You can play all day just steps from your campground at the popular “racino” Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs. Enjoy live horse racing March – May and September – November, as well as simulcast racing from around the U.S. every day. The casino and entertainment complex (open seven days a week) offers Las Vegas-style electronic games and video poker. When you’re ready to retreat from the bright lights, you can head back to the campground and your graveled RV Site.
This beautiful and elegant venue located in historic downtown Claremore provides the perfect backdrop for weddings, receptions, parties, meetings, and other special events. Contact the Three Twenty staff for a viewing appointment or drop by during the weekly open house on Wednesday afternoons between 1 and 6 p.m.
This popular and affordable wedding venue provides an elegant, rustic-modern barn with an industrial-type atmosphere.
Your trip along Route 66 is not complete without a stop at classic shopping destinations like the Retro 66 Vintage Outlet and Hoover’s Have All Mall.
Located in the center of town, NeMar was built in 1967 by two longtime Claremore families, the Neelys and the Marlars. The center is home to 33 businesses, including florists, restaurants, clothing stores, bath and body items, salons, and more.
Historic Route 66 runs right through the heart of Claremore. Shop, dine, and experience history on your journey down the Mother Road.
Adventurers should check out the Claremore Mountain Bike Trails on the backside of Claremore Lake. Home to the annual Tour de Dirt, the 16 miles of trails began as a community effort to offer biking experiences for every level of rider. Ideal for hiking and running, the trails are among the best in the state.
Locally owned and operated, Rustic Creek opened its doors in 2020 and is a favorite for regional weddings and special events. The venue offers a blank canvas that can be customized to fit any unique style, with a variety of indoor and outdoor locations to host your special event.
The Nut House is located just a few miles south of town on Route 66. With a full-service deli, an extensive gift shop, fresh fudge and, of course, nuts, The Nut House is a tourist’s dream stop. If you don’t have time to stop and browse, online ordering is available.
The Talala Historical Museum is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Talala and its residents.
What started as an accident is now one of northeastern Oklahoma’s most memorable and fun photo ops. In 1959, a cement mixer wrecked, leaving behind a heavy load of dry cement. Over the years, artists and local citizens have painted the mixer many times. In 2011, it was redesigned into a space capsule with the NASA logo, rocket thrusters and shiny aluminum paint.
What began as a book exchange from an old newspaper box has become a popular community attraction. Today, Oologah’s Free Little Library is housed in a small community building to showcase its wide variety of book options. Bookshelves were built as part of a local Eagle Scout project and funding was provided by the Cherokee Nation. The library is open seven days a week and now houses a small emergency food pantry.
Oologah Lake provides a great getaway for fishing, boating, picnicking, camping, or just drifting and dreaming over beautiful waters. Several campsites and picnic areas are scattered around the lake, making it a perfect location for weekend getaways. Recreation opportunities include a swimming beach, mountain biking, RV and tent camping, and guided fishing tours. With more than 13,000 acres of easily accessible land managed by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oologah Lake also provides excellent hunting for quail, squirrel, rabbit, deer, and waterfowl.
Experience a unique glimpse into the life of world-famous vaudeville performer, actor, Cherokee cowboy and American humorist Will Rogers (1879-1935) at the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch, which features Rogers’s original home and a 162-acre working ranch where visitors can enjoy lovely views of Oologah Lake and have a picnic with friends and family.
The log-walled, two-story home where Rogers was born was built in 1875 within the Cooweescoowee district of Cherokee Nation. It was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style that was popular throughout the South at this time. In fact, a house almost identical to Rogers’s boyhood home can be found on the outskirts of Guntersville, Alabama. The Oologah home, nicknamed “The White House on the Verdigris,” is a rare surviving example of buildings on the former Indian Territory frontier.
Rogers’s mother and father were Cherokees, and Rogers was proud of his heritage. During vaudeville performances, Will often joked, “My ancestors didn’t come over from the Mayflower, but they met the boat.” His mother, Mary America Rogers, was born into the Paint clan. His father, Clement Vann Rogers, was a Cherokee statesman and judge who would later help draft the constitution for the state of Oklahoma.
Will Rogers grew up on his father’s ranch, which at its height was nearly 60,000 acres. There, he learned his love of cowboying from the ranch hands, including roping from Cherokee freedman Dan Walker. He rode the range and joined the long, dusty cattle drives from Texas to the Kansas railheads. His physical prowess in precisely and expertly flipping heavy rope coils demonstrated his training, fitness, and strength. Using that same deft touch with a lasso, Rogers created a top vaudeville and cinema persona, “The Cherokee Kid.” From 1899 to 1902, after his father had moved into Claremore, Will Rogers operated the ranch himself, renaming it the Dog Iron Ranch after his cattle brand.
Today, the Will Rogers Birthplace Ranch features a historically accurate barn with a climate-controlled classroom and a historical video program. The working ranch is home to Texas Longhorn cattle and other livestock.
Take a step back in time and visit this original Route 66 service station. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this Mother Road icon is being refurbished to its former glory. Guests are invited to stop and take a picture of this historic landmark.
Your Route 66 trip isn’t complete without a stop at the World’s Largest Totem Pole. You literally can’t miss it, as it stands 90 feet tall and is made of red sandstone, steel, wood, and concrete. Artist and veteran Ed Galloway spent his retirement building a unique park and, in 1999, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Nearby is a “Fiddle House” displaying Galloway’s handcrafted fiddles and other inlaid wood artifacts. Roadside tables supported by small concrete totems provide travelers with the perfect spot for a picnic.
In 1928, Foyil native Andy Payne won the Great Transcontinental Footrace, a 3,400-mile race from Los Angeles to New York City that followed much of the path of then-new Route 66. A member of the Cherokee Nation, Payne returned to Oklahoma where he later served for decades as clerk of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Foyil honors him with a statue just east of historic Route 66 on the south side of town.
The Ingersoll Public Library serves residents of all ages by providing access to materials and services which meet their informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs. With a variety of programs for adults and children, there is always something new to discover when visiting the library.
Come discover how cars have changed over time through an impressive collection of 19 well-preserved vehicles designed between 1917 and 1953. The museum features gas memorabilia from the time of service stations, including 145 gas pump globes, eight gas pumps, gas signs, oil cans, cookie jars, calendars, and more.
Take a trip under Route 66! Walk through one of the only open underpasses on the Oklahoma stretch of the Mother Road while taking in bits of Route 66 and Chelsea history. A mural pays tribute to historical elements of Chelsea, from a 1930s gas station to the Hogue House, and guests are invited to sign the mural to document their visit.
The mission of the Route 66 Native Arts Alliance is to create opportunities for the education, display and promotion of native art and artisans on Route 66. Artisans share their stories with visitors while offering unique custom art and gifts, and classes are offered in areas such as pottery, basket weaving, painting, jewelry design, and silversmithing.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa is the flagship property of Cherokee Nation Entertainment. Located off Interstate 44, Hard Rock Tulsa is home to the best music, gaming, nightlife, and amenities in Oklahoma. Hard Rock Live, the casino’s intimate, 2,700-seat theater, has held hundreds of sold-out performances from artists such as Steven Tyler, KISS, Chris Stapleton, Stevie Wonder, Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton. As a AAA Four Diamond Award winner, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa offers 454 stylishly comfortable hotel rooms, including a non-smoking, all-suite tower with a hundred 600-sq.-ft. suites. Hard Rock is also home to more than 1,200 pieces of music memorabilia that include authentic artifacts and stories from local legends like Leon Russell, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, and All-American Rejects—all part of Hard Rock’s global collection that’s grown to over 83,000 pieces worldwide.
Paying homage to the railroad’s significant role in Catoosa’s history, the Catoosa Historical Museum is found in the old train depot. The many displays will transport visitors back to the community’s early days, and include items such as an 1897 train depot log book and a Farmers and Merchants Bank check dated 1907.
Catoosa is home to one of the more unique and recognizable Route 66 attractions. Conceived by Hugh S. Davis, a zoologist and family man, the Blue Whale was created as a special place where his grandchildren could play and swim. The whale took Davis two years to construct, welding the metal framework and applying hand-mixed cement. Since its completion in 1972, the Blue Whale has attracted visitors from around the globe.
Today, it remains a popular tourist destination and photo hotspot. Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic lunch and head to the Blue Whale for a fun-filled day of fishing.
Spanning two buildings, the D.W. Correll Museum offers something for everyone. Guests can explore antique automobiles and other items of general interest and history, such as an antique Texaco gas pump. The second facility houses an extensive collection of rocks, gems, minerals, and seashells from around the world, along with highlights from the construction of the Tulsa ports.
Home to hundreds of antique vendors, eateries, coffee shops, bars, and specialty shops, The Lilac District in downtown Claremore is a favorite stop for residents and visitors.
If you love museums, look no further than Claremore, which has more museums per capita than any other city in the world.
