Oklahoma trip - Sept 08 advice please

Hi

My husband and I will be visiting Oklahoma in September - we are starting off our trip in Chicago and ending up Dallas. I%26#39;m quite happy with our plans at the beginning and end however need some advice on the central portion please.

We will be staying in the Davenport/Moline area before heading south to Kansas and Oklahoma. We have approx 5/6 nights to get from Moline area to OKC (we have another 3 nights in OKC). We tend to favour more rural areas and countryside however we%26#39;re planning to spend 2 days in OKC - certainly a fair amount of time at the Stockyards as we come from a farming background.

Which towns would be good to stay in or base ourselves in along the way? I%26#39;d rather stay in perhaps 2 locations maximum as I don%26#39;t want to keep checking in and out and unpacking/repacking etc.

Any advice welcome - I%26#39;ve also posted this in the Kansas forum to see if there are any views from there.

Thanks

Gill

Oklahoma trip - Sept 08 advice please

I%26#39;d suggest highways 169 or 75 into Oklahoma, and then stop in Bartlesville, a very interesting small city. They are home to Frank Lloyd Wright%26#39;s only ';sky scraper,'; Price Tower. Nearby is Woolaroc, Frank Phillips%26#39; country home which is now a museum and wildlife preserve and the Tallgrass Prairie, which will give you a sense of what the US plains were like 150 years ago.

http://www.pricetower.org

http://www.woolaroc.org

nature.org/wherewework/…tallgrass.html

From Bartlesville, you could continue on to Tulsa (or do a daytrip there while staying in Bartlesville) and visit the Gilcrease Museum which has an excellent collection of western American art and artifacts. While in Tulsa, you might also want to visit Boston Avenue Methodist Church, a remarkable art deco structure and the Philbrook museum.

http://www.gilcrease.org

http://www.bostonavenue.org/tour.html

http://www.philbrook.org/

As you head south from Bartlesville/Tulsa toward Dallas, you might want to stop in Muskogee to visit the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, which will give you a sense of Oklahoma%26#39;s Native American heritage. http://www.fivetribes.org/

Oklahoma trip - Sept 08 advice please

I assume you are going from Moline to I-35 via I-80? Or were you planning some other route?

If you are headed down I-35, then Bartlesville will be somewhat out of the way, although it is everything Twoprofs has indicated.

I can%26#39;t recommend any places to stay outside of OKC, but since you are planning to come to OKC and spend a couple of days you may want to check out this thread for some websites on things to do in OKC:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g51560-i521-k20177…

And http://www.stockyardscity.org/ for the stockyards specifically.

Enjoy your trip!

Bartlesville would add a little time, Modcon, but only about 10 miles of driving. I-80 to I-35 to US-169 to I 44. Mapquest says it%26#39;s only a tiny bit farther, and Gill did say they favored small towns.

If I were doing that trip, Gill, I%26#39;d go west and south from Moline, stopping in the town of Hannibal, Missouri, to visit the Mark Twain sites they have, and then I would continue on into St. Charles, Missouri for a couple of nights. St. Charles is very historic, site of Missouri%26#39;s first capital, and gives easy access to St. Louis for museums, zoos, etc.

Then it would be an easy day%26#39;s drive to Tulsa or Bartlesville, where I would stay the other nights I had, visiting the sites around both cities.

Twoprofs, yes, if they do I-35 it is a short distance - just a bit out of the way. And Bartlesville is a great place. I also like Tulsa - have several friends that live there and visit when I can.

I also like your suggested itinerary from Moline. A lot more to see that way than going down I-35. Very good suggestions.

I left the link to Stockyards City (and the other OKC thread) so she could compare what she was orginally wanting to do with the itinerary you suggest.

Although she could still take your suggestions and do OKC as well, it might be a little more time-intensive to try it.

I wonder which way they will decide to go?

:)

Twoprofs, I neglected to mention that your original post appeared to leave out OKC completely - which was another reason I posted the OKC info.

Let me say again - there is nothing wrong with your original and second suggested itinerary and a very good chance, with Gill%26#39;s stated preferences, they would enjoy it more than Stockyards City and OKC.

:)

Well, for some reason, the first time I read ';OKC'; as ';KC.'; But my second post, I%26#39;m not leaving out OKC.

1.Chicago

2. Davenport/Moline

3. St. Charles (2-3 nights) via Hannibal 185 miles with daytrips into St. Louis

4. Bartlesville (2-3 nights) 390 miles with daytrips into Tulsa

5. Oklahoma City (3 nights)

6. Dallas.

Twoprofs,

I thought it was something like that.

Aggressive itinerary, but very doable. I hope Gill and her husband take your advice.

And it%26#39;s easy to misread stuff, isn%26#39;t it?

:)

Gill,

Take his advice. It%26#39;s a very good plan - and if time runs short you can always trim some, but not all, of the day trips.

John

this is great it%26#39;s certainly given me plenty to sit down and work through along with some suggestions from the Kansas forum. I plan to go through them all over this weekend and then post a suggested itinerary so I%26#39;ll be back early next week with something a little more detailed.

Thanks

Gill

I agree that Bartlesville is great, as is Tulsa. If you really like the rural scenic type view, and you have the time, consider taking historic Route 66. It isn%26#39;t called the Mother Road for nothing! It perfectly connects OKC and Tulsa with some interesting stuff along the way, and certainly some rural countryside to enjoy. The weblink here http://www.oklahomaroute66.com has where you can either buy the detailed guide book for next to nothing, or even better print the parts you want in PDF form for FREE! Some highlights in my book in tulsa are the Philbrook Museum (great even if you HATE art) and checking out the art deco buildings. Bartlesville has Woolaroc which is awesome, and so is all the Frank Phillips oil stuff. The Inn at Price Tower is an awesome place to stay, built by Frank Lloyd Wright, in fact I am going there this weekend!! I also recommend the Inn at Jarrett Farms which is on the highway between Bartlesville and Tulsa, making it very handy. I don%26#39;t know your budget, but both of those are very neat. Jarrett Farms is rural and has great walking trails and the best place to eat you can imagine! OKC is great too, that is the metro I live closest too, although I was born country and still live south of there. Lots to enjoy, you will love it. If you like Victorian towns, try Guthrie, just north of OKC. It was our state%26#39;s first capitol.

BTW- I love your hometown! I spent Christmas there and there was a dusting of snow, and it was my first ';white'; Christmas. Great memories! Enjoy your trip!

betterbell,

Great idea. Combine the Missouri/Tulsa/Bartlesville part of Twoprofs trip with Route 66 and it would be a lot of fun!

Need info by June 26th about the area

I am a grandmother and trying to plan a week long vacation for my daughter and her two children----a toddler and a 6 year old girl. I have already rented a cabin for the week....but have questions about the area and activities. Could anyone out there answer any of the following questions? I need answers by Thursday evening, June 26th. If you can lend any insight, thank you in advance.

1) I have two grandkids who will want to swim in the lake....a 7 year old and a toddler...looking for a place to swim on the lake. I am confused about swimming on the lake. Are there TWO places...a swimming beach AND a swimming pool? Are these nice places for kids to swim? (I read somwhere that the swimming on the lake is terrible (dirty, unsafe, littered, no place to picnic or play???? I grew up swimming in a lake and hope this is not true.) Can you picnic there (available tables, etc.) Is the water cold at this time of year?

2) Is there any swimming pool for the public anywhere in the area?

3) Recs for restaurants in the area (Beavers Bend, Broken Bow, Idabel?)that you enjoy?

4) Anything of special interest for a 6 year old to do? Stables? Museums? Hiking? Anything else?+

5) What about floating down the lake? Is there some type of group ride with a guide that the 6 year old could go on with her mom? Whom would I contact about this?

6) I know there is a movie theater in Idabel...is there a bowling alley?

7) Are there any special 4th of July activities acheduled in the area?

8) How long would it take to drive from Beavers Bend Park over to Robbers Cave?

9) What is the casino like (obviously not for the grandkids!)?

Again....thanks!

Need info by June 26th about the area

appleannie,

I%26#39;m not very well-qualified to answer most of your questions but I see you were hoping for some kind of response by this evening so I will try to answer a couple of them. We visited Beavers Bend 3 years ago with our then 7 year old daughter and had a wonderful time. My memory has faded some but I can tell you some of the things we did that our 7 year old enjoyed.

We took the short train ride in the park that went through the woods, I remember we liked it and saw some deer. It departs from the same place the trail rides start, which we also did and she enjoyed. We did the ';bumper boats'; as well as the paddle boats. The paddle boat rentals were on the river by the swimming area. The water in the swimming area of the river was cold, too cold for me, and she did it for only a very short time. I don%26#39;t know if there is a swimming area in the lake or not. We did a short hike in the park on a trail called Cedar Bluff Nature Trail, a one mile loop trail that was fine and also interesting for a 7 year old. It goes up to a lookout point with pretty views. I believe we got a list of trails at the tourist center there where the gift shop is. There is also a museum you can go through in there. We did the Beavers Bend Wildlife Museum at the entrance to the park, it was okay. We also did a canoe ride down the river which we loved. It was my husband and I with our daughter in the middle. We did go-carts somewhere, can%26#39;t remember the name of the place, it seems like there was a couple different places to choose from.

Definitely go to the Museum of the Red River in Idabel. We were impressed with its collections and our daughter loved seeing the real dinosaur skeleton. Don%26#39;t miss it!

Hope this helps! Have fun on your trip!

Need info by June 26th about the area

j%26#39;s momtexas:

Thank you so much for your helpful and quick response. We will definitely do many of the things you%26#39;ve suggested. I didn%26#39;t know about the paddle boats so that was good news! We are leaving tomorrow....will post a trip report when we return. Again, thanks you.

Apple Annie

This would be past due for your questions but I would like to clarify something you posted in regard to Broken Bow Lake. It is the pretties and cleanest lake in the state for anyone considering this area in the future.

adventuring Eastcoasters coming to Oklahoma

A friend and wife are coming to OK via RT. 66 (driving from their home in east coast) and are looking for some unique sights to see/places to go. He is a photographer, and they have interests in music, Americana, and HAVE NEVER BEEN WEST AT ALL! I%26#39;m an Okie, but haven%26#39;t been back to ';play'; in quite a while. Suggestions? Their 1st OK stop is the drive-in movie theater in Tulsa.

adventuring Eastcoasters coming to Oklahoma

Try the Oklahoma Route 66 association.

http://www.oklahomaroute66.com/

adventuring Eastcoasters coming to Oklahoma

Near Route 66 at Afton is the Grand Lake O%26#39; the Cherokees. Not necessarily an ';attraction'; per se, but it%26#39;s probably the biggest body of water they will see from that point until they get to California. Well, you didn%26#39;t actually say they were going to California, but I assumed that this Route 66 trip was a trip along the Mother Road to the west coast. At any rate, Grand Lake is not a bad place to stop for a meal or the night, and to take in some views - especially for someone with a photographer%26#39;s eye. Can%26#39;t think of much between there and OKC, except for the World%26#39;s Largest McDonald%26#39;s, which spans the I-44 tollroad at Vinita. Not exactly Route66 or Americana, but sort of a spectacle. Then there%26#39;s the Blue Whale at Catoosa. Don%26#39;t know why that interests people, but it does. Hmmm. I know there are a couple of diners left in the Tulsa area. At least one of them was featured on the Discovery Travel and Living Channel show that features the two guys from the UK, who travel around to different places and eat (what a job!). At least it%26#39;s on the UK version of Travel and Living, which is what we get here in Russia. I can%26#39;t remember the name though. In Tulsa, there are the Gilcrease and Philbrook museums. These are both excellent. A bit off Route 66, but worth the trip, there are two attractions in or near Bartlesville (about 40 minutes north of Tulsa). One is the Price Tower, which was the only skyscraper ever built by Frank Lloyd Wright. There they have tours of the building, which has some of the original furnishings, also designed by Wright. There is also an exhibition hall and museum, plus a restaurant and a boutique hotel on the premises. Even if you aren%26#39;t an architecture buff, it is a very unique and interesting building. The other attraction, Woolaroc, is about 15 miles SW of Bartlesville on Hwy 123. This is the country estate of oilman Frank Phillips, and a museum has been built on the premises, which houses tons of western and Native American art and artifacts. This is almost always a real treat for those who haven%26#39;t ever really been exposed to cowboys and Indians.

Once in OKC, there is the OKC bombing memorial and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

West of OKC, near the small town of Hinton, is Red Rock Canyon State Park. This is a beautiful little park, located, as the name implies, in a steep canyon of red sandstone. The photographer should have fun there. It%26#39;s also pretty close to the old Route 66. From near there until you reach Weatherford, you can travel on some of the original stretch of Route 66. That%26#39;s not possible just anywhere, but in that area, it actually feels like the Mother road, for some reason. The Canadian River bridge on that stretch will be a photographer%26#39;s treat, and was actually used in the filming of the Grapes of Wrath. As for me, I learned to drive while living in that area, and the trip across that loooong, narrow bridge was the stuff of nightmares for a novice driver. To the north, about 40 miles is Roman Nose State Park, near the town of Watonga. This park is interesting, because it sits in the so-called ';Gypsum Hills';. These hills are tall, red-dirt mounds, with a layer of gypsum near the top, so that the upper layers above the gypsum have eroded away, leaving a flat top and forming large red buttes that look like a scene from a western movie. Go to the park, and drive all the way around the lake and park the car. Then hike up into the hills from there. From the tops of some of these hills, you can see for 50 miles or more on a clear day. At sunset, or sunrise, they can be stunning. The photographer should enjoy it. There is a small lodge (also cabins) and restaurant at Roman Nose State Park.

In Arcadia, just NE of Oklahoma City, there is the Round Barn, which you can tour, as well as a brand new attraction, POPS, a futuristic gas station and diner that specializes in every brand and flavor of soda pop that exists. There is a giant pop bottle sculpture out front. Both things your friends should enjoy.

just wanted to say thanks to all who posted on this topic - my friends took theses suggestions and were blown away by their first westward journey - they loved Oklahoma, especially the Rt. 66 trek, and all the suggestions from your postings! Now I want to go and check it all out, too! Have a great summer, everyone!

this works

Garth Brooks

Ok this is going to sound REALLY dumb. I%26#39;m a HUGE Garth Brooks fan and know he lives in Tulsa somewhere. Is there anyway you could like get to ride by his house or does he live in a gated community or something.

Garth Brooks

He lives on a large ranch/estate just northeast of Tulsa. No, you can%26#39;t see his house from the road.

Garth Brooks

Actually He and Trisha just moved South of town.........and no you won%26#39;t be able to see this one.

he has a huge amount of property, wooded, with a big fence. all you can see is the fence.

He just built a new house and I have heard (from someone who worked on it) that people park by a large tree on the corner of the road nearby and wait for him to drive off the property. Occasionally he will stop and say hello. My son ran into him with his girls at Laserquest in Tulsa last summer and he was very nice and let the group he was with take a picture with him.

He has been seen multiple times in the Taco Bueno in Owasso - he acts like a nice, normal guy when there.

I think that would be weird to go by Garth%26#39;s house, even though I know where he lives. Seen him around town a lot and I do not stare. He is probably used to it and doesn%26#39;t seem to be bothered by it. I think the best thing to do, is leave him alone. He is raising his family, let him. IN PRIVACY.

Garth %26amp; Tricia do live in Owasso, and you can%26#39;t see their house from the road. Both are often seen in local businesses, going about their daily lives; Tricia even volunteers with a local charity (you might have seen her recently on a Celebrity Wheel of Fortune). Enjoy their music!

he lives on 106th and peoria yes you can see it form the road big house his tour bus driver lives at the botton of the hill below him

I saw him twice the other day first time at home depot in owasso and then 30 mins later at reasors down the road. He didn%26#39;t get mobbed in home depot. But at reasors all the employees mobbed him there.

This may be a crazy bit of trivia you might like hearing. Although I do not know much about Garth%26#39;s life, I used to see him a lot when I was attending Oklahoma State University. My friend was a member of the track team and ran cross country. I would run with her on her 3 mile warm up. SHE knew Garth pretty well. Whenever we were at the track, sometimes we would see Garth playing his guitar next to the field house. She would say. ';Garth says he%26#39;s going to be famous some day';.

Just a little bit of unknown trivia.

Good restaurant for big group

I need some suggestions on a restaurant that would be good for a big group. We are going to have a birthday celebration for possibly up to 30 people and I was wondering if anyone knew of a place that might have a private room. It doesn%26#39;t have to be fancy, just good.

Thanks in advance.

Good restaurant for big group

Los Cabos (Mexican)

http://www.loscabosok.com/

Ti Amo (Italian)

http://www.tiamotulsa.com/a/banquets/

Melting Pot

http://www.meltingpot.com/location.aspx?q=15

Kilkenny%26#39;s (Irish)

http://www.tulsairishpub.com/index.cfm

Good restaurant for big group

I did a large group dinner @ Mexicali, the downtown location (14 W. Brady, 582-3323, website: www.mexicalibordercafe.com); they had a nice separate area (not a completely separate room) %26amp; even set up a buffet for my group (altho ordering from menu of course would be an option).

Good Hotels Near Cain's Ballroom or the Airport

My husband and I are coming up to a concert at the Cain%26#39;s Ballroom on July 23rd and are leaving the next morning for Las Vegas from the Airport there in Tulsa. Any recommendations on good, clean and affordable hotels/motels in those two areas? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Christy

Duncan, OK

Good Hotels Near Cain's Ballroom or the Airport

If I were going to stay in central Tulsa, I would stay at the Ambassador. If I were going to stay by the airport, I would choose the Hilton Garden Inn. I don%26#39;t know, however, if either will fit your definition of ';affordable.'; Have fun at the Cain%26#39;s.

Hospital

Does Pawhuska, OK have a Hospital? If so, what is the address and telephone number?

Thank you,

Hospital

The nearest hospital is Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville.

3500 EAST FRANK PHILLIPS BOULEVARD

BARTLESVILLE, OK 74006(918) 333-7200

wheretofindcare.com/Facilty.aspx鈥?/a>

old cheap hotels

I enjoy staying in historically old yet affordable hotels and often drive various routes between Phoenix and Indianapolis. A good example is the $50, 1882 hotel in Silver City, NM. Rates below $125 are preferred. Creaky wooden staircases are a plus! I am aware of the historic hotels registry but generally find they are not within my budget. Recommendations?

old cheap hotels

The only historical hotels in Oklahoma I can personally attest to are not inexpensive: the Colcord and Skirvin in OKC and the Ambassador in Tulsa. All will be over $125 unless you just luck onto a special.

From St. Louis to Arizona, though, you%26#39;ll be paralleling Route 66 all the way, and many old motels still exist along this route: http://route66motels.com/

Girls Weekend at Broken Bow

Eight of us stayed at a Creative Escapes cabin in the Southern Hills development. First of all, the cabin was perfect. It was very private. It had everything we needed. There was a fire pit in back and chairs and log benches were provided. We had a wiener roast there the lasst night and Big Foot joined us and was very well-mannered. (Just kidding) The cabin was new, clean, and decorated nicely. We went to a swim beach at Beaver%26#39;s Bend. We rented paddle boats and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon.

Dinner at Abendigo%26#39;s was unforgettable. Especially for those that joined us for karoke. The food was very up-scale for the area. They have fresh seafood flown in. They do have some funky liquor law and could only seve drinks in bottles. We also had lunch there. Very good.

Girls Gone Wine was a relaxing experience. The gift shop had lots of cute things and we enjoyed a glass of wine on the patio. Overall a great weekend and we look forward to another outing in McCurtain County.

this works

Hotel for my daughter close to 101st & Sheridan?

Looking for a reasonably priced but still decent hotel for my 19 y.o. daughter near 101st between Yale and Sheridan. Doesn%26#39;t have to be exactly that location, but within 10 min. drive. Not familiar with the Tulsa area - any suggestions? Thanks!

Hotel for my daughter close to 101st %26amp; Sheridan?

Travelocity has a ';search by address'; option on their hotels search. They show the closest name brand hotels to be a Hampton Inn at 81st %26amp; Memorial and a Hilton Garden Inn a bit further east. Both are between 2 and 3 miles according to Travelocity.

Hotel for my daughter close to 101st %26amp; Sheridan?

Right you are twoprofs!

There are quite a few other hotels in that general area as well - all withing about 6 miles of her desired intersection.

A lot will depend on the dates her daughter is staying and what she considers %26#39;reasonably priced%26#39;.

:)

Check Hotels.com, Travelocity and Google Maps for a lists as well. (You may have to do a search for hotels a few times on Google Maps to see all the hotels... I did!)

I meant Orbitz - not Travelocity.

There are a bunch of tools to find hotels in an area and I forget which ones were previously mentioned. (D%26#39;Oh!)

Help with lodging and restaurants - Amarillo to Guymon

Coming from CA to visit family and have only been there once MANY years ago. This is a very fast turn-around trip with lots of travel hours in mid October.

I would like to stay the night in Amarillo after I land, then drive to Guymon the next morning. What is the best lodging (clean, safe, comfy bed) at any price in Amarillo?

I am also a vegetarian...I know....coming to steak country. Am I going to starve? lol Should I go grocery shopping in Amarillo before heading to Guymon?

Many thanks for any guidance you can give me.

Help with lodging and restaurants - Amarillo to Guymon

In Amarillo, we%26#39;d highly recommend the Drury Inn or Homeplace Suites; however, both are on the west end of town (right off I-40), and the airport is east of town. On the east end, again off I-40 behind Cracker Barrell is the Ashmore Inn. We haven%26#39;t stayed there for a couple of years, but it was nice the last time we were there.

As far as food goes, my sister-in-law loves the United MarketPlace on Georgia Street (not many blocks south of I-40 at the Georgia exit). Depending on where you stay in Amarillo, there is a nice United right across from the Super Wal-Mart on Amarillo Blvd (the I-40 business loop that you can take out of Amarillo toward Dumas near the west end). Guymon also has a United (produce section was not nearly as good as in the past the last time we were there) and a Super Wal-Mart. Hope you have a great trip!

Help with lodging and restaurants - Amarillo to Guymon

Thanks for the info! I%26#39;ll print it out to take with me. I%26#39;ll check out the lodging. It will be a great trip because I get to see my family there - all the rest is just gravy. :) Thanks again!

Where can I buy pasilla chiles?

If anyone%26#39;s reading the board late tonight and knows where I can buy pasilla chiles, I would be grateful.

Failing pasillas, ancho chile powder would work.

I am leaving early tomorrow for OKC. Will be at the Museum of Art and Fifty Penn. Will not have time to go too far afield from those areas.

All suggestions are much appreciated.

Where can I buy pasilla chiles?

For fresh chiles, I%26#39;d try the farmers market, not too far from OKCMOA. Crescent Foods, near 63rd and Western, not too far from 50 Penn, might also be a good place to try. I don%26#39;t know your traveling directions, but Forward Foods in Norman might also be a good possibility.

Where can I buy pasilla chiles?

Thanks so much Twoprofs, for your kind assistance!

There is a Buy For Less than is located at 36th and MacArthur that caters to the area%26#39;s Latino population. You might try there as well.

And I can see now that I was a couple of days late - sorry...

:(

Well, not necessarily, modcon.

I could try there on my next trip as I was unsuccessful yesterday.

We had lunch at Soleil and I asked the chef for his suggestion. He said try any of the Asian markets, so I went to the large one on Military. Don%26#39;t know the name.

I enjoyed looking; was my first time to be able to look without being in a hurry, but no chiles or chile powder.

We didn%26#39;t have time to look anywhere else.

Thanks to both of you!

State Parks, Rivers, campgrounds around Tulsa

Are there any lush campgrounds, rivers, state parks around Tulsa (w/i 50 miles)? We were supposed to go to Eureka Springs but will be in Tulsa instead and I am curious if there is anything remotely comparable. Thanks!

State Parks, Rivers, campgrounds around Tulsa

You%26#39;ll find several parks in that part of the state. You can find a regional map and more information here: http://touroklahoma.com/index.asp

The Illinois River north of Tahlequah is always great to float, but check the water level before heading over. http://www.oklahomascenicrivers.net/

State Parks, Rivers, campgrounds around Tulsa

THere are 5 or 6 good sized lakes with campgrounds within 1 hr of Tulsa. Most within 30 mins. Most are controlled by army corp of engineers with the exception of Grand Lake. Most of the campgrounds have pleanty of trees for shade, a most important reqirement for us.

Mike in Tulsa

SE Oklahoma Float Trips

There is nothing more relaxing than the opportunity to enjoy a day on the beautiful Lower Mountain Fork River. If you are interested contact me by PM and I would be more than happy to answer any questions regarding these floats. AlCap

SE Oklahoma Float Trips

Looking for a float trip in Oklahoma. I have two teeange boys 16, 17. We are headed to Oklahoma christian for a basketball camp in a few weeks. I want to take a few extra days and do something fun with them. I have been trying to search the web, but really have not found much information

SE Oklahoma Float Trips

oklahomaroadtrips.com/Broken-Bow-mt-fork.htm

A bit of information about this float. If you plan a float I highly recommend you rent a canoe before your planned trip as most outfitters will be booked when you walk up to rent. I do not recommend this river for tubing as I do it most every weekend and I see countless tubers having a bad experience if the river flow isn%26#39;t perfect and there is always a prevailing south wind in your face and will make for a long day. AlCap

River's Edge Cottages

Has anyone stayed at the River%26#39;s Edge Cottages in Watson, OK? I can only find one review and it says they are wonderful. We are thinking about a trip up the in Sept.

this works

Any Hotwire mystery hotels in Bricktown area?

Does anyone know if any of the Hotwire mystery hotels are located in the bricktown area? It is listed as downtown, but I don%26#39;t know if Bricktown is included in that area.

Any Hotwire mystery hotels in Bricktown area?

There%26#39;s currently only one hotel in Bricktown proper, the Residence Inn. All the downtown hotels are going to be in walking distance and many offer free shuttles to Bricktown.

Birthday

I am trying to put togeather activities to celebrate my husband%26#39;s (30+) birthday on Monday August 4th in either OKC or Tulsa. Please provide me with unique suggestions of things we could do or see between the hours of 9AM and 3PM.

Also, is there a large oil mansion that is now a art gallery in Tulsa? What is it called and where is it located?

Thanks, Julie

Birthday

I believe you%26#39;re thinking of the Philbrook in Tulsa. It%26#39;s an excellent museum. The building is impressive. http://www.philbrook.org/experience/place/

I hear good things about the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in OKC.

Where to stay - suggestions please

My husband has a business trip and I thought I%26#39;d tag along for the couple of days. His meeting will be around the intersection of I-44 %26amp; I-40 and from what I can see on the map it looks like that is between the airport hotels and the downtown hotels.

We%26#39;d like something nice (since the company is picking up the tab) with an outdoor pool.

Does the Sheraton (Downtown) have some sort of tunnel under it to the Bricktown area?

I%26#39;ve been reading about the Bricktown area for maybe dancing one night? Is there a country bar there?

Is there anything romantic to do?

What about restaurants? We like mexican, italian, seafood %26amp; steak (pretty much anything!)

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Where to stay - suggestions please

Lots of fine restaurants in Bricktown www.bricktownokc.com and for country music, there%26#39;s Toby Keith%26#39;s bar www.tobykeithsbar.com. It%26#39;s an easy walk from any downtown hotel to Bricktown; no tunnel needed.

I don%26#39;t know about pools, but I%26#39;d pick the Courtyard, the Renaissance, or the Residence Inn over the Sheraton. I haven%26#39;t been to the Sheraton lately, but it was never anything special. If you want really nice, consider the Colcord www.colcordhotel.com or the Skirvin/Hilton www.skirvinhilton.com which are extremely fine hotels with both unique personality and fine amenities. Like I said, I don%26#39;t know which ones have pools.

As for romance, isn%26#39;t that more a matter of attitude than location?

Where to stay - suggestions please

Thanks for the suggestions - we%26#39;ll look into them :) And yes I agree about the ';romance'; comment, I guess I was looking for a nice place to take a walk at night or somewhere to watch the sunset. I should have been more specific ;)

The Courtyard Downtown (Bricktown) has rooms with balconies and/or Spas (whirlpool baths).

Add a little champagne to either of those and you have an instant romantic setting...

:)

The pool is indoors. The only downtown hotel with an outdoor pool is the Sheraton.

If you want to stay downtown, the Skirvin is expecially nice. Of course, no outdoor pool, though. If you don%26#39;t stay downtown, there is a Courtyard by Marriott at I-40 and Meridian. It%26#39;s not expensive, but it is always clean and does have an outdoor pool. Very close to your husband%26#39;s meeting and not far from downtown.

As Twoprofs mentioned, no need for a tunnel downtown. There are plenty of sidewalks and traffic is generally slow.

Toby Keiths is a restaurant that plays country music (occasionally live), but I%26#39;ve never seen dancing there. If you really want to dance at a country bar, try the Wormy Dog Saloon (horrible name, huh?). It is just north of the Bricktown Ballpark and they often have live music and always have dancing.

For something romantic?? I%26#39;m not sure. I%26#39;ve heard that the Melting Pot restaurant can be romantic, but I%26#39;ve never been there. And, it%26#39;s slightly expensive.

Other restaurants: for Italian, try Zios. The food is always fresh and service is usually good. Abuelos is my favorite Mexican restaurant and the building is beautiful. The Bricktown Brewery is a good place to eat and they (obviously) brew their own beers. Hope you have a good time!

It would help to know your age. :%26lt;))

I would recommend the Skirvin (have stayed there)or the Colcord (haven%26#39;t stayed there). The Courtyard would be fine, but the other two a little more special IMHO.

For a romantic dinner, consider Soleil at the Colcord (I have had excellent food there several times). Ask to be seated in a booth. Another excellent choice would be Nonna%26#39;s in Bricktown.

colcordhotel.com Click on ';dining.';

nonnas.com

From either the Skirvin or Colcord it%26#39;s a short walk to Bricktown.

If you are young and like ';really loud,'; there is a bar in the basement of the Colcord that might appeal to you.

There is a nice bar in the Skirvin with a lipstick red piano and live entertainment, although I don%26#39;t know the specific hours.

At Nonna%26#39;s there is a fun bar upstairs with a terrace.

The latter two could be considered romantic.

Also, given the right temperature, walking along the canal in Bricktown is fun and could be romantic.

Hope you have a lovely time in OKC.

An update on my previous post:

I agree with Sophibella, it would help to know your age. The Wormy Dog is loud and tends to attract a younger crowd. Someone told me that Toby Keith%26#39;s does have dancing late at night, but I%26#39;m not sure if that is every day or just on weekends. The crowd would proabably be diverse there.

Hope you have a great time!

I agree with the previous posters and all of the suggestions for Bricktown, but if you have a car, and want a lovely place to watch the sunset and have a nice meal, go to Red Rock Canyon Grill on Lake Hefner. It%26#39;s a great place on the east side of the lake, so you can watch the sunset over the water. They a have a great patio where you can have a drink and dinner, or you can dine inside. We moved to OKC 2 years ago and we fell in love with this place on our house hunting trip. The food, atmosphere and service are all excellent.

I%26#39;ll echo the suggestion for Red Rock Canyon if you have a vehicle or don%26#39;t mind taking a cab. It is definitely one of the greatest sunset views, good food, and romantic. Ask for the patio.

Back to downtown, I recommend the Skirvin and the Colcord as well (especially since you%26#39;re on the company account). Skirvin has an indoor pool, the Colcord has no pool but has jacuzzis in some rooms. The Residence Inn in Bricktown is not as nice but does have an outdoor pool.

More restaurant suggestions:

Red Prime Steak (trendy, modern, romantic--ask for one of their enclosed booths) --best steak in town.

Trattoria il Centro (great upscale Italian in a fun atmosphere)

La Luna (excellent local mexican food, more casual atmosphere)

Don%26#39;t miss the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. They currently have a huge exhibit on display of Roman Art from the Lourve. Also the Oklahoma City National Memorial as well.

I agree with jbrown%26#39;s suggestion to see ';Roman Art from the Louvre'; at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art (downtown).

I went last week and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

You could have a lovely dinner afterward at the Museum Cafe just next door. You actually can walk through the theater lobby from the museum to the cafe.

okcmoa.com

and

http://www.okcmoa.com/cafe

Thank you for all of the suggestions! Unfortunately all of the hotel downtown are booked because of a few conferences %26amp; softball tournaments. We are going to be at the Hyatt off Meridian - it looks nice, we%26#39;ll just have to drive downtown. We are both in our late 30%26#39;s - for those asking for an age ;) Thanks again everyone and if you can think of anything else we don%26#39;t leave for a couple days!

Stay away from the gross Clinton Inn and Suites

We made the mistake of booking this place, only to find that it is absolutely filthy and smelly. Don%26#39;t believe them when they say they have renovated. There are boxes of building materials all through the lobby. When we went up the stairs just off the lobby, the smell of dirt and smoke is so strong we literally started choking and retching.

Fortunately, we hadn%26#39;t paid yet because the desk clerk first gave us a key to check out the room since they failed to hold the non smoking room we reserved and they wanted us to use a smoking room.

We went down the road and stayed at another much nicer hotel. The clerk there told us she did not understand why the Clinton Inn and Suites hadn%26#39;t been closed by the health department.

YUCK!

River's Edge Cottages Watson, OK

Has anyone stayed at the River%26#39;s Edge Cottages in Watson, OK? I can only find one review and it says they are wonderful. We are thinking about a trip up the in Sept.

River's Edge Cottages Watson, OK

I stayed at River%26#39;s Edge about 2 years ago. The location is out of the way, but that might be what you are looking for. Hiking, bike riding, fishing available. Great owners. Cottages have all the amenities- even some with hot tubs in the bedroom. Fireplaces and kitchens too. I hope to go back soon.

Parks with Play Areas for Kids

We%26#39;re travelling to Tulsa at the end of this month on a pretty strict budget. Our main goal in being there is to go to the Oklahoma Aquarium. Our kids are young enough (7,3, and 1) to still get a kick out of playing on play areas at parks they%26#39;re not used to, so we thought that would be a good affordable option of things to do with our time.

Any suggestions on good parks with fun play areas for small kiddos?

Also, if you have any other suggestions for free or inexpensive activities with kids, that would be great!

Thanks!

Parks with Play Areas for Kids

There are several good park play areas in Tulsa, including the following: 73rd %26amp; Riverside Drive (not too far from the Aquarium); 23rd %26amp; the River, on the West Bank (go across the 21st Street Bridge, take 1st left and left again, park @ the end close to the skate park, the kids area is closer to the waterJ); Whiteside Park on 41st about 4 blocks West of Yale Ave.; and Tracy Park at 11th %26amp; Peoria Ave. (both a play area and a spray pool, operating 9 am to 9 pm). I%26#39;m sure others will have more suggestions. Welcome to Tulsa!

Parks with Play Areas for Kids

My little brother loves La Fortune Park - Between 51st %26amp; 61st %26amp; Yale

this works

Coming to OK

I have a six week assignemnt in Enid beginning9/18/08. I see the State Fair is in OKC. Should I go? Any suggestions about other fun stuff to do?

Coming to OK

If you%26#39;ve never been to a State Fair, http://www.okstatefair.com/ , then by all means, come on down! It%26#39;s something everyone should experience. If you have been to a big State Fair, then you%26#39;ve probably seen it already, and then it will depend on how much you liked it on whether you should go or not.

Where are you looking to do the other fun stuff? And what do you consider fun? Bricktown, http://www.bricktownokc.com/ , is a fun place to visit. A few clubs and some good restaurants. And the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, http://www.okcmoa.com/ , is a great place.

Enjoy your stay in our State!

Coming to OK

Hey, thanks. I%26#39;ve been to big fairs before and loved all of it. I figure y%26#39;all will have some awesome cows, right? So%26#39;I%26#39;ll get down if work allows the time.

I also want to make a point to see the memorial. Any fun diner places you%26#39;d recommend? I%26#39;ve read the threads but your input would be appreciated. Thanks again.

The State Fair is a lot of fun. I think there%26#39;s a rodeo scheduled for Sept. 19th if you like that kind of thing. Not sure if it%26#39;s bull riding or what, but it%26#39;s always fun. You can find every kind of dining option in OKC, from 5 star to very casual. Nonna%26#39;s Red Door in Bricktown (an off-shoot of downtown OKC) is stellar, and while you%26#39;re in that area, check out the Oklahoma City Museum, with one of the largest Chihuly glass exhibits in the country. Definitely go the Memorial, and check it out at night - it%26#39;s quite beautiful with the chairs lit up and the lights reflecting in the pool. The Memorial Museum is worth walking through as well.

Other sites to see and things to do really depend on your interests. Western art is nice at the Western Heritage Museum (formerly the National Cowboy Hall of Fame), and the Stockyards have the largest selection of western wear and accessories in the area. Remington Park is a remarkable race track if you like to watch the ponies run. The new NBA team, the OKC Thunder, has a few pre-season games scheduled in October at the Ford Center downtown. The big names they%26#39;ll play are the Rockets on 10/13, the Suns on 10/24, and the Lakers on 10/24. If your an artsy type, take a stroll through the Paseo district on a weekend - great art, food, and people-watching. There%26#39;s a great theater, just south of OKC in Moore, OKC, called the Warren. They offer a novel concept of dining and drinking in comfy cozy chairs while watching the film on a state-of-the-art screen. Waiters are trained to take your order and bring your drinks without interrupting the film.

Hope that gives you lots to choose from!

Sorry for the typo - the OKC Thunder plays the Suns on 10/23, not 10/24.

Yep - lots of livestock at the Fair!

Once again - what do you consider a %26#39;fun%26#39; dining place?

There%26#39;s Toby Kieth%26#39;s I Love This Bar and Grill in Bricktown - http://www.tobykeithsbar.com/

They have live entertainment on the weekends. And there are a few other restaurants with live entertainment, VZD%26#39;s is one example - http://www.vzds.com/ - that%26#39;s located on Western Avenue. There are a number of small, locally owned specialty restaurants along Western Avenue - visitwesternavenue.com/restaurants_bars.php

As kaceevh said, you can try the Warren Theater in Moore - http://www.warrentheatres.com/moore.asp

The balcony is also a restaurant with meal and drink service. And there is also a bar you can go into (but not watch the show.) Balcony admission is restricted to 21 and older. :)

Admission to the balcony is $12 daytime and $18 evening, plus the cost of dinner and drinks.

If you give more info on your likes and dislikes we could probably give more specific suggestions. :)

did okc get rain from Ike?

Hi All! Im here in Tennessee %26amp; just wondering if OKC %26amp; just Oklahoma in general got any rain/flooding from Hurricane Ike? I saw where it came up from texas into ok. %26amp; was just wondering cause Im thinking of coming in a few weeks.

Thanks!

did okc get rain from Ike?

There was some rain across most of the state - very heavy in the north-central part. Some heavy flooding occurred there and there was some damage, mainly in Blackwell, Fairview, Burlington and the surrounding areas. As far as I know, Tulsa and Oklahoma City and the rest of the State were spared any serious damage - although there may have been some very local flooding in the rest of north-central OK.

In fact, OKC got a nice rainfall but no damage of which I am aware.

And the flood waters - where there were flood waters - have already receded. I was at the State Fair on Sunday, and other than the smells were way down from normal :), you wouldn%26#39;t even have known it had rained on Saturday.

I wouldn%26#39;t let Ike affect my plans.

did okc get rain from Ike?

Thanks for your help!

Stillwater September 2009

We%26#39;re considering a trip to Stillwater for the 2009 Georgia - Oklahoma State football game. Probably for two nights.

If anybody%26#39;s monitoring these forums, we%26#39;d appreciate advice on where to stay, eat, etc.

We see the restaurant reviews, so we know somebody%26#39;s visiting here!

Stillwater September 2009

THE place to stay in Stillwater, if you can get it, is the Atherton Hotel, which is on the OSU campus. It will book very, very early for a football weekend. http://www.athertonhotelatosu.com/

But personally, I would probably stay at the Ambassador in Tulsa and just drive over for the game. Stillwater%26#39;s basically a small town with a big university; Tulsa has a lot more options for how to spend your time. http://www.hotelambassador-tulsa.com/

David Beckham

David is coming to town, where do you recommend he stays?

Posh is staying home in LA, nice one!

Bars/restaurants/hotel

Is there an area containing bars, restaurants and hotels similar to what Oklahoma City has in Bricktown. It is my husbands 40th Bday and we have never been to Tulsa. We wanted to try something different but we want to be able to have a good dinner, drink and party without worrying about driving in an unfamiliar area.

Bars/restaurants/hotel

To answer your question, ';no,'; there is no area in Tulsa, which is similar to OKC%26#39;s Bricktown. On the other hand, there are a couple of areas, which are pretty close together, that offer numerous restaurants and bars within walking distance from each other. One such area is Cherry Street, which is actually along 15th street, roughly between Utica Ave and Peoria Ave. The other area is Brookside, which is along Peoria, roughly between 31st street and 41st street. The downside to both these areas is that (at least to my knowledge) there isn%26#39;t much in the way of hotels, which will let you stay there and walk everywhere you want to go. For a hotel that is not too far away, I would recommend the Ambassador Hotel, which is just south of downtown. It is probably the best hotel deal you will find in Tulsa. You can stay somewhere else more cheaply, but for quality, the Ambassador can%26#39;t be beat in Tulsa. The Ambassador also has one of the better restaurants in town, ';The Chalkboard.'; It would be a pretty short and inexpensive taxi ride, to travel to/from the Ambassador to either Cherry St or Brookside.

Bars/restaurants/hotel

Thanks! I will book a room at the Ambassador. What restaurant do you reccomend for dinner? I would like something pretty nice but no chain restaurants. We love Flemings but we can get that in Dallas. A good steak or seafood restaurant is what we have in mind. I know you said the restaurant in the hotel is good and I figured we could eat there Friday night. So sat we need a good lunch place and then a nicer place for dinner. I appreciate your help!

The Ambassador is great; you%26#39;ll love it. As for meals, here are a few places we like:

Gilcrease Art Museum (worth a visit), just a bit north and west of downtown, has a great little cafe inside, perfect for lunch on Saturday or for their incredible brunch on Sunday.

Tucci%26#39;s, a good-but-not-fancy neighborhood place on Cherry/15th, does an excellent job with a variety of Italian dishes, including an out-of-this-world tiramisu.

Stonehorse Cafe, in Utica Square (a great open air shopping center just south and east of downtown) is the best food we%26#39;ve had in Tulsa. Fancier and pricier than the other two options, but worth it if you%26#39;re wanting a truly memorable meal.

The Polo Grill in Utica Square is very sophisticated and quite good. Had our anniversary dinner there.

There%26#39;s a small bar scene with a little eclectic shopping in the ';Blue Dome District'; and ';Brady District'; just North %26amp; East of downtown. You can stay @ the Crowne Plaza--just renovated (and just a few blocks from our new BOK Center Arena). However, bring your ear plugs unless you really like train whistles (the trains go by every night, blowing horns @ 6 intersections that, eventually (courtesy of Vision 2025 bond money) will be ';car-proofed'; but not yet). There are several good places to eat, ranging from the Route 66 Diner, to Lola%26#39;s, to Tsunami Sushi, to the new Daily Grill (yes, this upscale California chain has landed in Tulsa, complete with a hip bar %26amp; good food). For dinner in the Cherry Street area, some other good choices would be The Palace Cafe (almost all ';local'; food) and Lucky%26#39;s. There are a lot of good eateries in the Brookside area too.

Welcome to Tulsa!

Some Oklahoma forums you'll like:

Here%26#39;s a list of some forums that may interest those who are already interested in Oklahoma.

http://tulsanow.org

http://urbanok.9.forumer.com

http://okctalk.com

http://okgopchat.com

Some Oklahoma forums you'll like:

Their is also http://oklahomaforums.com

Some Oklahoma forums you'll like:

There is also http://www.okc2.com

this works

Romantic things to do

I know about Bricktown and Redrock by the lake but I%26#39;m after a few other romanticy things to do around Edmond - is there anything in the way of balloon rides or walks people could recommend?

She%26#39;s a keeper and I want to proper sweep her off her feet, as they say : )

We%26#39;re spending a week there.

Romantic things to do

What type of romantic things are you talking about in Edmond? Have you BEEN to Edmond before? We are from the DFW area and received the biggest shock and disappointment back in April when we arrived in Edmond. Do not let their travel video fool you, it%26#39;s a dump! They show this nice downtown area with sculptures everywhere, not true! You have to hunt the sculptures down in front of the local bank, Walmart, etc...It was such a dump we drove the other 300 miles back home in the same day for a total of almost 600 miles. We reserved a $300 a night luxury cottages that was also a dump!

Romantic things to do

Travelwannbe2:

I am sorry your expectations were set high due to the promotional material and you did not enjoy your stay in Edmond. But in all fairness, Edmond is no worse than other towns with it%26#39;s travel promotion. In the end it is basically still a bedroom community for Oklahoma City and is not as geared to tourists as some other small towns might be.

The bronzes you mention ARE all over town - but a large percentage are located within a few short blocks of each other around the (relatively small) downtown area which is still just a small town downtown area. And while there are some specialty shops it%26#39;s not a glitzed-up district - just small-town main street.

okfiver:

If you want to know about any of the places to stay or eat, please use the Tripadvisor reviews where they are available. You can also check out the sites in the forums listed in the ';Some Oklahoma Forums You%26#39;ll Like'; topic, tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g28957-i520-k16403…

I have been trying to find some romantic things that would ';sweep her off her feet,'; but other than a few concerts scheduled for September (you don%26#39;t say when you will be here) as far as I can tell there is really not anything readily available like that. My best advice is to try to arrange some things with the managers of wherever you are staying and a restaurant.

Overall, you will probably spend as much or more time in Oklahoma City as you will in Edmond the week you are here.

:)

Hotel near Memorial Stadium

Can anyone recommend a good family hotel within walking distance (15-20 minutes) to Memorial Stadium in Norman? The kids would love an indoor pool, but we%26#39;re not too picky, as we%26#39;re going to be there for the Huskers Sooners game, so we%26#39;re not planning on sticking around the hotel much.

Hotel near Memorial Stadium

I%26#39;m not a Norman expert by any means, but I believe the only hotel meeting the requirements you%26#39;ve indicated would be the University of Oklahoma Sooner Hotel %26amp; Suites‎. It%26#39;s actually on the OU campus close to the stadium.

They have a way to request reservations, but you won%26#39;t get a response until the next day.

…ou.edu/component/…

My guess is they book up really early and may not have any rooms available for that weekend.

The stadium is located at Lindsey and Jenkins, and here is a link to the Hotels in Norman -

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en%26amp;ie=UTF8%26amp;q=Norman+Oklahoma+Hotels%26amp;fb=1%26amp;view=map%26amp;cd=1

The second page has the hotels closest to the stadium. As with most small college towns, most hotels are not that close to the stadium and those that are close are old and may not be the best places to stay.

However, if you want to stay somewhat further away you can drive to the Lloyd Noble Center, park there and take the shuttle to the game.

Maybe someone in Norman can give better information.

Hotel near Memorial Stadium

The old Sooner hotel on campus closed down last spring, Modcon. The ';Suites'; they mention are in an apartment building a few blocks south of the old hotel.

I don%26#39;t know of anything within walking distance of the stadium, either. The closest I can think of are Residence Inn at I-35 and OK9, south west of the campus, and a newish Best Western and OK9 and US77, south east of the campus. Either would give you easy access to parking at the Lloyd Noble arena, where OU plays basketball; you could walk from there to the stadium.

Thanks twoprofs. I was pretty sure the hotel had shut down and was surprised when I saw the link. I didn%26#39;t know they were basically using the apartments for %26#39;suites%26#39;.

To Ralphie - my advice would be to find a nice hotel (that still has rooms), park at the Lloyd Noble and take the shuttle. I%26#39;ve done that before and IMO it is very convenient.

:)

Ralphie, if you%26#39;re still out there, I would avoid the Best Western I mentioned. I stayed there last evening--had a meeting early this morning in Norman--and the BW is pretty much mediocre at best, and the walls seem to be made of paper. The Residence Inn I mentioned is much, much nicer.

This website might provide some help for hotels. Look for the ';accomodations'; tab. I%26#39;m afraid it might be on the late side to find a hotel in Norman.

http://www.visitnorman.com

You may have to stay in Oklahoma City and drive to the Lloyd Noble Center to park and take the shuttle, as Modcon suggested.

You will find shuttle details and much more gameday information at this website.

soonersports.com/facilities/…

Hope you have a wonderful time in Oklahoma.

Crown Plaza, Brady Theater

We are coming to town to see Lindsey Buckingham at the Brady Theater and staying at the Crown Plaza. I am assuming it will be easiest to walk the six blocks or so to and from the concert. I don%26#39;t know Tulsa very well, so would like to know if this is a safe enough area for us to walk at nighttime! Any suggestions for good dining in the area would be appreciated. We love all kinds of food (Thai, Greek, etc.) Thanks in advance for any advice, Dave

Crown Plaza, Brady Theater

It is very safe to walk around downtown--I%26#39;ve lived %26amp; worked downtown for 27 years. You might see a few homeless people %26amp; maybe even get panhandled once or twice, but a polite ';no thanks'; sends them on their way. With the new BOK Center opening %26amp; the Crowne Plaza renovations complete, this is a great neighborhood made even more so by a new ';downtown'; police detail to ensure safety around the BOK Center %26amp; downtown area. I would not hesitate to walk from the Crowne Plaza to the Brady, any time of day or night.

There are a lot of good restaurant options within walking distance too. McNellies (great beer %26amp; burgers %26amp; other pub food), El Guapo (local Mexican), Tsunami Sushi, the Daily Grill in the Crowne Plaza, Lola%26#39;s, Mexicali (a small local Mexican chain, on your way to the Brady), the Route 66 Diner...and more on the way with the BOK Center bringing crowds downtown on a regular basis.

Bring ear plugs for the trains, which pass by blowing their whistles several times/night. Tulsa eventually with ';car-proof'; the downtown crossings (funding thru Vision 2025 bond funds), but not for another year or two.

Welcome to Tulsa!

Crown Plaza, Brady Theater

Thank you very much! That is exactly the information I was looking for. We are looking forward to our visit.

The trip was a success! Thanks for the advice. We had no problems walking around the district. The Crown Plaza was awesome. 50 percent off - thanks to Priceline. We ate at McNellie%26#39;s and loved the atmosphere and the sweet potato fries! the service was fast and great. The Brady was awesome, and the concert was one of the best ever. A late breakfast this ';afternoon'; at the Blue Dome Cafe topped it off. Great service there as well. We were struck by the politeness everywhere we went! Being from Wichita, which I consider much friendlier than OKC, that is saying something! Thanks again for the reply, Dave

Suite hotel for the night? driving from Arkansas to Colorado

Hi, all

Our family with kids 14, 12, and 5 are planning on stopping in Oklahoma City for the night on route to southern Colorado from Arkansas.

Could someone please suggest the best suite hotel (Embassy or Residence Inn, etc) near the interstate that also has restaurants nearby OR is a suite hotel that is walkable to the Memorial? We will not have much time as we will arrive around 7pm and depart early the next morning. Thanks so much for any suggestions.

Suite hotel for the night? driving from Arkansas to Colorado

The only Embassy is on Meridian Avenue, just south of I-40, on the west side of the city (near the airport). It%26#39;s near several restaurants. The Memorial is just north of downtown, so you would need to stop at the Memorial first, or back-track the next morning.

A new Residence Inn recently opened in Bricktown, an ';entertainment district'; with restaurants, clubs, a canal, etc. which is just northwest of the I-40%26amp; I-235 junction. It%26#39;s not far from the Memorial, but maybe more than you would want to walk.

Suite hotel for the night? driving from Arkansas to Colorado

twoprofs,

thanks so much for your quick reply! So, Bricktown is a good area?...is it convenient to the Interstate? Could we park the SUV and walk to restaurants from the Residence Inn? Want to make sure the kids have solid block of time out of the car...want to be able to park, check-in to hotel and then walk to dinner, or something. Thanks!

Twoprofs has it right. The Residence Inn is probably where you want to stay. And to answer your questions:

Yes, it is convenient to I-40.

Yes you can walk to the restaurants in Bricktown quite easily.

Yes you can walk to the memorial, although you can also take the Trolley that%26#39;s available, which might be the better choice with a 5 year old. :)

The Residence Inn has one bedroom suites (2 queen beds and a sofa bed) and two bedroom suites (also 2 queen beds and a sofa bed.) You should be able to get the one bedroom for less than $200/night (much less on weekends.)

Here is a link to the hotel:

https:/…

And another to Bricktown:

http://www.bricktownokc.com/

And another to the Memorial:

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

Have fun!

OK, for some reason the Residence Inn link did not come through. Let%26#39;s try it again:

marriott.com/hotels/…

modcon,

thanks so much for your reply and the very helpful links! Residence Inn sounds like the best bet and the trolley sounds like a good idea, too :)

For the Memorial, the Blue line is the one you want to take. Here are a couple of trolley links...

Map - www.bricktownokc.org/p/8088/Default.aspx

Schedule - gometro.org/metro_transit%20folder/metro_tra…

:)

Talimena Drive

Visiting 6 Oct. How are the trees on the Talimena Drive? Have they started to turn yet? Anyone suggest places to visit on our way to Wichita KS? Last year we drove the Chisholm trail (US81) but want to see other parts of OK this year. My wife ss disabled so walking is not an option.

Talimena Drive

First week in October is very early for fall colors this far south. You might have better luck if you could detour into northwestern Arkansas. They%26#39;re a little higher, a little cooler, a little farther north, and their forests have more variety of trees. I don%26#39;t know where you%26#39;re driving from on your way to Wichita, but if you could get into the area near Harrison, Arkansas, you would have a better chance at colors.

Talimena Drive

As much rain as we have had recently, things are still very green. We will also need a good run of cool nights. It will probably be 3-4 weeks before things peak. AlCap

Thanks for your posts. We are driving from Dallas to Wichita. I guess we will go to Oklahoma City to see the Cowboy Museum and then on to the TallGrass Prairie as we must see Buffalo in large numbers.

Witichita Indians

I%26#39;m interested in learning more about this tibe and possibly visiting. Can someone advise me as the exact location, nearby cities or communities, and any other information and insights.

Witichita Indians

The Wichita and affiliated tribes (Wichita, Waco, Tawakoni, Keechi) office is located in Anadarko, Oklahoma:

Post Office Box 729

Anadarko, OK 73005-0729

Phone: (405) 247-2425

FAX: (405) 247-2430

The tribal lands are centered around Gracemont, Oklahoma.

I suggest you contact the Tribal offices for additional information.

:)

Broken Bow Flyfishing

We will be having our family reunion there on Labor Day. Approximately 15 of us and the men flyfish (and a couple of the ladies).

Where would be the best area of the river below the dam for wading and what size/type of flies used on this river?

Thanks

Broken Bow Flyfishing

The Lost Creek area below the spillway is good. Actually all areas are good. The colder the weather the better usually. I will see if I can find you some more information and post it at a later time. If you would send me a personal message and we can discuss it privately.

Broken Bow Flyfishing

Call Beaver%26#39;s Bend Fly Shop at 580-494-6071 and talk to Sid. Or log onto pine-net.com and it is a general website for this area. You can also do a ton of google searches on trout fishing on mountain fork and get a lot of ideas. Another person I would recommend is Ethan Wright at 580-494-6109

Found a great guide for Broken Bow Park fishing the Lower Mountain Fork River. Carey Thorn Thorn_alex@yahoo.com or call him at 469-528-0210. He put me on fish right when we got to the river. He has a fish guarentee and he makes sure you have all questions answered. He even left me with flys he hand ties for that river so I could fish the next day. Again Great Guide!!! -Lance

glad you had a great time in our area tarpon. PM me if you ever come back and we could maybe visit or I could show you around. AlCap

River's Edge Cottages

Has anyone stayed at the River%26#39;s Edge Cottages in Watson, OK? I can only find one review and it says they are wonderful. We are thinking about a trip up the in Sept.

River's Edge Cottages

Haven%26#39;t been to Watson, but Crooked River Cabins in Battiest are really nice. Private outdoor hot tubs, on the Glover River.

River's Edge Cottages

there are hundreds of cabins in this immediate area. Watson is at the end of the world. I would suggest somewhere closer to Broken Bow. Check out mccurtain county getaways or the Broken Bow Chamber Website for information. A google search of McCurtain County will get you close. I would also recommmend you search at www.pine-net.com

Watson maybe at the end of the world, but I don%26#39;t see any other cabins/cottages that look as luxurious and well kept as River%26#39;s Edge Cottages.

My husband and I have stayed at the Rivers Edge Cottages in Watson twice. We recently stayed there the first weekend in August. We love it there it is VERY quiet and the cottages are great. Our favorite cottage that we have stayed in was Mountain Escape. If you want to go and relax this is the place for you. We canoed, enjoyed grilling outdoors and ate and drank lots of good stuff. If you have any questions please dont hesitate to ask.

Crooked River Cabins in Battiest are very nice and the owners, Lane %26amp; Sharon Perrin are great people! The cabins hang over the Glover river and have great views. The beds are super comfortable and they have hot tubs right outside that are great in the fall when we usually go. Downside for those that go to 4 wheel which is why we go: The Wherehauser land around the Perrin%26#39;s property no longer allows ATVs so...... Anyway, It%26#39;s very pretty and you can canoe or fish or swim in the river and it%26#39;s not too far from Broken Bow. Take everything you need, though, because there isn%26#39;t much of anything nearby.

pet friendly hotels

I am travelling from austin to st. louis sometime in the next 7-10 days. I am in need of a pet friendly hotel in the OKC area. I am really not interested in a ';motel 6'; type of hotel. Maybe a 4 star. My pet is a very well trained 11 pound dog. I also hate to pay more than a $25 ';cleaning fee'; since I know they do not clean the room any different. Cleaning fees are such a rip-off!!

I appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

pet friendly hotels

Look at the Hilton Skirvin Hotel. It is rated 4 star and welcomes pets. It just received a multi-million dollar remodel and the reviews are very favorable.

pet friendly hotels

The Skirvin does allow pets, but according to the Skirvin website there is a $75 deposit required. (No mention on whether it is refundable or not, I would call.)

Here are a couple of links to lists of pet friendly hotels/motels in OKC:

pets-allowed-hotels.com/us/鈥ndex.html

http://www.1clickpethotels.com/oklahoma.htm (Scroll down to OKC)

dogfriendly.com/server/travel/uscities/guide鈥?/a>

and

http://www.tripswithpets.com/city.asp?dest=OK%26amp;city=Oklahoma+City%26amp;searchBy=%26amp;regionId=%26amp;searchType=

I would double check the hotel websites for the fees to make sure the information on those sites is accurate.

I don%26#39;t know if you have come through yet, but the Colcord Hotel downtown allows pets and there is no deposit or cleaning fee.

october weather info needed

Hi All! I have been wanting to come to OKC for some time now. I was going to come in May of this year %26amp; you kept having tornadoes! Im from Tennessee %26amp; we dont have those.so I was going to try to come again in October somewhere around the middle of the month 14-19 is this a good time? hows the temps? rain/storms? hopefully no tornadoes. I will be flying into OKC %26amp; staying a few days then driving to Mcalester.

any help is very appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

Angie~

october weather info needed

The weather in October is usually very nice. In fact, it%26#39;s usually one of the nicer weather months.

On average the low temperatures will range from about the upper 40%26#39;s to the low 50%26#39;s and the highs will range from the upper 60%26#39;s to the low 70%26#39;s. However, the lows can always drop into the 30%26#39;s and even lower, while the highs have been known to hit into the 90%26#39;s. The average rainfall for Oct is less than 4 inches, but the past two years we%26#39;ve been above average, so we may be above that. But even if we have above average rainfall we usually have nice weather most of the time, so I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about rain. And I wouldn%26#39;t worry too much about tornadoes. October chances are very low, but even in the peak season they are relatively rare for any specific location.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

october weather info needed

Thanks for the info! so Im guessing october is better than say april as far as storms %26amp; good weather?

trying to pick another month other than may.

I go on lots of trips %26amp; trying to fit them all in.

thanks!

Angie~

For the days you mention, October 14-19, averages highs are 73 and average lows are 50. The records for those days are 96 and 29. The long-term mean temperature for those days is 62.

October is the 4th rainiest month in OKC, averaging about 3.75 inches for the moth.

Between 1950 and 2006, Oklahoma County recorded 36 tornadoes, which comes out to one tornado every 48 days. Since tornadoes last only a few minutes, you%26#39;re not likely to catch one with those kind of odds. Still, October recorded only 5 tornadoes, or one every 336 days, so your odds of missing them are better in October than in May. During those 56 years, Oklahoma county recorded at least one tornado in each month, February through November; if you want to avoid them completely, you%26#39;d better plan your trip for around New Years day.

Great info on tornadoes Twoprofs! Hopefully that will calm littlerockertoo%26#39;s concerns better than my comments did.

And you are correct about Oct being the fourth rainiest. But we should add that isn%26#39;t all that bad. Most days are clear, sunny and dry. 3.75'; of rain isn%26#39;t really all that much! Heck, even in the rainiest month, May, we have plenty of clear weather. In fact, our average rain for Oct is only slightly more than for Memphis.

:)

Thanks everyone so much for your info!

If I dont get to come in October-work %26amp; boss might say no. then here I come in April! I gave up on May after trying twice.

Oklahoma rain--as I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ve noticed, Modcon--tends to come in large batches. That 3.75 inches for October could well represent only five or six rainy days. Here at my house, we%26#39;ve had nearly 3 inches of rain this month, but it%26#39;s only rained three times.

Twoprofs, You are so right. Even in May it can be 5 days of rain for the whole monthly total!

littlerockertoo, don%26#39;t worry too much about the weather. And I hope you enjoy your stay no matter when you get to come.

:)

Just come when you can! We normally have great weather here and we have a saying in Oklahoma, If you don%26#39;t like the weather wait a couple of hours and it will change!

I spent most of my life in Oklahoma, and October is the nicest month of the year. It%26#39;s not too hot, not too cold, and in my view most importantly, not too windy. Yes, bad weather can happen anywhere, any time, but your odds are best in October.

I love to travel very much. The season in October will be very nice. I want weather information of october.

=====================================

maddy

[url=';http://www.drugaddiction.net/oklahoma';]Oklahoma Drug Addiction[/url]

Oct 31 and Nov 2

Looking for a cabin around Broken Bow for me and significant other...would like hot tub...do not need 2-4 bedrooms but would like nice spacious cabin...any suggestions are welcome...I am a teacher in Texas so do not have $$$ but am willing to splurge a bit...it is her birthday!

Also we have 4 wheeler...should we bring it?...and any other suggestions on activites?

Oct 31 and Nov 2

http://rivertopresort.com/ This belongs to a teacher I know. There would be an area down there where you could ride your 4 wheeler.

Oct 31 and Nov 2

I would also recommend a foliage tour through Beaver%26#39;s Bend and visitation at the Forest Heritage Center and at the Museum of the Red River in Idabel. There are links to various type activites through the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce website. Just google this. AlCap

1.69 for a gallon of gas today

Gas prices in Bartlesville today....... 1.69

traveling to?

We would like to travel from Dallas Tx. to beavers bend park, Oklahoma! We have heard that it is a beautiful park!

Are there any trains there? We do not want to drive. What about flying?

Thanks for info!

Thanks and blessings!

SIncerely,

Carrie N.

traveling to?

You can train or fly to Texarkana and drive from there (about 80 miles), but driving from Dallas is only about 200 miles. I don%26#39;t know of anything closer.

traveling to?

There is a train in Beaver%26#39;s Bend you can ride. It is a very easy drive from Dallas to Broken Bow. Take 75 north to the 121 Bonham/Mellisa exit. In Bonham take 82 east in Paris then FM 195 to Highway 37 at the Oklahoma/Texas line and you are 25 miles from Broken Bow. My sister lives in Plano and I can easily make the drive in 3 hours. I would be happy to answer any other questions you have about our area. PM me and I will give you a better method of contacting me as I am not on these forums much this time of the year.

Currently the Amtrack in OKC only goes from OKC south to FTW- it doesn%26#39;t go north, east or west. If you rode the train to OKC, you could rent a car @ the airport or @ a city location, but no, train travel in Oklahoma is pretty much dried up- unless you want to hobo it and jump in a boxcar...

Moving to Tulsa from the UK

Hi,

My husband and I and our two children (5 and 3) are moving to Tulsa from Scotland at the start of the year. What is the best way to meet people, make new friends. Is it best to get involved with the school they attend or join a gym/sports club?

Thanks for any suggestions?

hotel for workshop for 75 locals

We%26#39;re hosting a professional healthcare workshop in OKC for 50-75.

What area of town is nice and convenient for locals to get to on a Friday 830 am - 4 pm?

In most cities the downtown and airport areas are a nightmare for the locals to get to.

hotel for workshop for 75 locals

One option would be the Marriott on Northwest Expressway. It%26#39;s right across the street from one major medical center (Integris Baptist) and centrally located for several others. It%26#39;s near the intersection of several major highways, not too far from downtown and the airport but away from the congestion.

hotel for workshop for 75 locals

is this a convenient area of local professionals? probably not hospital based. some will come from universities and most from private offices.

is downtown easy to get in and out of?

in miami or south florida downtowns would be a horrible place to hold a meeting but other places like nashville it would be ok.

my preference is convenient but also a nice environment where people will feel like it%26#39;s a special day to be there.

i%26#39;ll check the area you suggested, thanks and any more ideas are appreciated.

Whether it is convenient or not will depend on where the attendees are located. Oklahoma city is extremely spread out and what may be convenient for one is not for another. OKC%26#39;s downtown area is not particularly difficult to get in and out of, but parking might be an issue if not supplied by the hotel.

From which Universities are you expecting attendees? If the vast majority are in one location then we might be able to recommend someplace more convenient than the Marriott. But if they are scattered throughout the city then the Marriott is probably just as convenient as anyplace downtown - especially when parking is considered.

While we have a centrally located downtown with many people working there, there are just as many people (and probably more) working 12-20 miles from the downtown area who are still located in the OKC city limits.

I%26#39;m not sure there is any one location a local would consider to be %26#39;special,%26#39; but the areas with the most places to eat and go is Bricktown in the downtown area. The downtown hotels that would should have good meeting facilitites include the Renaissance, the Skirvin, the Sheraton, the Residence Inn and the Marriott Courtyard. I think a lot of OKC residents would consider a conference at the Skirvin to be somewhat special because of its history and the fact that many people have not been there since it reopened as a luxury hotel.

:)

TenKiller Lake

I am looking for a cabin on the water or as close as possiable. Any suggestions? I am currently researching sixshooter or Burnt Cabins. Anyone say at either of them?

Road trip that goes through Okhaloma

Hello!

In June we will be taking a two week road trip through the US, which will take us through Oklahoma. To have all answers concentrated in one place I%26#39;ve made a post with all the details in the Chicago forum, which is where our trip starts. Here is the thread:

…tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g35805-i32-k24330…

I know there has been some controversy so far over my choice of road trip itinerary. I myself have felt worried about it too, with the same concerns about driving lengths, but I really wanted us to be able to see and do as much as possible, and I%26#39;m hopeful that everything will work out and we will have an incredible trip. With your help it can be even better. :) In Oklahoma since we%26#39;re going only through and ending for the night at Fort Smith at the border, we%26#39;re mostly looking for a suggestions for interesting stops along the way.

Anyway so it%26#39;s easier to keep track of things, your suggestions in the thread linked to above would be great!

Thanks for the help!

Road trip that goes through Okhaloma

Oops -- wish you could edit posts. Sorry about the misspelling in the thread title!

this works

Where to have a small family gathering this summer?

Hi! my friend%26#39;s Dad turns 80 this summer and he wants to get the family together to celebrate! Family is based in OKC, some are in TN, some in AZ...and we need some do-able ideas. We were initially thinking of Grand Tetons, as Dad loves it there, but too far + too expensive.

We obviously want as many folks to come as are able...some will drive, some may fly, but where? Thinking to rent a few cabins or condos, or a decent hotel? Probably 10-25 people will come, depending, and we%26#39;re thinking either June or August.

Now thinking possibly about Estes Park, CO, or? We%26#39;d like a FUN location where there might be a nice town/city nearby.......to get out of the OK heat, have things to do, and a great time together.

Any ideas would be appreciated, thanks!

Where to have a small family gathering this summer?

I went to a family reunion once at Grand Lake Lodge in Grand Lake, Colorado. It%26#39;s on the opposite (west) side of Rocky Mountain National Park from Estes Park.

They had a great rustic lodge that our group had to ourselves. Kind of like a giant cabin with room for a 150 or so.

I think it%26#39;s possibly this one: tripadvisor.com/…REVIEWS

May have changed names. But by far it was the most amazing family reunion experience I%26#39;ve had.

Where to have a small family gathering this summer?

Just about all the ski areas in Colorado and New Mexico have lots of summer activities and make great places for family reunions. We%26#39;ve done a few reunions in Winter Park and Red River, although I will say that the Winter Park area has suffered a serious infestation of beetles, which has killed a lot of the trees and rendered it not so attractive. We stayed at the YMCA camp there (sorry, can%26#39;t seem to recall the name of the camp). There is a Y-camp near Estes Park too, I think called simply ';The YMCA Camp of the Rockies.'; We%26#39;ve had reunions there, too, but it may have the same beetle problem. I would ask first, before booking anything in the Winter Park/Estes Park area - or anywhere else for that matter. Some of the areas that are hard-hit by the infestation are just not what they used to be. Infestations aside, the Y-camps make good places for reunions, since they offer large multi-room lodges, where everyone can stay under one roof, but have their own private room. Of course, that does lend itself to a lot of family closeness, so if that%26#39;s not for you, then separate cabins - either in the Y-Camp or at a privately-owned place - might be better. Other locations where we%26#39;ve had nice gatherings are: Avalanche Ranch, near Redstone, CO; and Cottonwood Cove, near Creede, CO (one of everyone%26#39;s favorites). All these locations offer various activities, including the usual items of hiking, fishing and horseback riding, but also offer ';chuckwagon dinners';, river rafting, jeep trails (if you want to rent or bring a 4WD vehicle), and some nearby choices of acceptable restaurants.

I didn%26#39;t know about the beetle infestation in Winter Park. That%26#39;s too bad. We used to have a family condo there and I spent many a vacation there.

Yes, we enjoyed going there when we lived in Colorado, and we had a reunion there about 3 years ago and really enjoyed it, but when we went back in %26#39;08, it was just not the same place. It will be back, but it will take many years. I%26#39;ve never seen beetle devastation like that before.

Bar and hotel to go to in Tulsa,OK

My friend and I are going to Tulsa for a concert at the BOK Center and we would like to find a great bar to go to in Tulsa. We would like to find one with a younger crowd(i.e. college students). also if you know a cheaper hotel somewhere near said bar. and even a good resturaunt for lunch the next day.

Bar and hotel to go to in Tulsa,OK

Welcome to Tulsa! The new BOK Center is really great. For great bars with a younger crowd, try the Brady District (walking distance to BOK Center), the Brookside area (Peoria between 31st %26amp; 36th), or the Cherry Street area (15th Street between Peoria %26amp; Utica, especially the new sports bar, the White Owl).

A cheaper hotel near the Brady District is the Downtown Tulsa Hotel. No cheaper hotels near Brookside or Cherry Street; you might search for a B%26amp;B near one of those areas. There is an OK small hotel @ 6th %26amp; Peoria, Hotel Savoy, but I can%26#39;t say it%26#39;s much cheaper.

For lunch the day after try McNellies (great burgers + 50 beers on tap) or El Guapo (good Mex food, owned by the same guy who owns McNellies, must have tattoos to work there), both downtown.

Hope you have a good time. Don%26#39;t forget to write up some feedback about the places you visit after your trip!

casino on 412

are there any casinos along highway 412 between tulsa and arkansas?

casino on 412

There is a casino in West Siloam Springs Ok. It is right on hwy 412. Also, there are several casinos in Tulsa.

bike trails or day hikes

We would like to drive from Yukon to Sulpher and ride our off road bikes or say a 9 mi. hike. Can this be done?

bike trails or day hikes

Lots of hiking trails, mostly shorter, but they can be connected for longer distances. Many can be used for biking also; check out the Rock Creek trail for the best off road biking. www.nps.gov/chic/planyourvisit/trails.htm

Nice bars for people watching

We are coming to Tulsa on Sat. 9/27/09 and enjoy having a glass of wine and people watching in the late afternoon. We have several nice places at home, any nice upscale bars in Tulsa?

Nice bars for people watching

Try the wine bar @ 18th %26amp; Boston. Or Lola%26#39;s in the Brady District. In the Brookside area, try ';Dunwell Sushi'; (not it%26#39;s real name, but that%26#39;s what the sign outside says--it%26#39;s space was formerly occupied by Dunwell Cleaners).

Sorry this post is late; hope you had a good time!

Nice bars for people watching

Thanks for your response. We ended up eating at Sonoma Wine %26amp; Grill and had a drink at La Brasserie. We did have a nice time. I will chack out your places next time we head to Tulsa.

this works

Trip report(long) - Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice earlier in the year for our trip. My husband and I had such a good time it%26#39;s looking like we will be returning to some of the same areas in 2009.

Apologies for the delay in posting the trip report (I%26#39;m still working on some reviews also), I really should have donme this sooner.

Day 1 (Spet 12th) - Flight from Scotland to Newark, delayed 2 hours on the runway before finally arriving into Chicago 75 minutes later than planned. Usual issues at Dollar Car Rental - dispute over what we had prepaid (seems what%26#39;s written on the voucher is open to interpretation!), amazingly no cars of the class we booked etc etc.

Overnight Holiday Inn, Morris - easy to get to and 1st class accomodation.

Day 2 - early breakfast and off on our way. Spectacular rain along the way to Davenport, Iowa but we made it safely and checked into the Staybridge Suites - wow!

Day 3 - Off to the John Deere pavilion and then onto their HQ. Had a fantastic time, spent most of the day between the 2 locations and discovered they have a plant at Waterloo where you can have a factory tour (guess what%26#39;s on the list for next year!). Spent the eveining playing the slots at the Isle of Capri- broke even.

Day 4 - Heading south now however decide to go west first and stop off in Des Moines to visit Urbandale living history farms, sadly it%26#39;s closed on Monday but the staff are lovely and give us loads of info to plan the next trip. South towards Kansas City - beautiful scenery and deserted roads. Stop off at Jesse James homestead in Kearney en route - very interesting. Finally arrive in Overland Park and check at our hotel.

Day 5 - Trip to the National Agricultural Hall of Fame and Museum at Bonner Springs, then a visit to the Kansas Speedway (didn%26#39;t realise it%26#39;s not open to the public so no joy there. Spent late sfternoon at the Shawnee Mission park.

Day 6 - headed tp Atchison to see where AMelia Earhart came from, visited the railroad depot and the International Friendship Forest. Had fabulous ice cream in dowtown Atchison before finishing the afternoon at Overland Park arboretum - well worth the visit.

Day 7 - heading south for Wichita, deviated slightly to Topeka where we made a trip to the Air Combat Museum and National Guard museum - both outstanding and choc full of things to see. Drove south on the 35 and stopped a few times to marvel at the vast open spaces.

Day 8 - Spent much longer than planned at Cowtown, Wichita - thought it was really neat, before visiting Botanica and having a realxing stroll.

Day 9 - planned to go to Dodge City then decided it was for the next trip - headed to Cheney State park and reservoir instead. (good choice)

Day 10 - set off South bound for Oklahoma City - this was the infamous detour to the Tallgrass prairie preserve at Pawhuska to see the Bison - we did see them but I was looking at the info for another Tallgrass prairie preservce slightly further north west so it was good luck rather than design! Arrived late afternoon in Shawnee Oklahoma.

Day 11 - off to the OKC stockyards (my plan was 2/3 hours reality was 6 hours and a very happy husband!) - now late afternoon so we made a stop at Bricktown and had a drink at Toby Keith%26#39;s bar before paying our respects at the Oklahoma City Memorial.

Day 12 - Off to the National Cowboy and American West museum - again had planned a couple of hours- were there most of the day and would go back tomorrow if I could - excellent. Spent the evening gambling at the Firelake Casino near Shawnee (very nice, guessing it%26#39;s fairly new)

Day 13 - heading south to Dallas today we made our detour to Duncan to visit the Chisholm Trail Museum where we met the nicest staff ever and we got wet during the movie! Dropped into downtown Duncan for a soda and had the most devine banana pudding. (you can tell food%26#39;s important to me- I often remember places by things I ate there!!)Arrived safely in Addison - it has grown a little since we last visited in 2005!

Day 14 - Morning visit to Grapevine to have a stroll around and then an afternoon lazing at the hotel pool.

Day 15 - off to the Texas State Fair - parked close by, no hassle, easy access and a very enjoyable day. Watched the bull riding, piglet racing, dog agility and lots more and ate way too much food!

Day 16 - some last minute shopping and lazing by the pool as reality dawned that a return to cold, wet Scotland was fast approaching.

Day 17 - Off to the airport to drop off the rental car (and another 30 minutes wasted with the rental co proving what we had paid for at Chicago - took 2 calls to Dollar at Chaicago to get confirmation before we could finally go!). Back to Newark uneventfully and onward to Scotland.

Sorry it%26#39;s so long but we had such a good time - as I said didn%26#39;t see half of what we had planned and decided there was so much we hadn%26#39;t known about but would like to come back and do next year. Maybe not flying into Chicago or home from Dallas - looking at into Minneapolis and home from somewhere else - who knows.

Anyway, thanks for all your help and many suggestions - it made things so much easier!

Gillian

Trip report(long) - Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma

Gillian:

Thanks for the great post. It%26#39;s good to find someone who sees the central part of the US as something more than ';flyover country';. I%26#39;ve always said that anyone who is willing to get on the ground there and really look, can find a lot of interesting things. As a native ';Okie'; who has traveled the world, I realize that part of the US is not as obviously intriguing as either of the coasts, with their beautiful coastlines and great cities, but there is still a rich heritage, and some of the finest people you will ever meet anywhere. There is a stark beauty to the plains, if you can get yourself off the interstate long enough to explore. It sounds like that%26#39;s exactly what you did, and I%26#39;m glad you enjoyed your trip. The last time I was in Scotland, we did a similar, although shorter, thing there. We flew into Edinburgh and traveled around by car, ending up in Oban. What a great trip! A cold and beautiful place, filled with warm hearts.

Trip report(long) - Iowa, Kansas and Oklahoma

Sounds like you had a great trip! What a wonderful way to holiday.

Just out of curiosity - in a previous post you had shown an interest in bluegrass music and a desire to possibly attend a bluegrass event/concert. From your schedule above it appears you were in the area for the Winfield festival near Wichita, but there is no mention of it in your post. Did the flooding dampen your enthusiasm for bluegrass music or did you get too busy with all the other things you wanted to do? :)

Modcon

We got so busy we simply didn%26#39;t get round to it however we made the decision having pretty much agreed that we were likely to be back in a similar area next year so it%26#39;s high on the list of things to do which we didn%26#39;t get to this time. We simply loved the area - maybe because we%26#39;re from rural backgrounds we get more excited over this kind of holiday. It just amazes me that lots more people don%26#39;t visit the Midwest and Plains area- they don%26#39;t know what they are missing!