9 Easy Road Trips From Tulsa

There are so many kid-friendly attractions within driving distance of Tulsa. Here are just eight nearby destinations to consider. Most of these locations are close enough to be an easy day trip, but a couple might be more suited to an overnight stay.

1. Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Located less than an hour or so from Tulsa, Bartlesville makes the perfect day trip! During the summer, the Bartlesville Kiddie Park offers a low-cost option for families with young kids.

• Bartlesville Kiddie Park (Open seasonally. Closes for the 2020 season on August 29), 205 N. Cherokee Ave., Bartlesville, kiddiepark.net
• Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Rd., Bartlesville, woolaroc.org

2. Bentonville, Arkansas

In addition to miles of hiking and biking trails, Bentonville, Arkansas, boasts both an incredible art museum and a popular children’s museum! For more suggestions, check out this article all about Bentonville!

Deer sculpture at Crystal Bridges

• Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR, crystalbridges.org 
• Scott Family Amazeum, 1009 Museum Way, Bentonville, AR, amazeum.org
• The Momentary, 507 SE St., Bentonville, AR, themomentary.org
• The Walmart Museum, under renovation as of August 2024. Visit The Walmart Museum Heritage Lab at 240 S. Main St., Bentonville, in the meantime. walmartmuseum.com

3. Dallas, Texas

Don’t try to do Dallas in a day. But definitely consider putting this vibrant city on your road trip bucket list! Plus…they have an IKEA!

• Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8525 Garland Rd., Dallas, dallasarboretum.org
• Great Wolf Lodge, 100 Great Wolf Dr., Grapevine, greatwolf.com
• Kidzania USA, 2601 Preston Rd., #3011, Frisco, dallas.kidzaniausa.com
• LEGOLAND Discovery Center, 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, dallasfw.legolanddiscoverycenter.org
• Meow Wolf Grapevine, 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy., Suite 253, Grapevine, tickets.meowwolf.com/grapevine
• Nasher Sculpture Center, 2201 Flora St., Dallas, nashersculpturecenter.org
• Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N. Field St., Dallas, perotmuseum.org

4. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Known for its artistic community, downtown Eureka Springs is a joy to discover. Look for popular landmarks like the Rainbow Staircase and Humpty Dumpty! Check out Tara Rittler’s blog post, “8 Reasons to Love Eureka Springs,” for more travel suggestions.

• Christ of the Ozarks, 935 Passion Play Rd., Eureka Springs, greatpassionplay.org.
• Onyx Cave Park, 338 Onyx Cave Lane, Eureka Springs, onyxcavepark.com
• Thorncrown Chapel, 12968 Hwy 62 West, Eureka Springs, thorncrown.com
• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, 239 Turpentine Creek Lane, Eureka Springs, turpentinecreek.org

5. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

We are constantly amazed by how much there is to do in Oklahoma City! In addition to some of their incredible museums, plan some time to explore OKC’s shopping districts, including the Paseo and Plaza Districts.

• First Americans Museum, 659 American Indian Blvd., Oklahoma City, famok.org
• Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, myriadgardens.com  
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63^rd St., Oklahoma City, nationalcowboymuseum.org
• Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Dr., Oklahoma City, okcmoa.com
• Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Pl., Oklahoma City, okczoo.org
• Oklahoma Railway Museum, 3400 NE Grand Blvd., Oklahoma City, oklahomarailwaymuseum.org
• Riversport OKC, 800 Riversport Dr., Oklahoma City, riversportokc.org
• Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Pl., Oklahoma City, sciencemuseumok.org
• Scissortail Park, 300 SW 7^th St., Oklahoma City, scissortailpark.org

6. Pawhuska, Oklahoma

Have you visited the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile? We recommend showing up early for breakfast because their pancakes are delicious! After breakfast, pay a visit to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where the road is often surrounded by buffalo or other wildlife.

• Osage Nation Museum, 819 Grandview Ave., Pawhuska, osageculture.com/culture/museum
• Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, 15316 Co Rd. 4201, Pawhuska, nature.org
• The Ben Johnson Cowboy Museum, 201 E. 6th St., Pawhuska, facebook.com/benjohnsoncowboymuseum
• The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, 532 Kihekah Ave., Pawhuska, themercantile.com

7. Springfield, Missouri

When our web editor took a day trip to Springfield, she was impressed at how easy the drive was. Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium was chosen the Best New Attraction of 2018 by USA Today Readers, but there are many other things to do in this fun city as well!

You can even do a shark dive at Wonders of Wildlife!

• Discovery Center of Springfield, 438 St. Louis, Springfield, discoverycenter.org
• Fantastic Caverns, 4872 N. Farm Rd. 125, Springfield, missouricave.com
• Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium, 500 W. Sunshine St., Springfield, wondersofwildlife.org

8. Stillwater, Oklahoma

If someone in your family attended OSU, a quick visit to Stillwater could also be a fun trip down memory lane. Try dining at the original Hideaway or Eskimo Joe’s.

• The Botanic Garden at OSU, 3300 W. 6^th St., Stillwater, botanicgarden.okstate.edu – includes the OSU Insect Adventure on select days of the month
• Lost Creek Safari, 1200 W. 80th St., Stillwater, lostcreeksafari.com
• OSU Department of Wellness Challenge Course (ages 13+), 1625 N. Western Rd., Stillwater, wellness.okstate.edu/outdoor-adventure/challenge-course.html
• OSU Museum of Art, 720 S. Husband St., Stillwater, museum.okstate.edu

9. Wichita, Kansas

At 2 hours and 45 minutes from Tulsa, a visit to Wichita may work better as a two-day trip. Popular dining and coffee options include: Milkfloat, Reverie Coffee Roasters, Cocoa Dolce and Old Mill Tasty Shop.

• Botanica, 701 Amidon St., Wichita, botanica.org
• Chisolm Creek Park/Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, gpnc.org/chisholm-creek-park
• Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd., Wichita, exploration.org
• Museum of World Treasures, 836 E. 1st St., Wichita, worldtreasures.org
• Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd., Wichita, oldcowtown.org
• Sedgwick County Zoo, 5555 W. Zoo Blvd., Wichita, scz.org

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This article was originally published in February 2020. It was updated in August 2024.