7 Free Things to Do in Tulsa Oklahoma

7 Free Things to do in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa Oklahoma is the second largest city in the state of Oklahoma and has a rich history in oil. Located on the old Route 66 the city provides activities for all ages and some great quirky roadside attractions that we found.

1. The Blue Whale of Catoosa Oklahoma

2600 Rte 66, Catoosa, OK 74015

While not technically inside Tulsa, it’s close enough to the city where you can easily make the short trip out there and it was one of our favorite things that we got to visit while in Tulsa. This iconic landmark is quickly rising in prominence as it is being used for the set of several commercials (we recently spotted it in a Mercedes-Benz Commercial) and was used as one of the locations to launch Snapchat Spectacles. The Blue Whale is a great roadside attraction and has brought joy to individuals, families and children for decades.

Facts about the Blue Whale of Catoosa Oklahoma

• Hugh Davis built the Blue Whale as a surprise anniversary gift for his wife Zelta who collected whale figurines
• The whale is 80 feet long and stands at 15 feet tall. You can climb inside of the body and up on top of the tail
• Originally opened in 1972 the Blue Whale closed in 1988 and fell into disrepair until about 1997 when the landmark was refurbished and reopened.

While visiting the Blue Whale make sure to stop in the gift shop if it is open. There are tons of photo albums with vintage photos from the heyday of the Blue Whale of Catoosa. In addition you can purchase souvenirs such as magnets, postcards and paintings!

If you are road tripping through, this is a great place to stop for a picnic. Several picnic tables are available and there are restrooms on site!

2. The Golden Driller Statue

24145 E 21st St, Tulsa, OK 74114

The Golden Driller Statue is located at the Tulsa Expo Center and serves at the Official State Monument of Oklahoma! During the fair the Golden Driller serves as a landmark for visitors and locals alike and it’s a pretty common meeting spot at the fair.

Facts about the Golden Driller Statue

• The Golden Driller is the 6th tallest statue in the United States standing 75 feet tall and weighting 43,500 pounds.
• Originally built in 1952 the Golden Driller became the Official State Monument of Oklahoma in 1979.
• The Oil Derrick that the Golden Driller stands next to is an actual oil derrick from Seminole, Oklahoma.

Near the Golden Driller Statue there is a snow cone stand so if passing though it would be a great place to stop for a snack and photos. The Golden Driller does provide an excellent opportunity for Instagram photos!

3. The Center of the Universe in Tulsa, OK

1 S Boston Ave, Tulsa, OK 74103

The Center of the Universe is an acoustical anomaly that is located in Downtown Tulsa. I have seen one other one of these (in Portland Oregon) and these are always super neat and I love checking them out when I hear about them.

Basically how these work is that there is a center point in them where you stand, once you stand there and talk whatever you say will echo back to you but no one outside of the circle will be able to hear the echo. Super neat, freaky type thing that kids would likely enjoy.

Facts about the Center of the Universe

• The Center of the Universe in Tulsa attracts nearly 10,000 visitors each year. 
• The Artificial Cloud that soars 70+ feet above the Center of the Universe was created by an artist in 1991 who basically said that people would look up more at a rusting steel cloud than the real thing.
• The nearby Bank of Oklahoma is the tallest building in Tulsa, and if you notice that it looks similar to the World Trade Center buildings, that is because those buildings served as the inspiration.

4. Free Downtown Tulsa Self Guided Walking Tour

Downtown Tulsa Oklahoma

If you get a chance to do this one don’t pass it up! When heading into Tulsa I had no idea about this activity but the nice gentleman at the Visitors Center suggested it and I was glad to take him up on it!

For a little history, Tulsa had a oil boom back starting in the 1920’s that created enormous wealth. This coincided with the Art Deco period, so basically the oil boom and the art deco period collided and the result is some stunning architecture in the downtown area. You could take as little or as much time as you wanted on this self guided tour that you can find linked here.

I’d suggest not just walking around and observing the outside of the buildings, but take a look inside as well. There are some stunning lobbies in these buildings!

5. The Cave House of Tulsa

1623 Charles Page Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74127 | website

The Tulsa Cave house is the epitome of a Tulsa quirky roadside attraction. Owned by Linda Collier this house was originally the home of a chicken restaurant with a cave in the back that served as a speakeasy during prohibition.

Its free to drive by and you can always take pictures. I opted for the tour which is currently priced at $10 for adults and $5 for children (I know, not free, but worth it) and was so glad that I sprung for the tour of the house.

When I signed up for the tour I didn’t read any reviews so I was thinking that we would get there and be learning about the date the house was built, the architect etc. To my surprise what we ended up with was a tour by the owner Linda who told all the stories of this Tulsa Landmark as good as any storyteller possibly could.

We quickly realized that the house embodies Linda and there was no one more perfect to own this house. After leaving The Cave House in Tulsa, I couldn’t help but feel that I had just met a Tulsa Legend. If you get a chance, do the tour. You will not be disappointed.

6. Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area

6850 S Elwood Ave, Tulsa, OK 74132 | website

Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness area is located about 7 miles from downtown Tulsa and offers around 300 acres of undeveloped land. Whether you are visiting the city or are a local, you will find Turkey Mountain is a great place to escape the city and get some fresh air.

Turkey Mountain features both paved and unpaved trails. Some are marked and some are not. This area attracts families as well as athletes and there are trails for all different skill levels. From short paved trails to steep unpaved natural trails this area has it all.

If you do opt to venture out to Turkey Mountain, note that you will want to take plenty of water and pay mind to any weather and or heat advisories. I found this to be a neat area but there was a heat advisory so I didn’t get a chance to spend near as much time there as I wanted (it was scorching out, yall lol).

7. Route 66 Historical Village

3770 Southwest Boulevard, Tulsa Oklahoma

Located on Route 66, the Route 66 Historical Village was not on my radar when I arrived in Tulsa. I just happened to drive past it and after seeing the massive trains, I had to stop for some photos.. I did some more digging on this area, and well, now here it is!

This is a great family friendly roadside attraction that train obsessed children will absolutely love. It is still being developed out to its full final form, but you can stop by now and still have a grand time and get some great pictures.

Current Attractions at the Route 66 Historical Village

• Frisco 4500 Meteor Train – This massive train has one of the coolest paint jobs I have seen on a train. Originally built in 1942 this steam engine carried passengers from 1942 to 1947 before retiring in 1950. 
• Centennial Oil Derrick – The Route 66 Historical Village is home to the tallest oil derrick in North America. It stands 154 feet tall and makes an amazing backdrop to the Meteor Steam Engine!
• Frisco 1157 Caboose – This one was awesome in my book. Since I was a child I have been obsessed with the caboose of a train and this was my first time to ever get to be on one. Again, for the train obsessed child, this place is a dream land!

So that was some of the things I found that were completely free to do in Tulsa Oklahoma. It was a great time seeing all of those sights and if you are looking for some things to do in Tulsa, hopefully this list will help you out or get you started. If you do get to check any of these out, tag me on Instagram @thefreebieguy as I would love to see your adventures.

Any other things I may have missed? Let me know in the comments and perhaps I will be able to check them out on a future Tulsa trip and add them to my list here 🙂