6 Best Sights in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Over the past 60 years, more than 10 million guests have viewed collections at this museum to gain a richer understanding and appreciation of Western history and heritage, particularly the ways it has influenced contemporary culture. In addition to spectacular permanent exhibits that comprise more than 28,000 Western and Native American art and artifacts, the museum sponsors a ongoing program of scholarly research and hosts temporary exhibitions featuring some of the world's finest Western art. An interactive children's space, expansive outdoor gardens, and a restaurant (daily 11–2:30) that includes a value-priced buffet help to make this site a particular favorite for families. Each April, the museum produces its annual Western Heritage Awards, an Academy Awards–style event that honors hall of fame inductees, as well as the year's best in literature, music, film, and television.

What was once a massive railroad graveyard, where abandoned warehouses stood like giant tombstones, is now the crossroads for dining, shopping, headline entertainment, nightlife, and professional sports in Oklahoma City. A canal-side walkway, framed with turn-of-the-century charm, winds through an area revitalized with the can-do spirit of Oklahoma. You can shop in tiny boutiques or destination outlets like Bass Pro Outdoor World; visit a quirky spot like the American Banjo Museum; choose from dozens of restaurants to satisfy your appetite; take in a professional NBA game; and tap your toes to live music. And if you're having so much fun that you don't want to go home, there are nine hotels within walking distance.

Set in downtown Oklahoma City, this 17-acre botanical garden provides activities for the whole family, including a children's park with seasonal water features, a 15,000-square-foot conservatory with 2,000 varieties of plants, and a 35-foot waterfall. You can exercise your best friend in the off-leash dog park or go solo on walking and jogging paths. There's also an on-site restaurant, special classes, temporary exhibits, and plenty of space for quiet reflection and solitude. Game rentals, like remote-control sailboats, bocce ball, and corn toss, are available on weekends April 15 through October; an ice-skating rink with skate rentals is open mid-November through mid-February.

After a $40 million renovation, this museum reopened in 2002 as a gateway to American and European art of the 19th and 20th centuries, including a substantial collection of work by American glass artist Dale Chihuly. Film buffs will appreciate the Noble Cinema, a showcase for international, independent, and classic films. A gift shop, rooftop terrace, and café featuring afternoon tea, specialty coffees, and signature cocktails give the museum an approachable and upbeat vibe. May through October on Thursday, the galleries still close at 9 pm, but the rooftop terrace is open until 10:30 for "Cocktails on the Skyline," featuring live music and a cash bar.

The Alfred P. Murrah Federal building stands as a living memorial to those who were killed, those who survived, and those whose lives were forever changed by the bombing that occured here in 1995. A fitting prelude to the museum, the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial includes the Survivor Tree, the Field of Empty Chairs, and a reflecting pool, all framed by the Gates of Time. Inside the Memorial Museum, which withstood the bombing, more than a million photos, videos, artifacts, and pieces of evidence chronicle the historical events and the powerful stories of hope and healing that emerged from a city that would not be defeated by violence. Dial (405) 445–4792 from your cell phone and follow the prompts for a free audio tour of the outdoor section of the memorial.

If you can paddle it, peddle it, climb it, zip through it, jump on it, or bounce on it, chances are you'll find it at at this waterfront adventure park. In 2009, the Oklahoma River was designated as the only U.S. Olympic and Paralympic training site for rowing as well as canoeing and kayaking. Now, the Boathouse District is also a dynamic zone of water-based and land activities for the public. Activities headquartered in the architecturally stunning boathouse include kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, long boarding, dragon boating, plus cycling, running, yoga, and fitness classes. Adrenaline junkies will gravitate to other outdoor activity centers featuring the tallest slide in America, an 80-foot free fall, and a 700-foot zip line. You may get to see Olympic hopefuls in training for rowing, canoe, or kayak competition.