7 Summertime Spots the Whole Family Will Love

Keep learning front-of-mind during your summer vacation! In a state-of-the-art building completed in early 2022, Discovery Lab provides unique programming for children in middle-school and younger geared toward developing their creativity, critical-thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills.

With a labyrinth of tunnels, a slide made from packing tape, science demos, The WorkShop, Science Lab and so much more, this facility is inspired by best practices in informal learning. Next door to the Gathering Place, Discovery Lab is a place where kids and their families can make, learn, explore, and design things using real stuff in new and different ways. 

Take a step out of the Oklahoma heat and enjoy a vibrant food hall where you can try some of Tulsa’s favorite restaurants–plus new food concepts. Stop by Kitchen 66, a food incubator nonprofit program housed within Mother Road Market that brings up-and-coming restaurants into the spotlight.

The food hall features a curated collection of over 20 restaurant and retail concepts, and next store are shops galore. There's also a full-service bar and a state-of-the-art demo kitchen for cooking classes and pop-ups, an expansive patio with outdoor seating, a Route 66-themed mini golf course and more!

One of the most awarded parks in the world, Gathering Place is a world-class riverfront park offering amazing attractions and programming for all ages with no entry fee. Spend your summer morning climbing on larger-than-life cranes in the Chapman Adventure Playground, or voyage out on Peggy’s Pond in a paddleboat from the ONEOK Boathouse.

With large lawns, beachfront seating, skate and BMX parks, basketball courts and tons of other areas to explore, Gathering Place has something for everyone. Grab a latte or ice cream at the Redbud Café, or a flatbread from Vista at the Boathouse. Year-round programming includes children’s events, live music, artistic performances, dog day Wednesdays, sports-related activities and so much more. 

Tulsa Botanic Garden thrives as an all-season oasis blooming in the Osage Hills just eight miles northwest of Tulsa. Each spring the garden celebrates Tulsa Botanic Blooms with over 100,000 tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other spring flowers. The Lakeside Promenade gracefully encompasses a seven-acre lake, and the Cross Timbers Trail provides a 1.5 mile hike through the native prairie and forest.

They host nature walks, full moon hikes and–of course– gardening classes. Check out First Friday horticulture tours in the summer and Second Saturday Dog Days complete with food trucks and the opportunity to adopt a dog.

A fun and affordable destination where families can connect. Located in Mohawk Park, the Tulsa Zoo’s beautiful 85-acres are home to more than 400 species–many rare and endangered in the wild.

Visit immersive exhibits like the Mary K. Chapman Rhino Reserve; learn more about your favorite animals during daily keeper chats; or enjoy the scenery during a trip on the train.

A unique recreational treasure, the Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area encompasses several hundred acres of rugged park land located less than a 15-minute drive from Tulsa’s vibrant downtown. The landscape creates a sense of being far from city life, with visitors surrounded by a thick canopy of trees.

Turkey Mountain offers miles of winding dirt trails for hiking, mountain biking, trail riding and trail running. A map of the marked trails is located near the trailhead, along with signage describing the varying degrees of difficulty for some of the trails.

Tucked away in the Osage Hills, Woolaroc once served as a ranch retreat for oilman (you hear that a lot) Frank Phillips. Now, anyone can visit the 3,700-acre wildlife preserve and art museum. It's the perfect place for the whole family to explore, hike and take a nice retreat away from the chaos of every day life. You can also host your next event or wedding at Woolaroc!