8 Reasons South-Central Oklahoma Should Be Your Next Road Trip Destination

Looking for your next road trip destination? Consider exploring South-Central Oklahoma! If you’re looking for off the beaten path adventure, somewhere that’s still relatively undiscovered, a destination brimming with history and charming small towns, southern Oklahoma absolutely ticks all of these boxes!

Whether you’re looking to wander off the beaten track, see quirky roadside attractions, immerse yourself in history, or find solitude somewhere in the great outdoors, South-Central Oklahoma has all the makings for a great American road trip.

South-Central Oklahoma is Chickasaw Country, a large region stretching from Oklahoma City to the Texas border. In Chickasaw Country you’ll find many charming small towns with quaint main streets, over thirty museums, and some very scenic countryside.

Chickasaw Country is also home to one of the oldest mountain ranges in the United States as well as home to beautiful waterfalls, natural pools and springs you can swim in, and several huge lakes!

In fact, there is a whopping 120,000 miles of shoreline in this part of Oklahoma so if you’re looking to enjoy a few days on the water, you’ll have Lake Texoma, Lake Murray and Lake of the Arbuckles to choose from.

Mountains, lakes, and cute towns! Do you need any more convincing? Here are eight more reasons South-Central Oklahoma should be your next road trip destination.

1. You can visit the tallest waterfall in Oklahoma.

South-Central Oklahoma is home to the tallest waterfall in the state! Named Turner Falls, this beautiful waterfall drops 77-feet into a big blue pool. Sure it lacks the immensity of Niagara Falls and doesn’t come close in height to waterfalls on the west coast, but nevertheless Turner Falls is an impressive sight that you won’t soon forget.

Turner Falls is an unusual waterfall because unlike others, instead of moving upstream, the crest of Turner Falls is moving downstream. This is a result of the mineral travertine which is deposited only in spring water.

You can visit the unique waterfall at Turner Falls Park. The park is nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains — the oldest mountains in the United States between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. Some of the rocks found in these mountains date back to at least 1.4 billion years ago!

Besides stunning scenery and unique geology there are lots of other cool things to do in Turner Falls Park including hiking, swimming, exploring caves and a hidden castle, and even ziplining.

You can visit the park at any time of the year but summer and fall are the best times to visit. If you are planning a summer road trip, don’t forget to pack a picnic and bring your swimsuit!

>Read: Fun Things To Do At Turner Falls Park in Davis, Oklahoma

2. You’ll find the best BBQ in the state!

If you consider yourself a BBQ fan, then a visit to South-Central Oklahoma absolutely needs to be on your bucket list! Specifically, Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch.

Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch has garnered a reputation across Oklahoma for having the most tantalising ribs in the state! But there’s more to Smokin’ Joes than just ribs, they also serve up some of the best pulled pork and smoked chicken too, however the smoked brisket is probably the biggest crowd pleaser here and I would have to agree with that. In particular, the chopped brisket.

Tasty, tender meat isn’t the only impressive thing on the menu though. Smokin’ Joe’s also make some of the most delicious homemade desserts! Be sure to leave room for their cobbler of the day or strawberries on a cloud.

You’ll find Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch in Davis, Oklahoma. The business also doubles as an RV Park so if you’re roadtripping in an RV, what better place to camp overnight? Dinner and accommodation sorted!

Besides Smokin Joe’s you’ll also have Billy Sims Barbeque in Duncan and A&E Grill in Chickasha to look forward too.

3. South-Central Oklahoma is full of quirky attractions.

If you’re into weird and whacky attractions, you’ll find several in South-Central Oklahama to add to your road trip itinerary. From a leg lamp to a medieval castle, and the world’s largest peanut, there will be plenty to write home about on your drive through the Sooner state.

The quirkiest attraction of all would have to be the leg lamp in Chickasha. A 50-foot tall re-creation of the “A Christmas Story” leg lamp, complete with fishnet stockings, black high heel, and fringed lampshade stands atop a 10-foot crate marked fragile. Incase you haven’t seen this classic Christmas movie, it is about a young boy whose only Christmas wish was to receive a BB gun.

Whether you’ve seen the film or not, the larger than life Christmas leg lamp in Chickasha is a must see in Oklahoma and a place where you can have lots of fun taking photos.

Over in Durant you’ll find the world’s largest peanut. The enormous nut is a tribute to the town’s agricultural history and honors the peanut industry of surrounding Bryan County. Regardless of whether the “world’s largest peanut” statement is true or not, the giant peanut is a fun place to snap a few quick photos.

In Davis you can explore the ruins of a medieval castle. This unusual fortress-like home is one of the coolest and weirdest sites in South-Central Oklahoma! Visitors are allowed investigate the mysterious property and wander through the sprawling stone mansion with their admission into Turner Falls Park.

If you’re a big kid at heart, be sure to make plans to visit the Toy and Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley. This museum houses over 13,000 toys ranging from Simpsons figurines to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, KISS, and of course all of the Marvel and DC superheroes.

>Read: Explore Castle Ruins At Turner Falls Park In South-Central Oklahoma

4. Blake Shelton lives here and you can drink a cocktail at his bar in Tishomingo!

Blake Shelton loves his home state of Oklahoma so much that he opened the first of his four Ole Red’s in downtown Tishomingo! The popular eatery and live music venue has since expanded to Nashville, Gatlinburg, Las Vegas and Orlando.

Shelton has said that he chose Tishomingo as the location of his first ever restaurant because he got his start in the music business performing in nearby Ada at McSwain Theater and wanted to inspire other young musicians by giving them a local venue to showcase their talent.

Ole Red’s hosts live music almost every night of the week in its adjoining music hall called The Doghouse. Past performers have included winners from the television show “The Voice” and even Blake Shelton himself has been known to make special appearances every now and then (although don’t expect it to be announced anywhere for obvious reasons).

At Ole Red you can enjoy Southern-style comfort food and cocktails while musicians take to the stage. The type of food you can expect on the menu include fried water critters, chicken fried steak, redneck nachos and the like. Be sure to order a Tishomingo Sunset or a Slim Jim Bloody Mary which comes garnished with whatever the kitchen can find. Cocktails come in funky souvenir cups that you can take home!

Next door to the restaurant is Junk Stars, a small boutique shop owned and operated by Blake’s mother Dorothy Shackleford. Her store is also worth a stop if you’re a Shelton fan since the entire space is blitzed out in Blake memoribila including his old guitars, furniture from his home, taxidermy he hunted himself, and lots of other unique items.

In fact, the entire town of Tishomingo is a shrine to Blake Shelton and no matter which downtown store you pop into, you’ll likely find a cardboard cut out figure of the country crooner.

>Read: How To Spend One Day In Tishomingo, Oklahoma

5. There are several extraordinary places you can stay overnight including floating cabins and celebrity-owned inns.

South-Central Oklahoma boasts some of the most unique and coolest places to stay in the country! From treehouses to floating cabins, celebrity-owned inns and luxurious boutique properties, you’re guaranteed to have an extraordinary overnight experience if you want to.

In Tishomingho you can stay at Mulberry Inn, a historic inn that was once owned by Miranda Lambert. Originally built in 1901, the boutique property (which has since been bought by Blake Shelton) features eight unique rooms personally decorated by Miranda herself.

Without a doubt, one of the most unique accommodations in South-Central Oklahoma would have to be the Lake Murray Floating Cabins. The cabins are situated on Lake Murray, a lake with some of the clearest Caribbean-blue water you’ll ever see!

A stay in one of these floating vacation homes will turn your road trip adventure into a magical experience you’ll never forget. Located inside Lake Murray State Park, Oklahoma’s first and oldest state park, this destination offers tons of summer time fun!

Be sure to stop by Lake Murray Watersports where you can rent paddle boats, kayaks, canoes, wave runners, sailboats, and even these incrediblely fun island cruisers complete with BBQ grill and slippery slide.

For something more upscale, stay at the Artesian Hotel and Casino in Sulphur, a stunning luxury property that features an opulent lobby complete with extravagant columns and black and white granite tiles, elegant rooms with velvet furnishing, a fine dining restaurant, and deluxe spa.

The highlight though for me would have to be the indoor-outdoor pool and bathhouse which is amazing to experience under a starry sky on a warm summer night.

This hotel is truly a hidden treasure in Oklahoma and not something you expect to see in such a little town. It is the perfect place to enjoy a romantic weekend away or to use as a base while exploring adjacent Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

6. South-Central Oklahoma is home to the largest casino in the United States.

Winstar World Casino is the largest casino in the USA and the sixth largest in the world based on floor space! And you’ll find it right here in Thackerville, South-Central Oklahoma!

The 400,000 square foot casino features over 10,000 slot machines, a 55 table poker room, a betting parlor, Bingo, Keno, and so much more! The gaming plazas have been organized into nine city-themed rooms that include Rome, London, Paris and Cairo to name a few.

Not fond of gambling? That’s okay, there’s still so much to see and do here! There is a diverse range of restaurants from casual to upscale such as Kirby’s Steakhouse, Dallas Cowboys Bar & Grill, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, and the 500-seat Gran Via Buffet.

Besides the 17 restaurants and multiple bars, you’ll also find boutique stores, two 18-hole golf courses, a nightclub, and an entertainment venue that has hosted legendary artists like Dolly Parton, Luke Bryan, Sting, John Legend, John Mellencamp and even Jerry Seinfeld.

The newest addition to the casino is the Cascades, a five acre pool complex laid out across three tiers featuring luxurious amenities. It’s the perfect place to kick back in the summer! Choose from private cabanas, daybeds, or take a seat on one of the in-pool sun chairs, grab yourself a cocktail and treat yourself to the ultimate pool experience!

If you need a place to stay for the night, the casino has an attached 1,400-room hotel, an inn, and an RV Park with 160 spaces. It’s a terrific place to base yourself while you explore South-Central Oklahoma.

7. You can immerse yourself in cowboy culture and western history.

Cowboys are one of the most iconic symbols of western culture in the United States and nowhere is western culture more prevalent than Oklahoma! You’ll see plenty of cowboy boots and hats traveling through this state and it’s almost impossible to go anywhere without seeing something related to ranching and cows.

Oklahoma was a major thoroughfare for cattle trails in the early 20th century and to this day still continues to thrive in the cattle industry. Believe it or not, Oklahama is the main center for livestock trading in the United States and home to America’s largest stockyards!

Yes, cowboy culture is alive and kicking in the Sooner State so there’s no better place to dive into western history and traditions than Oklahoma!

There are numerous destinations throughout the state to immerse yourself in the spirit of the west where you can learn how to lasso, brand cattle, and discover what life was like driving cattle through Indian territory in the late 1800s. Here are some of the best locations in South-Central Oklahoma to learn about cowboy culture and the way of the west.

The Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan retraces the history of the famous Chisholm Trail, a route that was used by cattle ranchers to move feral longhorn steers from the open lands of South Texas to Abilene in Kansas so that they could be sold and shipped east.

This fascinating museum covers what life was like moving millions of cattle through Oklahoma between 1867 and 1877. One of the highlights of the museum is its 4D Experience Theater where you can see, hear, feel, and even smell what life was like on a cattle drive.

In Marlow you can get acquainted with the Marlow Brother Outlaws, a band of brothers who were unjustly accused of stealing horses in 1888 and consequently arrested. While being transferred to a prison in Texas, they were ambushed and two of the brothers were killed. The surviving brothers escaped and became outlaws.

According to lore, the brothers used to avoid capture from law enforcement by hiding in a cave within Wild Horse Creek. Their tale takes many twists and turns before ending in capture which you can learn all about at Marlow Area Museum. The museum (located inside the Marlow Mercantile) is packed with pieces of regional history telling stories of outlaws, pioneers, and the establishment of the Chisholm Trail through town.

And if you’re a western film buff don’t miss visiting the Gene Autry Museum in Gene Autry where you can see the world’s largest collection of cowboy memorabilia dedicated to the singing cowboys of “B” western films like Gene Autry, Eddie Dean, Roy Rogers, and Ken Maynard.

8. South-Central Oklahoma is rich in Native American history and culture.

Once known as Indian Territory, Oklahoma is still home to more Native American tribes than any other state. Thirty-nine tribal headquarters and members of at least 67 tribes make their home within the state’s borders.

South-Central Oklahoma is Chickasaw Country and home of the Chickasaw Nation. You can discover the rich history and culture of the Chickasaw people at attractions across this part of the state.

In Sulphur, the Chickasaw Cultural Center, one of the largest tribal cultural centers in the United States, brings Chickasaw history and traditions to life through exhibits, demonstrations and performances. The museum chronicles the story of the Chickasaws who were removed from their home in the Lower Mississippi Valley to their present day lives in Oklahoma.

One of the highlights of the museum is a replica traditional village which features a Council House, ceremonial mound, and corn crib. Be sure not to miss the daily stomp dance demonstrations!

Tishomingo is the historic capital of Chickasaw Nation and where you’ll find the Chickasaw National Capitol and Chickasaw Council House Museum.

Built in 1898, the Chickasaw National Capitol served as the seat of the Chickasaw government until Oklahoma statehood in 1906. Today, the building is a fascinating museum and a reminder that the Chickasaw people fought for their tribal identity and independence. Admission is free!

Next door to the capitol building is the Chickasaw Council House Museum. In it you’ll find three different display areas; an art exhibit, an exhibit commemorating the historical accomplishments of the Chickasaw people, and the original council house where the first Chickasaw Constitution was written.

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