If you’ve been around here for more than 30 seconds you know our family loves a good park. I created the OKC Park Crawl and the Orlando Park Crawl to share the places we love with you! So when we went to Gathering Place in Tulsa for the first time, I knew I had to let y’all know more about it! This is without a doubt one of the best parks in the entire country, and it’s an easy day trip from OKC and Northwest Arkansas! Here’s everything you need to know about planning a trip to this park that’s a destination in its own right.
Gathering Place is a public park, so there’s no charge for parking or entry. This does mean that it can get pretty busy on the weekends, but there are so many things to do there that it still feels like there’s room to breathe.
Gathering Place is divided into several sections, each with a different theme. We found it fun to explore one section fully, and then move on to the next. There are some sections geared specifically toward toddlers, while other sections are large enough that parents can play with their kids, and even some areas that are geared toward adults! We loved the slide section the most. Our kids could have stayed there for hours!
While we spent several hours at the park, there were still so many things we didn’t do. We focused on the playground and exploring what there was to see. But there are loads of things to do that we haven’t scratched the surface of yet. We cant wait to continue to explore this amazing park and you can bet I’ll update this post as we do!
The Basics
- Gathering Place is located at 2650 S. John Williams Way East, Tulsa, OK 74114.
- The park is open from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily. The playground closes at dusk. The sports courts and skate park are open until 10:00 PM.
- The park has paved walking paths and many areas are ADA accessible.
- Parking is free and available in multiple lots surrounding the park.
- There are clean public restrooms at several locations around the park (can I get an amen?).
Pro Tips
- If your kids are under the age of 8, you’ll likely want to play with them – especially on the main playground (the one with the castle theme). There are many places that they could get lost, so staying near them in case they get disoriented is a good idea.
- If your child does happen to get lost, there are volunteers located throughout the main playground area who are there to help! Point them out to your kids when you get there so they know where someone is if they need assistance.
- Get there early! Weekdays are less busy, but if you go on a weekend you’ll definitely want to avoid the midday crowds.
- Pack a snack or even a lunch. This place is massive and you could easily spend the whole day exploring. Take your time!
This is one of the few parks I truly think everyone should visit. It’s worth a weekend trip to Tulsa just to see it. If you’re in the area to see Gathering Place, make sure you check out the other awesome things Tulsa has to offer!
