Tulsa visit before move

[cjmcinty]

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!

[BierGarten]

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.

[TheArtist]

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.

 

[brianh]

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.

[TURobY]

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. 

[RecycleMichael]

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.

[sauerkraut]

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.. 

[Townsend]

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.. 

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.

[cannon_fodder]

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.

[sauerkraut]

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.

[Townsend]

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.

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.

[Hoss]

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!

[Cherish]

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  thanks, TheArtist, I will check out this route too when I move next month.

[cjmcinty]

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!

[guido911]

When it comes to Tulsa, listen to Artist. When it comes to politics, listen to me.   

Welcome to the both of you. I moved here to attend school and stayed.