* This blog post is sponsored by Discover Rogers County.

At least once a year, our family likes to go on a quick weekend getaway. A weekend getaway is just that—one that isn’t too complicated and is within a short drive of Tulsa.  Since our city is right in the middle of the map, we have quite a few options and have been to some really great places.  But since we’re always up for a new adventure, when Discover Rogers County invited us for a visit, we were all in!

With a full itinerary, we left Tulsa after work on a Friday and drove straight to Claremore to kick off our adventure. We started at HQ Ranch for a private tour. HQ is Oklahoma’s largest camel ranch, but it is so much more than that. Sloths, Kangaroos, Lemurs, Otters, and even two Giraffes round out the incredible lineup at the ranch. We had an incredible experience, and it’s something we won’t soon forget. 

After the ranch, it was time for dinner. Claremore has the cutest downtown, so we headed that way. There were tons of options, but we chose Oklahoma Pizza Co, which was the perfect choice. Locally owned and operated by a Claremore Firefighter and his family, the restaurant serves a large variety of specialty pies. Everything was absolutely delicious, and the employees were the best. 

After dinner, we explored their downtown a bit, and then decided we needed dessert. We took the quick drive over to byb Boba Yogurt Bar for the ultimate frozen treat. The team was so sweet, and they had a great variety of flavors and toppings. It was the perfect ending to our day. 

We started our Saturday morning with breakfast at Hugo’s Family Restaurant, which is a Rogers County institution. It’s the quintessential hometown diner, and they have all the breakfast classics. Everything we got was delicious, but the German Fried Potatoes were the star of the show. 

After breakfast, we needed our morning coffee, so we took the short drive over to Green Eyes Coffee + Cafe for a pair of delicious signature lattes. 

With our coffees in hand, we hit the road to Coram Deo Farm, a local flower farm that sells the most beautiful bouquets. We stopped at their roadside stand for our own bouquet, and their gardens are stunning and so fragrant! 

Since we didn’t get to pop into any of the shops the night before, we went back to Downtown Claremore for some more exploring. They have a great variety of antique and vintage shops, gift shops, bookstores, boutiques, restaurants, and bakeries. The town is full of history, and their downtown is lined with murals and sculptures that commemorate their stories. We bopped around and even grabbed a sweet treat for the road. 

A trip to Claremore is not complete without a visit to Will Rogers Memorial Museum. The museum houses the world’s largest collection of Will Rogers memorabilia and his entire collection of writings. We were completely blown away by the museum’s collection and all that we learned about Oklahoma’s favorite son. This is a must see in Rogers County! 

Next up was the short drive to Oologah Lake to explore Hawthorn Bluff Campground & Fishing Area. This is a popular camping area, and it has its own beach, playgrounds, picnic areas, and hiking trails. We walked, we played, we skipped rocks on the water, we had a blast, and we all decided we’ll be back for a camping trip. 

By this point, we were pretty hungry, so we drove over to the next stop on the lake, which was Redbud Arena, home of Oar House at Redbud Marina. This restaurant has outdoor seating that is right on the water, so you can enjoy the weather and beautiful outdoor views. The food was great, and it was such a perfect lunch spot. In the evenings, they have live music, so I definitely want to check that out soon. 

We had some time before our next activity, so we took a short drive to see something very unique: the Winganon Space Capsule in Talala. What’s a road trip without a roadside attraction? And this was a great one! The “capsule” is a cement mixer that wrecked over 60 years ago and has become a local landmark. It’s a must see and great photo op! 

Now it was time for our next adventure: Kayaking at Claremore Lake. Upon arrival at the lake, we were greeted by the team from Daisy Rentals, who took care of our kayaking excursion. Daisy provided our kayaks, life jackets, paddles, and even protective phone pouches. They were so kind and helpful, and I cannot recommend them enough. Claremore Lake is absolutely beautiful, and on a kayak was the best way to explore. 

After our kayaking trip, we had worked up quite an appetite. Which was great, because our last stop on our trip was at the iconic Moore’s Fish Farm for their monthly Fish Fry. On the 3rd Friday and Saturday of the month, Moore’s opens up their onsite restaurant for an all you can eat feast of BBQ, Sides, Desserts, and of course, Fried Fish. Everything was incredible, and we were so full! After our meal, it was time to head home with full bellies and full hearts. 

I cannot say enough good things about our visit to Rogers County. My biggest takeaway is how much there is to do, see, explore, and eat. And we didn’t even scratch the surface! We are so grateful for this time away and cannot wait to do it again soon!

I hope you’ll plan a trip there soon and tell me everything you do, because you know I’ll be back!

XOXO,

Molly B.