We recently took an Oklahoma road trip as a family of 4. Our main destination was Altus, but we also explored Oklahoma City and Indiahoma. We also made a lunch stop at Amarillo on the way there. Altus wouldn’t have been a town we would have considered visiting had it not been for my cousins who live there. It’s a smaller town with just under 20k in population with an Air Force Base. My cousin and his family moved back after retirement because they enjoyed their tight-knit community.

Road Tripping with a Toddler and Baby

Denver to Altus is a 9-hour drive straight through. With a toddler and baby, it took us closer to 11 hours. On the drive out there and back, we left just before 5 am. We did this so that the kids would sleep for the first 3-hour stretch of the drive.

After they woke up, we kept our toddler busy with lots of activities: a busy board, coloring book, interactive travel toys, and snacks – lots of snacks. Here is a great list of kid snacks for road trips. A long road trip is also the time to bring the iPad. Before we left, I downloaded a few shows on Netflix, including her favorite – Go, Dog. Go! Read my blog about road trip with toddlers tips for more great ideas to make the drive successful with young children.

Lunch in Amarillo

On the drive there, we stopped at Tyler’s Barbeque for lunch in Amarillo, Texas. Tyler’s Barbeque was as southern homestyle as they come. My husband and I both ordered the sliced brisket sandwich. He got a side of pinto beans, and my toddler and I got the side of the day, mac & cheese. Everything we ate there was delicious and flavorful. We also liked that it was fast-serve, similar to Chipotle. The restaurant itself was large with a couple of different seating areas. It was busy but very spacious, perfect for a family meal.

Family Activities in OKC

On the first day of our Oklahoma road trip, we settled in with family. The next day our family drove to Oklahoma City, before exploring their small town. The first stop was Science Museum Oklahoma. The museum was founded in 1958, by Navy Admiral John Elson Kirkpatrick, and is one of the largest science museums in the nation.

The whole facility has interactive meteorology and physics exhibits that are fun for kids and adults. You can learn how things work like hot air balloons, bikes, tornados, gravity, pressure, clouds, earthquakes, and much more. You can even walk into a small tornado simulator that increases to 80mph winds. There were many areas for kids to explore, but my husband and I, along with my cousins, had just as much fun. If you are in OKC, Science Museum Oklahoma is a family must-see.

After the museum, we took a boat taxi around the city’s canal. We learned about the history of the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. About 50k people lined up on horses and carriages at noon in an effort to occupy a piece of the Indian Territory Unassigned Lands that covered 2 million acres, including Oklahoma City. The lands were considered one of the most valuable unoccupied lands in the US. Shortly after, The Indian Appropriations Act of 1889 was passed which allowed for settlement within those 2 million acres. The settlement created rapid growth of 10k people in Oklahoma City in 1889.

From taking the water taxi and walking around the city, we couldn’t help but notice how the people are very sports-minded in OKC. College-branded attire was seen worn by people all around us. Nebraska Cornhuskers were in town with a very large following of football fans yelling “Go, Big Red!” They played the Oklahoma Sooners the next day with a final score of 23-16, Oklahoma. There were a lot of great family activities in OKC. Not to mention, many of these places include fun things to do in Oklahoma City for couples.

Witchita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Indiahoma

On Saturday, we drove to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Indiahoma, OK. Bison, turkey, numerous species of birds, and other wildlife can be spotted there. We saw herds of bison in the distance, but none were close enough for good photos. A list of the wildlife and habitat can be found at the Wichita Mountains website. The website includes information about the refuge, events, and family-friendly hikes around the area.

We also drove up to the top of Mount Scott, the second-highest peak of the refuge. I noticed that the peak was a popular local spot. Friends and family sat down to have lunch together. A lot of people were climbing the rocks to take fun photos. Looking around, you could spot dozens of birds flying around searching for their prey below. We enjoyed spending some time at the top of the peak after driving around the refuge area.

Small Town of Altus, Oklahoma

The last two days of our Oklahoma road trip we spent relaxing and touring around my cousins’ town. We went to some of their local restaurants and shops. We also visited the college in town, Western Oklahoma State College where my cousin’s wife works.

Altus, Oklahoma is most known for its Air Force Base, and many of its population consists of military personnel and their families. My cousin is retired military and teaches new pilots how to fly. We got to tour the base, as well as go inside a Boeing KC-46 Pegasus simulator. My toddler is fascinated with airplanes, so she enjoyed seeing them up close and going into the simulator.

My cousin’s family moved back to Altus after retirement from the Air Force. Of the different bases they lived at throughout the years, Altus was one of their favorites for its small-town community of great people. When we visited, we noticed how welcoming the community members were which my cousins have told us about. Our family road trip to Altus, Oklahoma was one to remember.