We visited Tulsa in December 2023 as part of our Tucson for Christmas trip. Read about our previous visit in 2022 here.

From Memphis, it was a long interstate day. 5 hours 30 minutes–UGH. Tulsa is a bit of a diversion from the I-40 trek out west, but we think it’s worth it!

Campground

Last time in Tulsa, we stayed down the road at West Bend RV Outpost. West Bend’s owners had started construction on a new RV campground a bit closer to town, so this visit we stayed at the new park. Honcho Park is quiet and much more spacious than its sister park, with the same laid-back, funky charm. Our site was next to the communal grass area with lots of space to set up camp chairs and enjoy the sunny afternoon. The only downside was that the trains traveling nearby were very tooty early in the morning!

The campground is located on the extensive trail system through Tulsa– the trail outside the park’s gate runs through to the main River Parks trails. It’s an incredibly impressive system of trails and we love getting to dabble in it!

From Honcho, it’s exactly three miles on the trail to the entrance of Tulsa’s huge and awesome city park, Gathering Place.

Eating and drinking

Dinner

We ate a fabulous dinner at FarmBar. But before I talk about that, check out what we learned from our Uber driver:

Our driver was from Bartlesville, a small town 45 mins north of Tulsa, She told us that Bartlesville is home to the only Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper: Price Tower. Next door is a community center designed by the chief architect of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s Taliesin West in Scottsdale AZ. We’re big fans of the mid-century modern aesthetic so were impressed by this info. She also told us that the lone Frank Lloyd Wright house in Tulsa was about to go to auction, with no reserve! I just looked for results of the auction, and it seems it didn’t actually happen, but the house seems to be on the market still if anyone wants to buy it for me.

Ok, back to FarmBar, a small downtown restaurant focused on seasonal ingredients from local farms. We dined at the bar on a Wednesday, and took advantage of the a la carte menu offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays, rather than the standard multi-course menu. It was a super experience all around: the food (I loved all the veggie dishes we tried, especially the mushrooms, and the bread!), the cocktails, the local beers, the friendly service, and the cool space.

Breweries

Here are J’s beer thoughts!

One of the main draws of Tulsa for us, aside from the river, is the fabulous American Solera brewery, which has the atmosphere and extensive list of yummy beers we look for in a brewery. We knew when we headed out for our one night in Tulsa that we would finish the evening there. We did, and once again they didn’t disappoint. 

But first, after dinner we hit Nothing’s Left Brewing Co. At first glance, Nothing’s Left is a small, nicely apportioned neighborhood spot with 12 beers on tap (including one sour for L and one hazy IPA for J) and an overly social (in J’s opinion, not L’s) cat. Our first impression of the tasting room was a bit off, however, as J’s trip to the bathroom led to the discovery of a hallway to a giant back room up a half flight of stairs. Actually it was two giant rooms: one a darker space with large TVs on every wall nestled between mirrors and plants and Christmas decorations, and the other a bright white smaller space with popping color accents that more resembles a coffee shop where you light bring your laptop (the Dream Lounge) (L: I want whomever decorated the Dream Lounge to come do my house!). After L played with the kitty a bit, we moved upstairs to the larger room and watched a bit of the Excel World Championship on TV. Yes, that is a thing!!! Anyway, the atmosphere of Nothings Left was really cool and unique; the beers we found to be just ok. 

After Nothing’s Left, we made the short, but somewhat dark and scary walk to Cabin Boys, which is adjacent to American Solera. Cabin Boys had a hazy IPA for J and another beer that they called a hybrid west coast hazy, but no sours for L; of their 12 beers on tap, half were Belgian varieties when we were there. The tasting area is split in two, with a small room in the front that is dominated by the bar and a much larger room behind a closed door that was being used for some sort of private event when we were there. Anyway, it wasn’t our favorite spot, but it is right next to American Solera so we will likely give it another chance the next time we are there.

Breakfast

In the morning, we picked up coffee and breakfast burritos from Foolish Things Coffee Co before hitching up the Airstream and heading west. A repeat and reliable breakfast for us, they weren’t busy right when they opened at 8:00, and from the campground it was an easy six-minute drive.

Next stop, Amarillo!