When I was researching our trip to Oklahoma, I kept hearing about the Gathering Place in Tulsa. It’s even been voted best park in the U.S. Even though we were only going to be in Tulsa for a few hours before driving to Carlton Landing, I knew I wanted to explore the Gathering Place. The Gathering Place is an amazing park set on the Arkansas River with hundreds of acres to explore.
It was literally 104 degrees when we were there, so unfortunately we didn’t get to stay too long but were so impressed with all the attractions for kids and families.
The Chapman Adventure Park is 5 acres of fun with towers, slides, climbing features, play gardens, sand lot and water areas! Chapman Adventure Playground contains elements to engage children at various developmental levels and with different physical abilities. We also appreciated the shade trees, bathrooms and water misters on this oh-so-hot day!
Safe to say we were happy to cool off in the fountains in the Oklahoma heat wave! Mist Mountain, Water Maze and Charlie’s Water Mountain includes a spray area, mist area, tunnels, dams and streams, a water lab and the water plaza.
The ONEOK Boathouse serves many purposes with an educational center, a deck overlooking the Arkansas River and downtown Tulsa. The Boathouse is a popular social gathering spot.
Gathering Place also has a sports court for basketball, volleyball, street hockey and street soccer. You can also find a skate part!
Paddle boats, kayaks and canoes are also available to rent at the Boathouse.
This park was absolutely amazing! There’s truly so much to do-you could spend a few days exploring this free park. There’s even an app to help you navigate throughout the park. Gathering Place also hosts concerts, events, has trails, gardens, a swing hill with swings for the whole family and Slide Vale!
If you’re looking for a unique place to visit, check out Tulsa! A few other ideas for your trip:
Mother Road Marketplace: Mother Road Market is Oklahoma’s first food hall! Choose between many restaurants and don’t miss The Big Dipper homemade ice cream! There’s also an awesome patio with a Route 66-themed mini golf. And if that’s not enough, MRM is a nonprofit that focuses on allowing entrepreneurs the oportunity to try out their food or retail concepts without the financial risk of opening their own space. It’s all about supporting local.
Shopping at Utica Square: You can shop til you drop, find dining establishments and events like Art in the Park!
Get your KICKS on Route 66: Stroll along one of America’s most famous routes!