I’m so excited to share with you some fun things to do in Oklahoma City with kids! Oklahoma City is a bustling city filled with a number of leisure activities. There are plenty of family fun in OKC! Only a six-hour-drive from Little Rock, it is a great family vacation destination for Arkansans. The trip was a smooth one for us. It’s amazing how much easier it is to travel with the Scooter Britches and Little One now that they are four and six. Read on to learn where to stay in Oklahoma City, find the best places to eat in OKC, and see our selection of Oklahoma City attractions for kids!
This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a small commission at no cost to you. I use various programs to include affiliate links in my blog posts – such as the Amazon Associates Program and various travel partner programs – to earn from qualifying purchases.Also, this is a sponsored post. I received complimentary passes and accommodations during our visit to Oklahoma City in exchange for my honest thoughts in this Things to Do in OKC with Kids post.
Also, the hotel offers a shuttle to many OKC attractions – which we took advantage of. The night we shuttled down to Bricktown, there was a Kenny Chesney concert going on at the Chesapeake Area Arena. There were also lots of people out for prom. It was a relief to not have to worry about finding a parking spot!
I can appreciate a cozy hotel lobby and dining area. The girls ran straight to the “wishing wall” in the lobby and made a wish. Both want to be transformed into a mermaid, of course.
Our suite was spacious and clean, stocked with snacks and drinks.
On the last morning there, which happened to be a Monday morning, we had the pool to ourselves! The girls were in the zone – the mermaid zone, that is. Their wishes had come true!
Mom Tips for Staying at Embassy Suites Downtown Location
Pay attention to the handy sign on the elevator door which gives an idea of anticipated breakfast traffic for certain times of the morning. This will help you with your morning planning.
Order a custom omelette in the omelette line during the included free breakfast. Trust me. The Hubs and I had cheesy omelettes two days in a row, and they were ah-mazing – some of the best omelettes I have ever had!
Pay attention to the music playing on your floor. Our floor had soft acoustic versions of hit songs – both unexpected and pleasing all at the same time. Good stuff.
Places to Eat in OKC with Kids
At the suggestion of the lovely ladies at Visit OKC, we visited some of OKC’s more authentic restaurants. When traveling with kids, I think it is a good idea to balance out the stimulating activities with low-key restaurants.
Waffle Champion
Waffle Champion is the kind of place that makes me all giddy on the inside. It’s so chill with its non-fussy industrial meets farmhouse vibe (read: exposed pipes, beams, and PLANTS…yay!) The place closes at 2 p.m., and we had been advised it gets busier later in the morning. Sure enough, the line was to the door when we arrived. But we were far too curious about the place to turn and leave! And I’m glad we didn’t!
This place has all. the. waffles.
Classic waffles. Savory waffles. Barbecue pork waffles. Dessert waffles. Waffle tacos. Waffle sandwiches. You name it.
I tried the Migas Sammie while the Hubs had the Bacon Egg Cheddar Sammie. Both were delicious!
The girls had the classic waffles with syrup.
Mom Tip for Eating at Waffle Champion
Whatever you order, complement it with some syrup! The maple syrup at this place is off the charts!
The Drum Room
Like most mamas, I give all the praise hands for a low-key place like The Drum Room. The atmosphere here is very nonchalant – in a hey, don’t pay any attention to me over here kind of way. The food is pure comfort food – chicken fried chicken with gravy, chicken nachos, burgers, fried steak, and thick-cut fries. After a fun but busy day at an adventure park and a science museum, I loved the super mellow vibe of this place. The waitress was super friendly, bringing the girls paper and colors to use while we waited. The girls each chose to draw and color a picture of the waitress to give to her. So cute!
Mom Tip for Eating at The Drum Room
When in the ladies restroom, give yourself an extra minute or two to take in that photo wall. There are some gems in that collage!
Tucker’s Onion Burgers
No lie. Before visiting Tucker’s Onion Burgers, I had never even heard of an onion burger before. Apparently, Oklahoma is famous for them. Lots of “Oklahoma famous” onion burger recipes have been popping up in my Pinterest feed, lately!
This burger. Y’all.
Again, we found ourselves in another low-key atmosphere with food that is well-worth-the-visit!
Mom Tip for Eating at Tucker’s Onion Burgers
Save room for a milkshake!
Fun Things to Do in OKC with Kids
Truly, there is no shortage of fun things to do with kids in OKC! One thing I found super helpful when searching for things to do in Oklahoma City was the Visit OKC website. When checking the website, if you click on the “family fun” section, the family fun in OKC attractions are broken down by age group. As a mama, I find this type of categorization really handy so I don’t have to second guess my planning choices for my young daughters.
Visiting RIVERSPORT Adventure Park in the Boathouse District – Family Fun in OKC
RIVERSPORT Adventure Park is almost beyond words to describe. If you are looking for adventurous things to do in OKC with kids, this is your place! There is whitewater rafting simulation, ziplining, a six-story obstacle course, and an area just for younger kids. Also, there is a dog park you might want to check out if you bring your four-legged children on your trip.
The younger kids – maybe seven and under – are probably better off in the Youth Zone. Here, there are climbing walls, obstacle courses, playground areas, and a jumping pad suited to the younger set.
Scooter Britches and Little One had a BLAST! In fact, I was shocked seeing Little One attempting a rock climbing wall. I had no idea she had that much gumption!
In fact, both girls attempted the rock wall and the climbing area on the other side of the rock wall. This whole unit is called The Spiderman. You can check out this climbing action in the video linked below.
Mom Tip for Visiting RIVERSPORT Adventure Park
Bring plenty of sunscreen.
Wear tennis shoes or sporty sandals like Chacos (with a back strap), athleisure type clothing, and sunglasses.
Exploring Bricktown on the Water Taxi
One of our family evening adventures involved taking the shuttle from our Embassy Hotel to the Bricktown area and taking a sunset cruise on the Water Taxi. The Bricktown Water Taxi is basically a guided tour on water through the Bricktown area of Oklahoma City. Our tour guide, a humorous guy, filled us in on lots of historical information as we cruised down the Bricktown Canal.
Truly, Bricktown is my kind of place! Tons of restaurants, a lively ambiance on the patios with live music streaming from multiple directions. There is something for everyone here – both nightclub style venues and family-style venues. In the center of it all is a mini golf area and a jumping attraction for kids. We saw Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Earl’s Rib Place, and many others. Oh, and Sonic Headquarters – making school teachers like myself happy since….well, for a long time now!
Mom Tip for Exploring Bricktown on the Water Taxi
You can order your passes online and let the boat captain scan them from your phone. Or you can purchase them from the ticket booth. The ticket booth is beside Brickopolis (a large restaurant/entertainment center) and across from the Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Go down the steps and you will find the area to load the boat.
Once you buy the boat passes, they are good for the whole day. This is great to know if you are planning on hanging out in Bricktown for a while!
Visiting the Science Museum Oklahoma with Kids – Family Fun in OKC
What a fabulous Oklahoma City attraction! Science Museum Oklahoma is a must for family fun in OKC. Our girls stayed engaged the entire time. From log cabin tree houses to a crank-and-send hot air balloon to a tornado simulator, this place is full of thought-provoking fun! The museum offers as many opportunities for physical stimulation as it does brain stimulation. There were multiple areas in which little kids can climb and play – while exploring and learning at the same time. The museum has a restaurant inside which means you can plan to spend many hours of your day here.
With its giant play zones, Tinker Works station, tilted room, the CurioCity section will give you the most bang for your buck with this age group. However, the entire museum is worth exploring as there is much more fun to be had. One floor is a complete game floor – with life-size versions of Checkers, Legos, and lots of other well-known games and toys. Scooter Britches and Little One had fun manipulating the giant game pieces and stacking things.
Scooter Britches even found her missing tooth in a giant mouth!
Mom Tip for Visiting the Science Museum of Oklahoma
If running short on time, visit CurioCity first if your kids are elementary-aged and younger. Oh, and be sure to pronounce it “Curiosity.”
If you are nursing, check out the super cute nursing rooms in the CurioCity area! Impressive!
Visiting Oklahoma City Zoo with Kids – Fun Things to Do in OKC with Kids
The Oklahoma City Zoo is a sanctuary within itself. We had such a peaceful morning exploring the zoo. From the sea lion show to the giraffe feedings, this is a really engaging zoo. There are lots of opportunities to interact with the animals and observe them in various ways.
My husband was most impressed by the trolley with the full tour of the zoo, led by a knowledgeable zoo employee. With the tour, you can truly take in a majority of the exhibits while hearing insider information about the specific animals and their species. With multiple drop off points, you can stay on until the end or get off sooner if you wish. The zoo also has a train for kids to enjoy.
“Grandma’s Porch” is a nice little rest spot, nicely adorned with flowers, rocking chairs, toddler toys, and a drink machine. Sitting in one of those rocking chairs with the ceiling fans circulating above was just the break I needed before heading in for lunchtime with the lorikeets! Again, you really need to check out our video below to get the full effect. Our girls loved feeding the lorikeets!
We rented some binoculars from the service desk area of the zoo. The girls were adorable using their binoculars to get a “close-up biew” as Little One would say.
Mom Tips for Visiting Oklahoma City Zoo
The zoo allows outside food so pack a picnic or eat at the on-site restaurant.
When feeding the lorikeets, be ready! They are coming for ya! (Actually, they are coming for nectar you will hold…but they are coming!)
If planning to visit both the zoo and the science museum, you might want to plan both for the same day as they are next door to each other. You could go to the zoo in the morning and the science museum in the afternoon (or vice versa depending on weather). Both places have a restaurant so you can have lunch in the middle of the two outings.
Visiting Myriad Botanical Gardens and Playground – Family Fun in OKC
This place, y’all. No doubt, the Myriad Botanical Gardens mesmerized this crazy plant lady! I felt like I was in a tropical rain forest – inspecting all the species, one by one.
My excitement about the inside was matched with the girls’ excitement about the outside. The playground, which appears to be a public playground, is a combination of traditional, non-traditional, and botanical-themed playground equipment such as a jungle gym made of metal banana leaves. With its ivy-covered arches, the Green Mountain slide, and recycled rubber ground, natural elements are a focus at this busy playground.
On a Sunday afternoon, this playground was the happening place to be! Young and old were there enjoying the nice weather. I like that this park has no shortage of shady benches for the parents to sit. This playground is on my list of amazing free things to do in Oklahoma City with kids.
Mom Tip for Visiting Myriad Botanical Gardens and Playground
The inside of the botanical gardens makes for stunning pictures. You might want to bring photograph-worthy clothes for taking pictures inside and a second set of play clothes for the playground.
Be prepared for your children to want to take a spin on the carousel located right outside the playground. Luckily, the carousel typically accepts debit/credit cards.
Visiting Wheeler Ferris Wheel at Wheeler Riverfront Plaza – Fun Things to Do in OKC with Kids
Finally, the last Oklahoma City attraction of our trip was the Wheeler Ferris Wheel at the Wheeler Riverfront Plaza. (You guys know I like a good Ferris wheel!) You need to add this one to your list of fun things to do in OKC with kids. Certainly, you will want to get a bird’s eye view of the Oklahoma River from nine stories up on this neon Ferris wheel! Then, after relaxing a bit in one of the hammocks lining the river, you might want to photograph the moment by artfully placing your children in the big OKC word art on the property.
This property had so much going on for a Sunday evening. Not only were people lined up for the Ferris wheel, but the hammocks were at full capacity and the yard games – soccer, Baggo, frisbee – had people hopping. Under a covered building, a mean game of air hockey was in full force. The place is like a perfect marriage of physical activity and relaxation all at once.
Noticeably, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and simply enjoying a Sunday evening of leisure before the hectic work/school week cranked up again.
Mom Tip for Visiting Wheeler Riverfront Plaza
Check your weather app for the approximate sunset time for your visit. This way you can get the best of both worlds – enough sun to see the river view but also enough darkness to witness the beautiful colors of the Ferris wheel.
Well, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed my tips for planning your own family fun in OKC with kids! I have had such fun telling friends about things to do in OKC with kids. Some friends and I are already discussing a girls’ trip to OKC in the near future!
Amy is a wife, mom, teacher, and content creator/owner of Planted in Arkansas. She loves creating recipes, travel plans, party ideas, and outfits. And she believes in celebrating all things - big and small.
Thanks for sharing this useful blog post, Amy. Riversport OKC and <a href="[Link deleted]such great places to visit, We’e been there twice this year and my kids love the water taxi. Keep posting! 🙂
The Gifted Gabber
Thanks, Nicole! I can see why your kiddos love the water taxi!
Nicole
Thanks for sharing this useful blog post, Amy. Riversport OKC and <a href="[Link deleted]such great places to visit, We’e been there twice this year and my kids love the water taxi. Keep posting! 🙂