging from April through October. 

They rotate out the areas that are open for digging each season so that the land is able to rest and rejuvenate for five years before it’s reopened for digging. 

Here’s what you should know if you’re planning a trip to dig for crystals: 

Take EVERYTHING with you. It’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere. 

There are some primitive restrooms (more like portapotties) near the entrance of the park, but that’s it. 

Be prepared for wind! Even if it’s not chilly, a beanie or headband to keep your hair out of your face is a good idea. I’ve been there when it’s been too windy to wear a baseball cap. 

Take one large shovel to get your hole started and then a smaller trowel to dig out the sides. 

I like to take a big beach towel to sit/lay on instead of sitting in the dirt/salt. 

Take a gallon or two of water with you. You’ll need it to clean the crystals off when you’re finished (and also to wash all the mud and dirt off of your hands) but a lot of people also like to pour water on the sides of the hole to wash away dirt from the crystals. Your odds of finding bigger unbroken crystals are better using this method instead of breaking them up with your shovel. 

On that note, the initial hole you dig only needs to be about a foot deep. Once you’ve got a hole going and cleared out, the best place to find crystals is by scraping (or washing) away the walls of the whole and making it wider (not deeper). 

If you have a wagon, it’ll make it a lot easier to transport all of your gear from the car to a spot further away where there’s been less digging. 

For the best conditions, I would recommend going in the spring or the fall and avoid the summer months. The whole area is coated with white salt and it’s a huge reflector so it can get pretty brutal in the summer. 

Some years are better than others. The ground rests for five years in between digging seasons, but how big the crystals grow depends on weather conditions over those years. 

Since you’re coming all this way, you should stop and check out the Sod House in Cleo Springs on the way back down to 412. 

It’s one of the few remaining Sod Houses on the Great Plains and it’s been incredibly preserved. 

We probably only spent 30 minutes or so there, but I really enjoyed it!

Antique Shopping in Guthrie

Located just north of OKC off I-35, Guthrie is famous for a few things: 

1) Being the territorial capital of Oklahoma. Yep, when the first land run started in 1889, Guthrie popped up overnight. Claims were filed in a tent in what’s now downtown Guthrie and it grew from there. Guthrie remained the capital of OK until right before statehood in 1907. 

2) Its whimsical Victorian architecture. Downtown Guthrie is fairly large for a small town (several blocks with cross streets) and it all features a dreamy old fashioned style of buildings. 

3) Antique shops! I don’t have official data on this yet (I’m working on it ; ) but I think Guthrie just might be the unofficial antique capital of Oklahoma. There’s a HIGH concentration of shops and malls downtown (maybe as many as 12), and some of them are really good

There are probably 9-12 antique shops and malls all situated in downtown Guthrie so it’s easy enough to work your way through most of them in a day, but these ended up being my favorites (and they’re the ones I’ll go back to): 

  • Recollections Antique Mall (now with TWO locations in town)
  • Wisteria Antiques (mostly furniture)
  • Magnolia Antique Mall (multiple vendors with good merchandising)

Oklahoma Territorial Museum & Carnegie Library: Since Guthrie is the former Territorial Capital, it’s fitting that this is where the Oklahoma Territorial Museum is. It’s a free museum, and I was honestly surprised at how well done it is. It’s definitely worth a visit. 

And the coolest part is that it’s attached to a Carnegie Library! Between 1886 and 1919, wealthy industrialist Andrew Carnegie donated over $40 million to build almost 1700 libraries in small, rural communities across the US. 

24 were originally built in Oklahoma, 17 of which still stand. Built in 1901, the Carnegie Library in Guthrie was the second one built in Oklahoma and is now the oldest one in existence. 

And it’s a DOOZY! The library cost $35,000 to build ($25,000 from Carnegie and the rest fundraised from the Federated Women’s Clubs of Guthrie) and apparently Carnegie was a little peeved that they spent the money on making the building so…grand

It’s done in a Renaissance Revival style with a rotunda, elaborate meeting rooms, and even fireplaces in the reading rooms. 

Oklahoma Frontier Drugstore Museum: This feels like less a museum and more a precise recreation of a 19th century drugstore. There’s a suggested $5/person donation and I think it’s worth it to poke around the store. 

Turner Falls State Park

I can’t say I loved Turner Falls, but I’m glad I saw it! 

The park and swimming holes really are beautiful, but they get so packed with people and it’s not really my vibe. 

If you’re going to go, definitely go on a weekday!

Chickasaw Cultural Center & National Recreation Area

I only recently learned that there used to be a National Park in Oklahoma! 

Platt National Park was formed in 1906 to protect a series of small mineral streams and pools that the Chickasaws found valuable. The park was downgraded in 1976 and rebranded as the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. 

And it’s still a popular swimming spot! I only stopped by briefly to check it out so I want to go back when I have more time (and it’s not so crowded), but what I really loved in the area is the Chickasaw Cultural Center. 

The Cultural Center is home to a very nice museum about the Chickasaw Nation, a theater that shows several different feature films plus a daily line up of cultural demonstrations. 

 

It’s on my list to start visiting more of the local tribe’s cultural centers, but I was super impressed with this one. 

While you’re in Sulphur, stop for lunch at the Artesian Hotel in town. It’s a great place for a quick getaway but it’s also nice just to pop in for lunch and some shopping. 

Talimena Scenic Byway

One of Oklahoma’s best day trips is driving the Talimena Scenic Byway during peak fall foliage. 

The scenic road winds from Talihena (OK) to Mena (AR) up through the Oachita Mountains and offers pretty spectacular views. 

I’ve never been able to hit this at peak colors (fingers crossed for this fall!), but even if the leaves haven’t turned yet it’s still so pretty.

More Day Trips on My List

Gloss Mountain

Little Sahara State Park

Alabaster Caverns

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge & Medicine Park