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There are road trips, and then there’s Route 66. The great American highway has long been a byword for freedom, roadside curiosities and the occasional questionable souvenir. In Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Mother Road is woven into the city’s DNA. Local businessman Cyrus Avery helped shape its course through Tulsa, earning the city the title Capital of Route 66. Today, more than 100 neon signs light the way past larger-than-life roadside attractions, including the aptly named Land of the Giants. Mother Road Market, Oklahoma’s only non-profit food hall, provides an excellent excuse to pull over and refuel.
More than 100 neon signs light the way past larger-than-life roadside attractions
Turn off the highway and the rewards keep coming. Tulsa’s handsome art deco skyline hints at a city with an eye for design, and its museums give good reason to park the car for a couple of days. Philbrook Art & Gardens, nicknamed the ‘Tuscany of Tulsa’, is a highlight, as are the neighbouring Woody Guthrie Center and Bob Dylan Center. At Greenwood Rising, the story of Historic Black Wall Street is explored with an unflinching eye on its past and a clear sense of its continuing legacy. Come March 2027, the reopening of Gilcrease Museum will add an extraordinary collection of American Western and Indigenous art to the mix.
Music, meanwhile, is practically a local dialect. The laid-back, genre-bending Tulsa Sound grew through musicians such as Leon Russell and JJ Cale, and its influence still reverberates through the city. Russell’s restored Church Studio is now a working recording space, museum and venue, while the legendary Cain’s Ballroom, birthplace of Western Swing, still welcomes touring acts. For something more intimate, try Mercury Lounge, The Colony, LowDown or The Vanguard. And yes, funk favourites the GAP Band hailed from here too, taking their name from Greenwood, Archer and Pine streets.
A crowd watches singer Wyatt Flores performing at Guthrie Green
Neek Films
When it’s time to recharge, head for Gathering Place, Tulsa’s expansive riverfront park, where landscaped trails, imaginative playgrounds and a packed programme of activities offer room to roam. There’s plenty to explore in the Arts District, too, including Guthrie Green, a gathering space that reflects Tulsa’s creative energy. Its public events are another reminder that Tulsa knows how to bring people together. Tulsa rewards curiosity. It’s the sort of American city you might plan as just a stop on the journey, then wish you’d allowed a few extra days to explore.
Find out more at visittulsa.com
