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    Golden Driller

    4.2 (29 reviews)

    Golden Driller Photos

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    Wendy L.

    My coworkers and I took an Uber to check this place out. Apparently, it s a must see for those visiting Tulsa for the first time. Golden Driller is a massive statue located at Tulsa Expo Square on the Historic Route 66. Nice to be able to say I got to see this!

    Jeremy J.

    We visited the Tulsa Driller as a family outing--us, the kids, and even our dog--and it was an awesome stop! This towering golden statue is a true Oklahoma icon, standing tall outside the fairgrounds with "TULSA" proudly stamped on his belt buckle. The area around him is clean and open, perfect for snapping a few fun photos. Our dog loved the walk and the open space nearby, and we saw several other families doing the same. It's a quick visit, but absolutely worth it if you're in Tulsa. Big, bold, and full of local character--the Driller doesn't disappoint!

    bruh stay bulking
    Avery V.

    i bookmarked the golden driller statue here on yelp as a destination i'd like to go, and have been debating about when to visit, and take pictures to post a review, since the statue is a tulsa landmark that is nearby and consistently available to the public, though features occasional limited-time promotional attire and attracts additional appeal during events at the connected expo center and fairgrounds. that said, while walking on the opposite side of the street on e 21st, toward which the driller statue faces, i'd noticed a neighborhood sign attached to a street intersection sign on a corner of the residential neighborhood across the street from the statue. the sign promoted "driller landing" neighborhood, which though different from the name "mayo meadow" by which i'd known that neighborhood area before, i'm glad for the change that promotes the area directly around the golden driller through reference to the nearby landmark. further, although i've been a tulsan almost all of life, i'd not gone close enough to the statue, which i've seen around a million times, to read the plaque accompanying the statue, which details the origins of the statue relating to the petroleum expo hosted in tulsa at the expo center for many years . and while i'm only novicely educated about the history of the petroleum expo in tulsa, and how that event connects to the origins of tulsa as "oil capital of the world" at a time in the 20th century, i'm especially intrigued by the feature of "golden girls" dancing at the event, who wore gold clothes and performed at the petroleum expo, although i'm not yet well read about an explicit connection, if any, of the "golden girls" to the golden driller statue.

    Golden driller
    Kelly P.

    One of them must view, somewhat ridiculous stops off Route 66 is Tulsa's gold driller.... While I was there, I looked up more information about him and found out the following; "The Golden Driller is still the tallest free-standing statue in the U.S. He's so high that he rests his gloved right hand on a real Oklahoma oil derrick. Built of steel and concrete, he weighs nearly 22 tons and is expected to survive 200 mph tornadoes. His exact specifications stated that he comes in - Weighing a whopping 43,500 pounds and stands 76 feet tall"

    Boon C.

    This is Historic Route 66 attraction. This golden statue is very attractive very far away. It is one of the tallest statues in United States. May tallest in Oklahoma. It is the symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. The current status build in 1966 and move to current Tulsa Exposition Center. The golden driller represents man and women of the petroleum industry. It was model and build first 1952. Then it was set on the depleted oil field and move to current position. I wonder the shoe size, belt size for waist and big safety hat. The golden driller is huge. Great for pictures. Definitely a symbol for Tulsa. You will know the picture with it and immediately know to be Tulsa.

    Scott H.

    This one of those places you have to just stop by visit.Take your pictures with. To be honest, it's not that exciting, but it is one of the places that is a must see why you're visiting Tulsa.

    Kelly W.

    The Golden Driller is a place to stop for a picture or two when you're in Tulsa; it's not worth a special trip, but you might find it interesting if you happen to be close by. Tip: Tulsa is the HQ for a number of oil companies; it was once known as the Oil Capital of the World The statue is the 2nd tallest free-standing sculpture in the United States (the Statue of Liberty being the tallest). It's large enough that you can take a picture from your car without even neeeding to walk up close. If you want a selfie, then closer is better :-)

    Windy today but nice here
    Irma Patricia B.

    Was great visiting a beautiful Tulsa landmark. It was even taller than I expected but nonetheless it was nice. Tulsa has been amazing and I wanted to visit this place for a while now. The surrounding tourist area is clean and well maintained. This is located at Tulsa Fairgrounds. It was very nice to be here finally!

    Golden Driller, Tulsa
    Bruce K.

    How could I NOT go visit a 76 foot tall man in Tulsa? Yes, the Golden Driller statue is in front of the Tulsa Expo Center since 1966 and weighs an insane 43,500 pounds. Originally built in 1952 for the International Petroleum Exposition, the statue was donated to the Tulsa County Fairgrounds. The Driller is resting his arm on an actual oil derrick which served a (new depleted) oil field in Seminole, Oklahoma. At his feet, the caption reads, "The Golden Driller, a symbol of the International Petroleum Exposition. Dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind." He is allegedly the fifth tallest statue in the United States. [Review 16255 overall - 91 in Oklahoma - 1761 of 2021.]

    There he is
    Michael E.

    No visit to Tulsa is complete unl you visit the Golden Driller. It's an iconic statue and the area immediately around the statue was given a facelift a couple years ago. It's Michael nicer now. And since my review was first published it seems the guy has a new shirt. Fancy.

    Golden Driller
    Bee W.

    Another sight along Route 66 is the Golden Driller. It is 76 feet tall and 43,500 lbs and was erected in 1966 as a tribute to the region's petroleum industry. They are building a new plaza around this statue, which will be completed Fall 2021. There is a fairground behind it. We didn't cross the road to the statue as it was kinda busy. But we did take photos from across the street. There is no parking so we parked a little ways down in the residential area across from the statue. It was cool to see.

    Karen P.

    Gotta go see this awesome (HUGE!) statue when in Tulsa. He doesn't disappoint. He's Golden. He's an oil driller. He's the Golden Driller!! A wonderful memento of Tulsa's long history with the oil industry. Kids will love to climb on his boots. Perfect spot for some fun pics.

    Paul L.

    I've passed by the Golden Driller, Oklahoma's official state monument, on previous visits to Tulsa but this was the first time I stopped to take some photos. I should have called for an ambulance but I guessed that Tulsa didn't have one big enough for Mr. Driller. He seems to have some serious health issues. His neck appears swollen and would suggest a thyroid condition. The sternum and rib cage are unusually pronounced which may indicate pectus carinatum commonly known as pigeon chest. His droopy eyelids may actually be ptosis. The cause of that could be a spinal cord injury, stroke, or lung cancer. The severely constrictive underwear that he has chosen -- what's up with that? -- can't be doing him any good, either. Finally, the obvious yellow pallor means jaundice which would explain his unhealthy weight loss. Mr. Driller is a medical catastrophe and he seems too proud to see a doctor so the only solution is an intervention. It's time for his family and friends to step in.

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    9 years ago

    It's what you expect: a giant statue of a man outside of the fairgrounds. Worth a drive by.

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    12 years ago

    Fun little stop. I couldn't visit Tulsa and not check it out!

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    Review Highlights - Golden Driller

    I am dedicated to the men of the petroleum industry who by their vision and daring have created from God's abundance a better life for mankind.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    Gathering Place - Playground

    Gathering Place

    4.6(348 reviews)
    3.2 miMaple Ridge

    The Gathering Place is truly one of the most peaceful and beautiful spots in Tulsa. It's definitely…read moremy favorite spot. I love to bird watch here! I bring my binoculars and always spot a great variety of birds. The trees are absolutely stunning... there are over 100 species of trees. Honestly... it's a little escape from a hectic world. It's the perfect place to bring a book, find your spot, and just relax for a while. Whether you're looking to unwind, enjoy nature, or have a quiet moment to yourself...this park is a hidden gem that never disappoints. Perfect for getting in your steps too! I like to go early morning before it gets too hot or busy. Starting in May they have free canoe rentals!! They also have very good food. Love their fresh fruit cups which they prepare every morning daily, their sandwiches are fresh and very good! I've also had their ice cream and it's delicious. When you first walk into the main building, you can check out chess pieces and other games. Some of the tables have the chessboard design printed on them. Perfect for getting your chess game on. Every Wednesday and Sunday, you can bring your dog. Over at the boathouse on the bottom floor they have a little museum called "Drawers of curiosity." Hard to believe The Gathering Place doesn't charge an entrance fee!! It's just simply amazing!

    whether it was me seeing the roots perform while sitting on a hill, getting my steps in or catching…read morethe scenes for photography, the gathering place came a long way from it being a concept to it being brought to life. i had a previous job that was in the news field so i remember first reading about this place. i've tried the food.. i've walked across all of the paths.. i've seen art galleries.. you'll have to come see for yourself. it can get congested as for parking. coming along riverside can be backed up here & there. that also comes with the events that the gathering place hosts often. they're very local driven just as much as national talent that's been by for live music. it's wild for me to remind myself that it's (already) been 8 years since the park's been in place along with me first hearing about it. the grand opening also took place a day (9/8/18) before my birthday (9/9). i'm set to make a visit later this week & i'm already looking forward to treating myself. i miss the smoothie spot that used to be there.

    Photos
    Gathering Place - Getting some work done on the tractor

    Getting some work done on the tractor

    Gathering Place - Wednesday is doggie day

    Wednesday is doggie day

    Gathering Place - Playground

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    Playground

    Veterans Park - Nice park

    Veterans Park

    4.1(13 reviews)
    2.8 mi

    A very nice park adjacent to businesses and restaurants. I noticed many of the benches were covered…read morewith ants/bugs it could just be the timing of the year. A great walking park!

    *** Review is during Covid-19 ***…read more Going through pictures in my phone and realized I never posted this from when I went in the late summer! This is a nice place for a calm little stroll. There's no playground area or super large/ significant grassy areas to spread out for typical park activities, so it really is mostly for walking around. The main focus, then, is the fountain and pond. Then it's kind of little paths going around it. I really like how there are different levels, so you can be down closer to the pond or higher up. I also think it makes it that much more visually appealing. The paths and levels are made out of large brown stones which I think looks good. There's also some plants around - I think they are called cats tails? Don't quote me on that haha. There are a good amount of benches for sitting spread through the perimeter of the pond. There's also a deck sort of area nearer to the fountain. It looks nice, but could DEFINITELY use a clean up. There was quite a bit of trash, particularly near/ caught in the deck part. It wasn't a completely disgusting amount, but definitely noticeable. To be fair, while I was walking around a didn't see a SINGLE trash can. How can it stay clean when trash cans aren't provided?! This is the main reason for not being 5 stars. If it were cleaned up and then added some trash cans to prevent it getting so trashy again in the future, it'd be great! I saved my favorite thing for last: the view!!! The entire Tulsa skyline isn't visible, but you can see part of it, plus a highway bridge, which is a really cool backdrop in my opinion. Overall it's also cool that there's this semi-tucked away park (though not really the super grassy open kind as mentioned) in a more downtown/ urban area. In fact, it's just a walk across the street to some coffee shops, restaurants, etc.

    Photos
    Veterans Park - Capsule

    Capsule

    Veterans Park - Time Capsule

    Time Capsule

    Veterans Park

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    Woodward Park

    Woodward Park

    4.6(36 reviews)
    2.3 miMidtown

    Woodward Park is a 45 acres national historic site established in Tulsa during the first half of…read morethe twentieth century. It is the finest park of Tulsa. Woodward Park is best known for the Upper and Lower Rock Gardens and the Tulsa Rose Garden, with the latter being recognized nationally as remarkable. Other structures in Woodward Park include a cobblestone driveway, a brick carriage house, a sunken garden, a glass conservatory, the Teaching Garden, and the Tulsa Garden Center, which provides horticultural and environmental activities. Woodward Park is so beautiful. Whether walking underneath the canopies of diverse tree species of the Arboretum or wandering through the colorful animate gardens, each area is uniquely breathtaking. A must visit public garden of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

    i'd stopped at the park for a quick picnic dinner on the way home from dining on light fare at a…read morenearby restaurant on brookside. coming from the south on peoria ave, i was pleased to see that the westside of the park along which i'd been walking was that which has the entrance, off peoria and woodward park dr before you get to peoria and 21st heading south, to the hill where our high school cross country team would run hill repeats. and though after dark is not an ideal time for picnicking or running hill repeats, especially the latter considering the lack of lighting on that specific hill, a few large rocks at the base of the hill absolutely sufficed for the picnicking on the light fare of dot honey mustard pretzels i was doing the other night. nonetheless, i've docked a star due to the large construction site at the park, although i'm willing to transfer the energy into providing a reason for a 4 star review to give as close to starpower as i can muster, so long as the park commissioner or leader of coordinating construction company can breakdown what renovations are in progress on an already beautiful, standout public city park ? and by the by, you can enter the park from 21st st at rockford ave, but just would need to drive a little further around the perimeter to reach an interior parking lot as opposed to driving up the hill off peoria and woodward park dr.

    Photos
    Woodward Park - Love how green and vibrant these came out!

    Love how green and vibrant these came out!

    Woodward Park - Shots by Storm photography is my page on Facebook!

    Shots by Storm photography is my page on Facebook!

    Woodward Park - Beautiful spot to take photos HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 5 Stars,

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    Beautiful spot to take photos HIGHLY RECOMMEND! 5 Stars,

    Darlington Park - picnic n hoop?

    Darlington Park

    4.8(4 reviews)
    1.2 miMidtown

    the local park has amazing features for people of all ages. there are multiple stone picnic tables…read moreat the park, a feature i was especially grateful for yesterday when i'd only brought a bath towel to use for picnic seating. though i'd have been content with the picnic table towel for seating, the table was a welcome accommodation, both for allowing me to stay off the grass, and keeping me from dirtying the towel. for the picnic, i'd brought a couple slices of watermelon my mom bought at the store, to celebrate the spring transitional weather. then, after eating the watermelon slices, i'd used chalk in watermelon colors to promote the yelp review, and express an openness in meeting up with parkgoers or review readers to hang out at the park, a place where i've met multiple kind people, both people i'd met previously and people i met for the first time at the park. and lastly, after writing in chalk on the picnic table, i'd also wrote a sort of fragmented poem in chalk on the basketball court, of which the sight brung to mind the association i've got between the halfcourt basketball area and the double rimmed goal on it. that is one among multiple appeals to me from the park.

    This is my favorite park to take my nieces and nephew. Besides the close proximity to my…read moreneighborhood (it's off 29th st. onto Darlington), they have two tennis courts (no lights though), a basketball court, plenty of large trees, benches, picnic tables, and a shelter. The kids absolutely love the playground area. It looks like it's pretty new and it is kept up. They really enjoy coming here. There is a small playground for younger kids and a bigger one for older kids. It has a spongy waking surface made of recycled rubber, so it soften off possible falls. Parking is only along the curb, usually best on 29th street. There are trash cans and a dog litter dispenser.

    Photos
    Darlington Park - Basketball jones, basketball jones

    Basketball jones, basketball jones

    Darlington Park
    Darlington Park

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    Tulsa River Parks

    Tulsa River Parks

    4.6(9 reviews)
    4.1 miUptown

    Running by the water, count me IN!…read more I couldn't capture the beauty of running here if I wanted to. This water...this art...this nature....this ambiance is so motivating. It felt soothing, peaceful. It's so RAW..... The trail connects to Midland Valley Trail, Maple Park, and The Gathering Place. Acres and acres of trail - yeeeessssss Bring water or hydration if you plan to go far. There are water points but i find them to be spread out too far (if you are going far). See you on the trails!!!!!

    i'd gone to the park location, along the arkansas river, to meet with a priest from the home parish…read morewhere i've been going to church. the weather on the late afternoon we went was quite beautiful, with a temperature in the 60s to 70s, a mildly cloudy, sunny sky, and frequent breezing wind. the last part of that description was especially welcome on that afternoon, as i'd given the priest a kite on which i'd written sentences from a book we discussed previously and on that afternoon, &demon copperhead& by barbara kingsolver, in which a mentor figure shares with the protagonist a practice of honoring an author of a book he has read by writing sentences from the book on a kite. however, the irony of me imitating the practice from the book, is that while the priest with whom i'd met provides opportunity for open, back and forth conversation, i very much consider him the mentor in our relationship, and by giving him the kite with sentences on it, i was equally, if not moreso, soliciting advice than offering it. and the breezing winds on that specific afternoon allowed us to put the kite in the air, and walk and run with it while sharing casual, though memorable, conversation, and each of us succeeded in avoiding with the kite the many trees in the park, and also the large amount of geese, native to the riverbank area.

    Photos
    Tulsa River Parks
    Tulsa River Parks
    Tulsa River Parks

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    Guthrie Green - Lit

    Guthrie Green

    4.7(55 reviews)
    3.8 miDowntown

    For as long as I've been living here, Guthrie Green always came through on a few things such as art…read morefestivals, music performances & food trucks. Their musician selections are impressive that includes local acts, which is a plus because there's so much talent Tulsa (& surrounding cities) have to offer. As stated before, food trucks is something I always look forward to, especially while working in the area during lunchtime. Guthire Green hosts a Food Truck Wednesday that takes place from 11am - 1/2pm (it's seasonal). The food trucks usually have different rotations. Selections from tacos to lemonades to Greek food. Mayfest, Hip Hop 918, (part of) Tulsa Tough... Guthrie Green is included in a lot of events Downtown with it being in the middle of Downtown Tulsa. There are restaurants well within walking distance, art galleries as well. The baseball field is maybe 5 mins away. Can't forget First Friday!! Be sure to stay up to date with events listed on their website. They do a good job posting about events on social media as well.

    There is a mix of street and paid parking spots around Guthrie Green. There are a variety of…read moreevents held here throughout the year. Live music, all kinds of craft vendors, food trucks, movies and so much more can be found here. First Friday is a pretty popular event where you can stroll by the different tables, listen to music and grab some food. The only downside is finding decent parking, it might be a trek.

    Photos
    Guthrie Green
    Guthrie Green - Music venue

    Music venue

    Guthrie Green

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    Golden Driller - parks - Updated May 2026

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