Stillwater, OK Outdoor Activities

Originally built in 1945 and redesigned by renowned golf architect Tripp Davis in 1998, Lakeside Golf Course’s 18-hole layout spans 6,756 yards of pristine terrain dotted with mature oak trees. The men's par 70 and women's par 71 course has served as a training ground for several veteran PGA Tour winners, including Scott Verplank and Bob Tway. The course’s rolling, bermuda-grass fairways blend into its bentgrass greens, ensuring a smooth surface for putting or lying down to catch golf balls in your teeth.

European Formula EK20 karts whiz by on Pole Position Raceway’s quarter-mile track, cruising at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. Spectators crank their heads to keep up. There’s no wind to battle against, no sun blinding the drivers’ eyes, and no birds rigging the race by dropping smoke bombs because all of Pole Position Raceway’s competitions happen inside. This is thanks to a fleet of electric-powered karts, which accelerate more quickly and hug curves more smoothly than gas-powered karts without dumping out clouds of exhaust.

To sate speed cravings, drivers simply arrive and drive—show up and nab one of 12 spots in the next race. Then with a DOT-approved racing helmet, they push the pedal to the floor for roughly 10 minutes, drafting their opponents to fly past them near the finish line. At the end of each race, drivers receive a SpeedSheet that displays their race results, fastest lap time, and the likelihood of getting their own action-movie franchise. For those seeking to dive deep into the world of racing, Pole Position Raceway offers driving clinics and youth racing camps, where younger racers pilot EK10 karts that peak at 20 mph.

At Remington Park Racing Casino, thoroughbreds gallop circuits around the track as visitors cheer for their favorite steed from a spacious brick plaza or the five-tiered clubhouse dining room. The clubhouse’s wait staff makes the rounds with platters of tender steaks, seafood, and pasta, or visitors can remove their dress halters and nosh at more casual eateries such as the Wild Rush Bar or Jackpot Pizza. The onsite casino keeps gamblers entertained between races, and a balcony overhead spills out live music Thursday–Sunday.

A renowned speaker and family entertainer, Robin Ray Hocker––known by his professional clowning name, Chester––opened Chester's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze in 2001 as a means of engaging kids in fun-filled outdoor activities. Snuggled amidst 25 verdant acres, his farm keeps visitors entertained throughout the year via a host of seasonal activities, hosting private picnics and cookouts in summer. As autumn unfurls, the farm's annual pumpkin patch returns to welcome families for fall-themed activities including a giant slide, pumpkin bowling, and a petting zoo. Groups can also put their navigational skills to the test in the farm’s three-acre Mystery Maze, meandering through spooky twists and turns made all the more tricky by a chance encounter with a ghostly pioneer or lost census taker. Afterward, guests can quiet chattering teeth by the warm glow of a bonfire, and outside picnic areas facilitate al fresco feeding frenzies throughout the day.

Ghouls, ghosts, and other blood-curdling creatures swarm to the Bricktown Haunted Warehouse to terrify locals in a 20,000-square-foot haunt. The site was once home to the Oklahoma Casket Company, but now houses a pitch-black labyrinth filled with unseen spooks around every twist and turn. In order to make it out alive, guests must find the finish using nothing more than a glow stick to light their way, hoping against hope that it will be enough to scare off monsters or at least make them dance long enough to make an escape.

Kelly Kraegel Varner, who held the title Miss Rodeo California in 2002, presides over Cottonwood Creek's stable of regal Morgan horses, many of whom have had a hand in the 50 World and Grand National and Reserve Championships she and her clientele have amassed over the years. With the help of Mandy Highsaw, a 20-year veteran rider and instructor, Kelly has centered Cottonwood as a respected riding school catering to students as young as seven.

The ranch's horseback riding lessons impart precious knowledge in a variety of riding styles, including Western, English, saddle-seat, stick-shift, and automatic, with friendly teachers practicing effective, positive reinforcement on both students and horses. Come midsummer, Cottonwood's summer camp amasses small groups for tutorials in Western- and English-style riding and grooming, as well as outdoor activities such as swimming and crafting. Gallopers gallivant across the ranch's newly renovated riding facility, with a spacious outdoor arena for open-air rides or a well-lit, roomy indoor space for winter riding or playing games of horse Monopoly during rainstorms.