Many travelers may not immediately consider Oklahoma as a vacation destination, but this state offers far more than you might think — and Tulsa is the perfect city to deliver family fun.
Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma and the 47th largest city in the United States. Tulsa was established in the mid-1830s and was the central hub for the United States’ oil in the 1900s, earning for itself the nickname, “Oil Capital of the World.” Tulsa is also known for its Western Swing music and abundance of historical buildings.
The city offers a collection of exciting activities, which ar often free or low cost. When you visit Tulsa with your family, you don’t have to worry about spending tons of money just to enjoy your stay there.
Here are our picks for the top five family-friendly activities in Tulsa:
Discovery Lab
After it first opened its doors in 2007, Discovery Lab has acted as a kid-friendly Tulsa staple kids and parents won’t want to miss. Initially acting as a museum without walls, Discovery Lab opened their first walls in the Owen Park Recreation Center in 2013. Since, around 130,000 children and families come through each year. The Museum even opened a world class, 57,00o-square-foot facility in Gathering Place park and projects to impact more than 300,000 children and families each year at the new site.
This educational resource encourages the development of executive function and process skills including critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity, and innovation with content focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM), and health and wellness, and topics supporting modern school curriculum. Your kiddos will not only leave feeling intellectually enriched, but they’ll have a blast in the process!
The museum is open Mondays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9;30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. They are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve. General admission is $14 plus tax. Children under 2, members, and teachers with current school staff ID receive free admission.
Tulsa Garden Center
The Tulsa Garden Center is located in Woodward Park, with a primary goal of promoting learning about plants through different educational and recreational programs while preserving the heritage of its historic building. It advocates responsible stewardship of plants and their habitats by frequently sponsoring classes, lectures, shows and special events.
The Center boasts of having one of the finest horticultural libraries in the country. There are over 5,000 volumes on botany, horticulture, landscaping and other related subjects. For those kids interested in nature, or families who simply want an excuse to explore the natural wonders around us, it’s an ideal choice for a day out in Tulsa.
The Center is open to the public on Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment only. Admission is free.
A cactus in the desert section of Tulsa Garden Center / Photo by April Moore-Harris on Flickr
J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum
The J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum offers a one-of-a-kind experience, as it boasts the largest privately held firearm collection in the world with more than 12,000 firearms. They also host thousands of non-firearm artifacts, including Old West saddles and spurs, John Rogers statuary, Toby mugs and Beer Steins, World War I posters, and plenty of relics nodding to the history of Claremore and Rogers Counties. The museum features multimedia exhibits, allowing families to take a unique walk throughout Oklahoma’s past.
Although admission is free, there is a suggested donation of $5 per person or $10 per family. Summer hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Be sure to verify any seasonal changes in hours.
Tulsa River Parks
Tulsa River Parks has 26 miles of asphalt-surfaced trails that weave past playgrounds, gathering areas, sculptures, and fountains along the banks of the Arkansas River. River Parks has trails for pedestrians and cyclists and, depending on what season it is, park visitors can fish, or go rowing or kayaking. The park has 45 miles of dirt trails on Turkey Mountain perfect for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running. It also owns and leases hundreds of acres for wildlife habitation and land preservation.
The park is open 365 days a year but observes a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. by city ordinance. Your family can enjoy the park free of charge, but donations are encouraged.
A fountain in River Parks / Photo by Tulsa Topics on Flickr
Philbrook Museum of Art
The Philbrook Museum of Art was originally constructed as a residence for the family of Waite and Genevieve Philips. It was completed in 1927. But in 1938, Waite Phillips announced that he was donating the 72 room mansion and surrounding 23 acres of grounds as an art center for the city of Tulsa. It is now one of America’s finest museums.
Today, guests of The Philbrook Museum of Art or Villa Philbrook are invited to take a walking tour of the 25 acres of gardens and enjoy whatever exhibits await during your Tulsa stay. Exactly what you’ll find depends on when you go, but Philbrook regularly offers an expansive variety of topics and art mediums that kids and adults alike will appreciate.
General admission is free for kids 2 and under, $8 for kids age 3 to 17, and $18 for adults 18 and over. Seniors (62 and older), college students, groups over 12 or more (with reservation), and veterans receive $14 admission. Adults and youth participating in SNAP EBT, TANF EBT, WIC, and SoonerCare programs receive $1 admission via the Museums for All program. Active-duty military and members receive free admission, and admission is $5 after 5 p.m. on Fridays.
Philbrook is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Family-Friendly Fun in Tulsa
This is just a small sampling of the many activities Tulsa has to offer families. Once you step foot in this city, you’ll likely discover tons of potential itinerary items you’ll want to explore without even meaning to! Still, you can’t go wrong with these picks.
