If you like to spend as much time as possible outdoors and hate to sit still, here is a simple fun weekend. Let’s head out collecting crystals, enjoying a unique park, and sharing pizza, fun donuts, and a unique food court that lets kids be active.
Before You Go
Crystal digging is only available between April 1 and October 15, so you may need to plan ahead and wait.
You will also want to gather a few supplies and bring them along in your car trunk. Collect from your own supplies first, then make a trip to your favorite dollar-type store for the rest. You will want: a shovel, large squares of corrugated cardboard from old boxes or poster board will work, small gardening hand shovel-like trowels, jugs of water, clean water to drink, sunglasses and sunscreen, plastic wash tubs or other inexpensive flat bottom containers, plastic colander, a roll of paper towels, scrap towels or really cheap washcloths, plastic cups, and a few old egg cartons. Those water jugs can just be refilled milk jugs or 2-liter bottles. A canister of wet wipes wouldn’t hurt either, but are not essential. Ok, got your supplies?
Saturday
Saturday morning head over to Hurt’s Donuts to choose from their crazy collection of flavors. On Saturday mornings they even have some that are “gluten-free-ish”. Meaning the ingredients are all safe, but they are made and sold in an environment with wheat. I haven’t met a flavor there that I didn’t like from channeling your inner Weird Al with “white and nerdy” to a nod to The Simpson’s with the “Homer”. Collect as many as you think you might need for a 2 ½ hour drive.
Now head on out to Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge. Load this address into your GPS. Selenite Crystal Digging Area: 66003 Garvin Road, Cherokee, OK 73728. You will probably be directed to a toll road,so have some cash with you because the OK highway system does not accept credit. Once you are at the gate of the Digging Area follow the signs and the road about one mile. They rope off a limited amount of the salt plain for active digging at any time. Park where you will see other family cars along the edge. Now you load your gear out and pick a spot to start digging. It is easier than you might think. If you uncover clusters, place them in the egg cartons for safe keeping. Each person is permitted to take 10 lbs. of crystals with you, for free!
Once you have collected more than enough you might be getting hungry and wondering where the restrooms are. I suggest heading to the Sonic Drive In located in Cherokee. It is in a travel plaza that will have wheelchair-accessible restrooms, along with quick food service. On your drive back, keep an eye out for bison, longhorn cattle, oil rigs and cliff swallow nests under freeway overpasses.
Once back in Tulsa, take a break for showers to get cleaned up and head out for pizza. Hideaway Pizza on Cherry Street is accessible and it is my personal favorite in the area. It’s those “cut and curl” pepperoni. I’m hooked. Choose your favorite style of crust and toppings. Hideaway Pizza has such a fun vibe with kites hanging from the ceilings and mosaic art on the walls. Their restroom is wheelchair accessible.
Sunday
Sunday morning head on over to The Mother Road Market. A food court just off historic Route 66 with a huge covered patio in the back. If you are early enough in the day, you can order breakfast and if not, they have all sorts of great lunch options. I really like Howdy Burger, but it all looks good. The patio has tables and chairs you can roll a wheelchair right up to, and cushy modular seating clusters if that is more your style. There is a mini-golf bordering that patio area that features Route 66 landmarks.
The Gathering Place is a great park to spend some time at after your meal. Winding paved trails, and landscaped zones with 7 different themed play areas. There are reserved placard parking spaces, but close parking here can fill up fast at busy times. Because of that, you may decide to reverse your Sunday itinerary and visit the Gathering Place before The Mother Road Market, when it is easiest to park. The Redbud Cafe in the Williams Lodge has breakfast or lunch options, but the very best deal is their ice cream or gelato with scoops under $2. Definitely treat yourself before you leave. There are art exhibits to see and if it is the right season, there may even be kayaks or pedal boats to take out on their lake. The boats are even free to use! Make sure to check them out!
I hope you have a fun accessible, adventurous weekend.