
Highest-rated free things to do in Oklahoma by visitors
Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.
Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.
That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.
It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Oklahoma.
From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.
To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Oklahoma using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.
Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

#30. Gloss Mountain State Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (72 reviews)
- City: Fairview
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Grand Lake O' the Cherokees
- Rating: 4.6/5 (85 reviews)
- City: Grove
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. State Capitol
- Rating: 4.1/5 (396 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Roman Nose State Park
- Rating: 4.1/5 (164 reviews)
- City: Watonga
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. National Stockyard Exchange
- Rating: 4.2/5 (136 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. River Bend Casino
- Rating: 4.4/5 (188 reviews)
- City: Wyandotte
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. Woodward Park and Gardens
- Rating: 4.6/5 (218 reviews)
- City: Tulsa
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. Okc Outlets
- Rating: 4.1/5 (251 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Girls Gone Wine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (284 reviews)
- City: Broken Bow McCurtain County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Martin Park Nature Center
- Rating: 4.5/5 (167 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Indigo Sky Casino & Hotel
- Rating: 3.8/5 (270 reviews)
- City: Wyandotte
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. The Golden Driller
- Rating: 4.1/5 (378 reviews)
- City: Tulsa
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Tallgrass Prairie Preserve
- Rating: 4.5/5 (263 reviews)
- City: Pawhuska
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Downstream Casino Resort
- Rating: 3.8/5 (288 reviews)
- City: Quapaw
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Riverwind Casino
- Rating: 3.4/5 (796 reviews)
- City: Goldsby
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Blue Whale of Catoosa
- Rating: 4.1/5 (505 reviews)
- City: Catoosa
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. River Parks
- Rating: 4.5/5 (154 reviews)
- City: Tulsa
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Hefner Lake & Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (313 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Talimena National Scenic Byway
- Rating: 4.6/5 (226 reviews)
- City: Talihina
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Medicine Park
- Rating: 4.3/5 (160 reviews)
- City: Medicine Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. The Holy City
- Rating: 4.2/5 (317 reviews)
- City: Lawton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Centennial Land Run Monument
- Rating: 4.7/5 (573 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Chickasaw National Recreation Area
- Rating: 4.6/5 (394 reviews)
- City: Sulphur
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. 45th Infantry Division Museum
- Rating: 4.7/5 (367 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Broken Bow Lake
- Rating: 4.7/5 (346 reviews)
- City: Broken Bow McCurtain County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge
- Rating: 4.7/5 (528 reviews)
- City: Indiahoma
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Center Of The Universe
- Rating: 4.0/5 (497 reviews)
- City: Tulsa
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Beavers Bend State Park and Nature Center
- Rating: 4.4/5 (625 reviews)
- City: Broken Bow McCurtain County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. WinStar World Casino and Resort
- Rating: 3.3/5 (2,037 reviews)
- City: Thackerville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Bricktown
- Rating: 4.4/5 (2,621 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.