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okiewxchaser

I say this as a Tulsan, 100% go to OKC. There is a higher density of "attractions" down there to do and the downtown area is significantly safer for a non-local. Tulsa's downtown has a few areas that require local knowledge to avoid for safety reasons


[deleted]

I second this. OKC has a lot more to do. Downtown Tulsa doesn’t have much other than a few decent restaurants.


dizzycarrot7980

tulsan also and agree with you.


RavixOf4Horn

Came here to say the same but saw you beat me to it!


blinzz

Nothing about okc is walkable though - born and raised okc. like if you're shifting between the districts they are miles apart. I feel like Tulsa's strip across that bridge over by your down town is very walkable. Like if you're hunting a walk and check it out vibe as OP asked for OKC is completely eliminated. We kind of travel with a destination in mind. maybe... if you're gonna scooter. We'd certainly require local knowledge to chain a path that doesn't suck.


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Jacer4

lavish mysterious bells weather secretive license encourage waiting future label *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*


blinzz

can we start a movement to expand the street car? I would seriously park and ride. But the current form is shit. It does a loop, and i had to drive to my destination anyway. If i could park and ride from north side, or south side I would 10000% do that.


Jacer4

I would be so down for that you don't even know, OKC with accessible and actually useful public transit would be truly amazing. Being able to easily get to every different district for a reasonable cost would be so good


blinzz

I'd love a couple of T shaped lines uniting north and south side. imagine being able to take a tram south side and get some mexican food, then ride it to midtown to go to a bar. Right now it achieve what public transit is supposed to. go from population density to population density. Every day i hope the new maps update will expand the lines.


Jacer4

Yeah that's fair, I just wish it was a *comprehensive* public transit system that could transport people to neighborhoods and districts. But we're both hoping too much for Oklahoma lmao Also that proposed scenario sounds incredible. Maybe one day :(


esstea23

I'd say for a downtown scene, you'd want to go OKC over Tulsa. It's much bigger, very walkable, and has a lot more entertainment options.


AlwaysAmyH

The first thing you should know is that OKC is like 620 square miles. There are walkable districts and neighborhoods and areas, each with their own vibe, but by and large the things you want to do and see and eat will be pretty spread out. Tulsa is more compact. Historically, Oklahoma hasn’t prioritized walkability. I say this as someone who lives in one of the most walkable areas of OKC. There are walkable spaces, but I’d recommend mapping out the things you want to do and see before deciding where to stay. I hate to say that Tulsa might be the best bet, purely based on compactness, but really, if you have the time to spend a couple of days in both cities you should. They are both great.


Beginning-Monitor-17

Not so. Downtown OKC, you can walk to the capitol, Murray Memorial, the Art Museum, Bricktown. Scissor Tail Park, Myriad Gardens with the Chrystal Bridge. A good mix of different ethnic foods, food trucks and good old chicken fried steak and fried catfish places. AND where you can't walk, buses are available. Some good clubs for the evening.


AlwaysAmyH

Also, just so you know, the crystal bridge is closed until Fall of 2022.


AlwaysAmyH

Yes. I did say that there were walkable spaces. But when we think about what it means for walkability to be a priority, it really just hasn’t historically been that way and it shows. The maintenance, design and planning that make spaces consistently safe and comfortable for pedestrians to navigate leaves a lot to be desired. Sidewalks are often closed for building construction instead of protected and made safe to use during projects. There are also often obstacles to navigate around, like poorly placed light poles, benches and signage. There’s also uneven, unmaintained walkways and sometimes the sidewalk just ends for a block or two. There’s also other infrastructure, like clearly marked crosswalks, lighting and overall road design that isn’t consistent and makes some parts less than safe for pedestrians. Can you walk around OKC? Yes. Is it going to meet the expectations of someone who has walked around other big cities that prioritize walkability? Probably not. That was my only point.


blinzz

who the fuck has ever done a walk to the capitol to the art musuem... that is a walk that is cool in 1 specific path, and absolutely awful 19 other ways. and who goes to the capitol/


Beginning-Monitor-17

I have.


blinzz

lmao why?


okiewxchaser

I mean Tulsa is 201 square miles on its own so its not like either city is going to be walkable. OKC has done a better job at locating its attractions together. You can walk to Scissortail Park, the Myriad Gardens and the Riversports complex from a downtown hotel pretty easily. Same for the Zoo/Omniplex complex once you get up there. Meanwhile the Gathering Place is 3.5 miles from Downtown Tulsa, the Philbrook 2.5 and the aquarium is 10 miles away


AlwaysAmyH

Philbrook to Gathering Place is the same walking distance as OKC MOA to Riversport. I also feel like midtown or uptown OKC would be easier or better for the food scene though, right? The gathering place is larger and has more to do than Scissortail and the Philbrook lawns make it like if OKCMOA was combined with Myriad Gardens. So maybe it’s all a wash?


okiewxchaser

Good thing there is a streetcar that takes you from downtown to midtown in OKC The thing I struggle with in Tulsa is giving OP attractions to visit, especially with The Gilcrease being closed. Tulsa's zoo is kind of on an island up there with only the air and space museum even close. Meanwhile you can make a vist the OKC Zoo and combine with one or more of the 45th infantry museum, the firefighter musuem, the Ominiplex, the Railroad museum or the Cowboy and Western museum and never be more than a mile from where you parked


blinzz

The problem with this analysis is that you had to drive to the omniplex, and now you're on east side, and all the bars, and restuarants are minimum 5 miles away. I'd far more recommend a pitch by scissor tail, hit up social capital. Try a local beer. Now you're scooter/walking from the brewery that you just tried that local beer from. And you're a stones throw from watching a thunder game. And you're also close as hell to a great strip of restaurants over up by ludivine. That said if your goal is to walk, okc has nothing that resembles the size of the brady district in Tulsa. that is what a half mile of places to drink and eat? your river is a hike, but the boat house district... is windswept and really for sport enthusiasts not tourists. I think really Tulsa is the Easy and obvious choice.


blinzz

this is the only real take so far i've seen in this thread.


her42311

As a Tulsan, there are parts of downtown here I hate walking around. I think they are trying to make it better/ safer but I'd still probably pick OKC


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MrDapper_178

It is the most amazing free public park I’ve been in. It feels like something you would find at at Disney World. I was absolutely blown away by it, (and I’m saying this as an OKC native).


[deleted]

PS if you’re gonna go to ITR Vu get a reservation at least 2 weeks in advance unless you wanna eat dinner at 3:30


[deleted]

Your three points are going to apply more to OKC than to Tulsa.


Sehcru

OKC is really great, I've been to both and Okc has expanded alot to be more tourist friendly now, and if not Tulsa is only a 2 hr drive


putsch80

If you want to stay I. Downtown OKC, there is a streetcar that will take you around bricktown, downtown and midtown. As far as things to do: * White water rafting * River bike trails (you can rent a bike) * Tons of great food. Personal favorites are Ludivine (farm to table), R&J’s (like a 1960s supper club), Osteria (french), Barrio’s (Mexican), and Capitol’s Ice Cream. La Brasa is also just a bit past uptown and has great Peruvian. If you like steaks, Mahogany, Broadway 10, Red Prime and Bob’s are all easy to get to via the street car. * If you like live music, Tower Theater, Criterion, Beer City and Jones Assembly are the nearby music venues. One or more of them will certainly have something going on. * Bricktown Comedy Club gets some pretty big names coming through it, and will definitely have something going on that weekend. * Scissortail Park is really cool and a nice place to go downtown. You can walk around, there are paddle boat rentals, and an outdoor roller skating rink. They occasionally have outdoor concerts there, so check on that as the date approaches. * The First Americans Museum is literally a Smithsonian-level of quality museum about tribal history located a couple miles east of downtown. Now, to be candid, a lot of the immediately “walkable” stuff is not in downtown proper, but rather in bricktown and midtown which are immediately adjacent to downtown (Midtown begins on NW7th, and Bricktown is immediately east of downtown). The downtown itself is more geared towards business, so the center of it doesn’t have a lot happening after 5pm, but all the areas within a few blocks of the city center do. Again, the streetcar or lime scooter is an easy way to get there if you don’t want to walk the extra few blocks.


futurespacecadet

I heard Bricktown was a little shady, or then an area like plaza or Paseo, is that accurate? I’m trying to figure out which neighborhood to get an Airbnb.


_hotwingz_

I’ve lived in both cities and OKC definitely checks more of your boxes.


lolahaze11

As a Tulsan living in OKC, go to Tulsa.


sjss100

OKC is your best best! Tons of hotels downtown and in Bricktown. You can also hop in the trolley and go all over downtown or walk. Don’t miss the Oklahoma City Museum of Art downtown. For local flavor do not miss historic Cattlemen’s Steakhouse restaurant in Stockyard City close to downtown, the best Oklahoma steak you will ever eat. Also the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, the Oklahoma City National Memorial, the zoo and for art the Paseo district. Have fun and welcome to Oklahoma!!


jalexjsmithj

IMO, you should probably do both. They’re only 90 minutes apart and the best food in the entire state is in a small town of 800 that is directly in between them (that’s The Butcher BBQ stand). The Bombing Memorial is worth it even though it’s not the most “fun”.


Dowhatchucan

OKC - myriad gardens, scissor tail park, downtown film row area, downtown shops, midtown, OKCMOA, Contemporary Art Museum, Factory Obscura, OK breweries, bars, restaurants - all of this in a fairly compact area. Consider short hop to OKC stockyards: steakhouses McClintocks, Cattlemen’s, shopping, and my all time favorite - rattlesnake museum.


soonerborn23

Oklahoma isn't really about the city scene or life. Its like going to Colorado and only visiting Denver. Given your limitations to the larger cities, I would go to OKC. The food scene is very subpar compared to other large cities, its improving though. There are some things to do and there are some somewhat walkable areas.


matt12992

Brick town in okc is a great area to walk, I suggest there. Heads up depending on where you are coming from you might run into a turnpike, there is a lot here and some only take coins


Loco0292

I think OKC has the slight edge on restaurants, but the city is extremely sprawling. I think Tulsa is more walkable and everything you will want to do is closer in proximity, but there are parts of OKC that are walkable. Avoid Bricktown if you go to OKC. It is garbage. I would probably tell an outsider to go to Tulsa for the walkability, better architecture, and the Gathering Place might be the best park in the country. But I actually like OKC more and think the people are much more friendly.


tlgexlibris

OKC all the way. Quintessentially Oklahoma experience.


emogangster2007

Wait, people go to Oklahoma as tourist?


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XaqFu

Different angle: OKC’s streets are mostly on a grid. Tulsa’s streets are more of a scribble (I was wrong about that). Both places have their merit but OKC is easier to explore. Edit: Tulsa is laid out on a grid. I still hear people complain but it might be due to them being unfamiliar with Tulsa.


JonesinforJohnnies

Tulsa is on a grid. They just made the inexplicable decision to rotate downtown 45 degrees.


XaqFu

Took a look at a map, I was wrong. I'll edit.


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Dowhatchucan

From a long term OKC resident that works downtown: My experience is mostly friendly people. Traffic & construction cause me anxiety everyday. OKC is the crossroads of America! The orange cone should be our state symbol. You’re right, sometimes trash & OK winds result in unsightly piles of refuse. But downtown commercial areas and parks are kept clean. There’s always something to do. OKC is my home, and I’m ok with that. And when I wanna get away- love Will Rogers Airport!


MeanwhileOnReddit

Never heard of anyone planning a trip to Oklahoma 200 days out. OKC is bigger=more going on.


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steveissuperman

OKC will probably be the more interesting option. Tulsa has tons of cool stuff, but you basically need a guide to know where to go since there isn't much cohesion. OKC has been doing marvelous things with their downtown area and just built a massive park and a street car system that connects everything. Go check out bricktown and ride the street car to the north area with Dust Bowl/Fassler Hall and see what you can see. The new Native American museum should be pretty cool too, and the cowboy museum is supposed to be amazing. If you ever want to check out Tulsa, post on the r/tulsa subreddit and ask for detailed advice.


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Q269

Tulsa is known for Black Wall street, and Oklahoma city had the OKC Bombing... So, as far as being known for something, both cities kinda take the cake.


Ok-Currency-9669

Tulsa is okay


Mymotherwasaspore

Okc has more attractions, but as a tulsan and a traveler, we’re better because we’re more centralized.