Out-of-the-Way Oklahoma: Travel Destinations for All Seasons

From a recreated Biblical city to a 500-year-old forest, Oklahoma delivers the unexpected to visitors who take the time to look

Unexpected finds can be just around the next corner when travelers explore Oklahoma. The state is home to 12 distinct "ecoregions," according to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Photo credit: Keeley Seale.

For many outsiders, Oklahoma conjures images of cowboys, cornfields and endless plains.

There are plenty of all three.

But the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department wants visitors to know Oklahoma is far richer with sights, sounds and experiences than those outsiders may associate with the state.

Tourism spokeswoman Kaitlyn Rivas said the state is an "unexpected travel destination,” rich with variety and natural beauty.

“Oklahoma has the reputation of being a flyover state,” she said. “We’re certainly so much more than that. We have more than 10 different ecological regions across the state.”

From desert-like mesas to wooded hills, Rivas believes Oklahoma offers travelers “almost anything you could really be looking for.”

Oklahoma offers trips and sights all year long. Here are some suggestions for each season in the Sooner State.

Spring: The Holy City of the Wichitas 

As the weather warms, one of Oklahoma’s most surprising destinations emerges from the Wichita Mountains near Lawton. The 66-acre Holy City of the Wichitas, a 1930s replica of biblical Jerusalem built from local granite, offers a striking blend of history and scenery.

“It’s one of my most favorite places in the state,” Rivas said.

In spring, wildflowers spill across the mountains while sunlight glows against stone structures like Pilate’s Judgment Hall, Herod’s Court, the Temple Court and the rocky silhouette of Calvary’s Mount.

“You would really think you’ve stepped back into biblical times,” she said. “It’s not something you’d expect to see in the middle of the country.”

Summer: Chickasaw National Recreation Area 

When summer heat settles in, Oklahomans head for the cool waters of Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur.

“It’s our oldest national park area,” Rivas said.

With shaded streams, waterfalls, mineral springs and classic swimming holes, the park has been drawing visitors for more than a century. Families lounge along the Platt Historic District, hikers roam the Arbuckle Recreation Area, and birdwatchers find refuge beneath the thick summer canopy.

“Whether you’re into hiking, birdwatching or just hanging out in peaceful tranquility,” Rivas said, “it’s a really cool area.”

Fall: Keystone Ancient Forest 

As temperatures drop and leaves burn gold, Keystone Ancient Forest becomes one of northeastern Oklahoma’s most breathtaking escapes. Located just west of Tulsa, the preserve shelters 300-year-old post oaks and 500-year-old cedars that rise above sweeping bluffs overlooking Keystone Lake. The views alone surprise visitors who assume Oklahoma is little more than plains.

“To me, it looks like another world,” Rivas said. “It doesn’t look like something you’d expect to find in Oklahoma.”

Fall also brings the monarch migration, when more than 80 butterfly species drift through the crisp air, adding color to the amber trails.

Winter: Oklahoma’s Christmas light traditions 

While winter settles in, Oklahoma starts to glow. Holiday light displays — from Yukon’s Christmas in the Park, spanning more than 100 acres, to the iconic Rhema Lights at Broken Arrow's Rhema Bible Training College, draw families from across the region.

Visitors wander beneath tunnels of lights and towering animated scenes that have become beloved annual traditions.

“It’s one of those Oklahoma traditions,” Rivas said. “There’s just something about it. The whole state feels alive.”

Seeing home in a different light

Despite Oklahoma’s diversity of landscapes and experiences, Rivas believes many residents still underestimate their own home.

“I think people that live here are just so used to being here,” she said. “But we really miss some great opportunities to learn more about our state.”

Her hope is simple: that travelers -- local or otherwise -- walk away with the same spark she feels each time she explores these places.

“I hope people feel refreshed. I hope they feel inspired,” she said. “I hope they say, ‘Wow, I didn’t realize this was Oklahoma.’”