Home to fine art deco buildings built during the 1920s boom years of the Oklahoma oil industry, and the Gilcrease Museum, one of the country’s top art museums, Tulsa (pop. 385,000) is a bustling big city that doesn’t make a song-and-dance out of its many treasures. It’s a fascinating place to explore, but if your time is limited, spend it at the Gilcrease Museum (daily; 918/596-2700), on the northwest edge of Tulsa. Bought with the fortune benefactor Thomas Gilcrease made when oil was discovered on his land, the collection includes some of the most important works of Western American art and sculpture, with major works by Thomas Moran, George Catlin, and others, plus Native American artifacts and early maps that put the frontier region into its historical contexts. The expansive grounds include a lovely series of gardens and Mr. Gilcrease’s old house, now home to the Tulsa Historical Society, which displays photographs and objects related to the evolution of the city.
For dinner or a drink, the liveliest part of Tulsa is the Brookside district, south of downtown around 34th Street and Peoria Avenue, where there’s a handful of trendy cafés, nightclubs, and restaurants. For a taste of old Route 66, stop at the retro Metro Diner (918/592-2616) at 3001 E. 11th Street, which isn’t a real pre-fab diner but is on old Route 66 and still serves decent diner food.
The usual chain hotels and motels line all the freeways, and there’s a big Ramada Inn ($60; 918/585-5898) downtown at 17 W. 7th Street.
