8 Oklahoma Towns With A Slower Pace Of Life
Oklahoma's small towns are well-suited to the kind of trip where slower living is the main attraction. The communities below are built for that pace. Perkins brings locals and visitors together around holiday events like Light Up Perkins. Guthrie slows things down with ghost walks through its historic downtown districts. Each of these eight Oklahoma towns gives travelers room to choose their own rhythm. Whether that means exploring natural wonders or simply letting the weekend unfold, there is space here to settle in.
Perkins
Perkins is the home of the Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma's Grey Snow Eagle House, a rehabilitation facility and long-term sanctuary for injured bald and golden eagles. Opened in 2006, the aviary cares for non-releasable birds and works to return rehabilitated eagles to the wild. The Eagle House is open by appointment only, so plan accordingly. The birds are the main draw in Perkins, but the locals also know how to put together a good weekend.
The City of Perkins Parks and Recreation Department organizes several community events that bring locals together and introduce visitors to the town. The Light Up Perkins event strings more than 40,000 lights through Oklahoma Territorial Plaza and the downtown area in front of City Hall in time for the Christmas season. Cafe 33 Steakhouse and Whiskey Bar is a fitting end to a relaxing weekend in Perkins, with a juicy steak and an aged whiskey or fine wine to go with it.
Guthrie
Ongoing restoration efforts have turned Guthrie into one of the largest contiguous urban historic districts in the country, with more than 2,000 buildings across 1,400 acres designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1999. History is baked into every brick in Guthrie, with plenty of opportunities to slow down and take it in, including the Guthrie Ghost Walk, a walking tour that shares the history and mystery of the downtown district while taking in the preserved Victorian and Edwardian-era architecture.
Two museums in Guthrie reward unhurried visits. The Oklahoma Territorial Museum, in the 1902 Carnegie Library, features artifacts, photographs, and records of the state's territorial era, with lectures and exhibits detailing the land's history and evolution. The Oklahoma Frontier Drug Store Museum is another fixture of the historic downtown district, housed in the 1890 Gaffney Building and displaying memorabilia from frontier pharmacies and early medical practices.
Broken Bow
Broken Bow offers plenty of places to stay, but the bulk of a trip should be spent outdoors and just past the town's borders. The surrounding land is full of hiking trails, lakes, and state parks. Beavers Bend State Park is a short drive from Broken Bow, with hundreds of acres of forests and walking trails along the Mountain Fork River.
The Lower Mountain Fork River is the best destination for trout fishing in Oklahoma, with 12 miles of dedicated river running through Beavers Bend. The David Boren Hiking Trail pulls together seven smaller, intersecting trails in the Broken Bow region into one good route for stretching the legs. The Beavers Bend Wildlife Museum, just north of town, is a worthwhile stop for all ages, with information on local wildlife and habitats.
Davis
Davis has something for everyone. While the town does offer zip lines and ATV tours for those wanting some adrenaline, there are also plenty of options to explore the Davis region at a slower pace. Turner Falls Park covers about 1,500 acres of outdoor space and contains the 77-foot Turner Falls, the tallest waterfall in Oklahoma.
For those skipping the outdoors, or visiting Davis during the winter, Bedré Fine Chocolate started small and has grown into one of Oklahoma's signature chocolate brands, owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation. Guests can visit the Bedré manufacturing facility in Davis, view the production floor through floor-to-ceiling windows, and leave with chocolates from the retail shop.
Tahlequah
Tahlequah is the capital of the Cherokee Nation, and there is no better place to learn about the tribe and its history than this small town in northeast Oklahoma. The heritage of the Cherokee Nation is everywhere in Tahlequah. Every street sign in the Tahlequah Original Historic District is written in both English and Cherokee. The Tahlequah History Trail is a self-guided walking route that connects the most important landmarks at the visitor's own pace.
The Cherokee National History Museum, which opened in 2019 in the restored 1869 Cherokee National Capitol building, holds 7,000 square feet of art, artifacts, and tribal heritage. The museum also hosts instructive classes, art markets, and art shows. The Cherokee Casino Tahlequah stays open 24 hours on Fridays and Saturdays and books live music nearly every week.
Medicine Park
Medicine Park is unlike any other town in Oklahoma thanks to the round red granite cobblestones used throughout its construction. Those rocks and cobblestones run through most of the structures in town, creating a visually distinctive look. Medicine Park is no place to rush through. Stop and take in the architecture.
With community events held many weekends throughout the year, there is no wrong time to visit Medicine Park, with the Rockin' the Park and Blues Ball music festivals among the biggest draws. Bath Lake and Medicine Creek also offer scenic water recreation, while trails in and around the town make it easy to slow down and take in the surrounding Wichita Mountains.
Eufaula
Eufaula sits on the shores of Lake Eufaula with plenty of places to stroll along the lake and through a downtown of historic buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Calico Heights offers tree-house-style cabins with Lake Eufaula views in Stigler, a short drive away.
Our Favorite Place is, as the name suggests, a local favorite for both residents and visitors. It is an Oklahoma art gallery and "Made-in-Oklahoma" store that carries work from over 90 artists, along with a rotation of product vendors. Each visit looks different. In nearby Carlton Landing, The Meeting House serves freshly brewed coffee, breakfast, and other dining options for travelers exploring the Lake Eufaula area.
Pauls Valley
Pauls Valley may be a small town, but it is not a destination to rush. A real trip here easily fills several days. There is no shortage of community events, activities, or landmarks to explore. The Santa Fe Depot Museum, in the restored 1905 Santa Fe Depot, holds old photographs from Pauls Valley over the decades, railroad memorabilia, and exhibits that recreate the Oklahoma of the past.
The Toy and Action Figure Museum offers a blast from the past for visitors of all ages. The museum houses over 13,000 classic pop culture figures and even lets guests interact with some of the toys on display. Pauls Valley also makes sure no guest explores its history on an empty stomach. Field's Pies is a must-stop pie factory that features Oklahoma's famous pecan pie.
Exploring Oklahoma at Your Own Pace
These eight Oklahoma towns offer slower paces of life, with community events, local favorites for breakfast, steaks, or a glass of whiskey, and a variety of state parks built for unhurried exploration. Tahlequah anchors a chapter of Cherokee Nation heritage. Broken Bow is a short drive from Beavers Bend and the Lower Mountain Fork's trout water. Pauls Valley fills a long weekend with a depot museum, a 13,000-figure toy collection, and pecan pie. With this kind of range, taking it slow in Oklahoma is the easy part.
