Katiebug_1976 Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hi, Dh & I have decided that more than anything, we need a vacation (even a small, cheap one will be great!) so we are trying to plan a last minute "escape" trip for Christmas. Our budget won't allow us to go too far, so we're thinking maybe Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma City, or Wichita, KS areas. If you live nearby, what kind of fun, family activities are there over Christmas weekend? I would greatly appreciate your help in planning our trip. Thanks...:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 OKC - Little River Zoo (in Norman) OKC Zoo National Weather Center (also in Norman) Sam Noble Museum of Natural History (also in Norman - We were blown away by how nice this museum was) Riverwalk area (boat cruise) Science Museum (one of the best marble runs, next to the one in St. Louis) Oklahoma Museum of Art Wichita - Zoo (nice petting zoo) Train museum Science museum Have not been to Tulsa, but have heard their aquarium is nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanya in KS Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 I needed a get away from OKC one day & I took my children to the aquarium in Tulsa. LOVED it and so wanting to go back & take the other kids. Very interactive! HIGHLY recommend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraL in OK Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 The Little River Zoo, in Norman, has closed, sorry. My husband works at the National Weather Center, in Norman; he says there probably are no visitor tours over Christmas because the students -- the tour guides -- will be gone. Here's the website with a contact phone number: nwc.ou.edu/visitors.php Sam Noble Museum of Natural History will be closed Dec. 25, but otherwise open. It's a really great natural history museum, in my opinion. I think you could catch the exhibit about dogs, "Wolf to Woof". Helpful website: www.snomnh.ou.edu In addition to the very nice Oklahoma City Museum of Art, I would also suggest the newly expanded university art museum in Norman OK -- OU's Fred Jones Junior Museum of Art, though they'll be closed Dec. 24 & 25. The Tulsa-area aquarium is the Oklahoma Aquarium, in Jenks. It is not to be compared to major aquariums -- the Monterey Bay Aquarium or the Seattle Aquarium -- but has some nice features. And you can pet de-stingered manta rays :) There's also the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in northeast Oklahoma City, both fascinating and fun; look for the barbed-wire room and prepare to be amazed (there's tons more great stuff, too). We take out-of-towners there and to the Oklahoma City National Memorial in downtown OKC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 The Little River Zoo, in Norman, has closed, sorry. :crying:That was a cute little zoo. We visited several years ago and my DS still talks about it. My husband works at the National Weather Center, in Norman; he says there probably are no visitor tours over Christmas because the students -- the tour guides -- will be gone.Had not thought about the students/guides being gone.Does your DH do personal tours? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Downtown in December in OKC. The outdoor skating rink is just down the street from the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. (Though unfortunately, having just looked at their website, the Chihuly exhibit is "not on view" at this time, and that's by far my favorite...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 (edited) Tulsa area: Lights at Rhema--a church that does a humongous drive-through and walk-through display. It's free and really spectacular. The Castle at Muscogee has a Christmas festival going on. I've not been, but I've wanted to. Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks is decent Tulsa zoo is pretty good Downtown Tulsa has a skating rink and various things going on. What sorts of things are you looking for? ETA: A quick look seems like the Tulsa Oilers may be in town, if you like hockey. Edited December 18, 2011 by snickelfritz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted December 19, 2011 Author Share Posted December 19, 2011 Thanks for all the ideas. We've been to the aquarium in Tulsa (it is really cool!), and all 3 zoo's (Witchita, OKC & Tulsa). But I hadn't thought about museums. The light display in Tulsa sounds like it might be a winner, though. I'll have to run it by dh. Thanks again for all the neat ideas. Hopefully we will be able to at least put together a day trip or overnighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 If you pick Tulsa, Utica Square has a nutcracker display and a Santa to visit in a little house. The display isn't spectacular (it's a series of displays that tell the nutcracker tale) but dinner, visiting Rhema, grabbing a hot chocolate, visiting the nutcracker display would make an evening. It looks like Utica Square is running things through the 24th. It's not over by Rhema, but neither are difficult to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jec3113 Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 The Castle in Muskogee is just inflatables. That is it. It is a drive through thing accepting donations at the end. If you like inflatables you will love it, otherwise it is just big ballons! LOL Tulsa, however, has several nice museums. Gilcrease and Philbrook. The Aquarium in very nice (Jenks, which is Tulsa suburb). Rhema has nice display. Utica Square. Several neighborhoods have nice light displays. There is always a concert going on somewhere and lots of amazing restuarants. OKC has tons of stuff. Cowboy hall of fame, The science museum is amazing and is right next door to the zoo. The art museum downtown has the largest private collection of Chihuly glass anywhere. Kids love the glass. The riverwalk in bricktown is awesome! Lots of amazing restuarants, and shops. I would lean toward Oklahoma City. And Norman is just a short drive down the highway. Norman has the Sam Noble and an art museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in OK Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 The Aquarium here is....eh. I think it's horribly overpriced. We went to the Castle of Muskogee last Sunday. There wasn't much going on other than the drive-thru display. It's just a bunch of blow-up yard things. Rhema is pretty amazing. I'd choose Wichita. I grew up there (live in Tulsa area now) so I'm a little biased. There is SO much more to do there with kids than there is here. My second choice would be OKC. Again, much more there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missouri Okie Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 The Jewish art museum in Tulsa is having a Chagall and Warhol exhibit. They should be open Christmas weekend.;) The Philbrook in Tulsa is having an exhibit featuring European masters, which includes Rembrandt (I think). On Thursday nights, their gardens are lit with lights. So, if your into art.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmschooling Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Hi, Dh & I have decided that more than anything, we need a vacation (even a small, cheap one will be great!) so we are trying to plan a last minute "escape" trip for Christmas. Our budget won't allow us to go too far, so we're thinking maybe Tulsa, OK, Oklahoma City, or Wichita, KS areas. If you live nearby, what kind of fun, family activities are there over Christmas weekend? I would greatly appreciate your help in planning our trip. Thanks...:001_smile: We've enjoyed the Tulsa Aquarium and the zoo. We live about an hour or so away and it was a very fun 2-day vacation :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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