One of the Coolest Cities You’ve Never Been To: Tulsa, Oklahoma
From amazing sushi to world-class museums, you’ll be surprised by what you’ll find in T-Town
Before you brush off Tulsa, get to know this city known as the “center of the universe.”
Take a drive along Route 66 to Tulsa, Oklahoma, a destination where first-time visitors will be wowed by its art deco architecture, impressive museums and authentic international cuisine. Here are a few reasons why this onetime oil capital and “center of the universe” city is worth a look.
It’s the home of western swing
Cain’s Ballroom has been several things over the years, but now it’s the ideal space to catch musical acts.
Tulsa native Kelli Brown left for college and ended up in New York City, but once she moved back home in 2008, she says she fell in love with Tulsa all over again. Today she works in the box office at the “Carnegie Hall of Western Swing,” Cain’s Ballroom. This iconic venue, a great introduction to what to do in Tulsa, got its start as an auto garage, which then morphed into a dance joint, and eventually a live music venue. In this space, western swing was born by combining western music with jazz, blues, big band and other genres. “King of Western Swing” Bob Wills—Country Music Hall of Famer and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient—called the Cain home for years.
“Tulsa’s music scene is one of the best kept secrets in the country,” says Brown. “We’re living amongst stars like John Fullbright, Jesse Aycock, Paul Benjamin and so many more. And because other musicians enjoy Tulsa’s music history so much, you never know what rock royalty might turn up.”
It’s got the Philbrook
Make sure to allow for time in the expansive gardens of the Philbrook Museum of Art.
“We have small-city charm with world-class options,” says Brown. “Restaurants, museums, venues and parks—there’s so much to explore in Tulsa and our surrounding areas; it’s a great vacation spot.”
Step into the opulence of the 1920s at the Philbrook Museum of Art, one of the top Tulsa attractions. This impressive fine art museum originally served as the 72-room mansion of Waite Phillips, a prominent Tulsan who—like many in the region—made his fortune in oil. Take time to peruse the art collections, of course, but don’t pass up the gardens, complete with water features, reflecting pools and the Westby Sculpture Walk. Free audio tours are available.
It’s serious about food
Go for an order of fish and chips or Landlord’s Cottage Pie—slow-cooked Guinness marinated beef tips topped with mashed potatoes and cheese—at James E. McNellie’s Public House. Locals love the cheese curds, from nearby Lomah Dairy, which has been in business since 2002, run by owners Stanley and Donna Johnson whose popular farm goods can be found at the seasonal Tulsa Farmer’s Market.
The trendy neighborhood of Brookside is home to some of the city’s most popular restaurants and bars, including R Bar & Grill, where you’ll find burgers and southern fare like chicken and waffles. For a top-notch sushi fix—yes, this far inland—head over to long-standing Fuji, where you’ll find authentic Japanese cuisine served by longtime Tulsan and owner Nobu-san Terauchi. Terauchi, who once owned a ramen shop in Japan and trained in sushi and hibachi in Denver, has been serving up specialties like the neighborhood’s namesake Brookside roll—lobster salad, fried shrimp, cream cheese, lemon, and cucumber, inventively topped with sake—going back to 1986.
It’s just quirky
A giant, 76-foot-tall oil worker statue, known as the Golden Driller, has lived at the Tulsa State Fairgrounds since 1966. Designed by George Hondronastas, a Greek immigrant who considered it his greatest artistic accomplishment, the Driller pays homage to the city’s oil-rich history. Another quirky landmark to check out: the famed Cave House. Tours are by appointment only for this Flintstones-style stone home that, locals say, has doubled as everything from speakeasy to chicken shack.
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