Oklahoma

Con casi 650 kilómetros, este es el tramo más largo de la icónica carretera. Recórrela para llegar al National Route 66 Museum (Museo nacional de la Ruta 66) en Elk City para aprender sobre su peculiar historia.

Ubicada en el sureste de Oklahoma, la ruta de 80 kilómetros se extiende por uno de los cordones montañosos más altos entre los Appalachians (montes Apalaches) y las Rockies (montañas Rocosas), y atraviesa el Ouachita National Forest (Bosque nacional Ouachita). 

The former home of petroleum magnate Frank Phillips blends nature, history and art in one unique attraction. Drive through the preserve for a rare opportunity to get close to the mighty bison, elk and Texas longhorn cattle. Explore the impressive art museum, which houses Western and Native American art, prehistoric artifacts from 40 Plains tribes and an extensive exhibit of Colt firearms. The lodge displays authentic furnishings from when Phillips entertained dignitaries, celebrities, politicians and businessmen.

Visita este complejo que cuenta con tiendas de vestimenta del oeste, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, un espectáculo de música country o "rodeo opry" y los famosos Oklahoma City Stockyards, donde puedes ver cómo se desarrolla un verdadero remate de ganado.

Aprende sobre la conexión perdurable de esta leyenda con Oklahoma en este museo, que alberga todos los escritos de Rogers y la mayor colección de objetos de interés.

Este es el lugar para ver búfalos, alces, ganado vacuno y ciervos salvajes, o puedes probar tus habilidades para la escalada en roca. Detente en el Visitor’s Center (Centro de visitantes) del refugio para tantear el terreno primero. 

If you love the outdoors, Turner Falls Park in the Arbuckle Mountains has it all. The park is home to the 23-meter-tall Turner Falls, the tallest in the state, which cascades into a popular summer swimming hole complete with water slides and diving boards. Hike eight kilometers of scenic trails, explore three natural caves, bring a picnic for a day trip or camp overnight. Concessions and groceries are available on site.

At 87 kilometers, the Talimena National Scenic Byway can be driven in just a few hours, but the spectacular views and charming towns along the way are worth lingering. This byway traverses the crest of Rich Mountain and Winding Stair Mountain in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Read informative plaques and visit historical sites, including the Wheelock Academy, the first Choctaw Nation educational academy, and Heavener Runestone Park, home to mysterious carvings that some believe were made by Vikings.

Folk music icon Woody Guthrie, a native Oklahoman, wrote the quintessential song about the  USA, “This Land is Your Land,” mentored Bob Dylan and was father to Arlo Guthrie, who became a folk legend in his own right. The Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa showcases Guthrie’s personal notebooks, clothing, instruments and other memorabilia. Displays covering the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, along with photography, maps and interactive exhibits, put the musician’s life into greater cultural context.

Oil tycoon E.W. Marland made his fortune in the 1920s and used his riches to build the Marland Mansion in Ponca City. The 55-room estate’s Italianate design earned it the nickname “The Palace on the Prairie.” Tour the opulent home, which included luxuries for the era: a refrigerator, dishwasher and shower stall with multiple showerheads. The estate grounds are beautifully manicured and make a scenic setting for an afternoon picnic, especially by the iconic “Pioneer Woman” statue commissioned by Marland to celebrate the spirit of women settlers.