Stop # 122 on the 100% Dad Tour was Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
“Why in the world would you go to Oklahoma City?”. This was a question we heard many times over from friends and family. It sounds like it’s a boring place with nothing to do but watch a musical named after the state.
Who would have known all there is to do in Oklahoma City unless we had actually come out and checked it out ourselves? I would never have put OKC on my list of vacation places or places to take a family or host a business conference. I would now.
We reached out to VisitOKC.com and received a ton of tips about what we could do in this city during our visit. There is a ton to do in this city, I mean a ton. Especially for a family, the area has plenty of education, entertainment, fun, play areas, food, and more. Mom, dad, and the kids will not be bored!
I was most worried about food. I like food. I like good food. The middle of the country doesn’t always appeal to my taste buds. A lot of Midwest staples are fried food, bland food, Heavy butter use, heavy salt use and not too much else. Now I like those things just not in great repetition.
Once we were pointed in the right direction, we found amazing flavors in OKC and the best part was nothing was overly expensive and portion sizes were solid even in our current high inflation environment. Everywhere we went was family-friendly where om and dad had great food, kids had options and loved their choices too!
For breakfast restaurants, we went to:
1.) Waffle Champion on N Walker Avenue http://www.wafflechampion.com/
This place was awesome. Clever menu with all sorts of amazing waffle options including waffle sandwiches. Everything we ordered was on point. Great Prices, Good Portions, really friendly and engaging staff made it a really nice way to start a morning!
2.) Hatch Early Mood Food on N Broadway Avenue https://hatchearlymoodfood.com/
Really unique and interesting menu options with all sorts of flair and flavor. Prices were good, portions were perfect, and everyone and kids and parents all got something that tasted great and made us all really happy to be there!
3.) Café Kacoa on N Classen Blvd https://cafekacao.com/
This place had a 30-minute wait at 10:30 am on a Thursday wait even with using the yelp app to get on the list. We were questioning our commitment to staying and thankfully we stuck around. It’s a Latin place that has a real authentic mom-and-pop vibe with a menu I could barely understand. I wasn’t too sure I would like Latin breakfast but once we dug in we realized why they always have a line out the door. Amazing food, Fair prices, big portions, and a very family-style eating vibe inside. Worth the wait!
For dinner we were recommended a few places and ate at:
1.) Red Rock Canyon Grill on Lake Hefner Pkwy https://www.redrockcanyongrill.com/locations/redrock-canyon-grill-okc/
Red Rock was the most expensive place we went to in OKC and still was quite reasonable in comparison to other nice places to eat. The staff was on point staying in tune without needs and they worked as a team to serve each table instead of the usual one waiter approach. Amazing Chefs have an impressive menu that was well executed. The kids’ menu was really good food instead of those classic cheap and quick options. Bartenders had awesome concoctions. All in all we all came out of there stuffed, happy, and hoping we would get to go back!
2.) Spark at Scissortail Park https://www.eatatspark.com/
Spark is right next to the conference center and arena and part of scissortail park with an impressive playground, games, and tons of green space. Old School fast food style burgers, fries, and shakes had us all drooling and enjoying every bite. We even tried their Acai Bowl and custards and well-known pink fries. Well priced, delicious, and convenient for families that are attending an even or just enjoying time at the park!
3.) Rendezvous Pizza on E. Sheridan Avenue https://rendezvouspizza.com/menu/
Right downtown in the heart of the bricktown area, this gem was amazing. Had some excellent craft cocktails I’ve never even seen before. They serve a Detroit-style option and a New York-style option. Both were pretty darn close to tasting like we were in those cities from a family that has actually eaten in those cities. I learned what a Boston cooler was and loved it especially since it had Tillamook ice cream, and if you follow us you know we have been to the Tillamook factory. Again a consistent theme of really involved kind staff, food that tastes absolutely amazing, and reasonable prices with strong portion sizes.
To keep up busy we did a few activities around the city.
The Oklahoma Science Museum ( https://www.sciencemuseumok.org )is genuinely one of the top in the country. We have been to a ton of science museums all around the country and OKC really might have the number one ranking in our book. It is huge and engaging and find and huge.
National Cowboy and Western heritage museum ( https://nationalcowboymuseum.org ) was a bit out of my element but who doesn’t love a little John Wayne and Sam Elliot. It is a large museum with more information than I could process from western culture including the evolution of western clothing, boots, weapons, art, sports, Native American culture, and the history of the transition of the west. Highly informative and educational. Outside area to run the kids and continue to learn about Native American culture. It was also a convenient 2 miles away from our Rv park!
The American Pigeon Museum ( https://www.theamericanpigeonmuseum.org )was in between our RV park and the Cowboy Museum. We had to stop in because I never knew there could be such a museum. I have to be honest we as a family learned a ton about pigeons that I never knew. Pigeon racing was a sport I did not know existed. The various breed of pigeons I never knew existed. There is in delivering messages and being used by militaries during war time to deliver messages. It started off as kind of a joke to stop in but I’m actually glad we did!
Oklahoma City National Memorial ( https://memorialmuseum.com )was a solemn place to visit. We explained to the kids ahead of time that they need to be on top notch behavior to because many people it is almost a graveyard. And to have kids fighting, laughing, or being disrespectful would not be kind to someone who is heartbroken about a friend or loved one. It is an emotional journey to recount the stories of people of first responders, survivors, and families of the dead. I was a kid when that happened and to walk thru and put yourself in those people’s shoes is a really different experience. I’m glad we went and were able to learn more and see the bad side to humanity but also the good side that shines thru after tragedy.
Bricktown water taxi ( https://bricktownwatertaxi.com )was a fun little adventure thru Bricktown canal. It’s a manmade canal that is filled and drained every few years revealing all sorts of sunken treasures. Our guide was very cheerful, got everyone involved, and told us the stories of the areas and her recommendations. Kids always love a boat ride and it was a nice day to enjoy the trip!
Bricktopolis ( https://www.brickopolisu.com )was the highlight of the trip for the kids. Laser tag and arcades seem to always win. They had a blast shooting each other and we can never go wrong with an arcade! It was several hours of fun and action before walking across the street to catch the dodger game.
Dodger Game ( https://www.milb.com/oklahoma-city ) was a ton of fun. We had to stay up a bit late to catch the end and we did lose the game but it was fun and the team capped it off with a homer in the 9th. OKC Dodger are the minor league team for the LA dodgers and they make it really family-friendly with engaging activities. They have a playground in the park. Competitions between innings. Our little one did a bounce race on the field between the 3rd and 4th inning. The rest of us competed on the field with another family in a balloon popping contest on the field after the 6th inning. It’s a little corny but that’s what makes it a fun day out with the family. To embarrass ourselves or watch others do the same!
We spent 2 weeks in OKC and went to skate parks, Playgrounds, Fields, more museums, more restaurants, and there was so much more that we simply couldn’t fit it all in. It’s a place I would happily go back for a visit, and we were even looking at properties to see if there might be a move to OKC in our future or consider starting a business there. Only time will tell If that goes through.