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Each year, that glorious week on the March calendar beckons parents, children and students away from their daily grind and into the warmer temperatures of spring. Make your plan now to keep the family busy and entertained this Spring Break. As the days lengthen and inch closer to the bright rays of summer, Oklahoma is primed and ready to host traveling families during a much-needed break. Cast away any lingering winter blues with a myriad of kid-friendly destinations and activities in Oklahoma. Simply browse through these top ideas for things to do during Spring Break and start planning your Oklahoma getaway now.
Oklahoma City Zoo
Celebrate the rebirth of spring by visiting one of the state’s most popular attractions, the Oklahoma City Zoo. Turn the kids loose in the zoo’s acclaimed Children’s Zoo area and watch as they pet unusual barnyard animals, feed nectar to hungry lorikeets, scramble around climbing areas and splash in a stunning waterfall complete with flamingos frolicking nearby and a koi pond. With over 2,500 animals situated on 110 acres, you’ll have no problem bouncing from one activity to the next. Visit the zoo’s Great EscApe exhibit and monkey around with resident gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans or drop by the Cat Forest and Lion Overlook to get close up views of the world's big cats. Explore the 8-acre Oklahoma Trails Exhibit featuring the state's own wildlife stars including bears, cougars and bobcats among others and then swing by the 9.5-acre Elephant Habitat. The whole family will enjoy a ride on the Safari Tram, Centennial Choo Choo, Swan Paddleboats or Endangered Species Carousel and be sure to catch an exciting performance of the sea lion show.
Toy & Action Figure Museum
Perfect for visitors of all ages, the Toy & Action Figure Museum in Pauls Valley will captivate both children and adults with over 11,000 classic action figures plucked from the pages of pop culture. Revisit your childhood with displays of popular toys from the 1950s and beyond, and bring the kids for interactive play areas and the famous Bat Cave, an area dedicated entirely to the lure of Batman. Don’t forget to snap a photo of the breathtaking Collector’s Bedroom display, where thousands of action figures line every inch of wall and floor space.
Orr Family Farm
Escape the confines of the city and adventure out onto the farm this Spring Break with a visit to the Orr Family Farm. One of the largest horse training centers in the state, the Orr Family Farm is a working farm with a stunning variety of family-friendly attractions and activities. Take a ride throughout the property on a replica Jupiter locomotive, learn how to fish in stocked fishing ponds, visit the petting zoo for plenty of friendly furry creatures, learn about milking a cow, pan for gem stones on a sluice, take spin on a carousel or enjoy a pony ride on a beautiful sunny spring day.
Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse
Travel to Enid and find your way to Leonardo’s Discovery Warehouse, a hands-on science and discovery museum that is truly one-of-a-kind. Children of all ages will enjoy building in the replica carpentry shop or creating their own masterpiece in the art studio. Spend the day observing exotic creatures in the animal area or dig for ancient fossils in the museum’s excavation pit and discover fun ways to learn about basic scientific themes such as gravity and acceleration. After exploring the endless activities available inside, lead the kids outdoors to Adventure Quest, a three-story castle that is one of the largest playgrounds of its kind in the world.
Alabaster Caverns State Park
Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom offers a guided cave tour through the world’s largest gypsum cave that is open to the public. For a unique Spring Break experience, head to this park and plunge headfirst into adventure beneath the Earth’s surface. Take a tour of the ¾ mile-long cavern, hear stories from the past from knowledgeable tour guides and don’t forget to watch out for bats! For adults looking for Spring Break activities in and around the park, try your hand at spelunking in wild caves with a permit and appropriate equipment.
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
The Sam Noble Museum in Norman is a can’t-miss with the kids. Watch their eyes open wide with wonder as they cast their gaze upward to the enormous dinosaur skeletons found in the museum’s Hall of Ancient Life. Visitors will also find the Guinness record-holding largest dinosaur skull on a fully-mounted Pentaceratops, giant creepy-crawly prehistoric bugs and a walk-through limestone cave. Kids will love riding the museum’s glass dino-vators right up to dino eye level, as well as exploring plenty of hands-on activities in the museum’s Discovery Room. Be sure to take part in their free Spring Break Escape activities that enhance your family's experience.
Make your plan now to keep the family busy and entertained this Spring Break.
Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium
Let your imagination run wild as you climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet or fly a scale model through a wind tunnel at the Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium. Visitors to this museum will enjoy rare vintage airplanes on display, as well as a myriad of interactive exhibits. Take the controls on a flight simulator, maneuver robotic arms like astronauts in space, or view video exhibits stationed throughout the museum. Visit the world-class planetarium and take a journey through space, discovering constellations and the beauty of Oklahoma’s night skies in the 50-ft. dome.
Science Museum Oklahoma
Whether sliding down the world’s tallest spiral slide or catching an explosive live science show, Oklahoma City’s Science Museum Oklahoma is one of the best ideas for Spring Break featuring hours upon hours of family-friendly, educational entertainment. Explore tools and create your own project in the museum’s Tinkering Garage exhibit or take in an IMAX film in the attached Dome Theater. With over eight acres of hands-on exhibits and 350 displays, this museum lives up to its moniker as an “amusement park for the mind.”
Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum
Turn the kids loose at the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole and discover why this Oklahoma gem is where kids play to learn. Your children will delight while on a trip down the imagination highway as they explore a wide variety of grown-up careers in a fun, engaging way. Kids can bang the gavel as a judge, try their hand at onscreen newscasting, or serve as a cashier in a grocery store. The whole family will have fun trying to encase themselves in a soap bubble or navigate the large outdoor maze.
Little Sahara State Park
An excellent place to find rip-roaring adventure during Spring Break is in the giant sand hills of Little Sahara State Park near Waynoka. This northwest Oklahoma treasure offers dune buggy and ATV riding on 1,600 acres of towering sand dunes. Bring the family, strap yourselves in tight, and feel the warm Oklahoma sun on your face as you soar across the dunes. Bring your own ATV or arrange to have one ready for you when you arrive at a nearby rental shop.
Oklahoma Aquarium
Take a trip beneath the ocean’s surface and come face-to-face with an impressive array of diverse aquatic creatures including jellyfish, eels and playful river otters at the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks. With over 100 exhibits and an underwater viewing tunnel that allows visitors to view the world's largest captive bull sharks while they swim alongside and overhead, this aquarium is a sure-fire hit this Spring Break. Stop by one of the aquarium’s touch tanks to feel the slippery skin of stingrays and small sharks!
Pole Position Raceway
Strap on your helmet and get ready to fly around the racetrack at Pole Position Raceway in Oklahoma City. Burn off some energy this Spring Break with a shot of adrenaline as you and your family race each other around this state-of-the-art indoor racing facility, featuring over 85,000-sq. ft. of heart pumping action and thrills. Home to some of the fastest go-karts in the nation, Pole Position Raceway uses fume-free electric karts and also offers video games, pool tables and an on-site café.
Oklahoma State Parks
If a peaceful cabin in the woods is more your style this Spring Break, surround yourself with natural beauty by making a reservation at an Oklahoma state park. Well-appointed cabins and lodge rooms are available at some of Oklahoma’s favorite getaways like Beavers Bend, Western Hills, Greenleaf, Tenkiller and Roman Nose. Scenic RV and tent campsites are also available for camping under the stars. Special Spring Break activities include games for children, arts and crafts, hiking, horseback riding, fishing and nature programs. Oklahoma’s state parks are chock-full of fun and entertaining activities and remain one of the best values around for families.
Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum
Travel to Tulsa to view rare and exotic animals from around the globe at the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum. Surround yourself with the wildlife of native jungles and experience the warm temperatures of the tropics with a trip through the zoo’s Tropical Rainforest exhibit. A visit to this award-winning zoo would not be complete without an excursion through the state-of-the-art African penguin exhibit or the zoo’s popular Elephant Encounter, where visitors are treated to lively demonstrations by Asian elephants. From bouncy kangaroos to playful sea lions, the Tulsa Zoo & Living Museum is a perfect destination to celebrate the abundance of new life during Spring Break.
