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Oklahoma City: Come for the hoops, stay for the hoopla
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Myriad Botanical Gardens courtesy of Oklahoma City CVB
There is no joy in Mudville (or in Jayhawk nation, either)—the mighty Jayhawks have struck out. And that’s the end of the Big 12 Championship road for them. But there is joy to be found in Oklahoma City, so don’t pack your bags to go home to Kansas just yet. You might as well stay put for those few extra days when you thought you’d be watching the Jayhawks play, because there are plenty of other options for entertainment in Oklahoma City.
Explore Bricktown
Within easy walking distance of downtown Oklahoma City is the fastest-growing entertainment district in the Southwest—Bricktown. Bricktown has just about everything you need to take that bad after-game taste out of your mouth—high-energy night clubs, lounges, and a multitude of fabulous restaurants covering just about every cuisine you could fancy. And, when you factor in its picturesque setting embracing a mile-long canal lined with eateries, clubs, a move theatre, a bowling lounge, the Bricktown ballpark, and beautifully landscaped gardens and public art, you’ll quickly dry those game-induced tears. My absolute favorite thing to do in Bricktown is to take a water taxi cruise along the canal (during the regular season, April-October). The taxis run like bus service, taking passengers throughout Bricktown, while tour guides point out interesting spots along the way. (Ever been on the Jungle Cruise ride with a wisecracking skipper in one of the Disney theme parks? Well, the Bricktown tour guides must have gone to the same Corny Humor School as the Disney Cornball Experts.)
Discover Myriad Botanical Gardens
In the heart of downtown Oklahoma City lies the lush oasis called Myriad Botanical Gardens and Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. This living plant museum awakens your senses with bright blooms, bubbling brooks, and lush foliage. And within this magical world is the Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory. Fresh from a $2.4 million renovation, the Crystal Bridge is a verdant paradise filled with tropical delights.
Cry in your Beer
Okay, go ahead. Have a cold one in a local watering hole, while you muse on the downfall of your favorite team. But at least, do it in style at a great Oklahoma City venue like Bricktown Brewery (which boasts award-winning handcrafted beer, along with hickory smoked BBQ), or Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse (with its extensive wine list, and live entertainment in the Lounge). But probably the place which will do the most to wipe that glum look off your face and put a sparkle back in your eye is Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill. Located in the heart of Bricktown, between the Ballpark and the Canal, the restaurant features Toby Keith memorabilia, murals, benches made from Ford pickup truck beds, 12 flat screen TVs, three bars, a 9-by-13-foot video wall atop a patio overlooking the Bricktown canal, and an indoor stage for live performances. The menu features country food, including steaks, ribs, rotisserie chicken, chicken fried steak, black-eyed peas, fried okra, and corn. As you’re tucking into your heaping platter of food, today’s game will become nothing more than a bad memory.
Author's Note: This is the second story in a four-part March Madness series about Oklahoma City. You can read about the Oklahoma City Museum of Art and the Science Museum in yesterday's edition. Stay tuned for part three and four.
For more info: OKC Magic; OKC Love; OKC Ball; Oklahoma City; Lawrence,KS; KU Jayhawks Examiner, March Madness.
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