3 Days in Oklahoma City

DAY 1

Morning

Arrive at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which honors the 168 lives lost, and those that were changed forever by the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. Wander the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial with the Field of Empty Chairs, the Gates of Time, Reflecting Pool and Survivor Tree. Enter the 50,000-square-foot interactive learning museum to hear the story of tragedy and its aftermath through the voices, images and artifacts of survivors, family members and rescue workers. (Allow 2 hours)

Upon booking your tour with the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, inquire about the “First Person” experience.

Afternoon

Explore Oklahoma’s inspiring and adventurous past at the Oklahoma History Center. On 18 acres of land and across from the Oklahoma State Capitol, the Oklahoma History Center offers a beautifully designed exploration of Oklahoma History. Learn about all 38 federally recognized American Indian Tribes, celebrate Oklahoma’s involvement with the motion picture industry, step back in time and experience what it was like for the brave souls who settled Oklahoma’s Great Plain Country, and experience significant events in Oklahoma History that have shaped it into what it is today – oil and gas, military, archaeological and African American influences. (Allow 1.5-2 hours)

Evening

Before enjoying your dinner for the evening, jump on a Bricktown Water Taxi, and learn more about Bricktown. This former warehouse district is now Oklahoma City’s most popular entertainment and dining area. The tour takes your group along the Bricktown Canal while a Water Taxi Ambassador narrates history and points of interest along the way. (Allow 50 minutes for taxi ride) Enjoy Dinner at a local favorite in the heart of Bricktown, Charleston's, which offers private dining space and views of the canal.

DAY 2

Morning

Start your morning with Olympic athletes as you enjoy behind-the-scene tours of the Boathouse District, including the OKC National High Performance Center where Olympic hopefuls in rowing and canoe/kayak are training. For the more adventurous, Challenge the Dragon … Bring your group to the Oklahoma River to Challenge the Dragon and let the fun begin! Groups paddle to the beat of the drummer while learning what it takes to move the boat across the water as a team. After a quick land lesson, participants will don life jackets, grab their paddles and climb aboard. (Allow 1.5 hours – more if you participate in any of the district activities)

Afternoon

Explore the Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge a Tropical Conservatory. Private tours can be coordinated and depending on the time of year you come, you will find a variety of unique events, like Pumpkinville, live music and stage performances.

Evening

Visit the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum to experience the legacy of the American West. With more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts, it is home to one of the most comprehensive collections of Western art in the world with artists such as Charles Russell and Frederic Remington. The museum complex also contains Prosperity Junction, a turn-of-the-century western town reproduction, and a gallery dedicated to western performers, American cowboy and rodeos. (Allow 1.5-2 hours)

Dinner

Enjoy a Date with the Duke at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Delight in a barbecue buffet and a private film screening of The Cowboys (1972) starring John Wayne in the Dub & Mozelle Richardson Theater.

DAY 3

Morning

Spend the morning being creative with Blue Sage Studio where a demonstration of glass blowing shows you the process of transforming molten glass to a piece of art. (Allow 1.5 Hours) To see world-class art, visit the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and view a comprehensive collection of glass sculptures by American artist Dale Chihuly along with a 55-foot glass sculpture tower in the museum’s atrium. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art is a 110,000-square-foot visual arts institution that originates special exhibitions, traveling exhibitions drawn from throughout the world and permanent exhibits that span a period of several centuries as well as a growing collection of contemporary art. (Allow 1.5 hours)

Afternoon

Your next stop will be in the Bricktown Entertainment District at the American Banjo Museum. The museum is a $5 million, world-class 21,000-square-foot facility honoring the rich history, vibrant spirit and unlimited future of the banjo, and it contains more than 300 instruments, the largest collection on public display in the world. Examples include replicas of primitive banjos developed by African slaves in the Old South, Minstrel Age instruments from 19th century, post WWII instruments used in bluegrass, folk and world music, and the museum’s core collection of ornately decorated banjos made in America during the Jazz Age. While at the American Banjo Museum, enjoy a special performance just for your group (pre-arrangement for performance is required). (Allow 1.5 hours)

Evening

A smoke-filled room and a lucky roll of the dice was all it took to move a little diner from Cowtown obscurity to annals of western folklore. Today, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse is known not only for its unique history, but for its terrific food – perfectly aged steaks, legendary breakfasts and the best cup of coffee that Seattle couldn’t touch. So stop by Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, smack in the middle of Oklahoma City’s Stockyards City, and soak in the rich atmosphere that has made them a favorite destination of anyone who’s pulled on a pair of ropers. Before returning to your hotel, make a quick visit to one of OKC’s newest attractions – the Wheeler Ferris Wheel. Originally hailing from California, the former Santa Monica Pier Ferris Wheel has been transplanted and lovingly reassembled just south of the Oklahoma River. The famous amusement ride, which has back dropped blockbuster movies like “Titanic” and “Forrest Gump,” now comfortably bridges downtown OKC and the Capitol Hill district. Take in the refreshing view of the downtown and the river

If in town on a Saturday evening…
The Centennial Rodeo Opry, Oklahoma’s official country music show, has been providing the best in spectacular, family-friendly entertainment every Saturday night for nearly four decades. The Centennial Rodeo Opry in Oklahoma City is where country music stars Bryan White, Katrina Elam and Cody Canada of Cross-Canadian Ragweed got their start and such legends as Wanda Jackson, Byron Berline, Reba McEntire, Kitty Wells and Jim Ed Brown have performed. You never know who you’ll catch at the Rodeo Opry, but you can always count on it being a top-notch, quality show with the best musicians, artists and stars of tomorrow. (Starts at 7:30pm – approximately 2 hour show)