Winter adventures hit harder when traveling, and when your journey brings you to our StayInTulsaOK winter wonders, you can expect a vacation filled with exciting adventures, cozy nights, and comfortable moments that will linger in your memories for years to come. And although the winters of Tulsa are relatively mild, rarely offering severe storms, it can and does snow, offering about 4 inches on average, adding another layer of fun to your winter adventures. This ultimate guide to winter in Tulsa OK will give you a sample 7-day Itinerary, providing tips and hints on how to fill your days to the fullest and relax in comfort and style every night.
Day 1: The Excitement Begins
You’ve been waiting so long for this day to arrive and it has finally happened. You are officially standing outside the door of the StayInTulsaOK seasonal sanctuary of your choice and with a turn of the handle, all the fun you have been dreaming about will begin. This first day will be a shorter one, because, obviously, you spent much of it in transit, but these opening moments of vacation will still bring you the joy you seek.
As airplane food is a thing from the past and short layovers may have kept you from grabbing an expensive bite at the airport, the first item on your agenda is more than likely one that involves a hearty meal, and because we firmly believe that pizza is the international language of love, on this first night we suggest keeping it casual with a visit to East Village’s Bohemian Pizzeria, located at 818 E 3rd Street and open until 10 PM. Offering reasonable prices and a beautiful menu filled with Neapolitan style pizzas, it also serves classic Italian pasta dishes and features an extensive beer, wine, and cocktail menu, so feel free to order that Paloma Picasso, you’re on vacation now and it is time to relax with good food and drink. You may want to stop by Reasors, a local grocery store that can be found in various locations all over Tulsa, on your way home and pick up a few things to stock your kitchen including some wine or beer. Tomorrow is going to be a big day and you will want to go bed early tonight!
Day 2: So Many Things to See and Do
Tulsa in the winter months is such a fun and exciting town, we really don’t now how to narrow down all the things you can see and do to just a few, but we will give it the old college try.
The Big Biscuit, 8920 S Memorial Drive, Open Daily from 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and although you could make it at home with the supplies you bought last night, we know you are eager to get the adventures started and the hearty breakfasts served at the Big Biscuit will give you the energy you need for the day that lies ahead. Come back for lunch and explore their burgers and sandwiches, because honestly, this great diner is that good.
The Gathering Place, 2650 S John Williams Way, Open Daily from 7 AM to 9 PM
The Gathering Place is a park that is unlike any you have ever visited, and it offers a great way to dip your toes into the beginning moments of your winter vacation in Tulsa. Offering 66.5 acres of gardens, ponds, playgrounds, nature trails, and sports courts, as well as restaurants, boating, and so much more, you won’t be able to see everything in your first visit, but you sure will have fun trying.
Arvest Winterfest, Downtown Tulsa, BOK Center
Arvest Winterfest is an event that comes to town every November, keeping the lights on through the end of December. Offering an outdoor rink outside of the BOK Center, opportunities to meet Santa, multiple entertainment options, and the chance to hop on the Winterfest Express Train, destination North Pole. If you haven’t narrowed down your winter travel dates, we suggest December would be the perfect time! Also offering food and drink, this event will take up your entire evening, leaving you tired and ready to return home to your holiday hideaway.
Day 3: Exploring the Artistic Side of Tulsa
Maybe an unexpected snowstorm will make you happy to explore inside activities on this, the third day of your winter explorations of Tulsa, or maybe you just love art, but today, after a hearty breakfast cooked at home, we suggest you check out the beauty of the museums and galleries listed below.
Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S Rockford Road, Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
The home of the Philbrook Museum of Art is a 1920s villa that once belonged to a local oil baron and today is a celebration of art, artists, and the wonder of nature as its expansive gardens are also worth visiting.
Lovetts Gallery, 6528 E 51st Street, Closed Sundays and Mondays
Lovetts is Tulsa’s oldest art gallery, having been in business for nearly 50 years, offering a wonderful selection of all genres of art from across the globe. This can be the vacation where you buy a serious piece of art, or it can be one where you pick up something lovely that fits nicely in your price range. Lovetts has items of all sizes, styles, and prices.
Dining in Style
Until today, you really haven’t experienced the best of Tulsa’s restaurants, but after a day of museum and art gallery exploration, you and your family should be ready for a really nice meal, The Hemingway, located at 1515 E 15th Street is where we recommend ending your day. This is the kind of restaurant we imagine the Rat Pack (Sinatra, Martin, Bishop) would have felt comfortable and at home. Believing that a meal should be an experience, this steakhouse affects all the senses and will be the source of your best Tulsa food memories.
Day 4: Wow, This Week Is Going by Fast!
You have officially reached the halfway point of your week in Tulsa, and we hope that every minute has been as fun and wonderful as you had hoped; if you are following this guide, we can pretty much ensure that you are ending each day more than ready to return home to our tranquil bedrooms, ready for a refreshing night’s sleep. But today is just starting, and we suggest you start it with breakfast out at D’Lite Scratch Kitchen, located at 45 N Sheridan Road and open daily at 6 AM. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and breakfast and lunch on the weekends, D’Lite Scratch Kitchen is worth making return visits. Every item on their menu is locally sourced and created from scratch and we can promise you will taste the difference.
Woody Guthrie Center, 102 Reconciliation Way, Closed Mondays and Tuesdays
At the halfway point of your winter getaway, we are taking you back to the museums, only these are the history museums, giving visitors a chance to understand all that makes our Oklahoma town what it is today, and the Woody Guthrie Center is the perfect spot to start. Offering a peek into folk songwriter and singer Woody Guthrie’s life, and even though Woody never lived in Tulsa, he was raised in one of Oklahoma’s more rural towns, this museum offers a comprehensive study into his life and his music.
Tulsa Historical Society and Museum, 2446 S Peoria Avenue, Closed Sundays and Mondays
Located inside another historical house that was once the home of another oil baron, the Tulsa Historical Society and Museum digs deep into the history of Tulsa, offering a clear look at the good, the bad, and the really ugly parts of our past. Its mission statement, “To Illuminate the Past, Enrich the Present, and Inspire Future Generations by Collecting, Preserving, and Presenting Tulsa’s History.” pretty much explains what to expect with a visit to this wonderful museum.
A Speakeasy to End Your Day
Bull in the Alley, 11 East Matthew Brady Street, offers a speakeasy experience that will serve as the ideal ending to a day spent exploring the past.
Day 5: Entertainment Matters
Today, as we begin the trailing end of your winter vacation in Tulsa, we are going to explore the entertaining side of Tulsa, but remember, these are just suggestions, and the places we suggest may be ones you can visit throughout your stay, not all in one day. Start out your day with donuts from Daylight Donuts, located at 2232 E 6th Street and enjoy a sweet beginning to your adventures.
Tulsa Performing Arts Center, 110 E 2nd Street
Featuring live performances of all kinds, we aren’t going to go into the individual shows, because they probably won’t be showing when you visit! Just know that this wonderful center has been celebrating the performing arts since 1977 when Ella Fitzgerald was one of the opening performers.
Tulsa Ballet Theater, 1212 E 45th Place
If your visit takes place over the winter holidays, the Tulsa Ballet Theater’s performance of the Nutcracker is destined to be your new favorite holiday tradition.
BOK Center, 200 S Denver Avenue
This sports and event venue is home to both of our Tulsa Oilers teams (hockey and football) and is where many basketball championships have been held, as well as being where many of the top musicians of the world perform, including Madonna, Ariana Grande, and Tulsa’s own, Garth Brooks.
Dinner at El Rio Verde, 38 N Trenton Avenue
The Southwest is known for its Mexican restaurants and when you want a taste of authentic Mexican delights, El Rio Verde (translated to the Green River) is destined to bring your tastebuds joy!
Day 6: Wait? This Is Your Last Full Day in Tulsa?
A return trip may be in your future, as an entire week is just not long enough to see all our town has to offer, but on this, your last full day, we are going to hit some of the more unique things that make Tulsa stand out in a crowd. Breakfast at Tally’s Good Food Café will offer a great start to your day and a chance to spend some time on historic Route 66. Located at 1102 S Yale Avenue, Tally’s is famous for its all day breakfasts, including their hearty Smart Bomb, made with hash browns with diced ham, bacon, sausage, onion, green peppers, jalapenos, mushrooms, tomatoes, & cheese. Topped with (2) eggs (any style) & served with toast.
Golden Driller Statue, Tulsa Expo Center
This 75-foot-tall chap, known as the Golden Driller Statue, celebrates the oil rich history of our state and has been standing tall in the same location since 1966.
The Center of the Universe, 1 S Boston Avenue
The mystery of the Center of the Universe, which is just a concrete circle that has a circumference of about 8 feet, may never be solved, but it is a fun space to visit. Described as an acoustic anomaly, noises made inside the center of the circle echo loudly but can’t be heard by those standing outside the circle.
Buck Atom, 1347 E 11th Street
The Golden Driller Statue isn’t the only big guy in town, although Buck Atom, the space cowboy honoring the legacy of the “muffler men,” is more fun-sized, standing only 21 feet tall.
Noche, 110 N Elgin Avenue, Reservations Necessary
For your last night in town, we encourage a visit to Noche, one of the hottest new restaurants on our culinary landscape. Offering an elevated selection of Chihuahuan and Northern Mexican dishes, this restaurant will serve as a wonderful farewell to the food of Tulsa.
Day 7: Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow
The last morning of vacation is always a melancholy time, but we hope to encourage you to return again when you have more time to stay. A breakfast at the Freeway Café (multiple locations throughout Tulsa) will ensure that your final memories will be fond ones. And as we say farewell to you, our treasured winter guests, we hope that your stay in our cozy and comfortable StayInTulsaOK seasonal sanctuaries has been one that fulfilled all your vacation dreams. Reserve your favorite Tulsa vacation rental today!