Fast Facts
- Population
- ~681,054 (2020 census)
- One Unusual Stat
- Bricktown Canal runs water taxis through downtown
- Memorial Symbolic Memorial
- Free, open 24 hours daily
- Miles from Tulsa
- ~100 mi
What to Know Before You Arrive
Oklahoma City sits in the state's central region, at the interchange of Interstate 35 and Interstate 40, about 100 miles southwest of Tulsa and roughly 200 miles north of Dallas–Fort Worth. It had 681,054 residents in 2020, making it both Oklahoma's capital and largest city.
Downtown's Bricktown entertainment district is built around the Bricktown Canal, where water taxis carry passengers through a neighborhood of dining, shopping and entertainment venues, part of a broader downtown revitalization of renovated historic buildings and new residential development. The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum houses galleries of western art and the Hall of Great Western Performers, covering the broader culture and heritage of the American West. The NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, which relocated from Seattle in 2008, plays downtown at Paycom Center.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial, in downtown's northern section, was created to honor the victims, survivors, rescuers and all who were changed by the events of April 19, 1995. The outdoor Symbolic Memorial — including the field of chairs and the Survivor Tree — is free and open 24 hours a day; an adjacent museum tells the fuller story through exhibits, galleries and theaters, for a separate admission fee. The memorial's own site carries the complete history.
The Road Trip Stop
Bricktown is the anchor entertainment district of downtown Oklahoma City: a revitalized neighborhood built around the Bricktown Canal, where water taxis run passengers through a strip of dining, shopping and entertainment venues. It sits within walking distance of both Paycom Center, home of the Thunder, and the Oklahoma City National Memorial to its north.
Plan the visit
- The Bricktown Water Taxi runs narrated cruises along the Bricktown Canal; its own site says a round trip takes about 40 minutes and that it operates year round as long as weather permits. Fares and departure times are listed on the operator’s ticketing page, which shows live availability.
- The Oklahoma City National Memorial's outdoor Symbolic Memorial is free and open 24 hours a day; the adjacent museum charges separate admission — check current pricing on the memorial's own site.
- The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a separate stop from downtown, covering western art and the Hall of Great Western Performers.
- A Thunder game at Paycom Center is downtown and walkable from Bricktown when the schedule aligns with a visit.
Neighborhoods
Bricktown
The canal-district entertainment neighborhood with water taxis, dining, shopping and entertainment venues.
Oklahoma City National Memorial area
Downtown's northern section, holding the outdoor Symbolic Memorial and adjacent museum.
Downtown core
The central business district, including Paycom Center and recent revitalization investment.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum area
The museum’s own site gives its address as 1700 Northeast 63rd St. and describes the museum as an institution of Western history, art and culture. That is about 5 miles north-east of downtown Oklahoma City in a straight line, outside the downtown core.
The Food Stop
The Bricktown Association’s Eat + Drink page is a directory of the district’s restaurants, bars and other venues, with a Visit Website link for each listing; a business’s own site is the place to check hours and current status before planning around a named restaurant.
Been here a while
Places that have been serving a long time. We could not confirm 1 of these as still trading in 2026 — ring ahead. Each name links to its source.
- 1910Cattlemen's SteakhouseStockyards City cafe opened in 1910; described as the oldest continuously running restaurant in Oklahomastill trading? unconfirmed
- 1952Florence's RestaurantNortheast OKC soul-food restaurant opened by Florence Kemp; James Beard America's Classic 2022
10 breweries within 10 miles of Oklahoma City, 3 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.
See all 10
- Belle Isle Restaurant and Brewing Co1900 NW Expressway Ste 44, Oklahoma City
- Bricktown Brewery1 Remington Pl, Oklahoma City
- Bricktown Brewery1 N Oklahoma Ave, Oklahoma City
- Anthem Brewing Co908 SW 4th St, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
- COOP Ale Works4745 Council Heights Rd, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
- Prairie Artisan Ales3 NE 8th St, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
- Roughtail Brewing320 W Memorial Rd, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
- Stonecloud Brewing Co.1012 NW 1st St Ste 101, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
- Twisted Spike Brewing Company1 NW 10th St, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
- Vanessa House Beer Company118 NW 8th St, Oklahoma Cityproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
The Home Teams
Oklahoma City Thunder
NBAThe Thunder, which relocated from Seattle in 2008, plays at Paycom Center downtown.
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsaguide | 1 hr 55 min | 107 mi | routed |
| Oklahoma's art deco downtown, the Gathering Place and Route 66 history, about 100 miles northeast. | |||
| Norman, Oklahoma | 29 min | 20 mi | routed |
| The University of Oklahoma’s own site describes Norman as a college town and as the home of its flagship university, about 18 miles south of Oklahoma City in a straight line. | |||
| Chickasaw National Recreation Area | 1 hr 45 min | 89 mi | routed |
| A National Park Service site of springs, streams and lakes, with boating on Lake of the Arbuckles and Veterans Lake, according to the park’s own page. The park’s mailing address is in Sulphur, about 74 miles south-east of Oklahoma City in a straight line; its current-conditions page covers park operations and availability of services. | |||
| Guthrie, Oklahoma | 41 min | 32 mi | routed |
| Capital of Oklahoma Territory and, from 1907 to 1910, of the state, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society. The City of Guthrie says a portion of its downtown Capitol Townsite Historic District is designated a National Historic Landmark. About 27 miles north of Oklahoma City in a straight line. | |||
1 of these is a place the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Wineries Nearby
1 producer we have checked near here. These are the ones from our research we could check against their own site — not every producer there is.
Clauren Ridge Vineyard & Winery
Edmond winery with a wine cave; tastings come with chocolate samples.
- HoursFri-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12-5pm
- Toursyes; tasting plus vineyard, winery and wine cave tour; groups reserve ahead
- Foodyes
- Phone(405) 412-8630
6000 W Waterloo Rd, Edmond, OK 73025
*Check before you go. Every producer here links to its own site, which is where we read these details on the date we checked. Opening hours, tour times, tasting fees and who may come in change without notice and belong to the producer. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something they lack. None of these say anything about children, so do not plan around it without asking them.
Zoos and Aquariums Nearby
Within 60 miles of Oklahoma City, nearest first.
Blue Zoo Aquarium (Oklahoma City) — some details below are unconfirmedOklahoma City
Interactive aquarium in a shopping mall
* We could not confirm: site blocked fetch. Check their site before you go.
Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical GardenAZA-accreditedOklahoma City
- Hours
- 9am-5pm (check-date hours); last entry 4pm
- Admission
- Adult from $20 (12-64) · Child $17 (3-11); 2 and under free (ticket needed)
- Reservations
- Not required (online purchase encouraged)
Tiger Safari Zoological ParkTuttle
- Hours
- Tue-Sun 8-5:30; closed Mon
- Admission
- Adult $15 · Child $15
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 1 of these carries an accreditation we confirmed against the accrediting body’s own register. Where there is no badge we did not confirm one — that is not a judgement on the place, and a good many municipal, state and university sites belong to no register we check. One entry is marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Venues and Annual Events Nearby
Within 60 miles of Oklahoma City, nearest first.
Where to see something
American Banjo Museumstudio-museumOklahoma City
- Hours
- Tue-Sat 11am-6pm; Sun noon-5pm; closed Mon
- Address
- 9 E Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73104
- Phone
- 405-604-2793
Collection of banjos in Bricktown.
Tower Theatre — some details below are unconfirmedtheaterOklahoma City
- Hours
- Event days only
- Address
- 425 NW 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73103
Restored 1937 movie house on Route 66 (NW 23rd St).
* We could not confirm: address from reference, not checked on official site this session; history/capacity from reference, not re-checked this session. Check their site before you go.
What is on, and when
Oklahoma State Fair — some details below are unconfirmedfairOklahoma City
- Usually
- September, over several days
- Held at
- OKC Fairgrounds
- Since
- first held 1907
* We could not confirm: not re-checked this session. Check their site before you go.
Red Earth Festival — some details below are unconfirmedcultural festivalOklahoma City
- Usually
- June, over several days
- Held at
- Venue varies
- Since
- first held 1987
* We could not confirm: not re-checked this session; Native American art and dance. Check their site before you go.
Cleveland County Free FairfairNorman
- Usually
- September, over several days
- Held at
- Cleveland County Fairgrounds
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Events are listed by the month they usually fall in, because that is what we hold — we do not publish dates, and a month is not a promise. Check the organiser before you plan around one. 3 entries are marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, line-ups and ticketing change without notice, so check the venue’s or organiser’s own site — every name above links to it.
Water Parks and Theme Parks Nearby
Within 60 miles of Oklahoma City, nearest first.
OKANA Resort & Indoor Waterparkwater parkOklahoma City
- Opened
- 2025
Resort with indoor and outdoor water park; opened 2025. Indoor water park access tied to resort.
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Oklahoma CitySeasonalwater parkOklahoma City
Seasonal water park; Six Flags site live for 2026.
Frontier CitySeasonaltheme parkOklahoma City
Seasonal Six Flags-operated park; site live. Late-Oct 2026 dates not confirmed.
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. 2 of these run a season rather than opening year round. Opening and closing dates move every year and we hold none of them, so check the park’s own calendar before you build a day around it. Prices, hours and ride closures change without notice — every name above links to the park’s own site.
Roadside Oddities Nearby
Arcadia Round BarnOdd building / architectureArcadiaabout 17 miles away
- Cost to see it
- Free
- When you can see it
- Only while it is open, and we did not find its hours published
- Nearest road
- Route 66
Rare 1898 round barn with a domed loft
Read on the page we checked
These are things you can go and look at, not a recommendation of any of them. Oddities move, get sold and quietly disappear more than anything else we list, so check anything you are driving a long way for. Where this list says we did not find a price or opening times published, that is exactly what we mean. A blank is not “free” and not “always open”. Some sit on private land and can only be seen from the road — please do not go onto anyone’s property. Every entry links the page we read it off.
Practical Road Trip Info
Bricktown's canal and downtown's revitalized district are walkable from each other and from Paycom Center.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial's outdoor grounds are free and open 24 hours; the adjacent museum requires a separate paid ticket.
Thunder game days bring added downtown foot traffic near Paycom Center; check the schedule if a game is part of the plan.
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a separate destination from the downtown core, generally requiring a car.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
Bricktown water taxi
A canal ride through the entertainment district, suited to a range of ages.
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
Western art galleries and performer history sized for a longer family museum visit.
Oklahoma City National Memorial grounds
The outdoor Symbolic Memorial is free and open at any hour, offering a quiet, reflective family stop; the adjacent museum's content is geared toward older visitors.
Thunder game
Professional basketball downtown at Paycom Center.
Plan Your Visit
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
- Address
- 620 N Harvey Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
- Hours
- Symbolic Memorial grounds open 24 hours daily; check the official site for museum hours
- Price
- Symbolic Memorial free; check the official site for current museum admission fees
We checked operating status and contact details on 2026-10-14. These change without notice — confirm with bricktownwatertaxi.com, bricktownokc.com and nationalcowboymuseum.org the week you travel.
Sources — 19 claims, 18 checked against the source on 2026-09-23
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Population 681,054 (2020), Oklahoma's capital and largest city; at the I-35/I-40 interchange; ~200 mi from Dallas-Fort Worth | Oklahoma City — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Bricktown Canal water taxis run through the district; dining, shopping, entertainment venues; part of downtown revitalization | Oklahoma City — Wikipedia | Checked |
| National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum: galleries of western art, Hall of Great Western Performers | Oklahoma City — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Oklahoma City National Memorial in downtown's northern section, created to honor victims, survivors, rescuers and all who were changed by the events of April 19, 1995; outdoor Symbolic Memorial free and open 24 hours; adjacent museum for a fee | Oklahoma City — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Tulsa ~100 mi northeast; Dallas-Fort Worth ~200 mi south | Oklahoma City — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Oklahoma City Thunder's current home arena is Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; team relocated from Seattle in 2008 | Oklahoma City Thunder — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum: touchscreens, galleries and theaters; memorial grounds feature the field of chairs and the Survivor Tree | Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum — official site | Checked |
| OU's home page calls the University of Oklahoma in Norman the state's flagship university and research institution, and describes Norman as a college town (checked 2026-10-14) | The University of Oklahoma — home page | Checked |
| The NPS park page lists springs, streams and lakes, boating on Lake of the Arbuckles and Veterans Lake, a Sulphur mailing address and a current-conditions page for operations (checked 2026-10-14) | Chickasaw National Recreation Area — NPS park home page | Checked |
| The Oklahoma Historical Society encyclopedia entry says Guthrie was designated the territorial capital and served as the state capital from 1907 to 1910 (checked 2026-10-14) | Oklahoma Historical Society — Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History: Guthrie | Checked |
| The operator's home page describes narrated cruises on the Bricktown Canal, a round trip of about 40 minutes, year-round operation as weather permits, and a ticketing page with prices, departure times and live availability (checked 2026-10-14) | Bricktown Water Taxi — official site | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Oklahoma City National Memorial address and current museum hours/admission | Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum — official site | Not confirmed |
| The museum's home page gives its address as 1700 Northeast 63rd St., Oklahoma City, and describes it as an institution of Western history, art and culture (checked 2026-10-14) | National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum — official site | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Published coordinates for the museum (35.53556, -97.48306), used with Oklahoma City's for the straight-line distance of about 5 miles north-east (checked 2026-10-14) | National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Bricktown OKC Eat + Drink page lists the district's restaurants, bars and other venues, each with a Visit Website link (checked 2026-10-14) | Bricktown OKC (Bricktown Association) — Eat + Drink directory | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Published coordinates for Norman (35.22083, -97.44361), used with Oklahoma City's for the straight-line distance of about 18 miles south (checked 2026-10-14) | Norman, Oklahoma — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Published coordinates for the recreation area (34.50056, -96.97222), used with Oklahoma City's for the straight-line distance of about 74 miles south-east (checked 2026-10-14) | Chickasaw National Recreation Area — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The City of Guthrie says a portion of the downtown Capitol Townsite Historic District is designated a National Historic Landmark (checked 2026-10-14) | City of Guthrie — Planning & Zoning (historic preservation) | Checked |
| Published coordinates for Guthrie (35.85639, -97.43583), used with Oklahoma City's for the straight-line distance of about 27 miles north (checked 2026-10-14) | Guthrie, Oklahoma — Wikipedia | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Oklahoma City, not drive time.
- OKC Will Rogers World (OKC) — 7 miles
- Stillwater Regional (SWO) — 54 miles
- Ada Regional (ADT) — 66 miles
On these trips
This guide sits on a road we have written up end to end, with the stops we publish along the way.
Explore the Full Road Trip
Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.
Explore the Map