A Fall Drive on the Talimena Highway + A Unique OKC Stay

In the fall of 2023, Teddy and I took a week long road trip so he could visit his 49th and 50th states. After visiting Waco, New Orleans, and Hot Springs National Park, we headed through Arkansas for the next leg of the trip.

Stop 1: Coffee

We stopped in Mena, Arkansas, a small but cute little town, and visited in a coffeeshop downtown called The Ouachitas. I loved the decor inside. It was a bit industrial but still had a cozy and inviting feel. We picked up some coffees for the road, but if we had more time we would have loved to grab food there too and hang out for a bit.

Stop 2: The Talimena National Scenic Byway

From Mena, we got on the Talimena National Scenic Byway which is a 54 mile road that goes through the Ouachita Mountains toward Talihina, Oklahoma. It gets its name from the two towns it runs between – Tali + Mena. We took the drive in early November, so we were able to see some of the changing leaves through the mountains. I’m sure this is a pretty drive at all times, but especially in the fall. If you’re a cyclist or have a motorcycle, add this to your list!

Along the way, you’ll pass Queen Wilhelmina State Park which has a renovated lodge, a restaurant, hiking trails, and beautiful views. The park also provides access to the Ouachita National Recreation Trail, which is 223 miles and goes from Arkansas to Oklahoma and is a popular trail with hikers and backpackers.

We continued along our way into Oklahoma and passed campgrounds, hiking trails, and recreation areas. We’ve never taken our travel trailer this far, but I thought camping at some of the campgrounds on the ridge looked like it would be a blast.

Stop 3: Oklahoma State Sign

After the state park, we pulled over to a parking lot so that Teddy could get a photo at his 50th state. Louisiana was state number 49 for Teddy and Oklahoma was number 50! This trip also happened to be over Teddy’s birthday, so we celebrated by seeing him round out his 50 states! After driving a bit through Oklahoma, the scenic byway ended and we continued on into the Oklahoma City area for the evening.

Stop 4: Red Rock Canyon Grill

We had dinner at Redrock Canyon Grill which is on Lake Hefner north of the city. While waiting for our table we took a walk out to see the lake lit up at night. While we didn’t sit on the patio, there’s a great view of the lake from the outdoor seating area. One we had our table, we ordered and enjoyed slowing down from a longer drive day. I got the Hawaiian ribeye which had a pineapple-soy-ginger marinade. I wasn’t sure if I would like it but it was great!

Stop 5: The Bradford House

After dinner, we checked into a unique stay in Oklahoma City called The Bradford House which was our homebase for the next two nights. On the property is a modern guesthouse and a historic building, both with beautiful rooms as well as an on site restaurant. We stayed in the historic home where each room is decorated a bit differently. I thought the decor was so fun. I may not decorate my home with all the colors and architectural features, but that’s my favorite part of traveling – getting to have experiences I wouldn’t have at home.

We had about a 5 hour drive for the day since we stayed at Hot Springs National Park the night before, so we hit the hay after dinner to get ready for the next day exploring the city and surrounding area.

If you have more time along your drive, you may consider driving up to Lake Eufaula and exploring Carlton Landing for a day or two, or detouring up through Tulsa and Broken Arrow before heading back down into the city. If you go that route, you can take the historic route 66 from Tulsa into OKC and check out the iconic spots along the way.