Oklahoma Football Weekend Visit-Guidance (Tulsa, Norman: coupons, home, promotional)
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Just checking in-I know it will be a very short trip overall, we are coming to see UCF (and while not super optimistic, excited overall for the trip and to see the "Palace on the Prairie") play at Oklahoma this coming Satruday in Norman.
I've researched both Norman and OKC in pretty great detail already, so I have some insights on what we might do:
Friday in OKC, seeing the State Capitol, OKC National Memorial and a Bricktown Canal ride tour.
Saturday, in Norman, getting in early to see Downtown Norman and Campus Corner, as well as the pregame festivities/events around the stadium.
What I'm looking for specifically is:
1) As a visitor to the area, what are the sights or attractions both downtown and immediately around besides this core three, that are really, really unique to OKC in particular and worth checking out?
2) What else do I need to know about Oklahoma gameday weekend that maybe I'm not already aware of?
3) Local food recommendations, please!
4) Specific question about OKC National Memorial-I see that it's open until 5, I do understand, the outside areas are free? Is the Museum itself particularly worthwhile? I see it's the highest rated attraction in the city, so I'm guessing it's decent, but wanted to verify. Also, the outside areas like the chairs, reflecting pool, etc. do they close to the public at 5? Or, are they open afterward?
Thanks in advance! And Yes, I realize this is the Oklahoma forum and not the OKC one, sorry if I'm out of place, but the last post I saw in the OKC forum was from 9/14, and so I'm guessing, not super active, unlikely to get a response of any kind there.
When I go to OKC I look forward to good Mexican food at Ted's Cafe Escondido.
If you are in the market for boots or hats or Western wear in general you could go to the OKC stockyards and shop at Shorty's or Langston's.
OKC stuff. I'd say you are hitting the highlights although unless you are in to Capitol buildings, I wouldn't bother with it. It's nice and has some interesting murals and a decent rotunda. But not unlike a lot of other capitol buildings in the country. Probably the one "unique" thing about the capitol is the oil wells around it.
The Memorial and museum are can't miss. The boat ride on the canal is ok but the only thing worth seeing is the Land Run art exhibit down the canal. It is pretty interesting and reflects the state's heritage. Bricktown has plenty of restaurants and bars although there are a couple of other areas (Midtown/Film District/Plaza) that seem to be the new trendy places for locals.
Norman: With an 11 O'clock kick off, things will happen fast before the game. On campus, the most beautiful parts are the north and south ovals and between the Student Union and Admin/Library. The mum gardens on the south end of the south oval are a must see. (There is nothing to see on campus south of Lindsey). Tailgating is mostly on Lindsey and east of the stadium along Jenkins and Brooks. Heisman Park with all the statues is immediately east of the stadium and is a must see.
As far as the game is concerned. Get to the stadium by 10:30. OU's band entrance and the drum major "strut" during the state song "Oklahoma" is the highlight of the pageantry regarding the game.
Afterwords, you can hit campus corner while the traffic clears out. The two "traditional" places on the corner are O'Connells and a bit off of the corner is the Mont. Both have about a 50-60 year history in Norman although there are are quite a few other places there to eat and drink.
Downtown is about a half mile away from Campus Corner. There are places there as well, but for a good hour after the game traffic would make Campus Corner the better spot until traffic clears out.
In Norman, the Switzer Center is the museum for OU football. However I don't think it is open on game days. The Union is worth a look see. Fred Jones art museum is also on campus. The Sam Noble Museum of Natural History is really good and is located on south campus. The OU Greek row is a pretty area located immediately west of campus and is unique in that it has an old traditional section north of Lindsey and a new more modern section south of Lindsey. Finally, the Duck Pond east of the track and indoor football facility is a nice spot for a stroll.
OU and Norman remind me very much of UF, and UA in Gainesville and Tuscaloosa in the SEC. Not as green and obviously no palm trees, but the feel is very similar.
It should be a lively atmosphere as OU fans are still high off of the win in the Cotton Bowl. Hope you have a good trip.
When I go to OKC I look forward to good Mexican food at Ted's Cafe Escondido.
If you are in the market for boots or hats or Western wear in general you could go to the OKC stockyards and shop at Shorty's or Langston's.
Appreciate these recommendations, thank you! Have you tried steak at Cattlemen’s in the Stockyards? Is it worth the hype?
Last edited by theurbanfiles; 10-16-2023 at 05:23 PM..
OKC stuff. I'd say you are hitting the highlights although unless you are in to Capitol buildings, I wouldn't bother with it. It's nice and has some interesting murals and a decent rotunda. But not unlike a lot of other capitol buildings in the country. Probably the one "unique" thing about the capitol is the oil wells around it.
The Memorial and museum are can't miss. The boat ride on the canal is ok but the only thing worth seeing is the Land Run art exhibit down the canal. It is pretty interesting and reflects the state's heritage. Bricktown has plenty of restaurants and bars although there are a couple of other areas (Midtown/Film District/Plaza) that seem to be the new trendy places for locals.
Norman: With an 11 O'clock kick off, things will happen fast before the game. On campus, the most beautiful parts are the north and south ovals and between the Student Union and Admin/Library. The mum gardens on the south end of the south oval are a must see. (There is nothing to see on campus south of Lindsey). Tailgating is mostly on Lindsey and east of the stadium along Jenkins and Brooks. Heisman Park with all the statues is immediately east of the stadium and is a must see.
As far as the game is concerned. Get to the stadium by 10:30. OU's band entrance and the drum major "strut" during the state song "Oklahoma" is the highlight of the pageantry regarding the game.
Afterwords, you can hit campus corner while the traffic clears out. The two "traditional" places on the corner are O'Connells and a bit off of the corner is the Mont. Both have about a 50-60 year history in Norman although there are are quite a few other places there to eat and drink.
Downtown is about a half mile away from Campus Corner. There are places there as well, but for a good hour after the game traffic would make Campus Corner the better spot until traffic clears out.
In Norman, the Switzer Center is the museum for OU football. However I don't think it is open on game days. The Union is worth a look see. Fred Jones art museum is also on campus. The Sam Noble Museum of Natural History is really good and is located on south campus. The OU Greek row is a pretty area located immediately west of campus and is unique in that it has an old traditional section north of Lindsey and a new more modern section south of Lindsey. Finally, the Duck Pond east of the track and indoor football facility is a nice spot for a stroll.
OU and Norman remind me very much of UF, and UA in Gainesville and Tuscaloosa in the SEC. Not as green and obviously no palm trees, but the feel is very similar.
It should be a lively atmosphere as OU fans are still high off of the win in the Cotton Bowl. Hope you have a good trip.
Appreciate all of your thoughtful guidance and tips!
I am a state Capitol guy, in the sense I had to be in my family haha! But we do love history, etc too. I was able to name all capitals by the time I was 5, and had been to all of them in the US by 10. I do believe Oklahoma was actually my 50th, though it’s possible it was Arkansas. One of those two for sure. We may at least drive by the exterior which I don’t think would consume too much time, and then briefly drive along Route 66 through its Urban OKC stretch past the Milk Bottle Grocery, and the Tower Theatre before continuing on to OKC Memorial.
Do you know if the memorial/outdoor park section closes at 5 too, or just the museum? It probably won’t matter anyway, but just for planning purposes. It does sound like even though it’s paid, you’re saying the museum itself is really worth it too if possible, so I might factor more time for that.
We did already pay for the canal tour lol, but maybe it’s worth walking down before or after it to the Centennial Land Run Monument if that isn’t visible or described already on the boat tour haha. Not ruling out stopping in one of those other places or even grabbing something from the Asian District, but what’s the best Bang for your Buck/quality in the main part of Bricktown, that’s maybe at least a little unique regionally to OKC?
Appreciate the campus, town and pregame tips too! Covers where to go well. Looks like close in official parking mostly runs about 30. Do you think we could do cheaper, like 10-15 or so if we were willing to park a little further north, like up between Campus Corner and Downtown? Good to know some locals places for before and after too-as far as exploring the stadium, is it a wraparound concourse and pretty easy to explore beforehand if we get in even earlier? I heard some reviews saying it’s challenging to get to your seat if you don’t enter at recommended gate on ticket.
Thanks for the Greek Row, Duck Pond, Mum Gardens and Union/Switzer Center tips. It does look like the Switzer Center is indefinitely closed to fans right now, and that the Union is closed on Saturdays, but the library looks like a must see too if possible.
Overall, can’t wait and thank you again, that was helpful! Interesting you mention Gainesville and Tuscaloosa (but drier), that does give a good idea about it but maybe also a little surprise at how well it’s kept separate town identity despite really being like 20-25 mins from Downtown OKC now.
Also, once and for all (and this goes to anyone on this thread). OKC and Oklahoma in general, is it more of a southern state/city, Midwestern, or none of the above? Growing up in Ohio I always lumped it in with midwest/Great Plains. But of course, it’s census designated south and generally most people will consider Kansas midwest and Oklahoma southern despite the two sharing probably (?) many commonalities. I guess I’m curious what the big difference in vibe is, and if it’s really just everything moving north of Dallas is distinctly Plains, with that being a very different beast from southern, Midwestern, and western, but with some characteristics of all 3 thrown in there.
If you are a state capitol person, I would say to go inside and check out the rotunda and murals.
Route 66 in OKC isn't a very big deal for some reason... but Milk Bottle and Tower theater are iconic as is the Blue Dome. It is on the way to the Asian district if you were to want to try out any food places there. A lot of Vietnamese settled in OKC in 1975 as they were being housed outside of Ft. Smith when they came here.
Don't know about the outdoor portion of the Memorial being open. Might be worth a phone call.
Bricktown Canal tour goes right through the middle of the Centennial Land Run monument. So that won't be a problem.
Tough to say what the best bet is for eating in Bricktown. We don't really have any signature type of food here besides Chicken Fried Steak and BBQ. I'd just look at the options and pick what you like. Although it is a bit of a drive over there, Cattleman's is kind of cool.
As far as parking, the east side of campus is a better bargain than the west side. But it is a pretty good walk to the game. The neighborhood around Lincoln School is where I prefer. Sometimes if you get there early enough there is parking on the street and you don't have to pay at all. You might be able to park North of Campus corner/south of downtown and do the same thing if you are early enough. That is really the perfect spot but it fills up fast. There are a bunch of church parking lots down there. Don't know what they charge though.
Go through your assigned gate for sure!! If you got your tickets from UCF you will probably be in the SE corner of the stadium across from Heisman park.
Norman has slowly morphed from a college town that was "away" from OKC into a suburb that is now connected to OKC. But the area around campus still has a college town feel.
As far as Oklahoma being "southern or midwestern or great plains"... Boy that has always been a point of contention. LOL.
Norman/OKC literally sit on the east edge of the great plains. If you go 10 miles east of either one you are in a hilly forest of oak trees. Culturally we are a mix as well. The best way I can describe it is that most southerners who come here see OKC/Norman as "great plains/midwestern". Most great plains/midwestern people who visit see it as pretty "southern".
Southern "lite" is probably the best descriptor. I lived in Gainesville for a year. Central Oklahoma is not as "southern" as North Florida. Eastern Oklahoma is more southern. Southern Oklahoma is basically an extension of whateverNorth Texas is.
As far as the game is concerned, the Dillon Gabriel story is an interesting one. He left UCF because he got replaced after his injury and then the coaching change at UCF. I've never heard him say a bad word about UCF. There hasn't been much made of it, but it will be interesting to see if they talk about it this week.
The weather is supposed to be beautiful. I'll be there at the game too with a bunch of other Sooner fans and I know the Okies are excited to have some new blood and Floridians in the conference. :-)
It will be fun for you as Oklahoma puts on one of the best gameday atmospheres in college football, at least within the stadium. Many folks who are into the tailgating thing say that OU's tailgating culture is lacking. That will have to change when we move into the SEC as those folks don't mess around with their college football. We're a good fit overall culturally and because of our history and tradition.
As for the food and things to do, if you could somehow go to the art museum on campus while everyone is filtering out that would be ideal. It usually takes a good hour to hour and half to get out of the traffic and even then it can be longer as you hit I-35 to go back to the city or Sooner Road to go back to the eastside. If the art deco isn't open (not sure as I've never tried to go on gameday) then I would head over to the Mont and enjoy some relaxation. Best chips and queso in the metro I think and a great representation of our brand of TexMex---outdoor patio area will be open and available (although the inside will be packed).
If you want a little scenic hike/walk to wait as the traffic filters out of town you could hit 12th street and go north to Sutton Wilderness. About 2 miles or less from campus. I've walked it many times and it's a relaxing jaunt with a lot of trees and shade.
Lastly, on the geographic and culture thing of Oklahoma it's been spoken of endlessly, kind of like West Virginia (sometimes Virgina and North Carolina, et. al). Most Okies prefer not to be labled as such...so if you ask them they're probably gonna pull the "I'm an Oklahoman, I don't have to choose" card. But if pressed many if not most will say Southern. Some might say midwest but they generally mean it as a different "midwest" compared to the actual midwest if that makes sense. Some Okies who speak of Oklahoma or texas or even Arkansas as "midwestern" usually mean it almost more in the Cowboy sense, like ranching culture. The actual most accurate in my view is Southwest or Southern Plains. (I think many older Okies like me see Oklahoma as the Old Southwest...which is a brand of Southern but much more frontierish and Western. We like it that way. We were also charter members of the Southwest Conference which people often forget or just don't know.) As you alluded to, the Census has us in the West South Central which is right, but not something we're hung up on. The only people you hear clamoring for the midwest appellation usually are not from Oklahoma or they are from Tulsa Yankee Oil Baron Stock. It happens but it is not common and not representative of the vast majority of the state which is made up of small towns and good ol' downhome living. Having said that, now that we have Casey's gas stations everywhere (based in KS or MO?), they do advocate having a "Midwest Breakfast" in a lot of their promotional stuff so there is that. :-)
My personal opinion is that Oklahoma is actually much more Western than Midwest. Oklahoma really is an outlier like texas---we're definitely Southern culturally but we're not really proud of that as our Native culture and state history is very different. We are culturally (speech patterns, food, Southern Baptist mania, etc.) like texas without all the fake texas pride. We obviously had many reject Southerners move here after the war so that is still prominent in the hearts of some old timers but it's not a pride thing at all. I don't think. Most Okies I know who do the Southern Pride thing get looked down on a bit for obvious reasons. But I think it's mostly that Okies just prefer to be Oklahomans. And while we hate to admit it, there is a lot of cultural affinity with texas first and then the western side of Arkansas. These locales feel most like Oklahoma to me. Obviously the far northern and northwestern part can feel like Ks (still with the classic Oklahoma twang throughout) and the panhandle of tx and the northeastern part over in Green Country can feel very Ozark like Arkansas and Missouri. Also, people (like Hollywood) refuse to acknowledge that a huge chunk of our state which is the most populated is actually Crosstimbers topographically. Not just RedDirt and tumbleweeds on the Southern Plains.
Hope this helps and have a great trip! I think you'll enjoy the hospitality. Ignore some of the idiot fans. Every fanbase around here has them.
If you are a state capitol person, I would say to go inside and check out the rotunda and murals.
Route 66 in OKC isn't a very big deal for some reason... but Milk Bottle and Tower theater are iconic as is the Blue Dome. It is on the way to the Asian district if you were to want to try out any food places there. A lot of Vietnamese settled in OKC in 1975 as they were being housed outside of Ft. Smith when they came here.
Don't know about the outdoor portion of the Memorial being open. Might be worth a phone call.
Bricktown Canal tour goes right through the middle of the Centennial Land Run monument. So that won't be a problem.
Tough to say what the best bet is for eating in Bricktown. We don't really have any signature type of food here besides Chicken Fried Steak and BBQ. I'd just look at the options and pick what you like. Although it is a bit of a drive over there, Cattleman's is kind of cool.
I appreciate all of those recommendations! I was able to verify the Memorial outside is open 24/7. Good to know, there are some decent looking places over there, so we will just be spontaneous about that, and see what looks good then. I wouldn't rule out Cattleman's, my bigger concern than the drive would be if we have an hour or so wait upon arrival.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddie gein
As far as parking, the east side of campus is a better bargain than the west side. But it is a pretty good walk to the game. The neighborhood around Lincoln School is where I prefer. Sometimes if you get there early enough there is parking on the street and you don't have to pay at all. You might be able to park North of Campus corner/south of downtown and do the same thing if you are early enough. That is really the perfect spot but it fills up fast. There are a bunch of church parking lots down there. Don't know what they charge though.
Go through your assigned gate for sure!! If you got your tickets from UCF you will probably be in the SE corner of the stadium across from Heisman park.
Makes sense-I believe we are actually on the home (press box) side, since I did not get them through UCF, tried to just find the cheapest resale option I could see online. Usually when I get into a stadium, I do like to walk all around, and potentially go up to the opposite upper deck even to get a full viewline/camera perspective of the venue. That being said, it does sound as though that might be more difficult here, and isn't the end of the world, either. I think we will probably be entering somewhere along the western side.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eddie gein
Norman has slowly morphed from a college town that was "away" from OKC into a suburb that is now connected to OKC. But the area around campus still has a college town feel.
As far as Oklahoma being "southern or midwestern or great plains"... Boy that has always been a point of contention. LOL.
Norman/OKC literally sit on the east edge of the great plains. If you go 10 miles east of either one you are in a hilly forest of oak trees. Culturally we are a mix as well. The best way I can describe it is that most southerners who come here see OKC/Norman as "great plains/midwestern". Most great plains/midwestern people who visit see it as pretty "southern".
Southern "lite" is probably the best descriptor. I lived in Gainesville for a year. Central Oklahoma is not as "southern" as North Florida. Eastern Oklahoma is more southern. Southern Oklahoma is basically an extension of whatever North Texas is.
As far as the game is concerned, the Dillon Gabriel story is an interesting one. He left UCF because he got replaced after his injury and then the coaching change at UCF. I've never heard him say a bad word about UCF. There hasn't been much made of it, but it will be interesting to see if they talk about it this week.
That's interesting to know the geology changes so much in a relatively short range. Especially given that parts of Western Oklahoma look almost more Desert SW than they do Great Plains. I think people lump Oklahoma in on that with Kansas and Nebraska, when realistically Oklahoma is much more diverse landscape wise. Honestly I'd venture it's one of our most diverse states landscape wise.
That's interesting-so coming from Northeastern Ohio (which almost has some more Northeast than Midwest tendencies), it won't feel like that, but at the same time, I probably will notice some commonalities at least with say Lincoln or Kansas City, compared to somewhere like Alabama or Georgia.
It really is interesting-and the fact that more and more has come out about that. I think UCF fans were under the perception he left for bigger and better and felt jilted, but at the same time, the more and more I hear about it, I'm not sure Gabriel ever leaves UCF if he has a coach who has a more similar mind on offensive scheme (Lebby I believe was one of our finalists after Heupel left for TN). DG is more of a pocket passer (though one with pretty decent legs at that), and both he, and Mikey Keene, who has been lighting it up at Fresno State too, just don't fit Gus's mold/prototypical dual threat scramble QB as well as say JRP does (but the verdict on whether that's a good thing is very much out there, because as good an athlete as JRP is... the results on the field overall speak for themselves).
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