This year, I am headed to Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa for my 35th Birthday. I am so excited and counting down for not only another race but also some great fun in Tulsa. I spoke at Social Media Tulsa, which is a great conference by the way, and while there got a chance to scoop the Tulsa scene. Here is my Tulsa City Guide for Runners!
Tulsa City Guide for Runners!
Don’t want to read? Check out this video where I go behind the scenes and show off the city digital and virtually.
Where to Stay
- Double Tree: I stayed in the Double Tree Hotel downtown in Tulsa but it is not right on the strip of downtown. This meant I had to walk 10 minutes to everything. This is a great if you are headed down to the Route 66 Marathon and want to be connected to the expo or a little away from downtown.
- Other Hotels: My recommendations would be the Aloft and Marriott – Fairfield Inn or Courtyards, which are right downtown and in the heart of everything.
- Hard Rock Cafe: This is a casino and hotel but I would only recommend this for gamblers mostly and not specifically runners. It’s not very close to much of the downtown attractions so you would have to drive to the race on race morning. Still a must see place.
Need Last Minute Running Gear?
Route 66 Marathon Team: If you have any questions about running in Tulsa, Route 66 is beyond helpful. I had a long run to do while in the city and they were able to connect me with ambassadors, Fleet Feet Tulsa and much more. Route 66 also host the big marathon every year. It’s known as a top 10 best marathon for a reason! Oh yeah they have a cool App too that is very helpful! I used it while I was. in the city as a secondary reference.
Fleet Feet Tulsa literally has everything and will help you with open arms. They host several different races, pop-up runs and much more in the city year around.
What To Do In Tulsa
- Greenwood District: Is the hub of Black Wall Street, and local African- American exhibits. Additionally, it has local popular restaurants and is where the baseball and soccer fields/arenas area.
- Sports: From the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Tulsa Drillers baseball team, you can cheer on just about any and everyone here.
- Arts & Museums: From Reconciliation and Healing Walkway to the Woody Guthrie Center and, the arts are all over the city. There are at least 5 museums within the downtown area for you to quickly explore.
- Tulsa Jazz: Tulsa is known for producing some great artist over the last century – hello Charlie Wilson & the GAP band! It also holds the Jazz Hall of Fame. Jazz still is flowing through the city so Tulsa Jazz is your hub for all things related to music in the genre.
- Gambling & Hard Rock Casino: DUH! Just minutes away are the casinos so enjoy and check out the Hard Rock Casino.
- Center of the Universe: This is a mysterious phenomenon that no one can really explain. Located downtown and on a small hill, if you stand in the middle of the circle and make a noise, the sound is echoed back several times louder than it was made. It sounds brining when I type it but it’s really cool when visiting. It’s literally as if you were standing in the center of the universe.
Where to Eat & Drink in Tulsa for Runners
So Tulsa has no short of dinning places in the town. From craft beer to custom pizza, there are a plethora of dining spots. Here are some of my highlights.
- Glacier Chocolate: Vegan truffles. Gold Chocolate. Need I say anymore?!
- Valkyrie: Nothing like a good ole Old Fashion and a chill atmosphere for
- Class Cigars & Lounge: Did you get a PR and want to celebrate with a cigar? Classic cigars and lounge is right downtown just for you.
- Laffa Medi-eastern: I love Mediterranean food, which this Laffa is sooooo good! Great for my vegan or vegetarian folks and also includes some African infused dishes.
- All About Cha: Tea drinkers unite! Need to grab some good wifi and just relax? Looking for great tea or a bento box? All about Cha is more than just Chai tea, it’s a perfect hub for relaxing and hanging out.
- Pizza & Pasta Are Popular: There are a million pizza places but the one I heard a lot about was Upper Crust Wood Fired Pizza. I didn’t eat there because I had pasta instead at Ti Amo Ristorante Italiano. The food was really good at Ti Amo but my service was super slow. Manager was cool and made up for it but it had the best eggplant parmesan I have heard had in my life soooo.
This post is sponsored in part with Route 66 Marathon.
