I would like to make it clear that I have not visited Oklahoma--I have LIVED in the Sooner state all of my life
I am proud to be an Oklahoman. Notice, I said ’’Oklahoman’’, not ’’Okie’’. Many years ago, someone thought it would be a good idea to take the derogatory term of ’’Okie’’ and turn it into a statement of pride. It didn’t work.
Oklahoma is a beautiful state. In the Northwest part of the state, where I live, you have miles of open prairie, broken occasionally by hills. In our area, we have the Glass(pronounced Gloss)Mountains. These mesas are studded with sparkling crystal formations which catch your eye when the sun strikes them. They are also a haven for rattlesnakes. However, I have never encountered one of the reptiles there.
As you travel eastward, the scenery slowly changes into rolling hills, dotted with heavily wooded areas.
We have many lovely State Parks. Roman Nose State Park is the closest to where I live, and we love visit there. Sometimes, we take our tent and camp for a few days. Other times, we will go there for the afternoon. We can enjoy a leisurely meal at one of the two restaurants, and if we care to, we can take a short hike on a nature trail. Other recreation provided includes, paddle boats, canoes, miniature golf and horse back riding. For those who do not enjoy camping there is an excellent motel on the property.
Oklahoma City is the capitol of Oklahoma. I lived there until I was married forty years ago. There have been many changes in ’’the City’’ during those forty years!
Oklahoma City boasts many fine restaurants. Applewood’s is a favorite of ours. One of the most famous OKC restaurants is the Cattlemen’s, located in near the former stockyards. Cattlemen’s has been in the same location for about a hundred years. The specialty, of course, is the steak. They have a nice variety of other cuts of meat too, and a tempting array of side dishes. When former President George S. Bush visited OKC, he was taken to eat at the Cattlemen’s at his request. It is said he liked his meal tremendously.
OKC has many fine family attractions. A partial list includes:
The Oklahoma City Zoo, one of the nations top ten zoos.
Frontier City, recreation of a wild west frontier town, and amusement park.
The Oklahoma Cowboy Hall of Fame. This features many great works of western art and immortalizes the working cowboy.
Remington Park offers the thrills of horse racing.
In downtown, OKC you will find the renowned Myriad Botanical Gardens. The gardens ramble over gentle hills and feature a sunken lake. You will not want to miss the lovely Crystal Bridge.
This is just a partial listing of the attractions available in the great state of Oklahoma. There is something here for everyone.