Oklahoma Road Trip: A Very Merry Thanksgiving

Nov 2

Written by Kelly W

Looking for a festive long-weekend getaway from Dallas? Oklahoma City and Tulsa make a great road trip, especially over Thanksgiving weekend! Between the holiday lights, decorated restaurants, historic hotels, walkable parks, and a little Route 66 nostalgia, there's plenty to see and do.

We’re calling this road trip A Very Merry Thanksgiving because we spent Thanksgiving weekend exploring both cities and seeking out festive stops along the way. But you don't have to visit during the holidays to follow this itinerary. There's plenty to enjoy in Oklahoma City and Tulsa year-round!

Here’s exactly how we planned our Oklahoma road trip.

Day 1: Dallas to Oklahoma City

We left Dallas mid-morning and headed for Oklahoma City, about a 3.5-hour drive away. It's an easy drive for a long-weekend getaway, without spending most of your first day in the car.

If you’re hungry, consider making a Route 66 stop at Pops 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia. There are over 700 sodas lining the walls, retro gas pumps out front, diner food inside, and a giant 66-foot neon soda bottle out front that feels like a proper road trip welcome sign. You can also stop here if you follow Route 66 from Oklahoma City to Tulsa later in this itinerary.

Once we got into downtown Oklahoma City, we started with a walk through Scissortail Park. It’s pet-friendly and was the perfect way to stretch our legs after the drive.

Our home base for the next two nights was The National Hotel, and it set the tone perfectly for our Very Merry Thanksgiving. The building used to be a grand bank, and during the holidays, the lobby glows with garlands, warm lighting, and a huge Christmas tree that makes it feel straight out of a Hallmark movie.

That night, we leaned fully into the holiday theme and reserved a Holiday Hideaway table at Chicken N Pickle. It was festive but casual, with more twinkle lights, themed drinks, and good food.

Day 2: Thanksgiving in OKC

We kept Thanksgiving morning slow, with coffee and breakfast from Teller’s downstairs, followed by an unhurried walk downtown. We walked the Bricktown Canal, which feels especially festive in November and December, with the canal lights reflecting on the water.

Later, we wandered through Myriad Botanical Gardens and around the Devon Ice Rink area before heading back toward The National for Thanksgiving dinner.

We reserved a table at Teller’s inside The National to enjoy their three-course Thanksgiving menu. It’s hard to replicate a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal, but we enjoyed some of our favorites, like turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans.

Day 3: Route 66

Instead of jumping on the interstate, we followed Route 66 toward Tulsa. This stretch of Route 66 weaves through small towns and passes historic service stations, murals, classic diners, and farmland.

Our favorite stretch of Route 66 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa included the 1939 Rock Café in Stroud that inspired Cars, small-town main streets dressed up for Christmas in Davenport and Bristow, the quiet backroads near Chandler (where we briefly got lost and learned to keep the GPS on), and of course, Pops 66 with its giant neon soda bottle. It’s not one big landmark that makes this drive special, but all of the classic diners, vintage signs, farmland, and tiny towns along the way. If you want the full breakdown of every stop and what we’d do differently next time, you can read our complete Route 66 Oklahoma City to Tulsa guide.

By the afternoon, we arrived in Tulsa and went straight to The Gathering Place, known as one of the best urban parks in the country. Lakes, bridges, gardens, art installations, and a huge adventure playground make this park incredibly impressive, with or without kids.

Later, we checked into the Residence Inn by Marriott Tulsa Midtown, then we headed straight to Mother Road Market for dinner. We browsed every vendor before settling on Metropolis Cheesesteaks and ice cream in waffle cones for dessert.

Day 4: Tulsa

Our plan was to start today with coffee at Chimera Café before heading to Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness for a morning hike.

Then, we were going to check off a few more Route 66 and Tulsa landmarks, including the Meadow Gold Neon Sign, Blue Whale of Catoosa, the colorful Blue Dome District, and the quirky “Center of the Universe” acoustic spot downtown.

Instead, we woke up and went straight to Roosevelt’s Tulsa. If you’re visiting during the holidays, do not skip Roosevelt’s Tulsa! They go big for Christmas décor. I mean, truly ALL-OUT. I’ve never been somewhere so festive, and it was absolutely worth the wait to get a table.

We ended up heading back to Dallas this evening, but you could easily fill this entire day in Tulsa and make the 4.5-hour drive back to Dallas in the morning. If you’re looking for another dinner recommendation, Bull in the Alley offers a hidden steakhouse experience that would have been on our list if we'd stayed longer.

Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this next section are affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. We only share places we truly love or have experienced ourselves.

Where to Stay

If you like sticking with a hotel loyalty program like we do, this is an easy trip to lean into it. We’re partial to Marriott because of the consistency and points flexibility, and both cities have great options.

Oklahoma City: The National Hotel: If you want your trip to feel special from the moment you walk in, stay at The National! This historic bank building has soaring ceilings, dramatic architecture, and during the holidays, warm garlands and a grand Christmas tree that make the whole lobby glow. You’re within walking distance of Scissortail Park, Bricktown, Myriad Gardens, and several great restaurants, which means you can park the car and explore on foot.

Tulsa: Residence Inn by Marriott Midtown: In Tulsa, we chose the Residence Inn Midtown for comfort and convenience. Easy parking and a central location made it a good home base while we explored Route 66 landmarks and The Gathering Place. If you’re staying multiple nights or want a little extra room to spread out, this is a practical choice. However, if you’re traveling with pets and only staying for one night, the pet fee here is high, so Aloft might be a better choice.

Tulsa: Ambassador Hotel Tulsa: We also seriously considered the Ambassador Hotel Tulsa (Autograph Collection). If you want a more boutique, romantic feel in Tulsa, this is the move. It’s located in a historic Art Deco building closer to downtown. If your trip leans more “anniversary weekend” than “road trip comfort,” this would be a fantastic option.

FAQ

How many days do you need for a Dallas-OKC-Tulsa road trip?

You can make this loop work in three full days, especially if you’re focused on highlights. That would give you one night in Oklahoma City and one night in Tulsa with a Route 66 drive in between. That said, four days is more relaxed. Two nights in OKC and two in Tulsa allow you to enjoy holiday lights, parks, restaurants, and Route 66 stops without rushing from place to place. If you only have a weekend, consider choosing one city and saving the other for another trip.

Is this a good holiday road trip?

Yes, especially from late November through mid-December! Both Oklahoma City and Tulsa decorate early. You’ll find holiday light displays in Scissortail Park, lights along the Bricktown Canal, themed holiday dinners, festively decorated restaurants like Roosevelt’s in Tulsa, and classic storefronts dressed up along Route 66. If you’re looking for a festive trip that’s easy and not overwhelmingly crowded, this is a great option.

Can you bring pets on this trip?

Yes, this is a pet-friendly road trip. We brought Lincoln with us and had no issues finding places to walk and explore. Some of the best pet-friendly stops include:

Scissortail Park (OKC)
Bricktown Canal (OKC)
Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness (Tulsa)

What about a summer road trip in Oklahoma?

Summer can also work well for this road trip, especially if you plan to visit Riversport in Oklahoma City. Riversport Adventures offers whitewater rafting, kayaking, zip lines, and outdoor adventure courses right along the Oklahoma River.

Is Route 66 worth adding to this road trip?

Absolutely! Driving Route 66 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa adds activity to what would otherwise be a quick interstate hop. Instead of a straight 90-minute drive, you get small towns, classic diners, vintage signage, and lots of farmland. If you’re short on time, take the interstate. If you want the experience, take Route 66. Here are some of the best stops along Route 66 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa.