The fiance and I are planning a 4 day to visit Tulsa in the next couple of weeks to get a feel for the city before we move in August. We plan to look at apartments, likely in the Riverside vicinity. I'll also be having a campus visit at TU and would like to experience some of what the city has to offer (dining, sightseeing, etc.) Would anyone care to suggest some must see/must do's for our first visit to the city we'll soon be calling home?
Also, I plan to book a hotel through hotwire.com. They offer hotels in our price range in Southern Hills, Woodland Hills, Central Tulsa, and at the airport. Suggestions on which area would be most convenient for this trip?
Thanks for your help, all!
Hotels: Either Southern Hills or Central Tulsa.
Restaurants/Bars: McNellie's downtown for beer and good bar food. Leon's on Brookside for open atmosphere and better bar food. Tucci's on Cherry for Italian/Pizza and outdoor dining.
Catch a band at Cain's if there is a decent one in town.
If you have a couple of hours, drive 20 minutes north of downtown (taking the back roads, start off heading North on the Tisdale) to Skiatook lake . Eat at Leon's at Crosstimbers marina. Many Tulsans don't even realize how pretty the hills get just north of town and how pretty a lake Skiatook is.
I would not stay at the airport. As for central Tulsa thats quite vague lol If your off of Yale or I44 you should be ok. Southern Hills area can be nice and as much as I despise the megasprawl of the area around Woodland Hills, it has a good selection of hotels and everything is mostly new,,, and you might as well see that area as well since it is, like it or not, the heart of commercial/retail activity in the city.
A Tour of Tulsa...
Lets say your staying in South Tulsa near Woodland or off of 71st. Go west on 71st to the River, go north on Riverside towards downtown. All the way on your left you will see the beautiful River Parks trail system which is currently being upgraded.
Take the 21st exit and head north up Boulder to the heart of Downtown.
Turn Right on 8th St, on your left will be Holy Family Cathedral.
2 blocks and Turn Left on Boston Ave. Slow down and enjoy the most impressive skyscraper canyon you will find in this region of the country.
Street dead ends on 3rd, go left to Denver. There you will see the new BOK Arena. ]
You can head out of Downtown on Denver or stop somewhere near 5th street and walk down 5th to Boston again and enjoy the beautiful architecture. I say walk because the streets are 1 way and its a pain to give windy directions to try and show you that area lol. But its worth the walk and is great if someone can give you a tour of sorts and describe the buildings, their history, whats currently going, remodeling, etc. Yes our downtown completely died, but its currently got dozens of projects underway which will tranform it within the next 5 years.
Head south on Denver turn left on 11th,, it will "Y" onto 10th, at that Y you will be able to see several, beautiful cathedral type churches.
Stay on 10th it will turn back into 11th. Then go R on Peoria to 15th and go L onto 15th.
You are now entering the heart of pedestrian friendly "trendy" Cherry Street. Lots of places to eat, interesting shops, some neat contemporary loft type places going in just to the North of the strip.
Turn R on Utica and go to 21st.
21st and Utica is the heart of Mid-Town. Turn left onto 21st,,, on your right will be Utica Square, some of the finest shopping and dining in Tulsa. Stay on 21st go to Lewis and turn R. Then hook a hard R just before the main intersection into the neighborhood onto 30th st. Tricky but worth it lol. Immediately slow down and look to your left at one of the grand old mansions. Cruise down the street and enjoy other grand homes. Keep heading forward until you run back into Utica, head R on Utica back to 21st. Go L on 21st to Peoria.
21st and Peoria is Woodward Park. Just past that to your left is the Rose Garden, then you will see 2 large mansions, the first is the Tulsa Garden Center, the secont is the home of the Historical Society/Museum. Further down on Peoria you can turn L onto 27th Place, head straight down the street and you will run right into Villa Philbrook. Definitely a must see, and do not forget to wander out back and see the incredible gardens. Best to try and do early in the morning in August for it gets very hot and steamy on that side of the hill out back. Turn right at the mansion, then right at the next street back onto Peoria, L onto Peoria. Once you get to 33rd you will be entering another "trendy" up and coming area called Brookside.
Going S on Peoria to 41st you can either turn L and go back to Yale or R and go back to the River Parks. If you go S on Riverside you can head all the way to the Jenks bridge. Just across the river you will find the Riverwalk and the Oklahoma Aquarium. The Riverwalk is a nice place to go for dinner or a movie one evening especially when its bustling on a Friday or Saturday night. Has several places for outdoor dining and often has live music at several places.
This was just one little tour which left out all kinds of spots but you get the general feel for parts of Mid-Town and some of Downtown. The club/restaurant areas of downtown are just starting to get going and rather small so its wise to have someone show you the exact spots or just try a couple of the restaurants there like El-Guapos with its rooftop dining over looking downtown, Joe Mommas, McNellies, in the Blue Dome, or Lolas, Cazs in the Brady Arts District.
There is this red Winnebago thingy parked just east of 11th and Lewis, you can't miss it. There is a sheet out in front of it in bright colors that reads, "Tacos Fiesta Mexico" or something to that effect. You pull up in there, and you can get some real authentic tacos.
Quote from: brianh on June 13, 2009, 06:09:17 PM
There is this red Winnebago thingy parked just east of 11th and Lewis, you can't miss it. There is a sheet out in front of it in bright colors that reads, "Tacos Fiesta Mexico" or something to that effect. You pull up in there, and you can get some real authentic tacos.
And while you are at that taco stand, walk south a couple of blocks and come visit my house. Bring a taco with you to provide as an offering. :P
Be sure and go to 21st and Peoria and see the Tulsa Rose Garden. It is free and there is plenty of parking at the Tulsa Garden Center or Woodward park. There are 5,000 roses and they are in the peak part of their season during June. The neighborhoods for a mile in each direction are filled with nice homes and show some of the richness of Tulsa's past.
I would eat on Brookside. It is probably the best walkable area of town and has many restaurants and shops for all types. My favorites include Weber's root beer stand (They actually invented the modern day hamburger) or Elmer's BarBQ.
Park on the east bank of the river at 41st street and people watch or stroll either direction. The trails run for miles and you can cross at 30th street at a pedestrian bridge that gives you great views of downtown.
There are plenty of affordable hotel choices in Tulsa. Near 31st and Memorial you have almost every national chain and most are under $100 a night. I don't use hotwire, I prefer to use Cheaptickets.com for pricing and tripadvisor.com for reviews.
TulsaNow has happy hour gatherings the first Wednesday of each month at a downtown pizza parlor and occasional lunch gatherings. If you tell us when you are in town, we could probably get a welcome committee together for a casual meet.
The cost of living is low in Tulsa, and rents are not bad. I also like the apartments around RiverSide Drive, and since I'm a runner those apartments are close to the jogging trails. The job market is rather poor right now in Tulsa, just a year ago there were tons of job listings in the Sunday Paper, not so today. Tulsa has alot of charm, The area around Utica and 21st has a feeling of the late 1950's as does parts of 15th street. My favorite side of Tulsa is west Tulsa across the river. The area around Yale is not bad, even north of I-244 you can find many nice single family homes and it's quiet. Past Pine Street it can get a bit ruff. Visit "T" town & have a look around and get a feel for the city. There's a store on 11th near Peoria that has old time Christmas stuff and they are open all year, it's worth a visit.. :D
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 14, 2009, 12:30:02 PM
The cost of living is low in Tulsa, and rents are not bad. I also like the apartments around RiverSide Drive, and since I'm a runner those apartments are close to the jogging trails. The job market is rather poor right now in Tulsa, just a year ago there were tons of job listings in the Sunday Paper, not so today. Tulsa has alot of charm, The area around Utica and 21st has a feeling of the late 1950's as does parts of 15th street. My favorite side of Tulsa is west Tulsa across the river. The area around Yale is not bad, even north of I-244 you can find many nice single family homes and it's quiet. Past Pine Street it can get a bit ruff. Visit "T" town & have a look around and get a feel for the city. There's a store on 11th near Peoria that has old time Christmas stuff and they are open all year, it's worth a visit.. :D
This is a post from a crackpot who doesn't reside here in Tulsa. If you want this kind of info you can use google maps like he does.
I hope you enjoy your time in Tulsa. It's a great city.
Like many airports, the Tulsa Airport is a bit off the beaten path and in an industrial area. Not a bad area, but not somewhere to stay if you want to see the city. Any of the suggestions of places to stay are fine.
Things to do:
Rose Garden at 21st and Peoria. Free city park.
River parks for a stroll.
Entertainment/Bar districts:
Blue Dome - downtown, lots of character. Mixed crowd of old and young, mostly affluent.
Brady - downtown, warehouse/art district. Lots of new development mixed in. Mixed crowd.
Cherry Street - midtown, a bit quieter.
Brookside - midtown, mostly affluent and college kids.
Check for shows in town at pollstar.com or at the Tulsa PAC website.
Philbrook museum of art and gardens.
Gilcrease Museum.
Zoo or Aquarium
Bah! There is plenty to do. Remember to DO NOTHING for a while and just drive around town. At River Parks you can "barrow" bikes for free. Insert a credit card and take a back, no charge is made when your bike is returned. So go for a ride to check things out at street level.
Quote from: Townsend on June 15, 2009, 09:49:16 AM
This is a post from a crackpot who doesn't reside here in Tulsa. If you want this kind of info you can use google maps like he does.
I hope you enjoy your time in Tulsa. It's a great city.
I'm in Tulsa alot and I give my views & opinions of places I been to and the places I stayed at, the restaurants and nite clubs I been to and the things I do in "T" Towne.. Not every poster on this forum is a resident of the City Of Tulsa. This forum is about "T" Town and for people who like Tulsa, and Tulsa wanna-bees. :-X
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 15, 2009, 10:33:10 AM
I'm in Tulsa alot and I give my views & opinions of places I been to and the places I stayed at, the restaurants and nite clubs I been to and the things I do in "T" Towne.. Not every poster on this forum is a resident of the City Of Tulsa. This forum is about "T" Town and for people who like Tulsa, and Tulsa wanna-bees. :-X
The others don't post as if they have a resident's knowledge like you do. Stop mis-leading people. They are trying to get real information about Tulsa.
cjmcinty, my apologies for our upper mid-west groupie.
Quote from: Townsend on June 15, 2009, 10:56:12 AM
The others don't post as if they have a resident's knowledge like you do. Stop mis-leading people. They are trying to get real information about Tulsa.
cjmcinty, my apologies for our upper mid-west groupie.
Well played. Harhar!
Quote from: TheArtist on June 13, 2009, 05:34:31 PM
I would not stay at the airport. As for central Tulsa thats quite vague lol If your off of Yale or I44 you should be ok. Southern Hills area can be nice and as much as I despise the megasprawl of the area around Woodland Hills, it has a good selection of hotels and everything is mostly new,,, and you might as well see that area as well since it is, like it or not, the heart of commercial/retail activity in the city.
A Tour of Tulsa...
Lets say your staying in South Tulsa near Woodland or off of 71st. Go west on 71st to the River, go north on Riverside towards downtown. All the way on your left you will see the beautiful River Parks trail system which is currently being upgraded.
Take the 21st exit and head north up Boulder to the heart of Downtown.
Turn Right on 8th St, on your left will be Holy Family Cathedral.
2 blocks and Turn Left on Boston Ave. Slow down and enjoy the most impressive skyscraper canyon you will find in this region of the country.
Street dead ends on 3rd, go left to Denver. There you will see the new BOK Arena. ]
You can head out of Downtown on Denver or stop somewhere near 5th street and walk down 5th to Boston again and enjoy the beautiful architecture. I say walk because the streets are 1 way and its a pain to give windy directions to try and show you that area lol. But its worth the walk and is great if someone can give you a tour of sorts and describe the buildings, their history, whats currently going, remodeling, etc. Yes our downtown completely died, but its currently got dozens of projects underway which will tranform it within the next 5 years.
Head south on Denver turn left on 11th,, it will "Y" onto 10th, at that Y you will be able to see several, beautiful cathedral type churches.
Stay on 10th it will turn back into 11th. Then go R on Peoria to 15th and go L onto 15th.
You are now entering the heart of pedestrian friendly "trendy" Cherry Street. Lots of places to eat, interesting shops, some neat contemporary loft type places going in just to the North of the strip.
Turn R on Utica and go to 21st.
21st and Utica is the heart of Mid-Town. Turn left onto 21st,,, on your right will be Utica Square, some of the finest shopping and dining in Tulsa. Stay on 21st go to Lewis and turn R. Then hook a hard R just before the main intersection into the neighborhood onto 30th st. Tricky but worth it lol. Immediately slow down and look to your left at one of the grand old mansions. Cruise down the street and enjoy other grand homes. Keep heading forward until you run back into Utica, head R on Utica back to 21st. Go L on 21st to Peoria.
21st and Peoria is Woodward Park. Just past that to your left is the Rose Garden, then you will see 2 large mansions, the first is the Tulsa Garden Center, the secont is the home of the Historical Society/Museum. Further down on Peoria you can turn L onto 27th Place, head straight down the street and you will run right into Villa Philbrook. Definitely a must see, and do not forget to wander out back and see the incredible gardens. Best to try and do early in the morning in August for it gets very hot and steamy on that side of the hill out back. Turn right at the mansion, then right at the next street back onto Peoria, L onto Peoria. Once you get to 33rd you will be entering another "trendy" up and coming area called Brookside.
Going S on Peoria to 41st you can either turn L and go back to Yale or R and go back to the River Parks. If you go S on Riverside you can head all the way to the Jenks bridge. Just across the river you will find the Riverwalk and the Oklahoma Aquarium. The Riverwalk is a nice place to go for dinner or a movie one evening especially when its bustling on a Friday or Saturday night. Has several places for outdoor dining and often has live music at several places.
This was just one little tour which left out all kinds of spots but you get the general feel for parts of Mid-Town and some of Downtown. The club/restaurant areas of downtown are just starting to get going and rather small so its wise to have someone show you the exact spots or just try a couple of the restaurants there like El-Guapos with its rooftop dining over looking downtown, Joe Mommas, McNellies, in the Blue Dome, or Lolas, Cazs in the Brady Arts District.
Nice 8) thanks, TheArtist, I will check out this route too when I move next month.
loving the suggestions so far! really looking forward to the "doing nothing" part; driving around (thanks so much for the route, theartist!), biking, walking on the river trails. my fiance and i are so looking forward to this move! from what we've learned on the forum, our two years in tulsa should be a great time!
When it comes to Tulsa, listen to Artist. When it comes to politics, listen to me. ;D
Welcome to the both of you. I moved here to attend school and stayed.
Quote from: guido911 on June 15, 2009, 08:46:50 PM
I moved here to attend school and stayed.
Same here.
Quote from: guido911 on June 15, 2009, 08:46:50 PM
When it comes to Tulsa, listen to Artist. When it comes to politics, listen to me. ;D
Welcome to the both of you. I moved here to attend school and stayed.
Quote from: cannon_fodder on June 16, 2009, 09:07:47 AM
Same here.
perhaps that will be me two years from now...
Now I'm jealous, because I haven't gotten to experience living outside of Tulsa. Sadly, everytime I consider a move and start looking at other cities, I fall back in love with Tulsa again.
Quote from: TURobY on June 16, 2009, 09:52:04 AM
Now I'm jealous, because I haven't gotten to experience living outside of Tulsa. Sadly, everytime I consider a move and start looking at other cities, I fall back in love with Tulsa again.
i wouldn't consider that a bad thing. falling in love with the place you've always lived over and over again is definitely something to be envied.
Quote from: Townsend on June 15, 2009, 10:56:12 AM
The others don't post as if they have a resident's knowledge like you do. Stop mis-leading people. They are trying to get real information about Tulsa.
cjmcinty, my apologies for our upper mid-west groupie.
Exactly what did I post that is incorrect? I don't post about something I don't know anything about.
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 16, 2009, 02:54:09 PM
Exactly what did I post that is incorrect? I don't post about something I don't know anything about.
Knowing about something in the present and something when you were living here, are, to you, two different things.
To you newcomers, keep in mind this poster tries to post like he lives here, when he himself has stated he hasn't lived here in twenty years.
Visiting on business doesn't count, either.
Quote from: Townsend on June 15, 2009, 10:56:12 AM
The others don't post as if they have a resident's knowledge like you do. Stop mis-leading people. They are trying to get real information about Tulsa.
cjmcinty, my apologies for our upper mid-west groupie.
Hey, if he does come to town as much as he says he's probably got some good hotel feedback. :P
Quote from: nathanm on June 17, 2009, 02:18:14 AM
Hey, if he does come to town as much as he says he's probably got some good hotel feedback. :P
But who'd trust him?
Quote from: Townsend on June 17, 2009, 09:36:41 AM
But who'd trust him?
"I'm Sauerkraut' I'm not a resident of Tulsa, but I did stay in a Tulsa Holiday Inn Express!"
Quote from: Hoss on June 17, 2009, 09:45:03 AM
"I'm Sauerkraut' I'm not a resident of Tulsa, but I did stay in a Tulsa Holiday Inn Express!"
See? I scoff at it.
You should see a Tulsa Drillers game while you can at the old stadium, since this is the last season. Then you can make remarks about the old stadium many years down the road when less people remember it.
I stay at the hotels on Skelly Drive in most cases. I have stayed at the Marrioit on 71st and highway 169 across from the Target store (in back of Wendys)- It's a few blocks west of the Pyramid store. That's a heck of nice place but too expensive for my company so I can't stay there no more... The Value Inn charges $169.00 a week + tax. A favorite place of mine is Gartners Book & Records on Mingo just south of 41st, they sell all vinyl record albums for $1.25, I have found some old goodies in the record bins- they also have a lot of books, DVD's and cd's. The restaurants of Tulsa are darn good, and For fast Food I like What-A-Burger, Tulsa is a great place to move to I like the city and the skyline is nifty at night. Tulsa is a fun-can-do city small but it feels like a big city.. Another one of my favorite cities is Fort Worth Texas. I have family in Texas. :-X
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 17, 2009, 12:58:43 PM
I stay at the hotels on Skelly Drive in most cases. I have stayed at the Marrioit on 71st and highway 169 across from the Target store (in back of Wendys)- It's a few blocks west of the Pyramid store. That's a heck of nice place but too expensive for my company so I can't stay there no more... The Value Inn charges $169.00 a week + tax. A favorite place of mine is Gartners Book & Records on Mingo just south of 41st, they sell all vinyl record albums for $1.25, I have found some old goodies in the record bins- they also have a lot of books, DVD's and cd's. The restaurants of Tulsa are darn good, and For fast Food I like What-A-Burger, Tulsa is a great place to move to I like the city and the skyline is nifty at night. Tulsa is a fun-can-do city small but it feels like a big city.. Another one of my favorite cities is Fort Worth Texas. I have family in Texas. :-X
Well you spelled one business' name right. Nice job on Google search.
Good lord, sauerkraut, I really underestimated just how out of touch you are!
Quote from: buckeye on June 17, 2009, 04:09:47 PM
Good lord, sauerkraut, I really underestimated just how out of touch you are!
That ain't nothin'...look at this nugget from last year!
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=10781.msg90644#msg90644
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 17, 2009, 12:58:43 PM
I stay at the hotels on Skelly Drive in most cases. I have stayed at the Marrioit on 71st and highway 169 across from the Target store (in back of Wendys)- It's a few blocks west of the Pyramid store. That's a heck of nice place but too expensive for my company so I can't stay there no more... The Value Inn charges $169.00 a week + tax. A favorite place of mine is Gartners Book & Records on Mingo just south of 41st, they sell all vinyl record albums for $1.25, I have found some old goodies in the record bins- they also have a lot of books, DVD's and cd's. The restaurants of Tulsa are darn good, and For fast Food I like What-A-Burger, Tulsa is a great place to move to I like the city and the skyline is nifty at night. Tulsa is a fun-can-do city small but it feels like a big city.. Another one of my favorite cities is Fort Worth Texas. I have family in Texas. :-X
And what does Ft. Worth, Texas have anything to do with this tread?
I thought your family lived in Michigan except your sister who lives in California who has lupus, but you have not talked to in years because you probably drove her crazy like you do the rest of us with you Cliff Clavin type replies to everything.
Happy to see folks around here are getting your number and see you as the fraud you really are.
Quote from: unreliablesource on June 17, 2009, 08:42:03 PM
And what does Ft. Worth, Texas have anything to do with this tread?
I thought your family lived in Michigan except your sister who lives in California who has lupus, but you have not talked to in years because you probably drove her crazy like you do the rest of us with you Cliff Clavin type replies to everything.
Happy to see folks around here are getting your number and see you as the fraud you really are.
Go plant your garden. When you visit a city offten enough you get to know alot about it. I have family all over the place, I grew up in Michigan & moved to Texas in 1980 and married and my two grown-up kids are still living in Texas as is my ex. I guess you could say "All my ex's live in Texas".
Quote from: Hoss on June 17, 2009, 04:47:30 PM
That ain't nothin'...look at this nugget from last year!
http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/index.php?topic=10781.msg90644#msg90644
Nothing wrong with that I just ate over there 2 weeks ago.
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 18, 2009, 09:16:42 AM
Nothing wrong with that I just ate over there 2 weeks ago.
Lies, all lies.
Quote from: Townsend on June 18, 2009, 09:25:59 AM
Lies, all lies.
Have it your way. I'm in Tulsa about 10 times a year and you do get to know your way around when your in a city alot. What I didn't know about Tulsa is all the break-ins people are having brunoflipper posted a thread about it. That's pretty grim.
The break-ins are not all over town.
I live in east Tulsa and my neighborhood hasn't had any break-ins for months now.
(knocks on wood).
Quote from: RecycleMichael on June 19, 2009, 09:58:46 AM
The break-ins are not all over town.
I live in east Tulsa and my neighborhood hasn't had any break-ins for months now.
(knocks on wood).
Well, none that you weren't involved with.. Right?
Quote from: RecycleMichael on June 19, 2009, 09:58:46 AM
The break-ins are not all over town.
I live in east Tulsa and my neighborhood hasn't had any break-ins for months now.
(knocks on wood).
There are some nice brick homes in neighborhoods out east around the area of 165th & south of Admerial, another area with alot of homes for sale is 129th & 21st I don't know if crime is bad there. A not-bad looking area is N. Yale just north of I-244, there are alot of small homes and the neighborhood is quiet. I don't know if crime is a problem but I don't see many homes with bars on the windows in that area. I was told a good way to check out a neighborhood is to drive around it on Friday night and see who or what hangs around, Saturday nite is also a good time to check, but not as good as Friday. Do that before you buy a home in the area.
Quote from: sauerkraut on June 19, 2009, 02:14:10 PM
There are some nice brick homes in neighborhoods out east around the area of 165th & south of Admerial, another area with alot of homes for sale is 129th & 21st I don't know if crime is bad there. A not-bad looking area is N. Yale just north of I-244, there are alot of small homes and the neighborhood is quiet. I don't know if crime is a problem but I don't see many homes with bars on the windows in that area. I was told a good way to check out a neighborhood is to drive around it on Friday night and see who or what hangs around, Saturday nite is also a good time to check, but not as good as Friday. Do that before you buy a home in the area.
Are you kidding me?
You are again proving your lack of direct Tulsa knowledge when on the same day you post that people should avoid living near 20th and Cincinnati but should consider living at Admiral & 165th E Ave, 21st & 129th E Ave or along N Yale.
Quote from: swake on June 19, 2009, 02:44:46 PM
Are you kidding me?
You are again proving your lack of direct Tulsa knowledge when on the same day you post that people should avoid living near 20th and Cincinnati but should consider living at Admiral & 165th E Ave, 21st & 129th E Ave or along N Yale.
I'm guessing he's a day drinker
Quote from: swake on June 19, 2009, 02:44:46 PM
Are you kidding me?
You are again proving your lack of direct Tulsa knowledge when on the same day you post that people should avoid living near 20th and Cincinnati but should consider living at Admiral & 165th E Ave, 21st & 129th E Ave or along N Yale.
21st and 129th isn't so bad. N Yale...ehhhh....and maybe south of Admiral, but further east, closer to 193rd. You'd want to stay away from that noisy-assed casino.
Quote from: swake on June 19, 2009, 02:44:46 PM
Are you kidding me?
You are again proving your lack of direct Tulsa knowledge when on the same day you post that people should avoid living near 20th and Cincinnati but should consider living at Admiral & 165th E Ave, 21st & 129th E Ave or along N Yale.
I didn't post about the area around Peoria & Cincinnati, Brunno did, and I commented that it looks like a good area to avoid. Admiral & 165th is near where we have a customer (Yuba Tube) The area does not look bad, the big casino is to the east. The neighborhoods look clean - Lots of families & kids seem to live there and the homes are brick.
Quote from: TheArtist on June 13, 2009, 05:34:31 PM
I would not stay at the airport. As for central Tulsa thats quite vague lol If your off of Yale or I44 you should be ok. Southern Hills area can be nice and as much as I despise the megasprawl of the area around Woodland Hills, it has a good selection of hotels and everything is mostly new,,, and you might as well see that area as well since it is, like it or not, the heart of commercial/retail activity in the city.
A Tour of Tulsa...
Lets say your staying in South Tulsa near Woodland or off of 71st. Go west on 71st to the River, go north on Riverside towards downtown. All the way on your left you will see the beautiful River Parks trail system which is currently being upgraded.
Take the 21st exit and head north up Boulder to the heart of Downtown.
Turn Right on 8th St, on your left will be Holy Family Cathedral.
2 blocks and Turn Left on Boston Ave. Slow down and enjoy the most impressive skyscraper canyon you will find in this region of the country.
Street dead ends on 3rd, go left to Denver. There you will see the new BOK Arena. ]
You can head out of Downtown on Denver or stop somewhere near 5th street and walk down 5th to Boston again and enjoy the beautiful architecture. I say walk because the streets are 1 way and its a pain to give windy directions to try and show you that area lol. But its worth the walk and is great if someone can give you a tour of sorts and describe the buildings, their history, whats currently going, remodeling, etc. Yes our downtown completely died, but its currently got dozens of projects underway which will tranform it within the next 5 years.
Head south on Denver turn left on 11th,, it will "Y" onto 10th, at that Y you will be able to see several, beautiful cathedral type churches.
Stay on 10th it will turn back into 11th. Then go R on Peoria to 15th and go L onto 15th.
You are now entering the heart of pedestrian friendly "trendy" Cherry Street. Lots of places to eat, interesting shops, some neat contemporary loft type places going in just to the North of the strip.
Turn R on Utica and go to 21st.
21st and Utica is the heart of Mid-Town. Turn left onto 21st,,, on your right will be Utica Square, some of the finest shopping and dining in Tulsa. Stay on 21st go to Lewis and turn R. Then hook a hard R just before the main intersection into the neighborhood onto 30th st. Tricky but worth it lol. Immediately slow down and look to your left at one of the grand old mansions. Cruise down the street and enjoy other grand homes. Keep heading forward until you run back into Utica, head R on Utica back to 21st. Go L on 21st to Peoria.
21st and Peoria is Woodward Park. Just past that to your left is the Rose Garden, then you will see 2 large mansions, the first is the Tulsa Garden Center, the secont is the home of the Historical Society/Museum. Further down on Peoria you can turn L onto 27th Place, head straight down the street and you will run right into Villa Philbrook. Definitely a must see, and do not forget to wander out back and see the incredible gardens. Best to try and do early in the morning in August for it gets very hot and steamy on that side of the hill out back. Turn right at the mansion, then right at the next street back onto Peoria, L onto Peoria. Once you get to 33rd you will be entering another "trendy" up and coming area called Brookside.
Going S on Peoria to 41st you can either turn L and go back to Yale or R and go back to the River Parks. If you go S on Riverside you can head all the way to the Jenks bridge. Just across the river you will find the Riverwalk and the Oklahoma Aquarium. The Riverwalk is a nice place to go for dinner or a movie one evening especially when its bustling on a Friday or Saturday night. Has several places for outdoor dining and often has live music at several places.
This was just one little tour which left out all kinds of spots but you get the general feel for parts of Mid-Town and some of Downtown. The club/restaurant areas of downtown are just starting to get going and rather small so its wise to have someone show you the exact spots or just try a couple of the restaurants there like El-Guapos with its rooftop dining over looking downtown, Joe Mommas, McNellies, in the Blue Dome, or Lolas, Cazs in the Brady Arts District.
Thank you so much for taking the time to send this my way! My fiance and I visited last week and thoroughly enjoyed this drive. We have already vowed to do it again when our families visit. It was awesome to see all of the different areas of Tulsa, and it gave us a much better feel for our surroundings. The mansions on 30th are beautiful! Unfortunately, we made the drive in the middle of an afternoon and with our Northern Indiana thermostats, we didn't attempt to bare the heat to check out the Rose Garden or the Villa Philbrook gardens, but we plan to head back there after we move. We did however eat on the rooftop at El Guapo, in addition to having fondue and taking in live music on the Riverwalk. Absolutely loved what we've experienced in Tulsa so far! Thank you again!
Glad you liked the tour. I do similar routes when taking people around town. When you have lived here for a while like I have you know the most impressive/pretty routes that get you from point A to B.
Had a friend who was having a wedding in town, he had emailed a map showing how to get from the church to the reception. A lot of people going were from out of town and didnt know much about Tulsa. When I looked at the route I almost fell over. He had people going past the prison, shelters and pawn shops and some other shady looking streets to get to the reception at Lolas lol. I had some people follow me and we took a more scenic route, "down Boston Ave". We perhaps made a couple more turns, but the impression of the city, and even Lolas and where it was, that my group had was much better than the other group. People, please use some sense when showing others around town or giving them directions lol. First impressions matter.
You're right, first impressions do matter. When we arrived in Tulsa we came in on I-44 on the NE side. Shortly after arriving we went to El Guapo, and our cab driver took a route that was not so attractive and we were a little worried about what we had gotten ourselves into...that is until we took your tour the next day :)
So when is the official move? One day I want to meet one of these "moving to Tulsa" peoples, so you'll have to stop by a lunch/happy hour.
We'll be there on August 6th. Moving into Vintage on Yale apartments. I'm sure I will continue to frequent this forum, so I'll keep my eye out for the next get together.
I'm a day late and a dollar short as usual - Welcome to Tulsa! I've lived here all my life, save for a few years in Dallas during the dot bomb days. When you roll into town, may sure you pick up an Urban Tulsa magazine (they are free in most of the restaurants) and check out the local music scene. There are a lot of very diverse and talented musicians around here and plenty of cozy, laid back bars to have a beer and listen to some Tulsa music if you're into that sort of thing. Keep an eye out for periodic events like Wine and Roses at the Tulsa Garden Center, Taste of Tulsa, or one of the pub/restaurant crawls that happen on Brookside and Cherry Street. If you're emotionally prepared for the Tulsa State Fair, it's not far off - It gets lame after you've been to it for a few years but for a first timer there's a lot of eye candy (interesting people watching and plenty to see). Oktoberfest will be here before we know it and that's always a great time. Circle Cinema, while still under renovation, is a great place to check out classic and indie films. Steve's Sundries bookstore at 26th and Harvard has many great books from local authors that document Tulsa's history as well as photo books of our beautiful art deco structures (many of which are sadly gone now.) And of course there's no better place to stay "in the know" than this forum.
Quote from: flybriz on July 31, 2009, 09:40:54 AM
I'm a day late and a dollar short as usual - Welcome to Tulsa! I've lived here all my life, save for a few years in Dallas during the dot bomb days. When you roll into town, may sure you pick up an Urban Tulsa magazine (they are free in most of the restaurants) and check out the local music scene. There are a lot of very diverse and talented musicians around here and plenty of cozy, laid back bars to have a beer and listen to some Tulsa music if you're into that sort of thing. Keep an eye out for periodic events like Wine and Roses at the Tulsa Garden Center, Taste of Tulsa, or one of the pub/restaurant crawls that happen on Brookside and Cherry Street. If you're emotionally prepared for the Tulsa State Fair, it's not far off - It gets lame after you've been to it for a few years but for a first timer there's a lot of eye candy (interesting people watching and plenty to see). Oktoberfest will be here before we know it and that's always a great time. Circle Cinema, while still under renovation, is a great place to check out classic and indie films. Steve's Sundries bookstore at 26th and Harvard has many great books from local authors that document Tulsa's history as well as photo books of our beautiful art deco structures (many of which are sadly gone now.) And of course there's no better place to stay "in the know" than this forum.
Well, your last statement is certainly true. Through information gained on this forum, I think I'm already a little ahead of the game; I had checked out Urban Tulsa online before we visited, and we picked up a copy while there. Was excited to see it was the 'Absolute Best of Tulsa' edition. Has been for us to peruse and pick out places we want to check out when we move. Definitely looking forward to the music scene. Have already found a couple of bands I currently listen to playing this fall at Cain's Ballroom. Heard some live music played by a couple of local guys I really enjoyed while having lunch at Ella's Deli after a campus visit. Will be looking to see them again. I am also already on Circle Cinema's email list. Pumped about having access to documentaries and Indie films in a theatre. As for upcoming events, I already have friends lined up to visit the weekend of Oktoberfest!
Your mention of Sundries is the first I've heard about bookstores and I'm glad you brought that up. While shopping at a bargain bookstore yesterday, my fiance and I were discussing the need to find a good bookstore when we move to Tulsa. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the welcome!
Steve's Sundry is a great little bookstore. They will order anything for you that you want. The same clerks have worked there for years. Some interesting local stuff.
The best, well at least the biggest used book store is on Garnett. The name escapes me, but the places is huge. Someone help me out here.
Quote from: cannon_fodder on July 31, 2009, 02:17:35 PM
Steve's Sundry is a great little bookstore. They will order anything for you that you want. The same clerks have worked there for years. Some interesting local stuff.
The best, well at least the biggest used book store is on Garnett. The name escapes me, but the places is huge. Someone help me out here.
Gardner's.
There's another good used bookstore 1/2 mile south of TU, Oaktree Books at 15th & Delaware, next to Jo'z.
(Shameless plug for two of my favorite merchants)
And don't forget to hit the classic soda fountain at the back of Steve's Sundry. Great grilled cheese...chicken salad and shakes...all at a very reasonable price.
Quote from: charky on August 02, 2009, 05:57:00 PM
And don't forget to hit the classic soda fountain at the back of Steve's Sundry. Great grilled cheese...chicken salad and shakes...all at a very reasonable price.
I quit going there after Katherine left. I didn't know Katherine was gone and went in and some woman was working the counter. I asked where Katherine was and she was incredibly rude to me - "I don't know and I don't care" is what she said and continued to badmouth Katherine. I then asked she make my sandwich to go. Haven't been back. I like everyone else there, and sure, it's a neat place to go and grab a quick lunch, but the attitude of that beotch behind the counter turned me off completely.
Quote from: TulsaMINI on August 02, 2009, 07:55:29 PM
I quit going there after Katherine left. I didn't know Katherine was gone and went in and some woman was working the counter. I asked where Katherine was and she was incredibly rude to me - "I don't know and I don't care" is what she said and continued to badmouth Katherine. I then asked she make my sandwich to go. Haven't been back. I like everyone else there, and sure, it's a neat place to go and grab a quick lunch, but the attitude of that beotch behind the counter turned me off completely.
We still go (my kids love it)...but you're right...it's not quite the same without Katherine. She was so great with my kids. I have no idea what happened. I asked and got a stone-faced "she retired".
I didn't know about Katherine being gone, she wasn't in the last few times I went. Steve's is still a great place - I'll try to find out what happened with her.
Don't rely on the Urban Tulsa's Best of (best advertising customers of the year). You'll have much better luck here on these forums.
Ellas Deli: Just tried it out last week. Great atmosphere, service, and attitude - I will definitely be sending some business their way.
Quote from: jne on August 03, 2009, 09:59:45 AM
Ellas Deli: Just tried it out last week. Great atmosphere, service, and attitude - I will definitely be sending some business their way.
Great place. The specials are often a little unconventional, but that's fine by me.
I wish they stayed open past 4, though.
Quote from: jne on August 03, 2009, 09:59:45 AM
I didn't know about Katherine being gone, she wasn't in the last few times I went. Steve's is still a great place - I'll try to find out what happened with her.
Don't rely on the Urban Tulsa's Best of (best advertising customers of the year). You'll have much better luck here on these forums.
Ellas Deli: Just tried it out last week. Great atmosphere, service, and attitude - I will definitely be sending some business their way.
I assumed I needed to take the "Best Of" awards with a grain of salt. My first hint was seeing Westport on the River voted the best apartment complex. This was the first place we looked at when we came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and were not impressed.
While there we also ate at Ella's Deli. Loved it! Our food was great and we really enjoyed the live music as well. Since I'll be a student at TU, I'm thinking I may be there often!
Quote from: cjmcinty on August 03, 2009, 11:06:59 PM
I assumed I needed to take the "Best Of" awards with a grain of salt. My first hint was seeing Westport on the River voted the best apartment complex. This was the first place we looked at when we came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and were not impressed.
While there we also ate at Ella's Deli. Loved it! Our food was great and we really enjoyed the live music as well. Since I'll be a student at TU, I'm thinking I may be there often!
While Westport has some amenities, it suffers from being in an area of town just a half mile from section 8 apartments at 23rd and Jackson. I worked just across the street from those Section 8 apartments for about 8 years. Two police standoffs occurred in which they locked us down. In my mind that's two too many.
Actually I think there are some nicer apartments on the east side of the river along Riverside Drive. Finding them would be a challenge I'm betting, though. Especially the older loft style and duplex looking buildings just south of where Riverside starts at Southwest Blvd.
I loved the Westport apartments. The staff was friendly, our location in the complex was great, and I never once had any sense of insecurity. The Section 8 housing nearby is a negative, but it never affected me.
Quote from: TURobY on August 03, 2009, 11:56:39 PM
I loved the Westport apartments. The staff was friendly, our location in the complex was great, and I never once had any sense of insecurity. The Section 8 housing nearby is a negative, but it never affected me.
I just think an idea like that might have served better on the other side of the river, although I'm betting they had hoped the amphitheater would make the area more desirable. I do like the open access to the river you have with it, but I haven't been in years. I initially after moving back to Tulsa and getting my first job when back down there had looked at those apartments, but most of my friends lived east or in BA, so I settled on some apartments at 16th & Memorial, which, at the time, was a nice smaller apartment complex.
Being able to stagger home from Oktoberfest makes the Section 8 and the refineries secondary. ;D
Quote from: TURobY on August 03, 2009, 11:56:39 PM
I loved the Westport apartments. The staff was friendly, our location in the complex was great, and I never once had any sense of insecurity. The Section 8 housing nearby is a negative, but it never affected me.
Agreed. I moved there a few months ago and have no complaints. It's not the most posh apartment, and yes parts of the neighborhood aren't too eye pleasing, but for the most part I'm very pleased with my home. I love living next to the River and of course....it is the perfect locale for Oktoberfest. I am sure I'll have plenty of people crashing at my apartment this year. :)
Quote from: cannon_fodder on August 04, 2009, 09:04:06 AM
Being able to stagger home from Oktoberfest makes the Section 8 and the refineries secondary. ;D
I worked for a company called Bender Direct Mail for eight years. They were located in the building just north of Rodgers Litho which was on the northeast corner of 23rd and Jackson. I know about that Oktoberfest moment; the owner always was able to get us in to corporate day. We'd take off at 2pm and stumble back to work about 2 hours later.
;D
Quote from: TURobY on August 03, 2009, 11:56:39 PM
I loved the Westport apartments. The staff was friendly, our location in the complex was great, and I never once had any sense of insecurity. The Section 8 housing nearby is a negative, but it never affected me.
I guess we were looking for something a little more updated and better kept. I wasn't impressed with the grounds, although the location on the river was nice. Didn't care for the interior either; the appliances were very outdated and things seemed very cheap (the cabinetry, the mirrored walls, medicine cabinet, etc). I suppose we just had different expectations than others.
Quote from: cjmcinty on August 05, 2009, 02:30:38 PM
I guess we were looking for something a little more updated and better kept. I wasn't impressed with the grounds, although the location on the river was nice. Didn't care for the interior either; the appliances were very outdated and things seemed very cheap (the cabinetry, the mirrored walls, medicine cabinet, etc). I suppose we just had different expectations than others.
When they were new they were one of the nicest complexes in town, but that was 1984 or 1985. I worked for a security company in 1983 and worked that site during their construction. There is a place off of 61st and Yale that I worked site security during construction that was nice was Southern Slope.
Quote from: dbacks fan on August 06, 2009, 03:50:32 PM
When they were new they were one of the nicest complexes in town, but that was 1984 or 1985. I worked for a security company in 1983 and worked that site during their construction. There is a place off of 61st and Yale that I worked site security during construction that was nice was Southern Slope.
We signed at Vintage on Yale. Will be moving in tomorrow.
Bah! Too far South for me.
Quote from: cannon_fodder on August 06, 2009, 05:24:03 PM
Bah! Too far South for me.
I expected to get that response from some (or maybe most) on this forum! Had limited time to find an apartment and it was by far the nicest we had seen. We signed on the spot. As we get to know the area we'll look into other options. For now, it fit what we were looking for.
Do I need a winter jacket if I visit that far north?
Quote from: Red Arrow on August 06, 2009, 06:33:00 PM
Do I need a winter jacket if I visit that far north?
Naaa, I hear that North Dallas doesnt get that cold. :P
Quote from: TheArtist on August 06, 2009, 08:34:00 PM
Naaa, I hear that North Dallas doesnt get that cold. :P
North Dallas. Is that the strip of land along the north side of 111th just west of Memorial that Walmart can't buy to get more entrances on 111th st? If it's north of that, I'll need a jacket.