Are you searching for a guide to the Top 10 Best things to do in OKC with Kids in 2021? If so, keep reading for a complete list.
Oklahoma City may not have been at the top of your US travel bucket list in the past five years. However, the city has quickly risen to prominence. Today, it is one of the best places to travel as a family. This is Both in cost, value and a plethora of attractions offered.
Websites like Wallethub and USA Today have ranked Oklahoma City as one of the best summer travel destinations. It was also voted the best place to see public art. Millions of dollars have been put forth to make OKC into a top notch travel destination for families. It is easy to see why more families are traveling to the destination year after year.
In this article, I am sharing 10 of the Best Things to do in OKC with kids in 2021. The list includes many family-friendly and inexpensive attractions and experiences.
Things to do in OKC with Kids– Adventure District
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
Oklahoma City would not be what it is today without its western heritage . The National Cowboy and Western heritage museum is a great way to step back in time and learn about the history of cowboy and Indian heritage. The relationships between the cowboys and western heritage played a major role in the state and culture.
Guests can spend around a half on property learning from the exhibits and live interactive experiences . There is a large variety of art and cultural artifacts. The grounds are not only beautiful to look at but serve as an immersive historical learning experience.
Where is the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Located? Hours of Operation?
The museum is located in the Adventure district, around 15 minutes away from the downtown area. It is open from 10am-5pm on the weekdays and noon to 5 on the weekends. This is for self guided and directed tours. The price of entry is $12.50 for adults and $5.75 for children. Ages 5 and Under are FREE making it one of the most cost effective attractions in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City Zoo
One of the best things to do with kids in OKC is the Oklahoma City Zoo. It is located in the Adventure District adjacent to the Science Museum Oklahoma. The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum is also nearby.
The OKC zoo is what they call a living museum. It spans over 119 acres and houses over 1900 unique species of animals. The zoo offers a wide variety of interactive experiences, shows and a botanical garden for guests to enjoy.
When visiting with kids, it is important to note that this Zoo has something for everyone at every age. Our 5 year old had a great experience exploring the animal enclosures and taking part in the animal encounters. Shows and encounters are offered for an additional fee.
The cost of the Zoo is $25 for adult non members and $22 for children non members. However, there are bundles that offer access to more shows, dining experiences and animal encounters for an additional cost.
It is worth planning to spend an entire day exploring the Adventure district on your itinerary. Combine the Zoo experience with the Science Museum and Cowboy Museum.
Science Museum Oklahoma
The Science Museum Oklahoma is also located in Oklahoma city’s adventure district. The museum was founded in 1959 to provide opportunities to learn more about the state of Oklahoma and the world around us.
Since then, the museum has evolved into an amazing space for young explorers to discover science with interactive shows and exhibits.
The tickets to enter cost $18.95 for adults and $14.95 for children. There is no charge for children under the age of 3.
Things to do in OKC with Kids– Bricktown
Oklahoma Centennial Land Run Monument
One of the most iconic attractions in Oklahoma City is the Oklahoma Land Run Monument .
The monument can be found near the bricktown neighborhood in OKC. It commemorates the opening of unassigned land in the Oklahoma Territory Land run of 1889.
This massive cluster of statues shows men, women and children on their way to start a new beginning. Honestly, it’s one of the best and most impressive sites that I have ever seen. The park is open 24 hours a day. I highly recommend making sure that it is a part of your itinerary when visiting the Bricktown Neighborhood .
Bricktown Water Taxi
The Bricktown water taxi is located in the central area of the Bricktown District. The Water taxi started its service to the area in 1999. Today, it is easily one of the most iconic Oklahoma City attractions. The Taxi is a great unique way to explore the city. It is also great if you want to take a break from walking and exploring in the area.
The cost of the tour is $12 for adults and $9 for children. The ride is around 40 minutes long and the pick ups are every 30 minutes. Due to covid restrictions, it is recommended that guests purchase tickets in advance.
Again, the Bricktown neighborhood is a great place to dine, explore art and history . It’s an industrial feel with modern amenities and entertainment attractions. If you plan to visit the district and other attractions on this list, plan to spend at least a half day.
Things to do in OKC with Kids– Downtown
Bike Tour with Ride OKC
Ride OKC is an immersive tour experience that explores architecture, art and history around Oklahoma City. Through various tour options, guests are given the opportunity to see the city in a way that they may have missed by car. Options include: Art +Architecture, Bike +Brew and Custom Ride-alongs.
The host of the tour, Ryan, was extremely knowledgeable and made the tour fun to experience. He allowed for several stops which was especially important when completing the tour for little ones. Ryan also allows time for plenty of pictures . It is recommended that you bring a camera especially for the art tour.
After all, the city is known for having the best street art.
Our custom tour combined art, architecture and cookies. We ventured through Bricktown and the Art Districts, Mansions and a stop at Elemental Coffee. The coffee shop is known for its chocolate chip cookie that was voted the best in Oklahoma City.
Our tour was a great mix for a family completing the tour with a small child. I highly recommend booking a custom tour in order to meet the needs of a family with multiple interests.
even a cookie stop where we discovered the Best chocolate cookie in the US at elemental coffee .
The cost of the Ride OKC bike tours start at $45 per rider. Bikes are also for rent to enjoy self guided tours and rides in the park.
Scissortail Park
Scissortail Park is located in Downtown OKC and It is Oklahoma City’s newest green space expansion. The park spans 70 acres and has a variety of attractions to enjoy including food trucks, live music days, kayak and paddle boat rentals and playgrounds for little ones.
Located in Scissortail park is also the iconic scissortail bridge. The bridge lights up just after sunset and makes for the perfect photo opportunity.
On the website, visitors can access information regarding community and park events such as live music, farmers markets and fitness classes.
Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
In 1995, Oklahoma City experienced a tragic bombing of the federal reserve building. This bombing resulted in the murder of 165 men, women and children who worked and had daycare in the building.
Today, the City of Oklahoma City pays homage to the lives of those in which it lost with the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. It is noted as the #1 Oklahoma City attraction and should not be missed as it is a crucial part of Oklahoma City’s fabric.
Everyday, guests visit the site to pay their respects, read plaques with information about what happened that day and learn more about the history that has taken place since that day.
The memorial is free to explore outdoors and can easily be accessed by car or on foot. We were able to stop at this attraction as a part of our Ride OKC tour.
The cost of entry at the museum is $17 for adults, $12 for children and free for any children under the age of 5. The cost of parking is free with an admissions ticket.
Things to do in OKC with Kids– Other Districts
Wheeler Park OKC at Wheeler District
Did you know that the Old Santa Monica Ferris Wheel can be found in the heart of the United States now?
In 2008, Santa Monica’s Ferris wheel was sold on eBay to Oklahoma City. Since then, $1 Million was allocated to refresh the iconic attraction.
Today, you can visit the Ferris Wheel at The Wheeler District. Guests can pay a small nominal fee to enjoy the Ferris Wheel. On property, guests can also purchase food from local food trucks as well as partake in free games and hammocks.
The Wheeler District is another great space to have a picnic or enjoy a family/ date night
Art Murals at Bricktown and Plaza Walls
As mentioned before, Oklahoma city was voted the best city to view street art. So, it’s no surprise that a huge part of city beautification methods included commissioning artists for murals.
The city is as colorful and vibrant as its future. The best places to see art in Oklahoma City are the Art murals of Bricktown and the Plaza Walls District.
Bricktown OKC: The Bricktown OKC district is an art and entertainment district just East of downtown Oklahoma City. The district is bustling with attractions, dining and arts experience. In addition, it is the home of OKC’s minor league baseball team, the Oklahoma City Dodgers. The Bridges and water taxi area of bricktown is a mecca for art experiences.
Street art is painted among the walls and bridges. The best way to experience the art is by foot, electric scooter or as a part of the Arts Tour by Ride OKC mentioned above.
Plaza Walls Oklahoma City: The plaza walls in Oklahoma City is a curated street art experience that was launched in 2015. The art walls rotate for different artists to come and create. This means that each time you visit, you could have a different experience than before.
The plaza walls have become one of Oklahoma City’s Top Tourist attractions and has aided in the street art popularity of the city.
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