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Oklahoma has a turbulent history. Thousands of Native Americans were marched here from their homelands in the south, after the state was declared an Indian Territory in 1834. Four thousand Cherokee died of starvation and cold en route, on the infamous Trail of Tears. In the 1880s the Indians were relocated once more, as land-hungry white settlers muscled in. Today, an abundance of museums are devoted to Native American history and culture; Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum is one of the biggest and best.
An oil boom briefly brought prosperity to Oklahoma in the 1920s, only to be followed by the Great Depression. Thousands of destitute “Okie” farmers left their homes and set off west to California, inspiring John Steinbeck’s classic The Grapes of Wrath.
The state’s capital, the sprawling Oklahoma City, is no beauty, although multi-million pound initiatives have improved matters considerably; a handful of excellent museums add to its appeal. Oklahoma’s artistic and cultural hub, though, is Tulsa, located in the verdant, wooded Green Country in the northeast. In the south, the Kiamichi, Ouachita and Wichita Mountains have their own wild beauty.
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Oklahoma has cold winters and hot summers. January temperatures range from about -6 (Celsius) to 4 degrees or so. By May it is warming up to mid 20s, and August can go into the 30s. September is cooler, and October temperatures range from the 10s to low 20s.Typical Oklahoma weather is dry and sunny. Precipitation varies from about 38cm (15 inches) in the panhandle to more than 127cm (50 inches) in the southeast. Oklahoma City gets about 23cm (9 inches) of snowfall and is one of the windiest cities in the US.Most of Oklahoma’s severe weather is in the form of high winds. Oklahoma is in the tornado alley, and the peak tornado season is March to May.
Peak Season:
May through September is the high season and when most visitors step off their Oklahoma flights.
Oklahoma City has the Festival of the Arts in April, the Charlie Christian Jazz Festival and Red Earth Native American Cultural Festival in June, and the World Championship Quarter Horse Show in November.
The Oklahoma State Fair draws crowds from September to October.
Off Season:
In spring you can get to most attractions with fewer crowds and lower prices. Autumn is also a good time to visit. It may take some searching, but you can find things to do in winter.
To explore Oklahoma you need a car, but how else would you go down Route 66? There is train service to Oklahoma City, and bus service to the major cities, but little to the rest of the state.
Oklahoma City has the Metro Transit rubber-tyre trolleys that loop the downtown area and go between downtown and several hotels. There is also a bus service that will take you to most destinations. Tulsa has some local bus service and a self-guided walking tour of downtown.
If hiking, biking, and horseback riding are your preferred mode of transit, there are urban, mountain, pine wood, and prairie trails. With all the lakes and waterways, boating, rafting, and kayaking are also popular.
(prices quoted are from London)
