The Blue Whale of Catoosa has been on my Route 66 bucket list for quite a while, and I'm glad we…read morefinally made the stop. At first glance, you might wonder why people travel miles to see a giant blue whale. Then you get there, walk through it, read the story behind it, and it all starts to make sense. What began as a whimsical anniversary gift from Hugh Davis to his wife Zelta has become one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Mother Road. The recent restoration is impressive. The visitor center does an excellent job sharing the history, the grounds are clean and well maintained, and the whale looks fantastic. Walking through the whale's mouth and out the tail brought out the kid in me, while the historical displays gave me a new appreciation for the people who created it. This isn't a place where you'll spend half a day--20 to 30 minutes is about right--but it's absolutely worth the stop. It's fun, nostalgic, family-friendly, and one of those Route 66 attractions you'll be talking about long after you leave. One piece of advice for fellow Oklahoma Route 66 Passport travelers: don't get so caught up exploring that you forget to get your passport stamped...like I did! ‍ No worries--the Blue Whale gave me the perfect excuse to plan another trip down Route 66.

The Blue Whale is a historic landmark along Route 66 in Catoosa, OK. It was a stop we wanted to…read moremake rain or shine during our Route 66 Centennial Celebration road trip in the Midwest. My eldest daughter and I did just that. Yes, it was raining cats and dogs. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to walk outside to be closer to the Blue Whale. We did our best to capture some photos from a far of its 20 feel tall and 80 feet long frame. There is a visitor center that holds the history of its loving story. We didn't get to walk inside the center either. It was slightly disappointing to come from a far and we didn't get to experience it the way we would have liked. Yes, we could have gotten out of the car and walked on over to the whale and center. However, we didn't bring an umbrella or any covering to keep us dry from the pouring rain. Lesson learned... bring an umbrella rain or shine! LOL No regrets... just fond memories of our wonderful experiences as it is meant to be. We just weren't meant to see the Blue Whale up close and personal. All good! I didn't know until after our trip that the Blue Whale of Catoosa was built in 1972 by zoologist Hugh Davis as an anniversary gift for his wife Zelta. It evolved from a private family swimming hole into a beloved free public attraction. If you ever get a chance to visit here, please give the Blue Whale a hug for me. Thank you!

Somber memorial in a park…read more The Memorial was erected in honor of of the citizens who perished during the tragic tornado that ripped through Joplin MO on the evening of May 22, 2011. The category EF-5 rated multiple-vortex twister devastated Joplin and killed 158 people. All their names were inscribed alphabetically by last name on the plaque. It was the deadliest U.S. tornado since 1947 causing billions in damages. The tornado was a mile-wide wall of black swirling wind... I couldn't even imagine. It's so sad. There were 1,150 injuries caused by the tornado as well. Next to the memorial is a fountain enclosed by a white fence. It was a little tricky to find it but near the children's park parking lot you have to go down a small slope and you will see the small memorial. It wasn't immediately visible to the eye as we were driving to look for it. Review #1950

fascinating history, sadly the corps of enineers tore down the old hotel tower a couple years ago…read more the amphitheater can be seen. moreso when the water is down, and a few foundations. nice to imagine, sad to actually see..

This is most certainly a local gem. Seeing a sunset here is truly magical - the gritty, spray…read morepainted building contrasts with the light reflecting off the water. The building itself is gated and locked off, so you can't explore inside, but it's still a very unique view from afar.

My Alltime MLB Player The "Commerce Comet" Mickey Charles Mantle!!!…read moreYes I added this to my Bucket List and Now I have done it Folks!!! Wow Small time Boy makes it to Big Ole New York City and becomes a Baseball Legend. Just think it started here in Tiny Commerce Oklahoma!!!

Hard to miss this beautiful building near downtown Bentonville with a historical marker out front…read more The marker reads, "Built in 1890 by Captain NH Henry. Captain Henry served in the Civil War as a member of General Stonewall Jackson's artillery. After the war Henry moved to Bentonville where he helped build Bentonville's first steam railway and served as a Treasurer for Benton County. The Henry House is built in the Italianate style and the main façade has been unaltered since construction. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988." It is a two-story brick structure with Italianate architectural details like trusses in the front-facing gable, a scrollwork balustrade on the main porch, and scrolled brackets on the hood over a side entrance. This 1890 construction is a good example of the late Italianate style brick homes that were constructed in Bentonville in large quantities between 1870 and 1895. I was able to find the Henry House on an apartment/short-term rental site. [Review 19801 overall - 277 in Arkansas - 774 of 2023.]

stayed 2 days in recently built, fabulously comfortable 2-bedroom apartment above garage. wish it…read morewere longer, we'll have to come back! Pristine, lovely, thoughtfully equipped, quiet, spacious. whoever did your design work, rose petals in their path!

What an amazing experience. We learned soooo sooo much about the family business and went down…read morememory lane. This place is so well-kept and welcoming. I wish more people could get to experience this amazing museum.

This was a really cool and FREE museum to enter. They have so many items to buy at reasonable…read moreprices that brought back a lot of nostalgia. Also the museum is a good size and offers alot of different activities for all ages including an ai Sam Walton you can ask questions too

You get quite a history lesson with your tour! Highly recommend it the owner is really nice and…read moregreat at telling stories.

The famous Tulsa Cave House was built by Joseph Koberling Sr. and James Purzer during the 1920's…read more Originally this cave like building was designed as a restaurant with outdoor dining. This restaurant served as a front to a speakeasy at night (with possible activity involving mobsters, shady business, etc). A long time ago there were tunnels (that are long gone, as they had collapsed, according to our tour guide and owner of the home) that served as an entrance and exit point. The Fire Department actually came to check and see around the home and had found some of those collapsed tunnels and that it would lead to the back of the home and over the hill. Since then, this home was owned by a few other owners and then was left abandoned for many years until Linda Collier purchased this home in 1997 and eventually repaired and restored the home. She opened this home to the public in 2007 for tours (only $10 per person). According to Linda, the home was in such a disrepair that the realtor she was with refused to enter. But as soon as Linda stepped in, she knew she just had to purchase it. She was going to move in but said that a ghost/ apparition convinced her not to move in. So she used it as a place for her woodwork and a place to write (she still does not live in the home). During that time, locals would ring the doorbell and ask if they could take a peek inside, as they had always known about the cave house but had always wondered what laid inside. Eventually Linda decided to provide tours for locals and tourists. My husband and I came for a visit on a Thursday afternoon (we had contacted Linda earlier that day and said she would be able to give a tour at 2 pm. She was so sweet to let us come in earlier, as we had arrived a bit earlier). We sat in the living room and heard a few stories of the home and looked at the old photos that she had to share of previous owners of the home and of what this home looked like before. She also told us that her home was featured on HGTV's "Home Strange Home" show and also is in the book "Weird Oklahoma." Then she showed us around her home and explained what she had done to the walls or what she had added, etc. Upstairs, there is a fun slide that my husband went down twice (lol, he's such a kid at heart). Linda had said that she added that slide for her daughter (such a cool mom she is. I wish I had a slide in my bedroom when I was kid). It was very interesting to learn about the history that Tulsa had. Also earlier in the week, some locals at a dog event we had gone to with our little girl dog, had told us about the Tulsa Cave House (although I already had this place bookmarked before visiting Oklahoma) and that they had gone on a tour and that it was worth a visit. Our tour was about 50 minutes and thought it was at a good pace and a fun activity to do. If you are looking for something out of box and happen to be visiting Tulsa, you should consider checking out the Tulsa Cave House. It is recommended to make an appointment beforehand. Although you may get lucky to do a walk in, if Linda is home.

Important and terribly unfortunate ;and shameful) part of American history. Need to learn more and…read morespend more time in this area. Very moving experience that should motivate all of us to learn to love each other and work to stomp out racism of all forms ...

Really glad I made the trip to Black Wall Street. In recent years, it's been talked about more…read morethrough film, tv shows and new stories and wanted to visit the area. What a tragic part of history, but I am glad the area has been preserved for people to visit and learn more about this part of history. There's several boutique shops, cafes and murals you can visit. There's also a museum, which was closed at the time we visited. If you're in Tusla, definitely worth a visit.

While my eldest daughter and I were in the City of Tulsa, OK, we had to swing by the icon statue of…read moreThe Golden Driller. It depicts an oil worker wearing a hard hat and holding a drilling derrick. It stands 76 feet tall and weighs 43,500 pounds. It captures the bold spirit and history of the region's oil boom in turn is a striking tribute to the petroleum industry. This statue is located right outside the Tulsa Expo Square. It is very easy to find. It's so tall and yellow. You can't miss it. It was rainy during our visit, but I was still able to capture some photos of the statue. I zoomed in to see the impressive scale and detailed craftsmanship of this super cool and giant landmark. Despite of the wet weather, it was still a fantastic stop for quick photos during our Route 66 Centennial Celebration road trip in the Midwest. Definitely a memorable roadside attraction for all visitors to enjoy. Thanks Golden Driller!

This only a review for the statue out front which is epic. Stopped to take some photos before going…read moreto the airport. Everyone must check it out before leaving Tulsa.