Since Oklahoma was the 50th state that I visited, I didn’t want to just dip in and out. I wanted to take a road trip to truly experience the small towns, outdoor recreation, and indigenous culture of Oklahoma. With a long weekend, a tankful of gas, and an eye to explore, I set off to discover the highlights of Chickasaw Country.
Chickasaw Country covers more than 7,600 square miles in 13 counties in south-central Oklahoma, from the Texas border north to Norman. Interstate 35 is the primary thoroughfare through Chickasaw Country, but you are going to want to get off the interstate and explore some of the backroads too.
A few of the main towns in Chickasaw Country include Sulphur, Ada (headquarters of the Chickasaw Nation), Tishomingo (where Blake Shelton lives and home to the original Ole Red, his bar and restaurant), Chickasha, Pauls Valley, Duncan, Ardmore, and Davis. I used Sulphur as my home base since it was close to both the Chickasaw Cultural Center and the Chickasaw National Recreation Area and is fairly centrally-located for taking day trips.
Getting to Chickasaw Country
Note: This article was written as part of a paid partnership with Chickasaw Country. All opinions are my own.
If you are flying in, Sulphur is about two hours north of Dallas Fort Worth and one and one-half hours south of Oklahoma City. I flew into Dallas and out of OKC, but if you have never been to Oklahoma City, I’d recommend flying in and out of there and tacking on a couple of days to explore this fun city. You will definitely want to enjoy Bricktown and stop to see the Exhibit C Gallery, a Chickasaw Nation-owned gallery, visit the First Americans Museum and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Both are great to pair with places you will visit in Chickasaw Country as well.
You will need to rent a car and be prepared to put on some mileage exploring the nooks and crannies of Chickasaw Country.
Where to Stay in Chickasaw Country
There are two great accommodation options in Sulphur. The Artesian Hotel Casino and Spa, owned by the Chickasaw Nation, is located right in Sulphur’s historic downtown and is a great choice for people looking for more food options, shopping, and entertainment. (Just note that a tornado hit Sulphur, Oklahoma, on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Most of the businesses are reopened but plan ahead and make reservations where possible to confirm availability.)
If you prefer a more relaxing, countryside setting, the Chickasaw Retreat and Conference Center, also owned by the Chickasaw Nation, is a good choice. With spacious suites, an indoor pool, walking trails, and even an outdoor adventure course for groups, its hilltop setting is a good choice for families.
Chickasaw Country Road Trip Itinerary
Plan to spend three or more days exploring Chickasaw Country, depending on how much time you want to spend at each stop.
Day 1: Davis & Sulphur
However you are arriving into Chickasaw Country, make one of your first stops at Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies in Davis. This roadside attraction slash restaurant is known for its over 20 flavors of fried handpies, with both sweet and savory (and sugar free) options. I sampled both the peach and the cherry and both were delicious, with a light, flaky crust that isn’t overly greasy. The place is a hoot with a dinosaur and rooster on top of the gas tanks out front, a sign for photo opps, and even a cardboard cutout of Big Foot in the church-like dining room.
Your next stop should be downtown Sulphur. You can check out the Chickasaw Visitor Center and spend some time shopping along West Muskogee Avenue. Be sure to stop into the ARTesian Gallery & Studios, which represents Chickasaw and other artists and is home to studios of weavers, quilters, potters, and other artisans.
For affordable but stylish boutiques, pop into the cute The Mix Mercantile and The Prairie Thicket. Another must visit is the Mahota Textiles home goods store, the first tribally-owned textile company in the United States that features beautiful textiles designed in Oklahoma by First American Artisans.
If you are hungry, enjoy some breakfast and lunch or coffee and ice cream at Bedré Cafe or pick up some locally-made chocolates. Or, for fine dining go to Springs at the Artesian, which features homestyle-inspired fare in generous portions. I have to say that the country-fried steak is quite tender and delicious!
Day 2: Everything Chickasaw!
Morning
On your first full day, it is time to dive into Chickasaw history and culture. Your first stop needs to be the Chickasaw Cultural Center. This beautiful facility does an excellent job of condensing thousands of years of Chickasaw history into digestible exhibits in the Chickasa Poya Exhibit Center.
The Chickasaw people were originally nomadic but settled in the Southeast, including Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
The Chickasaw, along with the Choctaw, Seminole, and Cherokee, were forcibly removed from their homelands to Indian Territory, which is now Oklahoma, during what is known as the Removal.
In addition to the Chikasha Poya Exhibit Center, the Anoli’ Theater is used for telling First American stories through documentary films, cultural presentations, lectures, and stomp dance demonstrations. One of the highlights is the Chikasha Inchokka’ traditional village, which includes recreations of a Council House, summer houses, winter houses, a replica mound, a corn crib, a traditional garden, and a stickball field. There is even a butterfly garden designed with pollinators to support the migration of monarchs and a spiral garden with flowers, herbs, and traditional plants.
It is easy to spend at least half a day at the Cultural Center, especially because you will want to enjoy lunch at the Aaimpa’ Café. Order the Chickasaw Special, which includes a traditional Indian Taco, traditional pashofa (made with cracked hominy and pork), and grape dumplings (dough in a sweet grape juice.)
Afternoon
After lunch, work off that delicious food on a visit to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, one of only three Oklahoma parks affiliated with the National Park Service. The park offers six campgrounds, 20 miles of trails, and plenty of opportunities for boating, swimming, and fishing.
Coming from downtown Sulphur, start off your visit at either Pavilion Springs, where you can fill your water bottle with the sulphur tinged waters from a natural hot spring, or at the Travertine Nature Center. Here, the park rangers can acquaint you with the park and tell you the best trails to find the park’s own bison herd! You can typically view the herd from Veteran’s Trail but you can often spy them from the pullouts along Highway 177 as well.
From the nature center, it is a short walk over to Little Niagara Falls…just be forewarned that this is more of a swimming hole than a thundering waterfall. If you have the time, a stroll along the lakefront at Veteran’s Lake is a pretty walk, but if you are looking to go boating, you may prefer the larger Lake of the Arbuckles.
To get a view of the park and downtown Sulphur from above, drive up to the Bromide Hill Overlook.
Finish your day with a barbecue dinner at Smokin’ Joe’s Rib Ranch in Davis. Try to go early before the line gets long and your favorite meats sell out. Just make sure to bring a big appetite because the portions are hearty.
Day 3: Cowboys & Art
Morning
Now it is time to drive one and one-half hours to Duncan, Oklahoma to dig into Western history and culture in Oklahoma with a visit to the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. Kids love this museum too because there are so many fun interactive exhibits and multi-sensory theater presentations.
The Chisholm Trail was used by cowboy to drive Texas Longhorns from South Texas up to the stockyards in Abilene, Kansas, where they could be sold and loaded onto the railroad. The Heritage Center does an excellent job of teaching you the trail, the various types of cowboys that were part of the cattle drives, animals they would encounter along the way, and the hardships of life on the trail.
The Heritage Center also includes the Garris Gallery of the American West, which contains one of the largest collections of western and Native American art in the West. When the kids are done pretending to rope steer or shop at the general store inside, the Heritage Center also connects to various walking trails and parks.
Lunch
When you are done at the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center you can explore downtown Duncan (stop in to the Crossed Arrows shop for locally-produced products made from alpaca wool!) or, enjoy a little more barbecue at Camelback Corner Convenience Store & Smokehouse.
From the outside, this looks like an unassuming convenience store but once you step outside the car, you will smell the smoky aromas of cooking beef and pork. There are tables to eat in or you can take it to go. The brisket sandwich is delish but save room for the homemade cakes. I tried a slice of banana and it tasted just like my mom would make, but you could also try strawberry, lemon, or other flavors.
Next, drive another hour over to Pauls Valley. This artsy town has some real gems if you take the time to look below the surface. Whenever there are five Fridays in a month, Pauls Valley hosts an Art Walk on the fifth Friday evening. If you can visit in mid-October, you can also attend the Red Brick Road Film Festival taking place around town.
But even if you visit at another time, be sure to check out the local art at The Vault Art Space and Gathering Place. This beautiful space showcases a variety of art of various mediums and has a lovely mural on the alley wall titled The Butterfly Mandala, by Oklahoma artist Rick Sinnett.
You also have to meet local artistic genius Kevin Stark with a visit to the Stark Art Gallery. Kevin is a multi-talented artist that paints under six different personas, each with a unique style. His work is accessible, and affordable, to all and a true joy to appreciate.
Kevin is also the owner of the Toy and Action Figure Museum — a must visit for any super hero, sci fi, fantasy, or cartoon fans! The museum was created using Kevin’s personal collection of tens of thousands of toys and action figures. His passion for collecting started early and he was the designer behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Simpsons action figures. You will find displays for Star Wars, Star Trek, Godzilla, Lord of the Rings, Barbie, and more.
Finish up in Pauls Valley with dinner at Norma’s for delicious (and very affordable!) El Salvadoran food including pupusas.
Day 4: Oklahoma City
If you have the time, you can spend it exploring more of Chickasaw Country or head back to Oklahoma City for a couple of days. The drive from Sulphur to OKC is about one and one-half hours, but you can make a little detour to the town of Chickasha.
Chickasha is known for its giant leg lamp sculpture, which fans of the movie “A Christmas Story” might recognize. The backstory is that Chickasha native Noland James created a leg lamp from an old mannequin while in art school. That lamp was admired by someone who later was on the production team that produced the leg lamp for the 1983 movie. This is why locals like to claim a connection to the Christmas Story leg lamp.
The Leg Lamp sculpture stands over 50 feet tall in a downtown park near the Rock Island Depot, only minutes off of the interstate. Just across the street, pose in front of the “Land that I Love” mural, painted by artist Jessica Skinner and located on the side of Brandi’s Bar & Grill at 1st and Chickasha Avenue. Then grab some pizza and wine at The Flower Shop Pizzeria.
As I mentioned early, once you arrive in Oklahoma City, I’d highly recommend a visit to the First Americans Museum, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, and the Exhibit C Gallery in Bricktown. All will complement your experiences at the Chickasaw Cultural Center and Chisholm Trail Heritage Center earlier in the trip!
I hope I have convinced you to visit Chickasaw Country and don’t leave Oklahoma to be your 50th state the way I did!
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Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.
