Muskogee Adventure: Azalea Festival, USS Batfish and Depot Green

We’ve been to Muskogee several times, usually for the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival. This past Sunday, we spent several hours there, checking out some of the sights I hadn’t seen before! We went to Honor Heights Park for the Azalea Festival, War Memorial Park to see the USS Batfish submarine, and Depot Green. Plus, we made a stop for boba and lunch, of course!

Azalea Festival at Honor Heights Park

Back in 2021, we went to Honor Heights Park with my mom and step-dad around May 10. This was just past the Azalea Festival, which runs April 1-30, and before the Butterfly House opened (Mother’s Day weekend). Since it’s a lovely park with a nice playground and some fun photo opps, we still had a great time. However, it wasn’t quite the ideal time of year to visit. Ever since, I’d wanted to return to see the azaleas in full bloom!

I’m so glad we made the trip because they are beautiful!

Azaleas were available for sale as well during our visit

The Papilion gardens were open with free admission when we went, which was nice. Sadly, the children’s garden wasn’t open, as it looked like a lot of fun. The general hours of operation for the Papilion are 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Saturday, so I’m guessing it would have been open during those hours. Generally, admission prices are just $3 for adults and $2 for children/students, so it’s not too bad anyway.

Peeking inside the Children’s Garden

The Butterfly House will open Mother’s Day weekend

Joss still enjoyed the playground, and I had to snap another pic as a butterfly.

Learn more about the Azalea Festival, which takes place yearly from April 1-30, at muskogeeparks.org/events___festivals/azalea_festival.php Each year, they celebrate with a parade, Fun Run and bicycle ride as well.

Depot District

Our first stop of the day was actually Muskogee’s Depot District. Here, you’ll find Depot Green, the Three Rivers Museum, and the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. (However, the OMHF is currently relocated to the Muskogee Civic Center due to remodeling.) So we weren’t able to visit either museum, as the Three Rivers Museum wasn’t open on a Sunday morning. We still walked around the area and enjoyed the murals and historical markers.

Depot Green

Depot Green was quiet on our visit, but during Christmas, it’s home to a lovely light display, Christmas train rides, etc.

Three Rivers Museum

The Three Rivers Museum is located in a remodeled train station. Here’s information about the museum from their website:

​Three Rivers Museum is a regional museum dedicated to providing and education center that reflects the past history and rich multi-cultural heritage of the Three Rivers area of Eastern Oklahoma and to establish a respect for the region’s past and contribute value and quality to its future.

Three Rivers Museum was created in 1989, to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and interpret objects that best serve to illustrate the history and heritage of the Three Rivers area of Eastern Oklahoma from 1800 to the present day.  The Three Rivers area includes Muskogee, Wagoner, Cherokee, McIntosh, Okmulgee, Haskell, Southern Mayes and Western Sequoyah counties.

Outside, we were able to see a locomotive, a one-room schoolhouse, and a mural.

Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame

Finally, here are some photos from the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Again, we weren’t able to tour it, but according to the website, “The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame is filled with the rich music history of Oklahoma artists past and present. Since opening in 1997, OMHOF has been dedicated to promoting, preserving and honoring Oklahoma’s rich music history. A journey through the Hall, located in the historic Frisco Depot in Muskogee, OK, is one you won’t soon forget, as the magic of music is in every corner.”

In addition to inducting musicians into the Hall of Fame, the museum hosts concerts. Find upcoming dates at okmusichall.com/events-2-3

Tribute to “Okie from Muskogee”

War Memorial Park

The third major activity we did on Sunday was visiting the USS Batfish submarine at the War Memorial Park. You may have heard that they are planning to move the submarine a mile away to Three Forks Harbor sometime in the near(ish) future. Along with the move, plans are in place to build an all-new Oklahoma War Memorial and Museum facility, and it looks very nice. (See renderings at oklahomawarmemorial.com) Naturally, this will involve raising a lot of money, and the organization is currently asking people to email their Oklahoma legislators about getting state funding for this endeavor.

The entrance to the Oklahoma War Memorial and Museum in Muskogee

I hope they’re able to get the funding they need because it would be wonderful to get to actually tour the submarine! Currently, you can neither tour it nor walk to the top of it. However, you can walk right up to it and touch it! Apparently the Batfish was badly damaged by flooding in 2019, and that’s when they had to quit the tours.

In addition to the massive submarine, the War Memorial and Museum is home to military artifacts like missiles and anti-aircraft guns, memorial plaques to other WW2-era submarines, and indoor exhibits. The indoor exhibits include military memorabilia in general and a special room all about the Batfish.

This is a piece of the mast from the USS Oklahoma BB-37, which was hit during the bombing of Pearl Harbor

There’s a gift shop as well, if you need some USS Batfish merch:

The USS Batfish is located about 6.5 miles from Depot Green, which is near downtown Muskogee. My Google Maps had trouble leading us to both Depot Green and the submarine. Thankfully, there were several helpful USS Batfish markers along the road, so we didn’t get lost. We just took a bad turn or two thanks to Google.

Edited to add, end-of May 2025 – from a press release: 

“One of America’s most decorated World War II submarines—and a beloved Oklahoma landmark—is one step closer to safe harbor. On May 22, the Oklahoma Legislature approved HB2794, allocating $4 million in FY26 funding to the USS Batfish. The state appropriation will be used to relocate the historic military vessel to its future home at Three Forks Harbor…State funding to relocate the Batfish lays the groundwork for the proposed Oklahoma War Memorial and Museum, with efforts already underway to make it a reality through private donors and grants.”

Boba Break

I had fun looking up some places to eat in Muskogee, as I knew we’d be eating lunch there. I was very excited to see that they have a boba place, Bubble Trouble: Boba Tea and More. The “and more” included appetizers like fried shrimp, egg rolls and dumplings. So we grabbed lunch and drinks here before heading to Honor Heights Park and enjoyed a nice (if windy) picnic in the park. I’d definitely recommend a stop there if you’re in the area!

It’s right next to a Sugar Llamas, too, another family favorite.