Bartlesville
The rolling green hills north of Tulsa soon give way to the flat plains around BARTLESVILLE, home to one of the most exceptional hotels in the US. The town was just a muddy collection of oil derricks in Indian Territory when a young, ambitious banker arrived from Iowa in 1905; in just a few years Frank Phillips had become a multimillionaire from drilling oil, and Phillips Petroleum became one of the nation’s biggest companies.
Bartlesville is dominated by the extraordinary 221ft-tall Price Tower, an ornate cantilevered copper-green oddity completed in 1956, the only skyscraper designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that the famed architect ever saw built. Today the main attraction inside is a stunningly cool hotel. If you can’t spend the night, take a look at the Price Tower Art Center, which shows travelling art exhibitions; guided tours take in the best parts of the tower itself. You can also grab a drink at the stylish Copper Bar on its top floors. Built for the H.C. Price Company, the tower was purchased by the ubiquitous Phillips Petroleum in 1981, who donated it to the art centre in 2000.
Red Dirt
Fans of live music should make time for the small city of Stillwater, seventy miles north of Oklahoma City and the home of Red Dirt music; a blend of folk, country, blues and rock styles, with home-grown bands Jason Boland and the Stragglers, No Justice, the Jason Savory Band and the godfather of the genre, Bob Childers (indie rockers All-American Rejects also hail from here). Check out venues such as Eskimo Joe’s (eskimojoes.com) and Tumbleweed Dance Hall (calffry.com), or visit stillwaterscene.com.
Route 66: Oklahoma
Oklahoma contains the longest stretch of driveable Route 66 in the US (nearly 400 miles), lined with diners, quirky Americana and historic sights. Here are the highlights, driving from east to west. Tulsa and Oklahoma City are also en route. See oklahomaroute66.com for more.
Waylan’s Ku-Ku Burger
915 N Main St, Miami. Classic diner serving juicy burgers and fries.
The Blue Whale
2680 N Hwy-66, Catoosa (bluewhaleroute66.com). This 80ft blue whale sculpture has been entertaining drivers since 1972.
The Golden Driller
Expo Square, Yale Ave at 21st St, Tulsa. This 76ft-tall statue of an oil worker has been a symbol of Tulsa since 1953.
Rock Café
114 W Main St, Stroud (rockcafert66.com). Home of the famed alligator burger and German jagerschnitzel since 1939.
Route 66 Interpretive Center
400 E 1st St Chandler (route66interpretivecenter.org).
Round Barn
107 E Hwy-66, Arcadia (arcadiaroundbarn.com). Restored 1898 landmark and museum.
POPS
660 W Hwy-66, Arcadia (pops66.com). Modern homage to classic diners, with a giant 66ft-tall soda bottle.
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
2229 W Gary Blvd, Clinton (route66.org).