Hot Oklahoma!

By Saul Schwartz

            My wife Fern and I traveled to Oklahoma for work in prior years.  However, we had never toured Oklahoma in any depth.  In our first trip together to Oklahoma, we enjoyed the three days in Oklahoma City and Sulphur, but it was extremely hot and humid in July. 

Oklahoma City (One and one-half days/one night)

            Lodging – The Skirvin Hilton, located at 1 Park Avenue, is in the heart of downtown.  The charming hotel is named after its founder, Bill Skirvin.  The spacious guest rooms were recently renovated.  The bed was very comfortable.  The hotel features art deco style.  It was built in 1911.  The gym was under renovation, but we were allowed to use the gym at another Hilton downtown. 

            Attractions:  

            The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum may be the top tourist attraction in the city.  This Memorial offers a very moving and informative experience, using many videos and narrative displays over two floors.  The Museum is designed to take the visitor through the day of tragic bombing through the aftermath, including the investigation and trials.  Fern and I did not remember that the injuries and deaths extended beyond the Alfred P. Murrah federal building.  We spent about one hour inside the museum, situated on the site of the Murrah building, at 620 North Harvey Avenue. 

            Outside the museum, the field of empty chairs symbolizes each of the 168 victims of the bombing.  There is also a survivor tree and the survivor’s wall.  The wall is the only remaining part of the Murrah Building.  The American elm tree somehow survived the blast.  A reflecting pool sits by the field of empty chairs.  The gates of time are two bronze gates noting the timing of 9:01 and 9:03, symbolizing the minutes before and after the blast.   The gates stand at either end of the reflecting pool.  The moment of destruction was at 9:02 a.m. on April 19, 1995.  The memorial and museum are open daily.  Tickets are $18 for adults.  Although there are no guided tours, staff provided us with information. 

            Oklahoma City Museum of Art – Located at 415 Couch Street downtown, the museum costs $18 per adult.  The Oklahoma collection of Chihuly glass extends over the first floor of the museum.  The art museum houses one of the largest collections of beautiful Dale Chihuly glass, including his tallest creation and one of his rarest objects.  The signage is very informative, along with videos, which explain his various work series.  The other two floors mainly contain paintings, with a few sculptures.  The current temporary exhibit features Ansel Adams photography of various national parks. 

            Myriad Botanical Gardens – The gardens provide a pleasant green space in the heart of the city.  Street parking is easy on Reno Avenue across from the gardens.  The admission fee is $10 per adult to enjoy the indoor conservatory exhibits.  The outside space is free to wander.  This was a nice way to spend one hour. 

Dining and drinks:

            Red Piano Lounge – The cozy bar and restaurant had a nice vibe, along with entertaining live music by a piano player.  The restaurant shares a kitchen with the more formal Perle Mesta.  The arugula salad was full of tasty ingredients (including grapefruit, shaved fennel and dried cranberries).  Our pan seared salmon entrée was exceptionally flavorful, on a bed of sun-dried tomato sauce (with mushroom, leaks, and potatoes).  The wait staff were friendly.  The location is at 1 Park Avenue, inside the Skirvin Hilton. 

            Boom Town Creamery – Boom Town features 24 flavors.  Vegan chocolate was rich and tasty.  One scoop was plenty large.  Everything is made in-house, using local ingredients.  We had dessert at one of the downtown locations (1 Park Avenue inside the Skirvin Hilton).  There are three locations in Oklahoma. 

            Starbucks – The staff at the 100 Park Avenue location were exceptionally friendly.  We had oatmeal with fixings and drinks for an informal breakfast at this lively location. 

            Bee Healthy Café – With twelve restaurants throughout Oklahoma, it was easy to find a healthy lunch for vegans and vegetarians.  The informal restaurant has plenty of salad and bowl options.  We each had a quinoa bowl with vegetables, along with the sharable hummus and pita appetizer, and drinks.  Prices were very reasonable.  There was plenty of indoor seating at the City Place Tower location. 

Echo Canyon Spa Resort and Sulphur, Oklahoma (two days/two nights)

            It is about a 90-minute drive from Oklahoma City To Sulphur.  The highway took us south in the direction of Dallas. 

            Lodging at Echo Canyon – We began our stay with superior massages in the Aloha Spa on the property.  Our couple’s massage was followed by mimosas with fresh peaches in the bar adjoining the spa.  Snacks were also available in the kitchen, nearby.

            Our chalet room was furnished with antiques and a four-poster bed.  The patio had nice views over the Echo Canyon.  The in-room jacuzzi was very pleasant to use in the evening!  The owners and staff were super friendly and helpful to us.  Each room of the fifteen rooms has different furnishings.  The included breakfast was specifically tailored to our needs with homemade granola, fruit, and oatmeal.

            Chickasaw National Recreation Area – We drove to the Travertine nature center, which is Just a few miles from Echo Canyon.  This recreation area has many trails.  We went on a shady walk to two small springs/waterfalls (Buffalo and Antelope).  The trails were well maintained and flat.  There is no fee to enter the park. 

            Chickasaw Reservation Cultural Center – The center provided us with information about the Native American boarding school issues through an exhibit called Away from Home and a documentary movie called, And Our Mothers Cried.  The café offered tasty cookies and drink options.  The extensive outdoor grounds included sculptures and a representative tribal village.  The large and extensive tribal center, located at 867 Cooper Memorial Drive, was very impressive.  It told the story of the Chickasaw tribe, as well as more general issues concerning Native Americans. 

Dining and Drinks:

            Roma’s Italian Restaurant had ample portions of basic Italian food options.  The prices were reasonable, and the staff were very friendly.  Located at 1023 W. Broadway in Sulphur, there is plenty of on-street parking.  The restaurant was recommended by Echo Canyon staff for our dinner. 

            Except for the muggy days and warm nights, we enjoyed our Oklahoma excursions.  Fern and I did note that the Oklahoma City airport had very limited food options, so we stopped at a Subway restaurant in midtown before boarding our flight to get a meal to eat on the plane.