The Blue Whale of Catoosa has been on my Route 66 bucket list for quite a while, and I'm glad we…read morefinally made the stop. At first glance, you might wonder why people travel miles to see a giant blue whale. Then you get there, walk through it, read the story behind it, and it all starts to make sense. What began as a whimsical anniversary gift from Hugh Davis to his wife Zelta has become one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Mother Road. The recent restoration is impressive. The visitor center does an excellent job sharing the history, the grounds are clean and well maintained, and the whale looks fantastic. Walking through the whale's mouth and out the tail brought out the kid in me, while the historical displays gave me a new appreciation for the people who created it. This isn't a place where you'll spend half a day--20 to 30 minutes is about right--but it's absolutely worth the stop. It's fun, nostalgic, family-friendly, and one of those Route 66 attractions you'll be talking about long after you leave. One piece of advice for fellow Oklahoma Route 66 Passport travelers: don't get so caught up exploring that you forget to get your passport stamped...like I did! ‍ No worries--the Blue Whale gave me the perfect excuse to plan another trip down Route 66.

The Blue Whale is a historic landmark along Route 66 in Catoosa, OK. It was a stop we wanted to…read moremake rain or shine during our Route 66 Centennial Celebration road trip in the Midwest. My eldest daughter and I did just that. Yes, it was raining cats and dogs. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to walk outside to be closer to the Blue Whale. We did our best to capture some photos from a far of its 20 feel tall and 80 feet long frame. There is a visitor center that holds the history of its loving story. We didn't get to walk inside the center either. It was slightly disappointing to come from a far and we didn't get to experience it the way we would have liked. Yes, we could have gotten out of the car and walked on over to the whale and center. However, we didn't bring an umbrella or any covering to keep us dry from the pouring rain. Lesson learned... bring an umbrella rain or shine! LOL No regrets... just fond memories of our wonderful experiences as it is meant to be. We just weren't meant to see the Blue Whale up close and personal. All good! I didn't know until after our trip that the Blue Whale of Catoosa was built in 1972 by zoologist Hugh Davis as an anniversary gift for his wife Zelta. It evolved from a private family swimming hole into a beloved free public attraction. If you ever get a chance to visit here, please give the Blue Whale a hug for me. Thank you!

You get quite a history lesson with your tour! Highly recommend it the owner is really nice and…read moregreat at telling stories.

The famous Tulsa Cave House was built by Joseph Koberling Sr. and James Purzer during the 1920's…read more Originally this cave like building was designed as a restaurant with outdoor dining. This restaurant served as a front to a speakeasy at night (with possible activity involving mobsters, shady business, etc). A long time ago there were tunnels (that are long gone, as they had collapsed, according to our tour guide and owner of the home) that served as an entrance and exit point. The Fire Department actually came to check and see around the home and had found some of those collapsed tunnels and that it would lead to the back of the home and over the hill. Since then, this home was owned by a few other owners and then was left abandoned for many years until Linda Collier purchased this home in 1997 and eventually repaired and restored the home. She opened this home to the public in 2007 for tours (only $10 per person). According to Linda, the home was in such a disrepair that the realtor she was with refused to enter. But as soon as Linda stepped in, she knew she just had to purchase it. She was going to move in but said that a ghost/ apparition convinced her not to move in. So she used it as a place for her woodwork and a place to write (she still does not live in the home). During that time, locals would ring the doorbell and ask if they could take a peek inside, as they had always known about the cave house but had always wondered what laid inside. Eventually Linda decided to provide tours for locals and tourists. My husband and I came for a visit on a Thursday afternoon (we had contacted Linda earlier that day and said she would be able to give a tour at 2 pm. She was so sweet to let us come in earlier, as we had arrived a bit earlier). We sat in the living room and heard a few stories of the home and looked at the old photos that she had to share of previous owners of the home and of what this home looked like before. She also told us that her home was featured on HGTV's "Home Strange Home" show and also is in the book "Weird Oklahoma." Then she showed us around her home and explained what she had done to the walls or what she had added, etc. Upstairs, there is a fun slide that my husband went down twice (lol, he's such a kid at heart). Linda had said that she added that slide for her daughter (such a cool mom she is. I wish I had a slide in my bedroom when I was kid). It was very interesting to learn about the history that Tulsa had. Also earlier in the week, some locals at a dog event we had gone to with our little girl dog, had told us about the Tulsa Cave House (although I already had this place bookmarked before visiting Oklahoma) and that they had gone on a tour and that it was worth a visit. Our tour was about 50 minutes and thought it was at a good pace and a fun activity to do. If you are looking for something out of box and happen to be visiting Tulsa, you should consider checking out the Tulsa Cave House. It is recommended to make an appointment beforehand. Although you may get lucky to do a walk in, if Linda is home.

The Meadow Gold District in Tulsa, OK, has the honor of being the official place where Land of the…read moreGiants reside on historic Route 66 Mother Road. This district spans from Peoria to Utica on 11th Street between Midtown and Downtown that offers trendy retail shopping and great dining options. Streets were clean and well attended. What a gem... you get the best of both worlds! Be ready to get your shops, your sips, and your bites. So happy my eldest daughter and I got a chance to have an adventure in discovering all five Giants during our Route 66 Centennial Celebration road trip in the Midwest. Who are the 5 Giants you ask? Let me share... 1. Buck Atom Space Cowboy: A 21-foot-tall space cowboy statue that started the trend outside Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66. Handsome Buck! 2. Stella Atom Space Cowgirl: Of course, she is Buck's 19-foot-tall space-cowgirl companion. Gorgeous Stella! 3. Meadow Gold Mack: A 20-foot-tall original 1960s friendly lumberjack statue located at the Meadow Gold Mack's Route 66 Outpost. Sharp looking mack! 4. Cowboy Bob: A giant guitar-playing cowboy. Cool cowboy! 5. Rosie the Riveter: A giant statue inspired by Tulsa native Naomi Parker Fraley, tied to the iconic WWII poster. Nice looking lady! Iconic Meadow Gold sign was a cool photo op! We didn't stay here long enough to see it light up in the evening. I'm sure it is a pretty sight. Love the outdoor murals and wall art at the heart of the community. A must visit for photo ops and all!

Most days there are four reasons to visit the Meadow Gold District, but from Thursday through…read moreSaturdays there's a fifth. Reason 1: Buck Atom's Cosmic Curios on 66. This place was my introduction to the Meadow Gold District. It's a small gift store set inside a former old time Route 66 gas station and it's loaded with great Route 66 and Tulsa souvenirs. Highly recommended. Reason 2: Decopolis. If you love the Art Deco era, this store is a must visit. In addition to a fantastic ever changing inventory of great contemporary merchandise for sale, there is a wonderful permanent display of collectible household items from the Art Deco years. I particularly love the collection of colorful celluloid radios. Reason 3: Meadow Gold Mack. This place is another must visit for me whenever I'm in Tulsa. There are a whole bunch of local artists that display their work in little booths here. Really wonderful works celebrating both Oklahoma in general and Tulsa specifically. My favorite booth here is 3 Bulls Upcycling. You've got to see their robots and rayguns! Reason 4: Buck's Vintage on 66. If you love high quality vintage Western Wear, I recommend a visit. Way more than just a great clothing selection, they also have an attractive assortment of vintage Western collectibles. This last reason only applies from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, because those are the business hours of Reason 5: Baloney Maroney. This little food trailer is located in the parking lot of Buck Atom's and by itself is reason enough to visit the Meadow Gold District. I mean, even if you have no interest in any of the other places mentioned above, you need to check this place out. The Smoked Baloney sandwich I had here was the best sandwich I had in the first quarter of 2026 and is officially in the running for my personal Sandwich of The Year. Now, just because you were cool enough to read this far, I'm going to offer up one more reason to visit the Meadow Gold District! Bonus Reason: All of the above places are within two or three blocks of each other. You can park for free right next to the big Meadow Gold Diary sign and easily walk to all of these great little places. Mikey C says: damn, forgot to mention the giant advertising icons.

While my eldest daughter and I were in the City of Tulsa, OK, we had to swing by the icon statue of…read moreThe Golden Driller. It depicts an oil worker wearing a hard hat and holding a drilling derrick. It stands 76 feet tall and weighs 43,500 pounds. It captures the bold spirit and history of the region's oil boom in turn is a striking tribute to the petroleum industry. This statue is located right outside the Tulsa Expo Square. It is very easy to find. It's so tall and yellow. You can't miss it. It was rainy during our visit, but I was still able to capture some photos of the statue. I zoomed in to see the impressive scale and detailed craftsmanship of this super cool and giant landmark. Despite of the wet weather, it was still a fantastic stop for quick photos during our Route 66 Centennial Celebration road trip in the Midwest. Definitely a memorable roadside attraction for all visitors to enjoy. Thanks Golden Driller!

I stopped by the Golden Driller statue in Midtown Tulsa, OK, in honor of my dad worked in the…read moreoilfield for over 50 years. On July 25, 2025, the statue had no extras adorned on his person as I have seen in past photos, but he was still magnificently gold with "TULSA" on his belt. He was much taller than I expected - 76' tall! He weighs in at 43,500 pounds. Wow! It sits in front of the Tulsa Expo Center at Golden Driller Plaza. There was free parking. If you're traveling along the historic Route 66, stop by and show him and the men and women who have been in the petroleum industry some love. Works Cited https://www.travelok.com/listings/view.profile/id.16498

The Harmony Bridge carries Memorial Drive (US-64) over the Arkansas River, joining Tulsa with…read moreBixby. There are actually two bridges here - the highway bridge that has two lanes of traffic in each direction and the parallel Harmony bridge that is a pedestrian and bicycle route also known as the Riverwalk Trail. I'm not sure if it's Tulsa, Bixby or the State that did the work here, but the bridge is almost a park all by itself, with shaded dining areas, plastic lounge seats looking out of the river and even a love lock structure where you can add your padlock with your significant other's initials to leave your mark. The remodeling was completed this past summer and it looks terrific. There is a small parking lot at the south end or the much larger parking lot in the Washington Irving Park. [Review 16260 overall - 96 in Oklahoma - 1766 of 2021.]

Every year they do a D-Day commemorative event. Much appreciated. Complimentary admission for…read moreVeterans.

this place is really historical and is on the verge of being here for a century. what i like about…read morethis place the most is two things: 1. the releases they get compared to the commercial theaters & 2. they're very local driven. i've been on both sides as the consumer & the client and had good experiences every time. they're also known for their popcorn, which is something i make sure i get no matter if i'm seeing a film, attending an event (they host a lot of events) or djing. they have an area to the side of the concession that lets you place butter for your popcorn along with over 10 seasonings to choose from (with a majority of them not being your average seasoning). i would mention the type of seasonings to choose from, thing is, they rotate them often! bringing it back to being local, you can catch local treats their as well like the rice krispy treats from antoinette baking co. the selections of films they get + showcase are impressive. local + films that make rounds at festivals that catch big buzzes that aren't as available nationwide come around a lot here. the employees are always nice & make sure i'm doing ok when i'm djing. the higher-ups are super nice as well & are usually in & out of the establishment. in the heart of kendall-whittier, a district that's been growing lately with surrounding (local) businesses.

The Military Museum is a place.. This is an experience and a half. Me and a group with the Tulsa…read moreSpirit Tours received some extraordinary range of stories and history here. Mind you, the Tulsa Spirit Tours' is a separate ordeal. Factor them in on FB for the "Thorns and Roses" tour. Absolutely worth it!! Book a tour with them anyway. I do follow them. A lot of amazing things from their end. Along with this very museum, there is a lot. It'll take maybe half a day or more than a field trip. There are many relics, articles, and artifacts to look at. I'm a US ARMY veteran, so this is a legitimate source of history for those who are invested in the past days of our US ARMED FORCES. The guides are full of knowledge and are willing to provide answers to your inquiries. I must warn you, you gotta add to the swear jar. So watch your P's and Q's. Have a great time. Ask if pics and videos are allowed upon your visit.

The Broken Arrow Museum is a wonderful museum that was built to honor the brave men & woman who…read moreproudly served their country & it's a place of preservation to our American history. All branches of the military are represented - Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Special Forces, etc. And there's special areas of dedication to Oklahomans who served!!! I can only imagine how proud their family and friends must be! The museum is located on the Main Street in Broken Arrow and adorned with flags in front. The inside is very well kept and has several rooms and hallways filled with wartime memorabilia. It's a must-see for residents and travelers of all ages. There's so much history in one place, not to mention, the staff enjoys interacting with visitors and sharing great stories. Visit this nostalgic sight and take a walk back in time! You'll want to return with others and share your experience!