Tulsa is the capital of Route 66 for a reason, and it’s not just because the city secured a copyright on the term two years ago. There are several roadside attractions across the metro that underscore its historic connection to the Mother Road.
Ahead of this summer’s centennial celebration, we’ve put together a list of nine of the most popular Route 66 landmarks in the Tulsa area.
Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza
815 Riverside Drive, Tulsa
The plaza pays homage to the “Father of Route 66.” A former Tulsa County commissioner and Oklahoma’s first highway commissioner, Avery was selected to a subcommittee responsible for numbering U.S. highways — where he championed a Chicago-to-Los Angeles route that swung through Tulsa.
Sculpted by Robert Summers, Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza depicts the Avery family crossing paths with a horse-drawn carriage in a Ford Model T.
Blue Whale of Catoosa
2600 OK-66, Catoosa
This is one of the most popular roadside attractions on Route 66. Hugh Davis, a zoologist, built the 20-foot-tall by 80-foot-long attraction as an anniversary present for his wife, Zelta. The iron and concrete whale was completed in July 1972.
Catoosa has owned it and the surrounding 23 acres since April 2020. Swimming in the pond is no longer allowed but folks can fish and feed the turtles.
Land of the Giants
1317 E. 11th St.
If you have wandered the Meadow Gold District near 11th and Peoria, you’ve probably come across one of the Muffler Men statues that loom over the area. After opening Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios in 2018, entrepreneur and Route 66 mascot Mary Beth Babcock brought a 21-foot-tall statue of a space cowboy named Buck Atom and placed it next to her store.
As the years went by, Babcock decided to add a female counterpart, Stella Atom. Then, Meadow Gold Mack, Cowboy Bob and Rosie the Riveter. Thus, the Land of the Giants was born. Fun fact: Virginia artist Mark Cline created each statue.
In addition to Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios, there are several shops in the Meadow Gold District worth browsing. Babcock also owns Meadow Gold Mack’s Route 66 Outpost, which features booths from local creatives. Additionally, local artist and entrepreneur William Franklin operates DECOPOLIS Discovitorium, a whimsical store that is currently displaying a free Tulsa Art Deco Museum with information on Tulsa’s jazz history.
Route 66 Neon Sign Park
1450 Southwest Blvd., Tulsa
Located just off the Arkansas River, tourists can find three retro neon signs that pay tribute to previous versions of the Mother Road. The Tulsa Auto Court, the Will Rogers Motor Court and the Oil Capital Motel signs in Cyrus Avery Plaza Southwest represent the different eras Route 66 has endured. This plaza is also named after Avery.
Route 66 Historical Village
3770 Southwest Blvd., Tulsa
In Red Fork, the Route 66 Historical Village marks the first oil strike in Tulsa County on June 15, 1901 — kickstarting the city’s success in the oil industry. The village is made up of a restored Frisco 4500 Steam Engine, passenger car, caboose and the 194-foot oil derrick from the 1901 oil strike. Additionally, this attraction includes a tourism information center modeled after a 1920s gas station.
DECOPOLIS TulsaRama! And FableRealm Bookstore
5717 E. 11th St., Tulsa
While Franklin has operated DECOPOLIS in the Meadow Gold District since 2020, he went a few miles east on Route 66 and opened TulsaRama! in November. This new location includes the TulsaRama! Ice Cream Parlor and a fantasy-themed bookshop. There is also a year-round Christmas store and a visitor center
Like his other DECOPOLIS locations, Franklin’s ice cream shop and book store are something to experience — not just shop.
Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum
13 Sahoma Lake Road, Sapulpa
Opened in August 2016, the nonprofit Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum exhibits numerous antique, military and racing cars in a former armory along the Mother Road. The museum also features a 66-foot tall gas pump — the tallest in the world.
Additionally, the Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum offers a Model T driving experience for $150 per person on the first Saturday of each month from June to September. After a few hours of morning instruction, folks will get to drive a Model T.
Admission is $9.50 for adults and free for children under 12.
Sapulpa Historical Museum
100 E. Lee Ave., Sapulpa
Located in a three-story building originally constructed as a hotel in 1910, the Sapulpa Historical Museum includes several exhibits that tell the town’s story dating back to the 19th century. Those exhibits include a diorama of the town circa 1895, as well as a statue of Muscogee blacksmith and rancher, James “Chief” Sapulpa, whom the town is named after.
The Sapulpa Historical Society Museum also operates the Sapulpa Fire Museum and the Waite Phillips-Barnsdall Filling Station Museum, both located along East Lee Avenue. The museum is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Tuesday through Saturday.
Tee Pee Drive-In
13166 W. Ozark Trail, Sapulpa
This beloved Sapulpa drive-in theater celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025, and this year the drive-in located along the Mother Road is helping celebrate the Route 66 centennial with special events and themed weekends.
Most weekends the Tee Pee shows the latest movie release under the stars. Occasionally the drive-in turns back the clock with a classic flick.
What sets the Tee Pee apart from other drive-ins is the ability to do an overnight stay in authentic 1950s Spartan trailers on-site. Talk about a nostalgia-filled night along Route 66.
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