US Travel Guide - Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City Entertainment

Oklahoma City is typically thought of as an outdoorsy place. The city sprawls over a large land area, and this availability of wide open spaces, along with a sunny and breezy climate, naturally lends itself to a proliferation of parks and activity grounds. Oklahomans relish exploration and exercise, and there is no place better to do it than in their own backyard. This pioneer spirit also appears in city attractions with a truly Oklahoman attitude, like arena football, baseball, ice hockey and frontier-themed diversions. As much as residents enjoy indulging their rowdy, fun-loving side, they also display a deep appreciation for the finer things. This is a growing city that possesses a gusto and zest for life, reflected in a range of entertainment options. Here is your invitation to join in!

Artistic Pursuits
Culture in OKC is not limited to boot-scooting and college football, although you really can't criticize those perfect pleasures! For a classical experience of the highest caliber, reserve a seat at Ballet Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra or Canterbury Choral Society. And while residents love such timeless masterpieces, country-western is still very much a music of choice, performed at the Oklahoma Opry. Film buffs will want to catch the latest flick at the citys new Tinseltown USA big-screen theater with stadium seating, but if you'd rather have more organic entertainment, look no further. Oklahoma City has a wealth of professional and community theater groups, as well as Shakespeare in the Park, where the Bards plays are performed in the beautiful Oklahoma outdoors. Is art your passion? Head to the Paseo, where numerous local artists create and display their work in personal galleries.

Museums
Oklahomans feel very connected to their state and national history. This respect for the past is reflected in museums that help educate society, like the 45th Infantry Division Museum, National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center, and Oklahoma Heritage Center. For a state-of-the-art learning experience, visit the new Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, with its redesigned exhibits and modern facilities. City residents also have an insatiable passion for sports, whether local, national, or international, so athletically-themed museums are a big draw. The recently-opened Oklahoma Sports Museum touts beloved figures like Jim Thorpe, Shannon Miller, and the OU Sooners. On a wider scale, the National Softball Hall of Fame and International Gymnastics Hall of Fame celebrate talented performers from across the country and globe. Other acclaimed city museums include the Oklahoma City Art Museum and Oklahoma Firefighters Museum.

Nightlife
Oklahoma City might not spring to mind when thinking of party towns, but in actuality, a thriving nightlife exists here. Downtown is the real hot-spot. A local favorite is Bricktown Jokers Comedy Club, where nationally-known comics and variety entertainers wow the crowd. If you're looking for conversation over a great meal, along with live music, pool, darts and other games, check out the Bricktown Brewery. Quality live music venues and upscale sports bars are to be found everywhere. Clubs dot the district, the most popular being the just-opened Bricktown 54, a disco done in a retro style that plays hits from the 1970s and 1980s. Dance clubs like The Forum, attract the citys younger crowd. Angles offers a similar type of music, but caters to a gay crowd. If a two-step is more your style, a trip to In Cahoots is in order. Even those not fans of country music can be found here, as its enduring popularity has made it a place to see and be seen.

Recreation and Sporting Events
Thanks to a comfortable climate (except for a few summer dog-days) and great stretches of unspoiled nature, the city is a utopia for outdoor recreational activities. Large, open parks, like Earlywine and Martin Nature Center, can be found in every area of the city. Most hold baseball and soccer fields, golf courses, jogging trails and lots of picturesque foliage. For an aquatic adventure, check out Lake Hefner or (Lake Arcadia. Oklahoma City has also gotten into the extreme sports craze, with several paintball fields available on which to play and an indoor climbing facility at OKC Rocks.

Do you prefer to let trained professionals handle the strenuous stuff? We have you covered -- with a variety of spectator sports sure to get your pulse pounding. The newest member of Oklahoma Citys sports family is the Wranglers arena football team, part of the increasingly popular sport -- a hard-hitting football hybrid. Just as rowdy is Blazers hockey, the citys successful and beloved CHL team. Baseball is a classic choice for the sports fan, so take in a game with the RedHawks in their new stadium, the Bricktown Ballpark. Oklahoma City also offers rough-riding action that has grown out of the states western frontier history. Two state-of-the-art complexes, the Lazy E Arena and Remington Park, welcome guests to experience a rodeo and other equestrian contests, or high-stakes horse racing, respectively.

Only In Oklahoma City
The standards -- arts, museums, and sports -- have been covered, but a few things just don't fit into those neat little categories. The city is home to some of the most delightfully quirky attractions that are often overlooked for this reason. The Lucky Star Casino offers guests Las Vegas gaming excitement 24 hours a day. For a completely different nightlife experience, stop by the Samurai Saki House, a combination Japanese restaurant and hard-rocking live music club. Expanding the traditional borders of artistic dance is the mission of Aalim Bellydance Academy, a professional performance and instructional group. In OKC, you'll also find that museums no longer have to strike fear in the hearts of kids and adults alike. A fun outing to the Oklahoma Lighter Museum, Oklahoma Museum of Telephone History, World of Wings Pigeon Center, or World Organization of China Painters Museum will leave the whole family happy.

With vibrant residents always looking for a new thrill, expect to find even more entertainment options than those listed here. Regardless of how you define the term "good time", the city holds something to entice and delight you. Get out there and sample all that Oklahoma City has to offer!

L. Niblock