Exploring Oklahoma City in 1 Day

After visiting Magnolia in Waco, learning pirate history in New Orleans, exploring Hot Springs National Park, and driving the Talimena Scenic Byway, we then spent a full day in Oklahoma City. Here’s what we did in 1 day!

Stop 1: Hunny Bunny Biscuit Co.

First up, we grabbed breakfast first at Hunny Bunny Biscuit Co. in Northern OKC. It wasn’t far from the hotel, and we each got a biscuit and drink. Teddy got the Classic with sausage and cheese but no egg since he’s not a big fan. I got the Cannonball which had fried chicken, cheddar, sausage gravy, and an egg on top. We split some tots and I got a latte and he had a lemonade. The service was great, food was excellent, and was a great start to the morning.

Stop 2: The Town of Gutherie

About 30 minutes north of the Hunny Bunny is the town of Gutherie, Oklahoma.. We got into town kind of early so not everything was open but we still walked around town and explored. We saw the Blue Bell Bar which started in 1889 when the area was still a territory. We saw A Novel Idea bookstore which I would have loved to stop in, the Country Corner which has two levels of antiques and vintage items, the Cleveland and Co. Mercantile which is an adorable gift store we window shopped at, the Drive In which still plays movies and so many other stores including “The Shoppes” which are in town pop-up shops.

We also learned that not only does the town have a lot of history and museums you you visit, but it also is known as the Christmas Capital of Oklahoma. Each year, they have Victorian Christmas celebrations throughout the holiday season. I imagine Gutherie at Christmas looks like a midwest Hallmark movie scene.

In addition, in April, they also have the 89er Days which celebrates the Land Runs of 1889 that allowed the land in Oklahoma to be “open” for settlement. The Homestead Act of 1862 allowed someone to claim 160 acres of public land and settle there. If the land was lived on an improved, then they could get a title to the land.

After browsing the downtown we went over to Hoboken Coffee which I loved the vibe of. Since we already had breakfast, we grabbed a snack before heading out of town to our next stop but I could have sat there for hours writing or reading at one of the tables.

Stop 3: Arcadia Round Barn

We drove part of Route 66 and visited the Arcadia Round Barn. This barn is over 100 years old and was built in 1898. Downstairs is some history and a shop and then upstairs you can check out the way the barn was made. A farmer from the area, William Harrison Odor, built it with oak boards that were soaked when they were still green which allowed them to be forced into the curves that gives it the circular shape. We spent about 30 minutes here and were able to see out everything we to. They also had the Route 66 Passports available so we could check out what else we may want to do in the area.

Stop 4: University of Oklahoma Campus

Teddy is a huge Penn State football fan, but also loves visiting other college campuses while we travel. We drove down to the University of Oklahoma campus and stadium. Seeing people in shorts in November at a college campus was so different than what we are used to, both going to schools in Pennsylvania for school where November is likely quite cold with sweatshirts and jackets. We spent a short time here exploring campus before driving to our next event.

Stop 5: Bricktown Water Taxi

I had no idea until doing research for the trip that Oklahoma City had a canal. Once we found out, we knew we’d have to book a ride on the water taxi for a guided tour and history as well as such a unique experience. We chose one of the afternoon tours so grabbed lunch at Santos right in Bricktown along the water before we had to be down by the boat for the tour.

Our tour guide was excellent and we learned more about the 1889 Oklahoma Land Run. This land in Oklahoma had been previously occupied by various Native American tribes. Some were in the area prior to white settlers arriving in America, and others were forced west by white settlers as they continued to settle further and further west. Over time, specific land or reservations were set aside for various tribes, though it was much less than they had previously occupied. The land that was not part of the reservation land was called “Unassigned Lands” . These “Unassigned Lands” were then what was able to be settled during the Land Run.

Some people had entered the land early to attempt to lay claim to the best homesteads. These people were known as “Sooners”. Initially a very negative connotation for those who stole land from other settlers, the connotations died down with time.

I had heard of the Land Run before and even though we’ve visited various parts of the western US before and learned various Native American history, I didn’t know much about this area or history. I really appreciated learning more about Oklahoma’s settlement as well as about the city, both positive and negative aspects on the tour.

Stop 6: Stockyard City

For dinner, we headed to Stockyard City in OKC. The drive there from our hotel took us by Scissortail Park which had the bridge lit up for the night which was fun to see. Had it been during the day and we had more time, we likely would have checked out more of the park including the lake and gardens.

We put in our name at the Cattlemen’s Cafe which is a steakhouse that’s been around for over 100 years . Back in 1910 when it opened, the stockyard area of the city was full of activity since this is where cattle were brought and sold. The restaurant is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the city. For dinner, Teddy and I of course had to get steaks so we both got ribeyes. Teddy said his steak was one of the best steaks he had ever had.

Stop 7: Oklahoma City National Memorial

I was only a few years old when the Oklahoma City Bombing occured so I didn’t know much about it prior to visiting the memorial. The memorial sits on the site of a federal building where 168 people died. When entering the site, you go through The Gates of Time which mark 9:01, the last moments of peace before the bombing, and 9:03, for the first moments of recovery. There’s a beautiful reflecting pool in the middle of the memorial and then empty chairs for the 168 lives that were lost. On the site is also the Survivor Tree, an elm tree that was impacted by the bombing but survived. We went in the evening with it lit up and each silently walked through the memorial. I appreciated learning the story of what happened here and a way to give memory to the individuals who lost their lives that day.

Stop 8: Boom Town Creamery

After visiting the memorial, we headed toward the hotel but not without a stop at Boom Town Creamery along the way. We got a flight and I wish I could remember the flavors but I don’t. We each picked three and tried some of the more off the wall ones and ate every single bite. If we were in town longer, we’d have gone back the next night because it was that good..

Stop 9: The Bradford House

We finished off the night with a drink at the bar in the Bradford house and recapping our favorite parts of the day and finalized our plans for the next day. We were heading southwest the next day for one of my favorite stops of the trip.