Tulsa calls itself the "Oil Capital of the World." Here, the age of the oil boom found its center. A small town by US standards, metropolitan luxuries such as theater, fine dining, nightlife, and shopping are found in a state known for sparsely populated farming communities. The picturesque downtown is surrounded by rolling hills covered with prairie grasses and ancient forests, a first impression that soon reveals world-class architecture and museums of art, miles of biking and walking trails, and huge parks.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Situated between the prairies of central Oklahoma and the foothills of the Ozarks, Tulsa is located in the Green Country region of Oklahoma. It is also affectionately called “T-town” by the locals. Tulsa was settled in the mid-1800s by the Loachapoka Band of Creek Native American tribe. A booming city during the 1920s, rich oil barons built stately mansions and skyscrapers, turning Downtown Tulsa into a treasure trove of art and architecture.
Thanks to urban planning, the major city streets are placed in a grid layout. Almost all major intersections are 1 mi (1.6 km) from each other, and exactly in a straight line. That makes it much easier to find places than in cities where streets go every which way. The major exception is downtown, which is slanted at a 25 degree angle to the rest of the grid.
1 Creek Council Oak Tree, 18th St. and Cheyenne Ave. It was under the Creek Council Oak Tree in 1836 that the Lochapoka Creek Indians kindled a ceremonial fire using live coals they had carried from their Alabama homeland. This oak was Tulsa's first town hall, first conference room, first church and first court of law. This tree symbolizes the spirit of Tulsa's early settlers. Penguins on Parade. There are dozens of 6 ft (1.8 m) tall penguin sculptures scattered throughout the city. It is a local art project to raise funds for the Tulsa Zoo. The fundraiser began in 2002 as a way to raise money to build a black-footed African penguin exhibit.
1 America's Incredible Pizza Company. 2 Safari Joe's H2O (formerly Big Splash Water Park), 4707 E 21st St, ☏ +1 918-749-7385, info@safarijoesh2o.com. (updated May 2021), 3 Sky Zone Tulsa. - located in Tulsa 4 BOK Center, 200 S Denver Ave, ☏ +1 918 894-4200. Tulsa's sleek, and modern center is the pride of the city. Opened in 2008, it has hosted such acts as The Eagles, Celine Dion, Elton John, and Billy Joel. With fine dining nearby and numerous hotels to stay at, this center is the centerpiece of Vision 2025, a plan to revitalize Downtown and certain parts of the city. Depends on act/performance. 5 The Center of the Universe. At the top of a pedestrian bridge in Tulsa.
If you're looking for nicer restaurants, then the major dining corridors can be found along 15th Street South ("Cherry Street") near downtown, along 71st Street South near Woodland Hills Mall, in the Brookside district near midtown, the Blue Dome district, and in the Utica Square shopping area. However, if you want an authentic experience, then you should be looking for good barbecue and regional fast food chains like Taco Bueno. For dessert, head to Braum's for Oklahoma ice cream. This popular regional chain does farm-to-fork dairy products, and refuses to open stores more than 300 mi (480 km) away from their home farm in Central Oklahoma. 1 Albert G's, 2748 S Harvard Ave.
1 Arnie's Bar, 318 E 2nd St. (Blue Dome). Tulsa's Irish bar since 1956. (updated Feb 2016) 2 The Max Retropub, 114-C S. Elgin Ave. (Blue Dome). 2PM-2AM. Late 1980s-early 1990s themed bar and arcade, featuring Skeeball and tons of arcade cabinets many Gen X'ers will remember from their childhood. Also featuring gourmet junkfood. (updated Feb 2016) 3 Kilkenny's Irish Pub, 1413 E 15th St (Cherry Street), ☏ +1 918 582-8282. Has a nice selection of beers, nice atmosphere and good food. Pours the best Guinness. A little more upscale than McNellie's. (updated Feb 2016) 4 McNellie's Public House, 409 E 1st St (Blue Dome). An Irish pub with over 60 beers on tap.
Take precautions as you would in any other larger American city. Generally speaking, the areas of Tulsa immediately north and east of downtown have a rough reputation and caution should be taken. The tornado sirens are tested at noon on Wednesday, but they are not tested if it is rainy, stormy, or very windy. You might want to check the tornado safety page if you are visiting Tulsa. Tornado season is normally in the spring and early summer, but they can occur anytime during the year. Oklahoma Weather is very harsh on road conditions and road repairs are needed on an almost yearly basis.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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