18 Holes
Summer beckons golfers of every skill level to the greens, but some golf courses specifically attract the discerning sportsman. Tulsa’s Southern Hill Country Club is at the top of the list for T-town, followed by Golf Club of Oklahoma and Forest Ridge Golf Club in second. Cherokee Hills Golf Club and Tulsa Country Club tie for the final position.
Voters think Gaillardia Country Club is the best of the Oklahoma City area followed by Belmar Golf Club and, finally, Twin Hills Golf & Country Club.
Art Gallery
Local art galleries represent some of the most inspired and bold artists in the state, across the region and around the country. Where do fine art appreciators go for new work? In Tulsa, they first head to Brookside’s M.A. Doran Gallery, followed by Joseph Gierek Fine Art and then Aberson Exhibits.
Oklahoma City’s DNA Galleries are the finest in the metro area, but IAO Gallery and [Artspace] at Untitled are close behind.
Casino
The games are hot at the many tribe-owned casinos across Oklahoma. Oklahoma Magazine readers prefer the expansive Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino above any other in the Tulsa area, but they also look to a good time at the thriving River Spirit Casino as well as Downstream Casino & Resort in Quapaw and Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino, both of which tied for third.
Riverwind Casino is the first place to go in the Oklahoma City area, followed by Winstar World Casino in Thackerville and the Firelake Grand Casino in Shawnee.
Concert Venue
Once again, the BOK Center is Tulsa’s favorite seat to watch a concert, whether it’s Lady Antebellum or Lady Gaga. Cain’s Ballroom and its Western swing charm tied with the Tulsa Performing Arts Center for second. The historic Brady Theater and the SpiritBank Event Center round out the top picks.
Oklahoma City heads to the Chesapeake Energy Arena for a good show – the Bricktown attraction was voted No. 1. The Oklahoma City Civic Center Music Hall and Oklahoma City Zoo Amphitheatre came in a close second and third.
Hotel
Looking for the ultimate in luxury and hotel accommodations? Readers shared their picks for comfort, convenience and those hotels that specialize in small indulgences. The Mayo Hotel was voted the best in Tulsa followed by Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino and the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel tied for second. The Hotel Ambassador in downtown Tulsa placed third.
Oklahoma City and its visitors love the elegant Skirvin Hilton Hotel, but the Waterford Marriott did well enough to place second, followed by the Colcord Hotel.
Local TV Station
When it’s time to tune into local news on television, the Tulsa area, again, looks to KOTV Channel 6 for its coverage of weather, sports and daily news. Readers also tune into KJRH Channel 2 and KOKI Channel 23 to catch up on the day.
Oklahoma City’s KFOR Channel 4 leads the ratings among Oklahoma Magazine’s readership. KWTV Channel 9 and KOCO Channel 5 round out the top three.
Museum
As institutes of art, knowledge, history and enlightenment, museums make available to the public valuable art, artifacts and research. Whether the pieces are from ancient Greece or Tulsa’s oil boom days, the Philbrook Museum of Art is tops in this year’s Best of the Best survey. Readers also like Gilcrease Museum and both Bartlesville’s Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve and the Tulsa Air & Space Museum & Planetarium tied for third.
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art was voted as favorite in the state capital, but the Oklahoma History Center and Science Museum Oklahoma were a close second and third in the votes.
Place to Catch a Flick
Cinemark Tulsa and IMAX theater has it all – the comfortable, convenient seats, the great snacks, the dynamic audio and huge screens – and it also has Tulsa’s vote for favorite movie theater. Area moviegoers, however, also like AMC Southroads 20 for its variety and the Circle Cinema for its premiere selection of art house and foreign films.
Moore Warren Theatre’s luxurious touches and period flair sent this theater straight to the top of the list of Oklahoma City venues. Harkins Theatres and the AMC Quail Springs Mall 24 finished as second and third.
Place to See and Be Seen
In Tulsa, the place to stand out is Utica Square, with its abundance of up-scale shops, boutiques, specialty stores and restaurants. The BOK Center made Tulsa’s list for the people watching in an ever-burgeoning cultural scene in downtown, while Brookside and its bustling nightlife round out the top three places you wan to be.
If you want to watch the movers and shakers of OKC (or be taken for one yourself), head to the next Oklahoma City Thunder game at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The vibrant Bricktown area came in second and Republic Gastropub fills out at third.
Professional Sports Team
Last month’s NBA Finals demonstrated to the world that Oklahoma stands squarely behind the Oklahoma City Thunder pro basketball team, and readers confirm that it’s the best supported team in the state. It’s summer, and baseball is on the mind, so it’s no surprise that the Tulsa Drillers was voted second in the category followed by a tie between the Oklahoma City RedHawks and the WNBA Tulsa Shock.
Resort in Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s natural beauty makes its state parks and resorts popular attractions to locals and visitors alike. But sometimes, it’s the amenities and services that are the bigger draw, as in the case of Tulsa’s favorite resort, the Hard Rock Tulsa Hotel & Casino. Beavers Bend & Hochatown State Park on Broken Bow Lake was favored for its outdoors, and Western Hills Guest Ranch near Wagoner was voted third favorite.
Around the Oklahoma City area, Roman Nose State Park was named the best in this category for its recreation and beautiful settings. Echo Canyon Spa Resort followed in second with Medicine Park’s cobblestone charm in Comanche County in third.
Stop on the Radio Dial
Whether its news, talk or music, Oklahomans like their radio, which makes drive time a little more pleasant. Tulsa’s favorite continues to be 740 AM KRMG with 89.5 KWGS (University of Tulsa’s NPR station) in second and 97.5 KMOD (classic rock) in third.
Oklahoma City’s 102.7 KJYO is tops with pop music, but sports fans raised 640 AM WWLS, “The Sports Animal,” high enough for a second place finish, just ahead of 101.9 KTST (country).
Wedding or Party Venue
A great deal of planning goes into big events, such as weddings and other celebrations worthy of a good party. Oklahoma Magazine readers told us they like to have a good time at Tulsa’s Mayo Hotel, followed by the Tulsa Convention Center and the refined Harwelden Mansion.
It doesn’t get much better than the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in Oklahoma City, and readers agreed. What else do they like? How about the Gaillardia Golf & Country Club in second and Chesapeake Boathouse in third.
Weekend Getaway Destination
Oklahomans like their brief respites from the normal workweek, which makes a place like Grand Lake such a hot place for a short, cool break from the norm. If you like that, try the sweet Victorian-themed Ozark haven of Eureka Springs, Ark., or, for the family, Branson, Mo., is also a top pick.
Winery
A drive to a local winery is worth savoring as you breathe in the essence and atmosphere of home-made cabs, pinots, chards and more. Tulsa’s area favorites are Stone Bluff Cellars near Haskell, first; the innovative Girouard Vines in Tulsa’s East Village District and the popular Tidal School Winery at Drumright.
Want the tour of Oklahoma City area wineries? Readers suggest you start with Tres Suenos Vineyards and Winery, a No. 1 choice, followed by Grape Ranch near Okemah and Put a Cork In It deep in Bricktown.
