When Visit Tulsa invited myself and the Julies to tour Tulsa, we excitedly replied yes! At that point, the Today Show was slated to go live from T Town (they did and it was a huge success) the week prior to our visit…and Bono and U2 would touch down in Tulsa a week later.
Can you spot us under the famous Tulsa Golden Driller? The 76-foot statue is a tribute to the region’s petroleum history. The Today Show logo was still on the torso since the program had just done the show from Tulsa. So cool!
We flew in the week in between those two iconic visitors and we soon understood the big draw to Tulsa, Oklahoma!
We found Tulsa to be enchanting and we returned excited to share why this city needs to be on your travel bucket list, especially in 2026! Here’s my Arizona Daily Mix morning show video coverage of Tulsa. Read below for all the details and links to all that I showed to see, do, taste and experience in T Town!
Read on to see why we say ya’ gotta travel to Tulsa, plus we share a summary of the many attractions we visited over our 3-day stay. Tulsa is full of surprises!
Rachel & The Julies loving Tulsa!
Why Travel To T Town (Tulsa)!
*Easy Nonstop Flights From Phoenix
*Truly Unique Attractions
*Relaxed Vibe & River Parks
*Music Town
*Historic – Oil Capital Of The World
*Route 66 Centennial Celebration
*#1 Rated Oktoberfest, Arabian Horse Show & More
*Art Deco Architecture & James Beard Recognized Chefs
What We Did In Tulsa-Our 12 Tulsa Picks (we want to go back for more as T Town has tons to do)!
Our Top 12 Tulsa Picks List…See Below For All The Awesome Details!
1) Tulsa Sunset Toast
2) Route 66
3) Gathering Place
4) Oktoberfest – Named Best In Nation
5) Arabian Horse Show at Expo Square
6) The Outsiders House Museum
7) Greenwood Uprising Black Wall Street History Center
8) Bob Dylan Center
9) Philbrook Museum of Art
10) The Mayo Hotel
11) Concerts at the BOK Center
12) Art Deco Architecture, Coffee & James Beard Chef Finalists Dining
- Took in the most gorgeous sunset! – Oklahoma’s second largest city, Tulsa is located in the northeastern part of the state and is situated on the Arkansas River, as shown in this beautiful picture we snapped toasting the golden sunset.
Fun photo op in front of the Stella Atom statue
2. Explored Historic & Fun Route 66 – Head to Route 66 in Tulsa in 2026 to celebrate the Centennial as The Mother Road turns 100! Tulsa’s 28 consecutive miles of historic highway is filled with neon signs, roadside attractions and a variety of exciting events to mark the milestone century of history! Tulsa is officially the Capital of Route 66 as founder, Cyrus Avery, was a Tulsa resident in 1926 when he created the famous scenic highway. He also established the US Highway 66 Association to promote and pave the new road earning him the nickname of Father of Route 66.
I had fun posing under the 21 foot tall famous muffler man statue called Buck Atom.
We toured the colorful variety of Tulsa’s Route 66 roadside attractions like the Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios on 66 that’s part of the Meadow Gold District of Tulsa. This is the site of a former Pemco 1950s gas station (where I’m pictured above). Several statues are readily available for fun photo ops. The 21 foot tall Buck Atom and his counterpart Stella Atom stand tall to represent the historic muffler men that served as gigantic 10 to 30 feet tall advertisement statues along Route 66 in the 1960s. We snapped our fun pictures, shopped at the colorful souvenir shops and enjoyed a tasty lunch at Red Light Chicken.
Red Light Chicken is one Route 66 restaurant that’s yum and fun!
3. Immensely enjoyed Gathering Place – Awesome for all ages, this expansive riverside playground is free for all! Even the boats are free of charge, first come, first serve.
Recently opened in 2018, the Gathering Place website explains the cool history…
Our story began with the George Kaiser Family Foundation and an extraordinary dream to transform nearly 100 acres of Tulsa’s iconic waterfront along the scenic Arkansas River into a dynamic, interactive environment. Tulsans needed a welcoming, natural space where members of our diverse communities could come together to explore, learn and play. After years of planning, generous donations and input from the community, Tulsa’s dream became reality. In 2014, Gathering Place broke ground on Tulsa’s world-class park. The dream of a space to celebrate and gather along the river was becoming reality. – copied from the Gathering Place website.
We thoroughly enjoyed touring the gorgeous grounds that include an inviting indoor lodge for relaxing, working, sipping java from the coffee shop and hanging out with friends. We then headed outdoors to explore the variety of free park attractions for all ages that include the boathouse with those free boat rentals I mentioned, a massive playground that is a level up for sure, sports courts, a beach, a pond, an activity center for kids and so much more! Gathering Place also offers all kinds of year-round events free of charge including seasonal stuff, too. Don’t miss the Gathering Place during your Tulsa trip!
4. Had a blast at the best Oktoberfest in the nation! – For two years in a row, the Zeeco Tulsa Oktoberfest has been named best in the nation by USA Today!
Bought our hats at the Oktoberfest from one of the many fun vendors so we were ready and in style for the event!
We loved attending the energetic Tulsa event! This Oktoberfest is super authentic. Modeled after the Oktoberfest in Munich, Tulsa does it right with over 200 delicious German beers on tap, German vendors, incredible performances, a brilliant fireworks show and much more! This Oktoberfest has been a national favorite since 1979. I highly recommend attending Tulsa’s Oktoberfest. You are promised to have a blast!
What an honor to get to sit atop this Arabian beauty!
5. Got to sit on a gorgeous Arabian Horse and explore the state-of-the-art Tulsa Expo Square – Hosting annual national and international horse exhibitions and shows, the Expo Square is the place to be to experience rodeos, barrel racing, calf roping events and more. We also explored the pristine horse stables that aren’t your typical stables with decor that rivals a custom home. And I got to don some incredible top quality designer wear when we visited the many upscale vendors that were there as part of the 2025 Arabian Horse & Half Arabian Championship Horse Show. 
We loved getting a pre-event glimpse at the glamour and gorgeous horses! Lucky us! To see a listing of all of the spectacular upcoming events happening at Expo Square, visit this link. I want to return to take in one of the classy equestrian events!
6. Toured the super cool The Outsiders House Museum – Remember the 1983 classic film that made actors Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise and others big stars? Well you can actually walk through the house in Tulsa where the movie was shot!
So cool to stand in front of the actual house where The Outsiders was shot!
The classic film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and since the plot was adapted from famous Tulsa writer, S.E. Hinton’s book, Coppola wanted the story to be as authentic as possible. To do that, he shot the entire production in Tulsa. Hinton loosely based the plot on her own teen years growing up in Tulsa. The home that housed the movie still stands and is now a very interesting museum giving visitors access to the rooms where famous scenes were shot. Folks also get to see the original costumes, props and more. It’s so cool! The Outsiders recent Tony Award-winning musical is also honored at the museum. In fact, the Broadway musical just kicked off their North American tour in Tulsa last month! The Outsiders House Museum is open to the public every weekend and tickets are only $10. Don’t miss this Tulsa gem and be sure to check out the fabulous gift shop with all kinds of memorabilia from the film and the Broadway production in the shed shop located behind the house.
7. Was deeply touched with a visit to Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center – I believe every preteen should visit this powerful district and museum. 
Chronicling the horrific Tulsa Race Massacre that happened in 1921 in the Greenwood District, known as Black Wall Street, this center pays tribute to the lives that were destroyed that horrible day, while also celebrating the perseverance of Black Wall Street today. Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District is where Black Wall Street was born and thrived in the early 19th century with prosperous American black communities until the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The tragedy took hard working successful lives and burned down the community. The Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center tells the story of the tragic events with recorded firsthand survivor stories, graphic photographs that stop museum visitors in their tracks and very interesting immersive displays that truly take all back in time.
Truly unique immersive exhibits in this museum that leave a lasting impression.
Moreover the center shows the resilience of the Greenwood residents who stood firm to rebuild resulting in the successful cultural prominence the district enjoys today. I have visited many Smithsonian museums and all are impressive, but there’s something truly unique and special about the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center. It’s a must-see stop during a Tulsa visit. Trip Advisor voted this museum the Top 8 Must See Black Culture & History Museums…I wholeheartedly agree!
8. Got our groove on at the Bob Dylan Center – To do research for the popular and successful Dylan biopic movie, “A Complete Unknown”, the prop crew spent two weeks researching at the very cool Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa. Step inside to experience rare access to over 100,000 of Dylan’s own treasured possessions, all housed in the center. 
Tap your feet to Dylan’s timeless tunes as you experience unique exhibits that give all an up close glimpse into the mind of one of America’s greatest talents.
9. Took in masterful art and gorgeous relaxing gardens at the Philbrook Museum of Art – This stunning art gallery was once the summer home of Waite and Genevieve Phillips of the famed Phillips Petroleum Company oil family. Waite Phillips built a 72-room mansion and later donated it to Tulsa, which became the beautiful Philbrook Museum of Art. Nestled on 25 lush acres of breathtaking gardens, the gallery houses exquisite artwork and also several preserved rooms that give visitors a look back to the 1920s and 30s.
The gorgeous gardens at Philbrook Museum of Art.
On our visit, we got to watch famous artist Patrick Gordon actually paint a picture live! As he made magic with his paintbrush, he would often stop to turn around to answer questions from the intrigued crowd. It was very cool!
Gifted Tulsa artist Patrick Gordon at work for all of us museum visitors to watch and enjoy!
Don’t miss The Penthouse Rooftop Bar at The Mayo!
View from the top of The Mayo!
10. Stayed at the historic and famous The Mayo Hotel! – There’s a reason the Paramount+ show, Tulsa Kings shoots much of the show at The Mayo Hotel! The property is iconic and has everything a guest needs including a happening rooftop bar, a cozy coffee shop called The Mark, the vibing and delicious 1925 at The Mayo Restaurant and a stunning lobby layout that hosts TV shows and weddings alike. 
We loved our stay at The Mayo!
11. Danced the night away at the BOK Center watching the Jonas Brothers and All American Rejects perform! – Here’s a great Tulsa tip! Have a concert you’re dying to attend but can’t get tickets? Check out the BOK Center’s schedule of events. An insider told me that many times 80% of ticket holders come from out of state to see their favorite artist jam. 
Seeing a show in the nicely accommodating BOK Center is a super fun experience!
The Julies enjoying a good cup of coffee at Topeca Coffee Roasters in downtown Tulsa. This place is one of the first seed -to-cup roasters in the US!
12. Explored Tulsa’s Art Deco Architecture with a downtown walk with stops at Tulsa’s craft coffee shops and James Beard recognized restaurants! – Since Tulsa is known as the “Oil Capital of the World” due to the huge oil boom the town experienced in the 20th century, the construction of numerous lovely art deco structures were built and still stand. 
Walk around, snap photos of the historic buildings and then enjoy a cup of Joe at one of the many Tulsa unique coffee shops. Locals prefer mom & pop java over chain coffee joints. Plan dinner at one of Tulsa’s award recognized restaurants like FarmBar that is a James Beard Award Finalist in the “Outstanding Chef” category or Noche Woodfired Grill & Agave Bar that was named an awards finalist in the “Best New Restaurant” James Beard category. We didn’t get to try either of those establishments, but we did enjoy a scrumptious meal at 1925 at The Mayo.
We enjoyed every bite and every sip at 1925 at The Mayo restaurant.
Yep, we had a blast in Tulsa! We’re now huge T Town fans! Have you been to Tulsa? Leave your favorite picks in the comments section. If you haven’t tried Tulsa, book it! This relaxed-but-busy, cool vibe historic town is the best!
Managedmoms.com is very proud to partner with Visit Tulsa to bring you this fun Road Trip with Rach to Tulsa!
