Tulsa, Oklahoma

Guide to Tulsa: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to go in the evening. Highlights of Tulsa: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and shopping.

According to toppharmacyschools, Tulsa is located in Green Country, Oklahoma. Locals call it “T-town”, and outside the city (and country) Tulsa is known as the oil capital of the world. The charm of the Old West is combined here with a dynamic and cosmopolitan atmosphere. In the 1920s the city experienced a construction boom, and today Tulsa has the highest concentration of art deco buildings in the entire country, which is what attracts tourists here.

Dozens of rather large penguin sculptures are scattered around Tulsa. The sculptures began appearing in 2002 to raise money to build housing for black-footed African penguins.

How to get to Tulsa

The international airport is located in the northern part of the city and receives flights from the main cities of the country. You can’t get to Tulsa by train, but Greyhound buses go here.

A bit of history

Tulsa was originally part of Indian territory, so the Lochapoca and Creek tribes were the first settlers. They settled here in 1836, calling the settlement “Tallasi” – that is, “the old city”. Until 1905, it was a small and quiet town, but when a large deposit was found in Glenn Pool, the population of the city jumped sharply. Thanks to oil, the economic situation in Tulsa and during the Great Depression was much better than in other American cities.

Tulsa is considered the “birthplace of Route 66”. Businessman Cyrus Avery, “the father of Route 66,” began his campaign to build a highway that would connect Chicago with California in 1925 with the formation of an association in Tulsa.

Entertainment and attractions in Tulsa

Almost the entire city center is built up with interesting examples of Art Deco style. Among them, for example, the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, built in 1929. This is one of the most striking examples of church buildings built in this style in the United States. A tower almost 70 meters high stands out especially, on the top of which, among all kinds of decorations reminiscent of medieval churches, two stylized hands folded for prayer are placed.

3 things to do in Tulsa:

  1. Take pictures of colorful and colorful city penguins.
  2. See the old landmark advertisement “Meadow Gold” (“milk and ice cream”) at the entrance to the city on Route 66.
  3. Look into the Lion’s Indian shop, which has been open since 1916, and buy turquoise silver trinkets, moccasins, bronze figurines, ceramics and other things.

Another famous building completed in 1928 is the Filtower, which mixed Neo-Gothic, Gothic Revival and Art Deco. A characteristic feature of the building was the illuminated tiled roof of the rectangular tower. With its 24 floors and a height of about 95 m, the Filtower was the city’s first mixed-use skyscraper: it contains both offices and residential premises.

Tornado season begins in the spring and lasts until early summer, but the occasional tornado can strike at any time of the year. On Wednesdays at noon, tornado warning sirens are tested in the city (in order not to confuse people, they do not do this in very windy or rainy weather).

There are enough serious and not very museums in Tulsa. The Gilcrease Museum is sometimes referred to as the “Museum of the Americas”. It houses one of the world’s largest collections of Native American and Western American art. Exhibitions change regularly, every year, and in the museum shop you can pick up excellent souvenirs. The Ida Danny Willis Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys features over 2,000 toys and dollhouses. The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame is housed in a beautiful former railroad depot in the Art Deco style.

The Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art boasts the largest collection of Jewish artefacts in the entire American South West. And the Philbrook Museum of Art is housed in the former residence of local oil tycoon Waite Philips. Here you can see not only art objects from all over the world, but also a beautiful sculptural garden. Finally, Tulsa has the Aerospace Museum, which exhibits include a World War II German fighter jet, two experimental Rutan aircraft, a locally made gyrocopter, and an F-14 Tomcat. In addition, here you can see the original construction of the city airport terminal in the Art Deco style.

The Center of the Universe (it turns out!) is located at the top of the pedestrian city bridge that connects Archer Street and First Street. If you stand on one side of the stone circle and someone else stands opposite you, you will hear the echo of his voice, not your own. And if you stand in the center and speak, you will hear your own echo, but others will not.

The Tulsa City Zoo houses a number of large animals and reptiles; there is a rainforest area and a zoo train. The Oxley Nature Center is tucked away in a wooded area behind the zoo. There is a mini-prairie, ponds, forest mini-massifs, in which many birds live. In Woodward Park, flowers bloom in the spring in the city’s rose garden. And those who prefer a more active experience of nature can head to Turkey Mountain, where there is every opportunity for hiking and mountain biking – not to mention great views of the university and downtown.

Dozens of rather large penguin sculptures are scattered around Tulsa. This is a local art project designed to raise funds for the city zoo. The sculptures began appearing in 2002 to raise money to build housing for black-footed African penguins. Over the next 10 years, more than fifty of these statues appeared in the city.

The intersections on 71st Street, especially the one at the memorial, are considered among the most dangerous in America. Drive carefully.

One of the ancient symbols of Tulsa is the Creek Tribal Council Oak. This tree was the first City Hall, the first conference hall, the first church and the first court of the city. It was under him that the resettled Indians in 1836 kindled a ceremonial fire from coals that they brought from their homeland, from Alabama. Today, the old oak symbolizes the proud spirit of the first settlers.

25 km from Tulsa, east of the town of Catoosa, is the Catoosa blue whale – one of the famous sights of the old Route 66. A huge whale on the pond was built by someone Hugh Davis in the early 1970s. as a gift for his wife, Zelta, who collected whale figurines. Initially, the whale and pond were intended exclusively for family use, but since the neighbors showed increased interest in this place, Davis poured several tons of sand here, set up picnic tables and thus equipped this area for beach recreation and swimming, opening it to everyone.

Tulsa Events

Mayfest takes place annually in the very center of downtown, and it is simply impossible to leave here empty-handed. It is the centerpiece of the Tulsa cultural calendar. And on the same weekend as Mayfest, the city hosts the Blue Dome art festival, designed to showcase the work of local artists.

In late July, the city hosts the state’s largest sci-fi and fantasy convention. And at the same time, on Saturdays, the Cherry Street farmers’ market begins, which operates until the pumpkins on the stalls begin to be covered with snow. In October, Oktoberfest is celebrated in the city – according to some estimates, the largest outside of Germany. And in April and November, twice a year, the Expo Building hosts the world’s largest Wonenmacher gun show.

Tulsa, Oklahoma