Brandy McDonnell| Oklahoman
A version of this story appears in the Sunday Life section of The Oklahoman.
Routes to romance
Celebrate Valentine's Day with an Oklahoma road trip
Love isn't always easy, and love in the time of COVID can be especially challenging.
It's almost Valentine's Day, and many of the go-to night-out options for couples - catching a show, watching a movie, savoring a lavish meal - could be potentially problematic during these pandemic days.
If another night of Netflix and chill holds no appeal, have no fear, fellow Okies. Oklahoma has miles of romantic getaways, scenic views and memorable attractions for couples eager to hit the highways.
Even if these recommendations don't work for your Valentine's Day - that promising bed and breakfast is already booked up or the weather is too chilly for outdoor escapades - keep them in mind for future romantic escapes. Getaways are good for couples, and the coronavirus hasn't been kind to the tourism and hospitality sectors over the past year.
Since every pair of lovebirds has its own unique feathers, here are eight types of Oklahoma road trips for couples ready to get out of the nest and on the road:
1. Romantic getaways: A plethora of unique B&Bs, inns and other overnight accommodations are scattered across Oklahoma, ranging from the Victorian elegance of the Pecan Valley Inn Bed and Breakfast in Davis to the tropical ambiance of Parrot's Cove at Arcadian Getaways in Guthrie to the Italian villa vibe of the Lago Vista Bed & Breakfast in Broken Bow.
Many offer special amenities like the massages, facials and body wraps at Sulphur's Echo Canyon Spa Resort, the onsite selection of reds and whites at Ringwood's Indian Creek Village Winery and the museum-quality art exhibits at Oklahoma City's 21C Museum Hotel.
2. Outdoor adventures:Mile for mile, Oklahoma offers the nation's most diverse terrain, as showcased in our 33 wildly divergent state parks. Alabaster Caverns State Park in Freedom boasts one of the largest natural gypsum caves in the world, Gloss Mountain State Park in Fairview features peaks that sparkle in the sun due to their high selenite content, and Little Sahara State Park near Waynoka is an actual miniature desert with more than 1,600 acres of sand dunes.
Interested in doing a little stargazing with your sweetheart? Kenton's Black Mesa State Park in the panhandle is the place for it, since it has some of the darkest nighttime skies on publicly accessible land in the entire country.
Through Feb. 28, Oklahoma State Parks are offering a special Sweetheart Rate: a 15% discount on the total cost of a stay in a lodge room, cabin or RV and tent site.
3. Scenic outings: Oklahoma's scenic attractions aren't limited to its state parks: There are plenty of picturesque places where couples can enjoy a romantic picnic, walk or sunset amid spectacular visuals. An "Oklahoma oasis," the Chickasaw National Recreation Area is situated in the pretty foothills of the Arbuckle Mountains. The buffalo roam across the panoramic Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska, and mysterious Viking history is nestled in LeFlore County's Heavener Runestone Park, home to a large sandstone with eight runic markings believed to be a boundary marker placed by Vikings between 600 and 800 A.D.
But couples shouldn't ignore the scenic spots offered in the Sooner State's urban areas: In OKC, the sun sparkling off Lake Hefner and the bright lights of the Skydance Bridge are tough to beat, and Tulsa's Turkey Mountain Park and Gathering Place are worth a trip up the turnpike.
4. Foodie fun:For couples who are not comfortable with restaurant dining at this stage in the pandemic or are just looking for new ways to indulge their foodie cravings, the Sooner State offers an extensive menu of options.
More than 50 farmers markets spread across the state serve up a cornucopia of locally produced fruits and vegetables, fresh eggs, homemade breads and jams and other tasty treats, with the historic Oklahoma City Farmers Public Market, Edmond Farmers Market and Stillwater Farmers' Market among those that are open even during the winter months. (Due to the pandemic, the Paseo Farmers Market has moved online, giving COVID-cautious gourmands an even safer option.)
From sprawling rural facilities to city hot spots, Oklahoma also has a plethora of wineries and breweries on tap these days, and many offer private tours or tastings for couples looking for extra intimacy or COVID protection. For pairs who prefer nonalcoholic beverages, Pops 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia stocks hundreds of bubbly choices, while Urban Teahouse in OKC brews up loose-leaf varieties from five continents.
Since it's just not Valentine's Day without chocolate, consider a jaunt to the Bedré Fine Chocolate's 34,600-square-foot manufacturing facility in Davis.
5. Quirky attractions:Looking for something completely different? Oklahoma is home to a bemusing array of quirky roadside attractions, from the iconic Blue Whale of Catoosa and historic Ed Galloway Totem Pole Park in Chelsea to the playful Alien Landing Yard Art in Stroud and towering Bumblebee the Transformer in Stillwater.
Clusters of curiosities can make for memorable road trips: The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge near Lawton is the place to find both the Parallel Forest, an eerily uniform stand of red cedars planted exactly 6 feet apart, and the Holy City of the Wichitas, where Israel during Biblical times has been recreated, while Hugo is home to both the Endangered Ark Foundation, which keeps one of the biggest Asian elephant herds in North America, and the Showman's Rest and Bull Rider's Reprieve, a cemetery where circus performers and rodeo champs are memorialized. In Tulsa, check out the acoustic anomaly known as the Center of the Universe, the looming Golden Driller and the unusual Cave House.
6. Artsy escapes: From museums and murals to sculptures and art studios, Oklahoma boasts a myriad of artistic attractions. Oklahoma City alone exhibits a growing collection of murals in the Plaza District and beyond, the new Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center and artist collective Factory Obscura's immersive "Mix-Tape," both on Automobile Alley, and beloved museums like the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and Oklahoma History Center.
But OKC doesn't have the monopoly on artistic excursions: A slew of new murals, the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center and Romy Owens' epic public art project "Under Her Wing Was the Universe" provide ample artsy reasons to take a jaunt to Enid. In Shawnee, painted horses pose around the city, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center and Seminole Nation Museum in nearby Wewoka spotlight Native arts, and the 101-year-old Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art offers an eclectic treasure trove of Tang dynasty terra cotta figures, Amazonian shrunken heads, the state's only mummies and much more.
In Norman, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art displays stunning artwork both inside and out, while the city's public art offerings range from the sculptures "Triptych" by Valerie Theberge and "Prairie Wind" by James Johnson to murals like "Norman Red-tail Hawk" by Rick Sinnett and "Tattoo Woman" by Derek Vosten.
7. Childlike wonder:Contrary to popular misconception, you aren't actually required to have a child with you to visit the animals at the Oklahoma City Zoo, to look at the bones at the Museum of Osteology in OKC, to dive into the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks or to make a splash at the Water-Zoo Indoor Water Park in Clinton.
If it's just the two of you, you and your sweetheart might even feel the sparks flying while you check out the Tesla coil at Science Museum Oklahoma.
8. Garden getaways: February may not be the ideal time for flowers and foliage in Oklahoma, but what's Valentine's Day without a few blossoms?
In OKC, the Scissortail Park Garden Spaces, Will Rogers Gardens and the Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory provide horticultural havens from the urban landscape. (The Crystal Bridge is closing in spring for its first complete makeover since it opened 32 years ago, so now is the time to visit.)
Similarly, the Tulsa Botanic Garden, Tulsa Garden Center at Woodward Park and Philbrook Gardens at the Philbrook Museum of Art bloom with peace and plants in the middle of that city.
Muskogee's Honor Heights Park is best known for its April Azalea Festival, but the idyllic 132-acre green space also features nature trails, a dogwood collection, reflecting pond and more. The Lendonwood Gardens just outside Grove include a Japanese pavilion and koi pond, an English Terrace Garden, an “Oklahoma Proven” garden and an Oriental Garden culminating in a 150-foot stream with several pools of water emptying each other.
Along with the formal garden near the heart of campus, Stillwater's Oklahoma State University also is home to the sprawling 100-acre The Botanic Garden, where the weekly OETA show "Oklahoma Gardening" is filmed.
If you want to buy some flowers for your sweetie and contribute to a good cause at the same time, check out OKC's new Curbside Flowers, 522 N Classen Blvd., where patrons can get grab-and-go bouquets (as supplies last), jewelry, greeting cards, candles, chocolates and plants for Valentine's Day. Open year round, the full-service flower shop is a program of the Homeless Alliance and provides education, employment and training to people transitioning out of homelessness in Oklahoma City.
Features Writer Brandy "BAM" McDonnell covers Oklahoma's arts, entertainment and cultural sectors for The Oklahoman and Oklahoman.com. Reach her at bmcdonnell@oklahoman.com, www.facebook.com/brandybammcdonnell and twitter.com/BAMOK. Please support work by her and her colleagues by subscribing atoklahoman.com/subscribe.
-BAM
