Things to Do in Oklahoma

Dust clouds form from the hooves of two warhorses thundering across the jousting field. Across the way, a falcon wheels in the sky, spotting prey for his master. Meanwhile, King Henry watches from a tall stone tower, pleased with the bustling marketplace below. It isn’t the year 1539, and it isn’t planet Camelot IV in the Avalonian system. It’s the modern-day Oklahoma Renaissance Festival, held at the Castle of Muskogee every summer for nearly 20 years.

Every merchant and performer has a story to tell, from Sir Robert Vinterhawk of Birds of Prey to the painter Lady Anne, who creates lush portraits of the castle’s guests. The Tribal Circus performs gravity-defying feats without the aid of strings or wizardry, and the mysterious masked man of Cast in Bronze enraptures his audience with the sanctified tones of carillon bells. For adrenaline-pumping thrills, the human chess game —where life-size pieces engage in full battle—is second only to the raucous jousting tourney. Guests can further immerse themselves in a lost era with a spin around the maypole or by dressing up for the daily costume contest.

The Tulsa Air and Space Museum & Planetarium hosts a bevy of actual aircrafts, hands-on exhibits, and displays highlighting the high points in aerial travel and discovery. The Space Maneuvering Unit gives folks a feel for what it’s like to operate in the weightlessness of outer space, with such workday tasks as laser target practice and wrangling evil sentient computers. Star searchers and skywalkers alike can push a button to run an 18-cylinder radial engine or marvel at the same type of fighter jet that Tom Cruise spun in Top Gun. At the planetarium's ESky Theater, multi-media displays, such as the currently showing Extreme Planets, take viewers on computer-animated journeys through space and time, past a multitude of stars, planets, satellites, and cosmic roadside photo-ops such as the biggest ball of interstellar yarn. BIG show audiences can voyage into the farthest observable reaches of the universe and return to Tulsa with minimal shuttle lag. Check out the planetarium's main page for a schedule of each month's shows.

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The highly trained technicians at Jiffy Lube tend to about 24 million customers each year with services such as the Jiffy Lube Signature Service Oil-Change package, which helps promote the longevity of each vehicle. Staffers acknowledge that oil plays a crucial role in maximizing the lifespan of each car—it cools the motor and helps prevent moving parts from deteriorating. More than 20,000 technicians—all of which have completed an extensive training program certified by the National Institute Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)—service vehicles at Jiffy Lube.

In addition to performing oil changes, technicians offer preventative services such as air-filtration and electrical-system maintenance, among others. Jiffy Lube’s quality pledge includes a commitment to transparency, which stipulates that they will inform car owners of any necessary services, complete a service only after it has been approved, and refuse to replace windshields with saran wrap.

Paintball Club of Choctaw’s eight playing fields accommodate all skill levels, including tikes as young as 8. Players select from various gaming styles such as capture the flag, fast-paced air ball, and themed objectives of protecting the team fort. Abiding by the club's field rules, players conquer obstacles such as picket-fence forts, wooden teepees, giant arrowheads, and cardboard trees.

Paintball Club of Choctaw has recently expended their simulated-warfare offerings, as they also host games of outdoor laser tag on two fields. During downtime, combatants can grab a bite to eat at the snack stand or simply take a breather at one of the nearby tables, where they can rethink strategy and consult dog-eared copies of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.

Packed to the rafters with a variety of needles, pattern books, and standard and specialty yarns, L & B Yarn Co. outfits all manner of crocheting or purling endeavors. Sort through the substantial stock of skeins, hanks, and balls sorted by color and displayed in a spectrum of plush, creative potential to find a specimen to bat around in feline-channeling glee ($3.50–$62 per ball). Patterns ($3.50+) help needle-clickers master tricky techniques, and they guide thread-wielders through the 11 steps necessary to craft a formal cable-knit unitard. Tame unruly threads into purring stitch lines with an assortment of needles that give hands the agility of a professional soap juggler ($8–$15). Today’s Groupon can also be used toward the cost of a fun and friendly class ($21 for beginner level), helmed by instructors so skilled that they can craft circle washcloths while other people sleep.