Hotel at a Glance: Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center

Just 15 minutes from downtown Tulsa, guests can simply relax. While some swim in the heated indoor pool, others unwind in the dry sauna. Nighttime at this AAA Four Diamond Award–winning hotel brings cocktails and wine at Merlot’s Lounge.

• Spotlight on the king suite: A larger room with a separate living area, it includes free perks like hors d’oeuvres and dessert in the club lounge Monday–Friday.
• Where to eat: Cyprus Grille Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Things to do: The hotel is about 20 minutes from concerts at the BOK Center and more than 120 stores at Woodland Hills Mall.

Tulsa, Oklahoma: Renowned Art-Deco Architecture and Art Museums

As oil poured out of Tulsa in the early 20th century, wealth poured in— and the city’s skyline still reflects that prosperity. Downtown Tulsa is peppered with buildings that emulate the French art-deco style of architecture that swept the nation in the 1920s. One notable structure is the 72-room mansion of petroleum producer Waite Phillips, which he donated to the city in 1938. It’s now the Philbrook Museum of Art, home to an eclectic collection of works by artists ranging from Pablo Picasso to Giovanni Bellini.

Tulsa has a prime location along the banks of the Arkansas River. Its River Parks system offers 26 miles of paved riverfront trails that wind past playgrounds, sculptures, and fountains. North of the river are the Brady Arts District and Cain’s Ballroom, Tulsa’s legendary dance-hall-turned-music-venue. Cain’s rose to fame as the favored spot of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, who pioneered the musical genre of western swing in the late 1930s.