How To Spend 24 Hours in Oklahoma City
After a long work week, we randomly decided that we needed a break from Dallas and booked a trip to Oklahoma City. Oklahoma City was never on our must-visit list, but we added it after realizing how close it is to Dallas, TX. Since we left Friday afternoon and came back Sunday morning, we had a short period to explore. Before we hit the road, I created a list of places and food that I had to check out and then picked off that list during my trip. It made the journey less stressful and made sure I didn’t miss anything. In the 24 hours that we were there, we accomplished almost everything. So I’m going to share with you How To Spend 24 Hours in Oklahoma City.
Check out my another travel posts:
Houston Bucket list: Top Things To Do & Eat In Houston
Where To Stay
Finding the right hotel is the most important thing for me when traveling to a city with a short time to explore. You have to stay central to the activities you want to do. And by planning your activities before your trip helps decide this.
We decided to stayed at the AC Hotel by Marriott Oklahoma City Bricktown. The location made it easy to get around because it was within 10 minutes of everything that we wanted to do. We also noticed there were different shops, restaurants, and cafes within walking distance from the hotel.
Not only is the AC hotel in the perfect location, the rooms are the ideal place to relax after a long day of exploring. They are modern, clean, and has all the essentials. The only downside is that they do not offer room service. They do, however, have a bar with a beautiful outdoor seating area in the lobby.
Itinerary for 24 Hours in Oklahoma City
To make the most of your 24 hours I would suggest coming in the night before.
This will allow you to hit the ground running the following day.
8am – Walk to Bricktown Canals
Bricktown canals is a 10 minute walk from the AC hotel. Make sure to grab a coffee from Landing Coffee Company along your route.
The Bricktown canals remind me so much of San Antonio. Its a human-made waterway lines with different shops and restaurants. They also have water taxis to take you from one end to the other. It was the perfect area to go for a run or grab a coffee and walk around.
9am- Breakfast at Waffle Champion
They have everything waffles. Check out their website here.
10am – Skydance Passenger Bridge
The Skydance bridge is Oklahoma City’s landmark bridge and stretches over Interstate 40. The bridge is gorgeous, but pictures do it more justice than seeing it in person. I would suggest visiting it at night if you want to see it in all of its glory. But it’s not a must-see for me.
10:30 – Scissortail Park & Farmers Market
After we left the Skydance bridge, we decided to walk around the Scissortail park.
If you’re looking for a great outdoor space or somewhere to take children, I would suggest here. They have water spouts and a large play area for children.
They were hosting a free workout class the day that we were there as well.
We stumbled on the OSU-OKC Farmer’s Market while walking towards the back of the park. There were just enough vendors to have an array of different items, but not too many to make you feel overwhelmed. The farmers market is only there on Saturday’s from 9am – 1pm.
11:45am – Ferris Wheeler Park & OKC sign
Let’s be honest. I just came here for the pictures. The OKC sign with the Ferris wheel in the background makes for the perfect setting. If you actually want to ride the Ferris Wheel, it’s only $6 for a single ride.
12pm- Myraid Botanical Garden
The Myriad Botanical Garden is an indoor botanical garden with an amazing interactive urban park as well.
The only downside is that the heat was almost unbearable. The water mixed with the heat inside a giant bubble didn’t make for the best experience. I would suggest waiting until the cooler months to visit.
1pm – Plaza District
Am I the only one that loves small shops with a curated collection of merchandise? If that’s also your vibe, then I would suggest visiting the plaza district. There are different clothing stores, restaurants, tattoo shops, and murals created by amazing artists in the area.
We stopped into Out On The Limb Boutique, and I’m surprised that I didn’t buy the entire store. They have everything from plants to woman’s clothing.
Make sure to check out Sasquatch Shaved Ice if you’re there on a hot day.
Lunch in the Plaza District
While exploring the different shops, make sure to grab some lunch or a snack from some of the amazing restaurants in the area.
- Goro Ramen
- Empire Slice
- The Mule
- Pie Junkie
- Roxy’s Ice Cream Social
3pm- OKC Museum of ART
The OKC Museum of Art has one of the largest collections of Chihuly glass. Take a break from the outdoors and explore all the exhibits that they have to offer.
5pm – Return to the hotel
Use this time to rest and recoup before heading to the next activity.
7pm – Lake Hefner
Us deciding to end our day at Lake Hefner was the best idea we had. We went there for the lighthouse but stayed for the sunset. Just find a bench and enjoy the view. And if you’re anything like me then this is the perfect area for premium people and dog watching.
Here is a list of all the activities and restaurants for those that want to go at their own pace.
Activities
- Bricktown Canals
- Skydance Passenger Bridge
- Ferris Wheeler Park & OKC sign
- POPS Soda Ranch
- Lake Hefner
- Plaza District
- The Womb Gallery
- Scissortail Park
- Myriad Botanical Gardens
- OKC Museum of ART
Restaurants & Coffee Shops
- Cuppies and Joes
- Fassler Hall
- Nashbird
- Pinkitzel Candy & Cupcakes
- Hideaway Pizza
- Waffle Champion
- Goro Ramen
- Empire Slice
- The Mule
- Pie Junkie
- Roxy’s Ice Cream Social
How would you spend your 24 Hours in Oklahoma City?
