Oklahoma Guide and Deals

For the uninitiated, Maura Fliction, Kitty VonKlobber, Sweeney Quad, Taryn Bonesapart, and their fellow home-team derby girls will wage territorial track war for two 30-minute periods in each roller rumble, during which a designated jammer—usually the fastest, nimblest two legs on eight wheels—attempts to skate her way from the rear of the pack to lap opposing rollers. Running the gauntlet, the jammer must evade sexy but deadly hip thrusts, clotheslining arm guards, and a bank full of bounced body-checks (deemed void if cashed from behind). Points are rewarded each time the jammer passes an opposing skater, and the highest score wins the derby.

Andy Alligator's Water Park—next to its dry-land counterpart, Andy Alligator's Fun Park—laughs in the face of heat waves with its map of maritime attractions designed for cooling down on a hot day. The Riptide Racer's towering structure sends splish-splashers rocketing down colorful slides on their stomachs, while thrill-seekers cajole their buddies into two-person tubes before shooting through the spirals of the Banzai Pipeline. Island-themed walkways and slides festoon the play space at Cowabunga Cove, and the Paradise River lazily flows in a loop for relaxing tube rides and slow-motion reenactments of Speed 2: Cruise Control. Snorkels Café and Grill serves a menu of burgers, pizza, and sandwiches to replenish the energy spent by drenched diners.

Whiling away their vacation in a Swiss Alps chalet, Joe and Beth Henretty noticed a peculiar sound: nothing. The entire town moved at a pace much slower than that of their home in the States; without a car in sight, residents simply strolled to their destinations. Inspired by this way of life, Joe and Beth imported the car-free philosophy to Tulsa in 2005, buying their own bicycle cab and christening their new business Golzern Pedicabs after the chalet in which they'd stayed. Today, the duo and their two fellow drivers shuttle riders to and from concerts or obedience-school reunions while working solely for tips—both as an accommodation to any budget and as a further homage to Switzerland's laid-back lifestyle.

For a flat fee, the business—also known as Tulsa Pedicabs—captains tours that bounce among Tulsa's local eateries, where passengers sample fare at each stop and, sometimes, carry out agendas of their own. Once, on one of Joe's tours, a man proposed, and the Henrettys honored the occasion by pedaling the couple to their hotel on their wedding day—much like the Swiss nuptial tradition of dragging cans behind a saddled yak.

The breadth of water activities at OKC Riversport is nearly as diverse as the natural terrain and wildlife that surround their locations. Across Lake Overholser and the Oklahoma River, fleets of kayaks and standup paddleboards cut across the water. The sounds of drums fill the air as instructors teach students how to man the dragon boats—inspired by festive Chinese fishing vessels—or battle maritime knights. Pupils can discover a water sport for the first time or hone existing watercraft skills.

Like a fish with excellent breath control, OKC Riversport's visitors aren't regulated entirely to the water. There are 13 miles of riverside trails surrounding the area, beckoning cyclists and runners to test their mettle.

A four-game tournament, The Preview features two highly ranked in-state powerhouses, the Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowgirls, plus out-of-state spheroid swatters the Auburn Tigers and University of Illinois-Chicago Flames. Spectators are free to come and go as they please, as tickets are good for reentry. The slugging schedule is as follows:

After starting off your evening at Regatta Park Landing, you'll glide along a seven-mile stretch down the Oklahoma River that takes you past the gorgeous sights of the city and alongside riverbanks where enterprising frogs and crickets exhibit their paintings. The 90-minute cruise includes music, light appetizers, soft drinks, and a modest cash bar so that you can relax on the deck in the company of fresh breezes or celebrate inside the climate-controlled cabin. During the cruise, the boat will lazily circle back to swallow its own wake, dropping you off where you started in a perfect ouroboros.