The 8 Can't-Miss Towns In Oklahoma
Nicknamed the Sooner State for when early pioneers illegally entered the state sooner than expected, Oklahoma today invites newcomers and adventurers from all over to gawk at the many can’t-miss towns in the state. Scattered all throughout the rolling plains and wooded hills, one cannot miss these amazing and tremendous small towns in Oklahoma to visit. Between all the wanderings in cultural heartlands like Tahlequah or admiring the scenic woodlands near Broken Bow, the many can’t-miss towns in Oklahoma will captivate newcomers with their welcoming communities, historic streets, and peaceful landscapes.
Fort Gibson
Founded in 1824, Fort Gibson stands as one of Oklahoma’s oldest military outposts and a living monument to its frontier legacy. At the Fort Gibson Historic Site, visitors can discover Oklahoma’s martial history from the reconstructed and original structures hailing from the 19th century, including barracks, stockades, and officers’ quarters. Your knowledge of the place can be deepened at the Visitor Center, which showcases the fort’s pivotal role during the American Civil War. If you are one to pay respects to the dead, then you can head over to the Fort Gibson National Cemetery, where thousands of US veterans are honored with reverence and quiet beauty.
Meanwhile, the Arkansas River leads to excellent outdoor areas like Fort Gibson Lake, which thrives as a popular spot for fishing, boating, and picnicking for those who wish to savor the present. Similarly, the Fort Gibson Wildlife Management Area offers a peaceful retreat into protected wetlands for those eager for trekking and hiking. With its assortment of military history and riverside tranquility, Fort Gibson is a charming stop for anyone drawn to heritage and the outdoors.
Guthrie
Just 35 minutes north of Oklahoma City, Guthrie is a treasured and beloved Victorian-style town that is home to the largest Historic Urban District in the US. As such, the town feels like a living museum, where red-brick buildings and vintage storefronts transport visitors straight into the late 1800s. Briefly, Guthrie was once the first state capital of Oklahoma, a history one can learn more about at places like the Oklahoma Territorial Museum & Carnegie Library. The Frontier Drugstore Museum, meanwhile, offers one of the most authentic recreations of a 19th-century pharmacy in the region for those curious to see how medicine was approached back then.
After dark, brave souls can join the Guthrie Ghost Walk, a guided tour through some of the town’s most famously haunted sites. Those looking for a more modern thrill can head to Avid Extreme Sports Park, where paintball battles bring a burst of adrenaline to this otherwise laid-back and historic town. In a town that merges modern thrills with spooky and inspiring moments of the past, Guthrie is definitely the type of town one should not miss.
Muskogee
Located along the Arkansas River and around 50 miles from Tulsa, Muskogee preserves its Native American roots with a surprising range of cultural landmarks. Once home to the Five Civilized Tribes, such as the Chickasaw, Seminole, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Cherokee, the town honors its indigenous legacy at the Five Civilized Tribes Museum, where exhibits showcase the art, history, and resilience of these great Nations. One of the town’s most unique attractions is the USS Batfish at the Muskogee War Memorial Park, a WWII-era submarine now on display for public tours.
For fans of music, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame hosts live performances and pays tribute to the state’s most iconic artists at different times of each year. Meanwhile, the whimsical Castle of Muskogee creates a world of strange contrasts and juxtapositions as one can engage in various Renaissance fairs, Halloween haunts, and other quirky festivals throughout the year.
Broken Bow
In the forested foothills of southeastern Oklahoma, the wholesome town of Broken Bow is an arboreal paradise teeming with adventurers and trailblazers. Towering pines, clear rivers, and hidden trails make this area ideal for trekkers and hikers, and one can partake in various expeditions in the outdoors in places like the Beavers Bend State Park, home to black bears and bald eagles. For a deeper look into local ecology and forestry, the Forest Heritage Center Museum in nearby Hochatown features informative exhibits within a scenic woodland setting.
Broken Bow Lake, with its island-dotted waters, is a tranquil and tantalizing spot for daytime kayaking and nighttime camping. The nearby Choctaw Casino Broken Bow provides much fun, entertainment, and distraction for those who do not desire the outdoors.
Medicine Park
Once a playground and resting spot for early 20th-century elites, Medicine Park is now a beloved resort known for its hospitality and its amicability towards everyone. As Oklahoma’s first planned resort community, it has hosted famous figures like Jack Abernathy, Theodore Roosevelt, Al Capone, and Bonnie and Clyde, all drawn to its therapeutic waters and scenic views. Today, visitors flock to Bath Lake, a spring-fed swimming spot surrounded by smooth cobblestones, in addition to the nearby Lake Lawtonka. Adventure seekers can hike the rugged trails of Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, home to bison, elk, and longhorn cattle.
For panoramic views, a trek up Mount Scott rewards hikers with breathtaking vistas of southwestern Oklahoma. In your stay in Medicine Park, you might even encounter soldiers from Fort Still who are enjoying their free time after completing their Basic and AIT training.
Pawhuska
Preserving much of the Osage legacy and prairie enchantments of Oklahoma, the enlightening town of Pawhuska is a can’t-miss destination with big cultural significance. As the capital of the Osage Nation, it is the place to uncover both triumph and tragedy, particularly through exhibits at the Osage Nation Museum, which delves into the community’s rich traditions and the painful legacy of the Osage Murders. Film fans might recognize Pawhuska from Killers of the Flower Moon, shot in part on location here, focusing on the FBI’s first investigations into the homicides.
Those of you who want to be captivated by the prairies of Oklahoma can do so at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, where you can witness free-roaming bison and one of the last expanses of native tallgrass prairie in the world. For a quiet afternoon, Osage Hills State Park offers shaded trails and rustic cabins, while the historic Swinging Bridge over Bird Creek, swaying gently since 1926, leads you to more exquisite and diverse wildernesses around Pawhuska. Its peaceful vibe, cultural depth, and prairie beauty make Pawhuska a must-see location in northern Oklahoma.
Eufaula
Where glistening waters and rolling hills create a landscape of perennial beauty and awe, Eufaula is a lakeside wonderland where leisure and adventure are in high abundance. The star attraction of Eufaula is its beloved Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma’s largest reservoir, where one can find ample opportunities for fishing, boating, and lakeside camping. The town also boasts Arrowhead State Park and Lake Eufaula State Park, both of which are ideal and idyllic regions teeming with some of Oklahoma’s most lovable wildlife and camping spots. Kids (and kids at heart) will love Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, which features cabins, water zones, and themed activities year-round.
In July, the streets come alive for Whole Hawg Days, a family-friendly festival with BBQ cook-offs, parades, and car shows. Most of all, in the fall, Barktoberfest celebrates pets and craft brews with equal joy. The Creek Nation Casino Eufaula caps it all off with entertainment and games for everyone.
Tahlequah
As the capital of the Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah is where history, heritage, and the splendors of the outdoors congregate into a neat and unmissable small town. The town’s name, believed to come from the Cherokee phrase for “two is enough,” marks the site where two Cherokee leaders arrived at a critical meeting point along the Trail of Tears. Today, visitors can explore that legacy at the Cherokee National History Museum and the Cherokee National Prison Museum, the latter housed in a 1875 brick structure once used to hold prisoners.
Individuals with a penchant for trailblazing and gallivanting can set their feet on the many paths in the Cherokee Landing State Park, a quiet spot with lake access, campsites, and scenic trails along Lake Tenkiller. For gaming and nightlife, Cherokee Casino Tahlequah provides plenty of amenities to make your stay in Tahlequah as comfortable and engaging as possible.
The many can’t-miss towns in Oklahoma are some of the most soulful and admirable destinations in a landscape shaped by Native American resilience, pioneer grit, and an appreciation for natural beauty. For years, these communities have reflected the essence of the Sooner State, with towns like Pawhuska and Tahlequah continuing to honor indigenous traditions while inviting visitors to learn, reflect, and connect. Others, like Medicine Park and Broken Bow, are dedicated to wrapping guests in scenery so peaceful it feels like tourists are right at home in an otherwise novel location. Where travelers can go chasing history, journeying through wilderness areas in prairies or woodlands, or simply looking for a quiet place to unwind, the many can’t-miss towns in Oklahoma are places that one should not miss out on.
