[title subtitle=”words: Mike Dougherty
Images: Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce”][/title]
Two generations ago, Oklahoma City was a nice place to go for a quick weekend trip. You could see most attractions in a day or two. There was the Oklahoma City Zoo, Remington Park, what was then the Omniplex Science Museum and the Cowboy Hall of Fame, and maybe there was time for Frontier City. But that was about it. Still, as the father of then-young children living two hours south in Texas, the Oklahoma capital city presented a quick and easy getaway without the nerve-shattering traffic and higher prices encountered in the better-known destinations of Fort Worth and Dallas.
Flash forward to 2016 andÖwhere do you start? The city has developed such an array of things to do and places to visit, especially in Bricktown and nearby Midtown, that itís a matter of getting to everything you have scheduled instead of finding enough to explore. Here are just a few of the attractions you wonít want to miss on your next trip to OKC.
Riversport Rapids
The man-made whitewater rafting and kayaking course at Riversport Rapids opened May 7 and is now open to the public!
The newest jewel in the OKC crown is in the Boathouse District, where the $45 million Riversport Rapids hosted the U.S. Olympic trials for men’s canoe/kayak slalom on its opening weekend May 7. The facility is an amazing addition to the outdoor sports scene in the central part of the United States. It offers adventures for everyone from the serious athlete who relishes the whitewater challenge to the more safety-minded who prefers a float on a lazy river. The flow of water on the course off the Oklahoma River is controlled by six locks that can be adjusted, depending on the desired level of force. Visitors can participate in kayaking, dragon boating, stand up paddle boarding and cycling, with rentals from the Chesapeake Boathouse. Riversportokc.org
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark
A view from the right-field seats of the ballpark where the Oklahoma City Dodgers of the Pacific Coast League play their home baseball games.
Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark can hold 13,066 for some events, but the Class AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers of the Pacific Coast League use a seating chart for 9,000 fans for the home baseball games of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ top farm club. The OKC Dodgers feature a Friday Night Fireworks show that regular fans have made popular. The park opened as the Bricktown Ballpark in 1998 when the team was the Oklahoma RedHawks, serving as the highest-rated minor-league team of the Texas Rangers. Milb.com
Historic Districts
Automobile Alley was once the home of local car dealerships. Businesses that have opened there since have utilized neon lighting as an homage to that era.
One of the interesting parts of Oklahoma City’s new growth is the “comeback” of some parts of the city, full of history, but that were no longer thriving. Automobile Alley, located along Broadway, north of downtown, is one of those. A neighborhood that once was the home to a number of the capital city’s car dealerships has evolved into an area that features a number of specialty shops, restaurants and businesses showcasing the arts. Many still feature the original neon signage from the area’s heyday as the home of new- and used-car sales. Others include the Adventure District, Asian District, Boathouse District, Deep Deuce (with its jazz heritage and African-American history), Bricktown, Midtown, Paseo Arts District, Stockyards City and Western Avenue. The planned Wheeler district, on the south shore of the Oklahoma River, is a planned mixed-use district along Western Avenue. It is recognizable by the outline of the old Ferris wheel that once was the featured attraction of the Santa Monica Pier in southern California. Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce officials say organizers bought it off eBay. The wheel’s silhouette is now visible after reconstruction began in the spring, but gondolas and other parts of the attraction have yet to be installed. Automobilealley.org
Restaurants
Waffle Champion, a family-style restaurant, serves a chef-driven menu of breakfast skillets,
cold press juices, local beer & wine, and garlic and parsley waffle fries.
What an array of choices the visitor has at mealtime! Steak, pizza, ethnic foods, desserts. Favorites include Micky Mantle’s Steakhouse, where the chef’s two-tier seafood appetizer can feed more than a few, and the 10-ounce filet mignon was delectable. Numerous steakhouses, burger joints, local and chain pizzerias and ethnic palate choices ranging from Mexican to Vietnamese are nearby. Waffle Champion, the home of hand-crafted waffles served with more choices than you can imagine is a wonderful brick-and-mortar location at 1212 North Walker, Suite 100, that evolved from a food truck. The line can reach out the front door, but moves quickly, as you’re held in place by the exquisite smell from the kitchen. The menu offers a choice of waffle batter—the restaurant’s “classic” buttermilk batter, with vanilla and cinnamon, “not too sweet” or liege (a Belgian style, with yeast dough and caramelized pearl sugar). They also offer waffle french toast with cream cheese syrup and fresh strawberries. The menu even features waffle sandwiches. There’s also Cafe Kacao, 3325 North Classen, featuring Guatemalan cuisine. Try the migallas con chorizo. It’s delicious, but the portion is large so consider sharing! Wafflechampion.com
Canal Boat Ride
The Bricktown Water Taxi is a great way to explore the Bricktown area, perfect for the entire family. Day and night trips provide different views.
The snappy banter disguised as funny by the tour guide/captain/comedian might cause visitors to initially think they have stumbled into Six Flags, but as the boat pushes away from the shore for a ride on the Bricktown Canal, the near-ground-level view sets the tour apart. The leisurely pace provides a chance to see the “other side” of many of the district’s attractions and eateries while still enjoying the landscaped greenery and interact with people strolling on the nearby sidewalks. Day or night, the ride is vibrant with color and activity. Bricktownwatertaxi.com
Riversport Adventures
Sandridge Sky Trail is an 80-foot structure that allows participants to try six different physical challenges while secured by a safety harness.
So much is going on at Riversport Adventures, it’s hard to decide where to start. A look skyward directly in front of the boathouse ticket window reveals an 80-foot structure that tests participants’ physical skills on the Sandridge Sky Trail. Up to six physical challenges face adventurers, including rope bridges, balance beams and zigzag elements, all while they are attached by a safety harness. On one side, the same structure offers the Sky Slide, a 72-foot-high swirl that has you back on ground in seconds. On the other, is the Rumble Drop that gives visitors the sensation of an 80-foot free fall while attached by a safety harness and line. Off the front side of the structure is the entrance to the zip line that takes visitors across the river and, eventually, back to the starting side. Behind the Sky Trail is a rock-climbing wall. Canoes and kayaks are available for relaxation on the river, as are BMX bikes for their nearby rubberized course. Riversportokc.org
River Cruises
A fleet of three boats provides cruises on the Oklahoma River which can be rented for short rides or entire dinner cruises.
Seeing the sun set and the moon rise over the Oklahoma River on a river cruise is poetic enough, but the coolest part of the three-hour trip is watching from the front of the boat as the water fills up in a lock and the craft passes through to a higher part of the river. Really, it’s third-grade science-class cool—something that defies your understanding before you see it happen. Beyond that, the river cruise is incredibly fun. Besides seeing the outline of the Oklahoma City skyline sharpen in view as the sky grows dark, the stunning neon colors of the boathouses along the river adds to the beauty. The crew serves drinks and explains the history of the cruise and the history of the Oklahoma River (that started as a flood control effort). Three boats make up the fleet: the Devon Discovery, the Devon Explorer and the Devon Pioneer. Specialty cruises, theme cruises and charter cruises are available okcrivercruises.com
To plan your visit to OKC, check out visitokc.com/trip-planning, where you’ll find special offers, a visitor’s guide, plus additional trip ideas!
