Tulsa travel guide

About Tulsa

Tulsa is the second-most-populous city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and the 48th-most populous city in the United States. The population was about 419K as of the 2026 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa metropolitan area, a region with 1.06 million residents. The city serves as the county seat of Tulsa County, the most densely populated county in Oklahoma, with urban development extending into Osage, Rogers, and Wagoner counties.

Places to visit in Tulsa

1. Gathering Place

   Park

   A large riverside park with imaginative playgrounds, gardens, a boathouse and walking trails along the Arkansas River, free to enter and popular with families of all ages.

2. 

   Philbrook Museum of Art

   Museum · 2 mi from centre

   Set in an Italian Renaissance-style villa surrounded by formal gardens, this museum holds art from around the world, including European paintings and a strong Native American collection.

3. 

   Greenwood District

   Historic · 3 mi from centre

   Once known as Black Wall Street, this district tells the story of a thriving Black community and the race massacre that destroyed it, with the Greenwood Rising history center at its center.

4. 

   Gilcrease Museum

   Museum · 6 mi from centre

   A museum known for its collection of art and artifacts of the American West, including works by Western artists and an extensive archive of Native American material and historical documents.

5. 

   Boston Avenue Methodist Church

   Religious · 3 mi from centre

   A striking Art Deco church with a soaring tower and decorative details, considered a fine example of the style that shaped much of Tulsa's architecture.

6. 

   Woody Guthrie Center

   Museum

   In the Tulsa Arts District, this museum explores the life and music of Oklahoma folk singer Woody Guthrie through handwritten lyrics, recordings and interactive listening exhibits.

7. 

   Cain's Ballroom

   Entertainment · 4 mi from centre

   A historic music hall closely associated with Western swing pioneer Bob Wills, still hosting a busy schedule of concerts on its famous spring-loaded dance floor under walls of vintage photos.

8. 

   Tulsa Zoo

   Zoo · 5 mi from centre

   Located in Mohawk Park on the north side of the city, this zoo presents animals in regional exhibits from around the world, a good option for families visiting Tulsa.

Where to stay in Tulsa

Popular hotels in Tulsa, out of 155 properties you can book.

Hilton Garden Inn Bartlesville

• Tulsa Area

From $104 per night

Hyatt Place Tulsa Downtown

• Tulsa Area

From $136 per night

Homewood Suites by Hilton Tulsa-South

• Broken Arrow

From $103 per night

Embassy Suites by Hilton Tulsa I-44

• Tulsa Area

From $173 per night

Hampton Inn Tulsa/Broken Arrow

• Broken Arrow

From $155 per night

La Quinta Inn & Suites Tulsa Downtown/Route 66

• Tulsa Area

From $133 per night

Stoney Creek Hotel Tulsa - Broken Arrow

• Broken Arrow

From $121 per night

Hampton Inn & Suites Tulsa Downtown

• Tulsa Area

From $137 per night

La Quinta Inn & Suites Tulsa - Catoosa

• Broken Arrow

From $137 per night

Hampton Inn & Suites Tulsa/Catoosa

• Broken Arrow

From $98 per night

Hotel Indigo Tulsa Dwtn-Entertainment Area

• Tulsa Area

From $147 per night

Osage Casino and Hotel - Skiatook

• Tulsa Area

From $113 per night

Best time to visit Tulsa

Based on recent weather records, the most comfortable time to visit Tulsa is March and September to October, when average daytime highs are around 68–84°F and rain falls on about 6 days a month.

Average daily low and high temperatures and days with at least 1 mm of rain, from recent weather records. Highlighted months are the most comfortable for sightseeing.

Tulsa weather forecast

• Wed 21 Oct 74° 52° 4%
• Thu 22 Oct 80° 61° 0%
• Fri 23 Oct 80° 62° 0%
• Sat 24 Oct 80° 62° 0%
• Sun 25 Oct 78° 64° 9%
• Mon 26 Oct 68° 58° 8%

Know before you go

Currency

United States dollar (USD)

Language

English

Calling code

+1

Driving

On the right

Time zone

America/ChicagoUTC−5

Capital

Washington, D.C.

Upcoming public holidays in United States

• Wed 11 NovVeterans Day
• Thu 26 NovThanksgiving Day
• Fri 25 DecChristmas Day
• Fri 1 JanNew Year's Day
• Mon 18 JanMartin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Mon 15 FebPresidents DayWashington's Birthday

Banks, offices and some attractions may close on public holidays, and flights and hotels often fill up early around them.

Getting to Tulsa

These are the airports closest to central Tulsa. Compare fares into each one, as a slightly longer transfer can sometimes mean a much cheaper flight.

• TUL Tulsa International Airport5 mi (9 km) from the city centre
• RVS Tulsa Riverside Airport7 mi (11 km) from the city centre

Getting around Tulsa

Thanks to urban planning, the major city streets are placed in a grid layout. Almost all major intersections are 1 mi (1.6 km) from each other, and exactly in a straight line. That makes it much easier to find places than in cities where streets go every which way. The major exception is downtown, which is slanted at a 25 degree angle to the rest of the grid. This is due to the original town not facing true north and instead putting main street at a 90 degree angle to the original MKT railroad tracks.

By car

Several freeways and bypasses can be used to easily get around the Tulsa Metro area: I-244, I-44, US 169 (Mingo Valley Expressway, "Pearl Harbor Memorial Expressway"), US 75, US 64/OK-51 (Broken Arrow Expressway, The "B.A."), and OK-364 (Creek Turnpike).

By bicycle

Tulsa has an extensive interconnected paved bike trail system. Rivertrail follows the Arkansas River from downtown Tulsa south to the suburbs. The Katy Trail runs west to Sand Springs. The Osage Trail is a rails-to-trails route that begins at the OSU-Tulsa campus and travels north 15 mi (24 km) to Skiatook. The Creek Trail connects Rivertrail and continues east through Broken Arrow to the NSU-Broken Arrow campus.

Tulsa travel FAQ