Looking for a freeform adventure, that is, one with no specific aim or structure, we loaded the pups in the van one morning and pointed her toward the north. On the way, we started searching for things to do in Oklahoma City, for no other reason than that seemed like a good distance to travel. We ended up settling on the Oklahoma City National Memorial… and some craft breweries. Because, balance.
Let’s just start right at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. We are not the sappy types, and we don’t go seeking out somber experiences on purpose. We just had a curiosity, more than anything else, about the memorial. It caught us off guard. The memorial takes up the entire city block and is set in the footprint of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building that once stood there. In fact, wall fragments are still standing and are part of the memorial itself. The memorial architects did an outstanding job of preserving history as it happened, so we really felt the impact of the tragic events that occurred there in 1995. Beside the reflecting pool and the “Gates of Time” (the formal entrances into the Memorial which represent 9:01 – the last moment of innocence – and 9:03 – the moment healing began), there stand 168 chairs. These chairs represent those killed on April 19, 1995, and are situated to symbolize where in the building they were and how old they were. I am telling you – this is a moving and impactful place to be.
We had the pups, so we skipped the museum, but Devin did visit the gift shop to buy a book on the Memorial and to get our National Parks passport stamp. (Side note: dogs are officially not allowed in the Memorial, a rule we missed and broke – so sorry.)
Following our somber visit to the Memorial, we made our way to a brewery – a little more upbeat - where we learned about Harvest Hosts. Do you know about Harvest Hosts? If not, look it up! Harvest Host members welcome Van Life folks and other RV owners to stay at their farm, ranch, vineyard, brewery, museum, or other attraction, and in some cases, enjoy tours or participate in whatever activities are happening that day – harvest, animal care, etc. At the brewery, those staying could park behind the building alongside a greenspace and could enjoy a tour of the facility. We did not get to stay since they were booked, but we did sign up for next time.
After sampling a flight of local brews, we found ourselves in a spectacular lakefront campsite, enjoying the last weekend of the season for Arcadia Lake Campground. What luck! We were quite literally on the waterfront, completely surrounded by trees. After some dinner and hammock time, we slept well in the dead quiet of the wilderness. The only sound was the gentle hum of the van’s heater cycling on and off – it was exceptionally efficient and effective, and we stayed cozy the whole night.
We woke the next morning to quite a surprise – seven deer grazing less than fifty feet from our van. The pups needed a potty break, and we were concerned how this was going to go down, but the deer were not nearly as concerned as we were. In fact, they appeared to laugh quietly to themselves upon seeing our little chiweenie and chihuahua happen upon the scene. The pups didn’t seem to care much either. They were oblivious. So, we walked the entire campground loop, spotting more and more deer while taking in the sunrise. It was a beautiful morning, crisp and cool, perfect for coffee and quiet. Brewing fresh coffee in the wilderness is one of life’s little pleasures.
Following breakfast, we made one stop on our leisurely drive back home – at Bedre Fine Chocolates in Davis, OK. The chocolate factory and shop are owned by the Chickasaw Nation and is located adjacent to the Chickasaw Nation Welcome Center, right off I-35 at exit 55. It is a don’t-miss stop for any drive along the I-35 corridor. Start with your free Chocolate sample and leave with a bag of chocolate covered potato chips, peppermint bark, or our favorite – white chocolate covered Bugles. Pretty much everything is always on sale. (The Chickasaw Visitor Center is also worth the stop, with the cleanest restrooms in Oklahoma, a dog park, a delightful gift shop, and plenty of free visitor information.)
Oops, I was wrong. We actually made two stops, because what trip in Texas would be complete without a stop at Buc-ee’s?
LINK for OKC memorial https://memorialmuseum.com/
LINK for harvest hosts harvesthosts.com
LINK for Bedre bedrechocolates.com