Finding Fireworks - A Romantic Getaway to Oklahoma City

I love exploring mid-sized cities. Some of my best trips have been to smaller cities compared to where I live. My partner, Jake, has inspired me to take trips more often, even if it’s to a smaller, quieter town.

Dallas, Texas

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit of a passenger princess when I travel with my partner. I do a lot of planning for work, so a relaxing vacation is really letting go of the wheel. We try to include at least one museum every trip (even if it’s quirky), antiquing, independent bookstores ideally with an art book section, and great food!

Since I work in an art museum, I feel obligated to say museums but if I’m being honest, antiquing probably holds the top spot in my heart! We also try to stay in a neighborhood that has something to offer.

As a museum professional, what are your top tips for picking the right/best museum for a trip?

A museum is what you make of it and that’s what makes them so special! The key is to know what kind of museum-goer you are. Do you like being guided through exhibitions? Prefer to explore at your own pace? Are you looking for something entertaining?

Personally, I love walking through exhibitions at my own pace, and I usually prioritize special exhibitions. If we stumble on a public program while we are there, that’s a bonus. My ideal museum is mid-sized, with a cafe and gift shop. That way you can enjoy the galleries, grab an afternoon coffee, and browse the shop.

If you’re traveling with kids, a children's or science museum is your best bet. They’re often ahead of the curve when it comes to hands-on, anytime activities by offering games, inter-actives and safe spaces where the kiddos can explore freely. And they are also just as fun for adults.

I avoid anything that was made to be a photo-op under the guise of being a museum. Attractions like the Museum of Ice Cream, the Van Gogh and the Titanic Experiences, or Meow Wolf fall under this category for me. I usually only visit those if I get a discount or on adult nights.

Which museums have inspired you lately?

Here are museums I revisit regularly and ones that I still think about that I’ve visited in the last 3 years.

Revisit Often

Museum of Fine Arts Houston

The Blanton Museum of Art (Austin, Texas)

The Menil Collection (Houston, Texas)

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (Bentonville, Arkansas)

Really Enjoyed

The American Visionary Art Museum (Baltimore, Maryland)

The New Orleans Museum of Art

The Baltimore Museum of Art

The Speed Art Museum (Louiseville, Kentucky)

This was my first time visiting! Jake had traveled to Oklahoma City a few times for work, and he knew it had everything I love. When we were planning a fun anniversary trip, he suggested it because he knew the art museum would have pieces I’d enjoy. Not knowing OKC well at all. made it even more fun to explore! Every city has its unique charm, and personally, I prefer a slower-paced vacation over one packed with a tightly scheduled itinerary. Jake knew enough to know the city's size would give us the space to wander and discover little gems along the way.

It has one skyscraper! Downtown tends to shut down pretty early, but that’s part of the slow-paced charm.

OKC is much smaller than I expected. I loved discovering the little pockets of character throughout the city. It was especially refreshing to see old buildings preserved and repurposed, like the art museum and our hotel.

A friend recommended the Fordson Hotel to us, it’s a Hyatt property with its own art galleries, so it was checking a lot of boxes for me. Since it was an anniversary trip, it felt like the perfect mix of cute and romantic. Just because it’s Oklahoma City doesn’t mean it lacks in style!

The Fordson Hotel was a total dream, blending industrial charm with modern design. The building is actually a former Ford factory, and they’ve kept touches of that history throughout. There’s even a real Model T in the lobby, along with thoughtful nods to the building’s past. The ceilings in our room were incredibly tall, and every detail felt intentional and elevated. As a bonus, they have stocked one of my favorite skincare lines (Malin+Goetz) in the bathroom. All in all, the stay here was such a four-star luxury experience.

We didn’t expect everything to be closed on the 4th of July. We checked Instagram accounts and figured Oklahoma City wouldn’t shut down for the holiday, but downtown was dead quiet. Luckily, a local suggested we head to a park in the city of Mustang to watch fireworks. They warned us that the show was described by residents as a bit of a “war zone.”

With nothing else to do and not wanting to spend the whole day at the hotel, we decided to check out this unregulated “show” of locals and OKC residents blowing stuff up. On the way, we stopped at an iconic Oklahoma establishment, Sonic, to grab some treats.

The experience was a wild mix of amazement with a touch of genuine fear as there was a risk of getting hit by debris!
Hot Tip: bring earplugs

The onion burger is an OKC classic staple and there is debate on who has the best burger in town. Some say Nic’s Grill tops them all but an old school chain called Tuckers also has a cult following. Bar Arbolada, has Alton Brown’s seal of approval and he even claimed it’s the best double cheeseburger in the country. This is a must-try for burger lovers.

We drove our car, but the city’s size makes it easy for people to use the rentable Lime scooters.

Lately, I’ve been really into linen pants. I love them because they naturally have a relaxed, slightly wrinkled look so I can just pull them straight out of my suitcase and go. No steaming or ironing needed!

We made a reservation at Frida Southwest, and I wasn’t sure what to expect and worried it would be too trendy. We ordered the slow-braised beef short rib with ancho red wine sauce, cheddar chive whipped potatoes, chile-braised mushrooms, with crispy Brussels sprouts and the seasonal grilled blackened red fish.

The staff was wonderful, and they surprised us with a free dessert featuring a cute little “8” to celebrate our eight years together. The Mexican hot chocolate cheesecake was divine!

Next time, I’d probably avoid planning a trip during our anniversary since it falls on the 4th of July weekend. We ended up driving around three times just to find coffee shops and places to eat for every meal. But we just laughed it off and made the most of the hotel’s dining options.

We also wanted to explore the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, but due to the rain, we decided to take it off our itinerary. It’s known for its scenic hiking trails, stunning landscapes, and free-roaming bison.

We also want to snag reservations at this smaller oyster bar Sedalia’s Oyster and Seafood. The seating is super limited so you have to get the reservation further in advance (at least 3 days).

The city has a bit of everything. We went for the art and food. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art was fantastic. (Fun fact: it has the largest collection of Chihuly glass and paper works.) We also spent a good amount of time exploring the Ansel Adams special exhibition. Plus, the museum stays open late every Thursday, so we saw other couples enjoying their date nights too. 

The museum is not massive so you could get around in less than 2 hours and not end up with museum fatigue. Curation was definitely a new style that young curators go for, mixing styles and time periods with the same theme. For example, a contemporary art work like a Kehinde Wiley portrait next to a 18th century painting of a wealthy merchant.

Paseo Arts District, Downtown, Film Row and Plaza District

Stitch Coffee & Clarity Coffee - We got the Cardamom Cherry Fritter & Cheddar Chive Scone from Clarity Coffee.

Cafe Antigua for chilaquiles & omelettes!

Enchiladas with a free sopapilla at Ted’s Cafe Escondido

Onion Burger at Pool Bar & Bodega

Frida Southwest

Happy hour at The Study

Literati Press Bookshop