Drivable Holiday Destinations

Although winter weather can make travel less predictable, there’s something special about bundling up and hitting the highway for a holiday family road trip. Sing your favorite carols along the way, keep an eye out for Christmas lights and don’t forget to fill your travel mug with hot chocolate and extra marshmallows. If holiday travel is in your future, consider plotting your course to one of these festive locales.

Oklahoma City Area

When you have your pick of holiday destinations, Oklahoma City is an obvious choice. Less than two hours from Tulsa, OKC metro makes for an ideal day trip or weekend getaway. If you’re not in a rush, traveling along Route 66 will make for a memorable journey, as you can stretch your legs at Pops 66, the Arcadia Round Barn or one of the other attractions.

For the ultimate magical experience, pre-purchase tickets for The Polar Express™ Train Ride, departing from the Oklahoma Railway Museum Nov. 11-Dec. 29, 2024. Accompanied by the motion picture soundtrack, this one-hour journey begins with mugs of hot chocolate, Walker’s Shortbread, a reading of The Polar Express and a Christmas carol sing-along. The highlight, of course, is Santa, who gives each passenger their very own sleigh bell souvenir.

The area is also home to some magnificent light displays. Twenty-two minutes from OKC itself, Yukon’s Christmas in the Park covers three miles and offers both drive-through and walk-through options. A bit further away, Chickasha’s Festival of Lights is a community-driven experience that also includes carriage rides, ice skating and a Ferris wheel.

Chickashaw Festival of Lights. Photo by Dean Images

Northwest Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas is home to several unique communities within easy driving distance of one another. Put Bentonville at the top of your list. Here, you’ll find the renowned Crystal Bridges Museum and its Time Loop by Klip Collective: A Forest Light Experience. This interactive, outdoor exhibition “uses light, sound, and state-of-the-art projection mapping to transform acres of Ozark nature into a never-before-seen journey across time and space.”

Make time to visit downtown Bentonville Square and grab a bite to eat while you’re there, as the area is full of delicious dining destinations. The square also features charming holiday lights and a large Christmas tree.

An hour east of Bentonville, Eureka Springs is a haven for artists and creatives and is the perfect place to finish up your Christmas shopping, as downtown Eureka is lined with one-of-a-kind shops. Pay a visit to the Christmas Tree Forest at Crescent Hotel. Vote for your favorite Christmas tree at this historic property. Even better – proceeds benefit local charities.

Photo by Purdy Art Company, courtesy of Crescent Hotel

Can’t get enough Christmas lights? Hop aboard a Eureka Springs trolley and head to the Great Passion Play property for a drive-through light display and Christmas Snow Village with Trains. Perhaps you’ve seen Christmas villages before, if you know someone who loves nostalgic holiday décor; however, this one is on a much grander scale, with 300+ ceramic buildings and multiple trains.

Wichita

Wichita, Kansas, offers a wealth of holiday experiences. Locals are quick to recommend Illuminations at Botanica, Wichita’s botanic gardens. Billed as “Wichita’s Premier Light Display,” Illuminations features unique light installations throughout the gardens, such as giant flowers, towering Christmas trees and interactive displays kids will love.

Another top recommendation is Prairie Pines Christmas Tree Farm. Although you may not be in the market for a Christmas tree while on vacation, Prairie Pines also has a rustic barn full of holiday décor, concessions, horse-drawn wagon rides and even visits from Santa, who pulls up in a classic sleigh for free photo ops. It’s the perfect “old-fashioned Christmas” feel.

Speaking of old-fashioned, travel even further back in time at Old Cowtown Museum’s Victorian Christmas nights. Cowtown is an immersive recreation of a town from the late-1800s. Visitors can step inside a one-room schoolhouse, residences, and businesses such as a general store, barbershop and train depot. Many of the buildings are originals, relocated and preserved for history. At Victorian Christmas nights, held 6-9 p.m. on Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 2024, visitors can enjoy hot chocolate, carols and lamp-lit streets.

Finally, don’t leave without visiting the Sedgwick County Zoo. Go during the day to experience what makes this award-winning zoo truly special, from the Downing Gorilla Forest to the 5+ acre elephant habitat. However, from Oct. 16-Dec. 22, 2024, you can also visit during the evening (Wednesdays through Sundays) for Wild Lights, where Asian Lantern sculptures illuminate the grounds.

Kansas City

Those who flock to Utica Square’s Lights On event every Thanksgiving may want to travel north to Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, which former TulsaKids travel writer Diane Tritt Eaton once referred to as “Utica Square on steroids.” Get your Christmas shopping done at stores like Free People, Moosejaw Mountaineering and Paper Source – then treat yourself to a “Let It Snow” cupcake at Cupcake À La Mode. You deserve it!

After all that shopping, it may be time for something more kid-oriented, especially if you are traveling with kids ages 3-10, the ideal age range for LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Here, kids can meet favorite LEGO® characters, attend LEGO® Ninjago Training Camp, build with bricks – and so much more. There’s even a LEGO®-themed coffee shop if you need to fuel up with some caffeine or snacks.

Finally, Hallmark has long been associated with winter holidays, from cozy Hallmark movies to cards and collectible ornaments. Hallmark Kaleidoscope, located in Crown Center, is a free space for kids to create using all the Hallmark and Crayola products they can imagine. Spend some time making homemade gifts – or just unwind after a busy day. Make reservations in advance to guarantee your spot.

Branson/Springfield

Following a visit to Branson in November 2021, TulsaKids blogger Kristi Roe Owen wrote, “If you’ve been dreaming of a magical holiday vacation, Branson completely lives up to the hype…”  Her list of Branson holiday must-dos includes Silver Dollar City and Dolly Parton’s Stampede.

Dolly Parton’s Stampede is worth a visit year-round, but the Christmas dinner-and-a-show combo is “filled with nostalgia and holiday humor” (explorebranson.com). Expect a four-course meal, 32 horses, trick riders, elves battling it out in friendly competition and a visit from Santa.

Photo courtesy Dolly Parton’s Stampede

Perennial favorite Silver Dollar City combines world-class roller coasters with an 1880s-inspired Ozark setting. Their “Old Time Christmas” festival will dazzle visitors of all ages, with 6.5-million lights, holiday-themed live shows, seasonal menus and unique shopping venues.

Fifty minutes north of Branson is Springfield, Missouri, where one can visit the incredible Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium. This 350,000-square-foot museum allows visitors to walk through jaw-dropping exhibits representing habitats from around the world, like the Great Barrier Reef, swamps, north and south poles – and even America’s national parks.

On your way home, take a detour to Ozark, Missouri, for a bite at the famous Lambert’s Café, “Home of the Throwed Rolls.” How many can you catch?

Dallas/Fort Worth Area

Perhaps you like the thought of heading south for the winter, or at least for part of it. Dallas’s average December temperatures are 8-9 degrees warmer than Tulsa’s, but of course, they still embrace the holiday spirit!

If you enjoy ice skating, the historic Fort Worth Stockyards’ “Rodeo Rink” should be open again this year. Browse local Texas and Western-inspired stores like the Longhorn General Store or the Texas Gold Minors kids’ boutique while you’re in the area.

Want to make the trip extra special?  Why not ditch the drive and take a train instead? Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer runs from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth every day and ends within walking distance of the Stockyards.

For a truly over-the-top holiday experience, book your tickets now for Gaylord Texan’s ICE! event featuring Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer(TM) (Nov. 15-Jan 5, 2024). According to their website, ICE! “is a dazzling, immersive, story-driven holiday showplace complete with larger-than-life ice sculptures, thrilling frozen slides and awe-inspiring tunnels.” This indoor experience is kept at nine degrees to preserve the ice, but guests are given “iconic” blue parkas to keep them warm during the tour.

Photo courtesy Dallas Arboretum

And last but certainly not least, don’t leave town without a visit to Dallas Arboretum’s Holiday at the Arboretum (Nov. 13-Jan. 5), which Southern Living Magazine called “Texas’ Best Christmas Event,” according to their website. Experience the Christmas classic 12 Days of Christmas through a series of decorated musical gazebos, a 50-foot Dazzling Musical Tree and a Christmas Village, where you’ll find shops, live entertainment and more. While the Arboretum is open during the day, consider an evening visit to truly experience the full effect of the 1,000,000+ lights adorning the attraction.

This article was originally published in October 2023. It was updated November 2024.