Visiting OKC with a Family
About two weeks ago Caleb, Ryder, and I packed up and headed to Oklahoma City. To be honest I was extra excited to go back because we went about four years ago just Caleb and I and hadn’t been back since. We loved Myriad Gardens, but besides that had trouble finding what else there was to do nearby. Since our trip, I have seen so many restaurants, cute places, and things to do on other friends’ social media. OKC did not disappoint with all it has to offer and I was thoroughly impressed! The food particularly stood out because every place we ate was unique and incredible. I can’t recommend enough a stay in Midtown. There was so much close by and even downtown was walkable from our hotel if we wanted to. OKC would be perfect for a girl’s weekend, family weekend, or couples trip. Thank you so much for hosting us Visit Oklahoma City!
We started our trip at Harveys Bakery & Kitchen it was a quick stop, but I highly recommend the raspberry almond croissant. I took a box of treats to go for Caleb and Ryder, but the lunch food looked amazing too. Plus it was such a cute place! It has great parking with a parking lot behind it which made it convenient to get in and out without wasting time searching for parking.
Next, we checked into the Ambassador Hotel Oklahoma City, Autograph Collection. It’s a beautiful hotel and the location couldn’t be more perfect! We loved having multiple coffee shops and tons of restaurants nearby. The hotel also has a pool and a rooftop bar, The O Bar which had delicious mocktails for me, and a variety of drinks Caleb loved in addition to a stunning view. I would definitely recommend a stay there!
After we got settled we headed to dinner at The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen. Although they welcome walk-up seating I was thankful to have a reservation as there were a few groups waiting for a table. Let me start by saying if I lived near The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen, I would be going weekly because it was seriously delicious! We got the Garlic Knot to start and split a pizza that was half The Bridge and half Sweetness. Both types of pizza were amazing and unique. Next time we go back I have a list of others I want to try :) They also have a cute rooftop bar and dining! Our only regret with this stop was driving because it was definitely close enough to our hotel that we could have walked. Tip if you go: There were a lot of parking areas, but we arrived at a busy time so it took 5-10 minutes to find a spot! Next time we would factor in a little bit longer for that.
Once we finished dinner we walked around the area a little to let Ryder run off some energy before bedtime. Then headed back to our hotel, and while I got Ryder ready for bed Caleb went to the O Bar and grabbed some drinks we could enjoy in our room. Our room had a pretty sunset view so it was a perfect way to relax before bed.
The next morning we got ready for the day and decided to head to Waffle Champion (based on all the amazing reviews online) which to our pleasant surprise was about 40 feet from the entrance of our hotel. We always like to split a sweet and savory item at breakfast so we ordered the French Toast Waffle and the Bacon, Egg, and Cheddar Waffle we loved both and the staff was super friendly! Then before getting on the road we walked another block down to Not Your Average Joe's coffee for a vanilla iced latte to go. Let me just say they make a delicious iced latte.
Then we headed to the Oklahoma City Zoo for a morning of fun! We were given the Wild Encounter Lanyard as well as the Bricklive Bundle Wristband which ended up being our two favorite parts of our day. We were there on a fairly busy day for field trips and yet still with a large parking lot were able to find parking close to the entrance. The Wild Encounter was the rhino encounter and it was seriously so cool! A common misconception about zoos often is how the animals are cared for. At the beginning and throughout the tour, our guide told us in detail about how much he personally cared for the animals as well as how other keepers at the OCK Zoo do as well. He told us all about the rhino and her personality before we met the rhino-specific keeper who then told us about how to best feed her. It was so awesome to see her up close and feed her! Ryder loved it at first but quickly wanted to keep his distance and let us feed her. Afterward, we enjoyed Ryder’s first carousel ride and then headed to Bricklive. We were amazed at the intricacy of all the animals in the Bricklive exhibit. Some of which were made of tens of thousands of blocks and took multiple days to create. We had a great time and Ryder barely made it back to the hotel before falling asleep.
After we got Ryder up from a nap we headed to the Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum. With Caleb being a firefighter it’s always special to visit places like this. It’s a fairly short stop and small museum, but it was so cool to see how the fire engines and bunker gear have changed over time. They also have a coloring area with toys for smaller kids which Ryder loved while Caleb got a chance to look around. It’s easy to get in and out because there is a parking lot adjacent to the museum. As soon as we finished we headed back to our hotel to get ready for dinner.
After getting changed we headed to the lobby of our hotel to have dinner at Café Cuvee. It’s a beautiful restaurant with a delicious menu. They were very accomodating for Ryder including bringing him chicken strips and french fries for dinner, but it is a way nicer restaurant than we typically take him to. We started with the smoked salmon board which was a generous serving and amazing! For an entree, I highly recommend the flank steak. They also have a super cute patio area in front of the hotel that would make it the perfect spot for a girl’s brunch!
On our final day, we checked out of our hotel and headed for breakfast at Hunny Butter Biscuit Company. The biscuit sandwhiches were yummy, and the iced vanilla latte was tasty! It was an area we hadn’t seen yet so it was nice to squeeze in one more area on our last day. We got there at a perfect time the employees said there are days when the line is out the door.
Next, we headed to Pinkitzel which is a treat shop and includes everything from saltwater taffy to an ice cream shop. Oh my word, it is seriously ADORABLE and could not be more “Instagrammable.” It’s a candy lovers’ paradise and has a great selection. Pictures don’t do it justice you have to visit it to see how cute it is for yourself!
Before leaving OKC we made one last stop at the Myriad Gardens. Although the Crystal Bridge Conservatory is closed the gardens are 15 acres of beauty. It’s free to the public and would make a great spot for a family picnic! It’s the perfect place to take kids because of Mo’s Carousel and the Children’s Garden which includes a splash pad. After a walk through the gardens, we got on the road and headed home.
We had an amazing stay in OKC! I was blown away by the food, how central our hotel was, and everyone we met was incredibly friendly. I’m already planning a trip back with some girlfriends very soon. If you have any questions about our trip don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or message me on IG.
XOXO,
Jillian
