The people of Oklahoma have learned to pull together in times of emergency and adversity. Strangers on the street and in public places will speak readily and easily to one another. There's a sense of community and acceptance from people in Oklahoma. This spirit was seen by the world when Oklahoma City became the victim of a terrorist attack on April 19, 1995. The energy, caring and unity that Oklahomans displayed during this disaster led President Clinton to name these qualities the "Oklahoma Standard."

The cost of living in Oklahoma is among the lowest in the US, helping tourists get the most bang for their buck. Lodging, rental cars, fuel, and restaurants cost less than most other US states. 

Oklahoma is located in the south-central region of the United States. Its nickname is the "Sooner State", and is part of a region commonly known as the American "Heartland." Oklahoma City is the state's capital and largest city. The Congressional Quarterly and Census report places Oklahoma in the Southern United States.

Oklahoma became the 46th state in the Union on November 16th, 1907. Oklahoma was almost named Sequoyah in honor of Sequoyah, the Cherokee who created the Cherokee syllabary, which gave the Cherokees a way to write and read their own language.

Today, Oklahoma contains more native American tribal headquarters than any other state, and the nation's second largest American Indian population.

Get in

By car
Oklahoma is an integral point on the U.S. Interstate Network. Three major interstates connect at a point in Oklahoma City known as "The Crossroads of America." These interstates are: Interstate 35, Interstate 40, and Interstate 44.

Interstate 35 traverses the state from north to south across the center of the state. Interstate 40 runs through the center of Oklahoma in a bisecting fashion, traversing from east to west. Interstate 44 runs through Tulsa, bisecting the state from the northeast to the southwest. Interstate 44 is a turnpike for most of its duration through the state, except within the cities of Tulsa and Oklahoma City. In addition, the state has 10 major turnpikes.

By train
The state is connected to the nation's rail network via the Heartland Flyer, an Amtrak-operated rail line stretching from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, Texas.

By air
Two major airports serve Oklahoma: Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and Tulsa International Airport. There are also numerous regional and general aviation airports.

Attractions

Oklahoma is known as a great place to live and visit. There are all kinds of activities available from hunting, fishing, hiking, to gambling in one of the hundred or so casinos and bingo parlors, and metro activities in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

• Route 66 Oklahoma has more miles of original Route 66 roadbed left than any other state.
• Price Tower, Bartlesville. The tallest skyscraper of several interestingly designed structures by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
• National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum 1700 N.E. 63rd St., Oklahoma City, OK, (405) 478-2250
• Gilcrease Museum 1400 North Gilcrease Museum Road, Tulsa, OK, Toll free: 1-888-655-2278. Largest collection of Western art in the world.
• Talimena Drive. The 54 Mile scenic drive goes from Oklahoma to Arkansas along the ridge of the Ouachita Mountains and the Ouachita National Forest. The drive has frequent turnouts to enjoy the scenery. Convenient access to the drive near the mid-point can be accessed from Poteau by taking Hwy 59 south.
• Oral Roberts University in Tulsa is among the nation's largest collections of futuristic architecture.
• Lake Eufaula. The largest lake in Oklahoma with 102,000 acres of water.
• Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum 620 N. Harvey, (405) 235-3313. The outdoor symbolic memorial is free and open 24 hours a day, while the Memorial Museum (located in the former Journal Record Building next door) can be visited for a small fee.
• J. M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum, Claremore. Check out the largest arms museum in the world.
• 45th Infantry Division Museum, 2145 Northeast 36th Street, Oklahoma City, (405) 424-5313. Experience Oklahoma's military history from its birth to the present day. The outdoor military park holds more than 40 military vehicles, aircraft and artillery.
• Alabaster State Park, Freedom, (580) 621-3381.
• St. Pauls Episcopal Cathedral, 127 Northwest 7th Street, Oklahoma City, (405) 235-3436. Frequently visited by those paying their respects to the victims of the Murrah bombing.
• Hefner Lake & Park, 4491 South Lake Hefner Road, Oklahoma City, (405) 297-2211. The local's favorite playground features a golf course, nine-mile jogging and biking trail, soccer an softball fields, picnic tables, and playgrounds.
• First Christian Church, 913 Boulder, Tulsa, (918) 582-8237. No steeple for the people here. This historic landmark sets itself apart with a large green dome instead of the traditional ceiling.

Drinks

Finding a winery in Oklahoma is almost easier than running into a Sooners fan. The state is littered with wineries where you can sample some of Oklahoma's premier wines or learn the craft of winemaking. There are a few on Route 66 if you're passing through Oklahoma. But for those with more time, stay a while, relax and enjoy Oklahoma's finest.

Quick facts

• In Guthrie, nearly 20,000 lighters and "fire starters" are displayed at the National Lighter Museum. It is the nation's only museum devoted to the collection of lighters.
• Watonga, Oklahoma is the birthplace of Clarence Nash, better known as the voice of Donald Duck.
• Oklahoma is one of only two states whose capital city's name includes the state name. The other is Indianapolis, Indiana.

Apache warrior and teepees, Oklahoma, U.S.

Regions

• Frontier Country
• Greater Oklahoma City
• Great Plains Country
• Green Country
• Kiamichi Train Country
• Lake and Trail Country
• Red Carpet Country

Climate

Oklahoma is a state dominated by contrasting cold and warm air masses which collide east of the Rocky Mountains. This results in a wide range of weather throughout the state, from a borderline humid subtropical climate zone near the southeast part of the state to a semi-arid climate in the High Plains of the panhandle. The southern portion on the Texas border averages an annual temperature of 62 °F (17 °C) with the panhandle averaging under 54 °F (12 °C). The main climatic difference in Oklahoma is precipitation. The southeast corner of the state near the Ouachita Mountains averages over 52 inches (1,321 mm) of precipitation a year. Moving west from that point, the precipitation decreases rapidly- for each 10 miles (16 km) traveled west, the precipitation is approximately 1 inch (25 mm) less. The driest part of the state is the extreme western panhandle with less than 16 inches (406 mm) annually.

The most notable feature of Oklahoma's climate is its thunderstorms. While Oklahoma averages between 40-60 days of thunderstorms throughout the entire state. But the "fifth season" as the locals call it, from April through July, tend to be among the most severe storms in the world. Central Oklahoma is the most tornado-prone area in the world, not only in terms of number of tornadoes (which exceeds 10 per 10,000 square miles), but also in terms of intensity.

Snowfall is common in Oklahoma every winter, although it is not extreme.

Stay safe

Oklahoma is in "Tornado Alley". Check the Tornado safety page if you are visiting Oklahoma. Oklahoma possesses state-of-the-art radar and warning systems for tracking severe weather. It is, arguably, the best system in the country. A traveler can readily obtain up-to-date weather information via television, radio, or the Internet. Being vigilant of Oklahoma weather is particularly important during the spring storm season.