Tulsa is a city made for touring, whether by foot for a few hours during the afternoon or by automobile for a day trip around town. Residents here cherish the city’s history as one of the biggest oil-boom towns and its streets are lined with preserved buildings and landmarks from the last century. More than 225 days of sunshine a year and an average temperature of 65 degrees help make Tulsa the perfect environment for leisurely exploration of all its natural and man-made treasures. However you choose to see it, T-town is yours for the taking.

Touring Companies
If you would like to hit the town in style, look into a guided motorcoach tour. The city is home to American Sightseeing Tulsa, a touring company operated by Kraftours, where trips around the Tulsa area can be booked for groups of 20 or more. During the nearly three-hour journey, guests are shown many prominent sites, including downtown, the Gilcrease Museum and Oral Roberts University. Cost is $10 per person. In addition, Kraftours also offers group tours to Tulsa’s sister city, Oklahoma City. Seeing the city from the comfort of a motorcoach is a treat, especially during the warm summer months.

Historic Downtown
The city’s downtown district holds a wealth of sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you are a history buff, you won’t want to miss these Tulsa landmarks. Your journey back in time begins on the outer edge of downtown, at the intersection of 13th Street and Boston Avenue. The Boston Avenue United Methodist Church stands here, an awe-inspiring Jazz-age monument that stretches high into the blue Tulsa sky. Walking north to 5th Street, you will find a six-block area chock-full of vestiges from years past, like the Southwestern Bell Telephone Exchange Building on Detroit Avenue and the Tulsa Municipal Building on Cincinnati Avenue. One block west on Boston is a cluster of commercial centers from early in the city’s history, including the Philcade, Philtower and Cosden Buildings. Memories of oil barons and big business continue on to Boulder Avenue, with the Gillette-Tyrell and Petroleum Buildings. Finally, your jaunt through the heart of old Tulsa concludes on Cheyenne Avenue with a look at the Mayo and Mincks-Adams Hotels, which were built during the Roaring Twenties.

Downtown Art Deco
After the oil boom at the turn of the century, the city was flush with money, and wealthy residents undertook numerous building projects. The result is a frontier city with a surprisingly modern architectural twist. Tulsa is second only to New York City and Miami in the number of buildings done in the 1920s and 1930s Art Deco style. Now, more than 75 years later, these establishments are considered city treasures and are a beautiful addition to the Tulsa skyline. Your journey begins at 10th Street and South Elgin Avenue, where the Warehouse Market and Day & Nite Cleaners sit. Northwest, at 5th Street and Cincinnati is the Williams Bros. Engineering Building and two blocks further west is the Lerner Shop. Your downtown Deco tour ends another two blocks west at Cheyenne Avenue, where sits the Mayo Motor Inn, a relic of the golden ages.

Day Trips
If you have extra time in which to explore the surrounding areas, you should check out Bartlesville, Sapulpa or Claremore. All are Tulsa suburbs, but each has its own unique offerings. Bartlesville is north of Tulsa on I-75 and has several recommendable shops and attractions. Two neighboring shops atop Radar Hill, which overlooks the town, are Keepsake Candles and the Red Dirt Soap Company, which craft handmade products with a distinct Oklahoman touch. These fragrant creations make a perfect gift or souvenir of your trip. Also in the wide-open spaces surrounding Bartlesville is Woolaroc Ranch, a combination wildlife preserve and Western museum, famous world-wide for its panoramic beauty. Located in the city proper is the Price Tower, an architectural work designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The work of another notable Frank can be found in Sapulpa, southwest of Tulsa on I-44—Frankoma Pottery, that is. Lovingly deemed “Oklahoma’s Potter Laureate,” John Frank has his namesake store and factory here. The pieces are instant classics, thanks to their quality craftsmanship and generous dose of country charm. Claremore is also notable for its celebrated hometown boy, Will Rogers. The cowboy-actor was born and raised in this town northeast of Tulsa, and its residents have found many ways to honor his memory. For those uninitiated to the Rogers legend, first visit the Will Rogers Memorial and Museum. Open 365 days a year, this complex holds the man’s entire history in exhibits, memorabilia from his various careers and the Rogers family tomb. The home in which he was born and spent his youth is now nestled in the grounds of Will Rogers State Park. If you are fortunate enough to be here in November, consider attending one of the many activities organized every year in celebration of Rogers’ birthday.