Top 10 Free Things to Do in Tulsa, OK
From concerts at Guthrie Green to summer festivals, there are plenty of free things to do in Tulsa, but timing is tricky. Here are 10 free things to do in Tulsa today. Enjoy a world-class park, gigantic oilman statue, Art Deco buildings, colorful murals, and more without spending a cent.
What can you do for free in Tulsa?
1. Gathering Place
The nation’s best new park cost a pretty penny, but no need to dig for loose coins — visiting is absolutely free. Children can spend a day playground-hopping among water and climbing features while the young at heart will enjoy wandering the landscaped grounds. Anyone can mooch the free Wi-Fi and A/C inside the Boathouse. Free parking and River Trails make access easy for cars, bikes, and scooters.
2650 S. John Williams Way E | 9am - 10pm (summer)
2. Golden Driller
This symbol of Tulsa is so tall that it’s hard to fit all of him in one shot. Other than snap a selfie, there’s nothing to do in Expo Square on non-event days, but Josh’s Sno Shack in the parking lot relieves summer heat with syrupy shaved ices. Learn more about this giant oilman in our Route 66 guide or by visiting the Oil Capital Pop-Up Museum — see #3 below.
4145 E. 21st St | 24 hours
3. Oil Capital Pop-Up Museum & Philcade Building
The lobby of this Art Deco gem is easy on the eyes and the wallet. Marble walls and hand-painted ceilings with gold leaf class up the Philcade Building. Our Art Deco Tour decodes the architectural significance of this masterpiece. Meanwhile, a free self-guided exhibit traces Tulsa’s relationship with black gold from Indian Territory to the Golden Driller. Grab a coffee at Topeca (sorry, not free) while learning about Oklahoma’s early oil history. Bonus: our tour office is located here too!
511 S. Boston Ave | Mon-Sat 7:30am - 5:30pm, Sun 8am - 1pm
4. John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park
National Geographic named this the most important monument to visit while the African American Civil Rights Network added it to their list of designated sites. See for yourself and encounter a peaceful space dedicated to the Tulsa Race Massacre. Sculptures and plaques address a tragedy that the city is still grappling with 100 years later. Take a free guided Greenwood tour with their staff by scheduling it in advance.
290 N. Elgin Ave | 8am - 8pm
5. Boston Avenue Methodist Church
This Art Deco masterpiece offers free guided tours on Sundays at noon. Self-guided tours are an option anytime the building is open.
1301 S. Boston Ave
In 1923 oilman William Skelly built a 10,000-square-foot mansion at 21 St and Madison Av. Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover visited. Tulsa University later purchased the home that most recently sold for $2.1M in 2021.
6. Black Gold Row
Tulsa was the “Oil Capital of the World” in the Roaring 20s and all those oil barons and bankers had to live somewhere. That somewhere is Maple Ridge, a neighborhood that actually set a minimum dwelling size. Within this historic hood, Madison Avenue south of 21st Street is a tree-lined boulevard known as Black Gold Row. Brick mansions built in the 1910s and 20s in a variety of architectural styles are set on lush lawns that will leave you green with envy.
7. “East Meets West” at Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza
The Mother Road is free to drive, but there’s no one defining attraction that screams Route 66 in Tulsa. With a Route 66 museum and neon sign park still in the works, these detailed sculptures overlooking the river are worth seeing up close. Learn more about them in our guide of things to do on Route 66.
Southwest Blvd at Riverside Dr | 24 hours
8. The Boxyard
Little shops and eateries inside shipping containers make for interesting window shopping and people watching. Free bathrooms and second-story skyline views are other reasons to visit. If you want to go higher, try Roof Sixty-Six bar at nearby Indigo Hotel, which is also free for a quick look.
502 E. 3rd St | shop hours vary
9. Murals & Street Art
Cool murals and art are popping up all over downtown. Walk the north-south alley between Boston Avenue and Main Street from 5th to 6th Streets with Instagram open (@tulsaartalley). Check out our free mural tour to see all of the best murals in Tulsa.
10. Ride the Trails
Tulsa is blessed with safe, paved trails for biking. Rent a bike for the day at Phat Tire in the Blue Dome or check out a This Machine bike share, some of which have electric assist. The most traveled trail is south from downtown to the Gathering Place (see #1) along the Arkansas River’s east bank. Mountain bikers can find trails on Turkey Mountain, accessible from the river trails on the west bank. You can also head west on the Katy Trail toward Sand Springs. Our favorite route is north of downtown on the Osage Prairie Trail with quiet country views like those below. Note: Bridge closed on Osage Prairie Trail over Flat Rock Creek (pictured below, bet. East 36th St North and East 46th St North). Try riding on sidewalks on North Peoria Ave but be careful of traffic.
