Researchers believe that the first people may have arrived in Oklahoma 30,000 years ago. Many thousands of years later the Native American tribes of the Plains Apache, Kiowa, Comanche, Osage, Caddo, and Wichita settled in the area. Today, over 640,000 people call the state home and nearly 22 million people visit here each year. If you’re thinking about making the move or planning a trip to the Sooner State, here are some family fun activities to keep you busy.
#1 Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
In the wake of indescribable violence, the National Memorial & Museum of Oklahoma City stands as a sign of strength. Visit the memorial to learn about the brutality and the senselessness of the Oklahoma City bombing. Share the museum’s dream of a world free from terrorism and violence.
#2 Philbrook Museum of Art
This vast art museum, housed in a villa in Italian style, is surrounded by multiple acres of lush gardens and has a number of exhibits from Native American, American, European, African, and Asian artists.
#3 Beavers Bend Resort Park
Beavers Bend State Park is a 1,300-acre destination in McCurtain County, Oklahoma. Located off of SH-259A, about 10 miles north of Broken Bow. Broken Bow Lake is located within the park, which was established in 1937.
#4 National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is America’s premier Western history, art, and culture institution. The Museum, which is located in Oklahoma City, was established in 1955 and gathers, preserves, and exhibits an internationally renowned collection of Western art and artifacts; while also supporting dynamic educational programs to promote interest in the American West’s enduring legacy.
#5 Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer led the 7th United States Cavalry in a surprise dawn assault on a Cheyenne village led by Peace Chief Black Kettle on November 27, 1868. During the Great Plains Wars, the tragic clash of cultures was exemplified by this occurrence. For those who have died here, it is also a place of remembrance and contemplation.
#6 Oklahoma City Zoo & Botanical Garden
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is a zoo and botanical garden in Oklahoma City’s Adventure District, which is located in northeast Oklahoma City. The zoo is 119 acres in size and home to over 1,900 species. Except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, it is open every day.
#7 Tallgrass Prairie
In Osage County, Oklahoma, near Foraker, the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is the world’s largest remaining tallgrass prairie. It’s a great destination for a picnic, hike, or day in the sun that the whole family can appreciate.