It’s difficult to know if Oklahoma is part of the South, the Midwest, or the Southwest. Depending upon whom you ask, you get a different answer. The great part is that aspects of each of these regions meld together in the capital city of Oklahoma City. With 600,000 residents, a major basketball team, and a host of museums, dining options, and recreational activities, Oklahoma City is the place to visit. Budget-conscious travelers will be happy to know they can make the most of their stay without breaking the bank. Check out these five places you can visit in Oklahoma City for free.
Paseo Arts District
Paseo Arts District is two blocks of stucco buildings illustrating a strong Spanish influence located just over 2.5 miles from Residence Inn by Marriott Oklahoma City Downtown Bricktown. Visit more than 20 art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and gift shops – all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Be sure to visit on First Friday for the gallery walkthrough to listen to live performances.
The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
Image via Flickr by Jinx!
This memorial was built to pay tribute to those who were killed and those who survived the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. If you’re staying at the Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City Hotel, the Memorial Museum is less than half a mile away.
Walk along the reflecting pool, or pass by the 168 chairs representing the lives lost. Inside the Museum at one end you’ll find a monument noting 9:01 a.m., and at the other end another monument denoting 9:03 a.m. Together they frame the awful destruction of that day that took place at 9:02 a.m.
Bricktown
Bricktown is an entertainment hotspot with brick streets that were converted from a warehouse district. You’ll find upscale nightclubs, restaurants, and luxurious hotels like the Hampton Inn & Suites Oklahoma City. Enjoy people watching and snapping photos of water taxis making their way down Bricktown Canal, or horse-drawn carriages taking passengers to the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark where the Oklahoma City RedHawks play baseball.
Red Earth Museum
There are 39 Native American tribes in Oklahoma that come from all over the country. Many of their different languages, cultures, and beliefs remain. The Red Earth Museum is in the heart of Oklahoma City and has captured the influence of these people throughout its many exhibits.
With more than 1,400 works on display, there is no other collection like it in the world. Each year the Red Earth Festival brings in over 1,000 American Indian artists and performers from across North America. Stay at the Colcord Hotel and you’ll be just a quarter-mile from all the festivities.
Myriad Botanical Gardens
When you’ve had enough of the non-stop drive of urban life, there is nothing like the 17 acres of the Myriad Botanical Gardens to give you a moment’s reprieve. Beautiful landscaped grounds featuring trees and shrubbery surround a small lake. Children’s events, free concerts, and movies are held in the gardens throughout the summer.
You can find affordable deals on Oklahoma City hotels on Hipmunk.com. Please share this post with others who want to travel! Also, send any additional tips in the comments below.
AUTHOR BIO
Gabriel Winston, a Hipmunk writer, likes to write about unusual places, when possible about caves in South America, though fashionable digs across North America are also interesting. He lives in Alberta, Canada and loves hiking and recording his trips on film and on his blog “Where the Dog Never Lies.” He is currently working on the #HipmunkCityLove project.