OKWUeagle.com

What to do in Bartlesville for Fall Break?

by Eden Brown
OKWUeagle.com Staff Writer

Many people go home for mom’s cooking and bring friends along with them to enjoy a break from campus — some of us load up for road trips with new friends met only months before.

However, what about the people who are “stuck” here for the break?  This may seem at first to be a negative thing, and for some who are from places like California or Oregon, the thought of staying here might be just flat out boring.

What do Bartlesville and the surrounding areas actually have to offer?  Finding the answers to this question might actually surprise you.

Thursday you wake up and you want to do something exciting but you really don’t have that much money, and lets face it your old car barely runs.  So you decide to stay around here but you still want to do something that you’ll have good memories from.

Get a group together and head to the Osage Hills to camp out, explore, or play games.  All the ministry team people will have plenty of fun games to do.  Get a fire going and make some s’mores! If it’s too cold the new intramural gym would be a great place to play as well.

The fall season brings with it a ton of traditions and one of the best is carving pumpkins.  At Shay’s Nursery, just off of Silverlake and Yorman, you can get a pumpkin for about eight dollars and all you need to carve it at Wal-Mart.  Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not a kid” but admit it — making some cool designs on pumpkins to decorate the dorms rocks, and it’s a cheap way to have fun with some friends.

Still needing something to do?

Thursday was fun, but Friday, well you’re probably feeling the need for some more exhilarating activities.

If so, Bartlesville has a great go-kart track where the rides are under ten dollars and who wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to beat your friend around the track a couple of times?

If you’re still feeling competitive, Sooner park on North Madison Blvd. has a great putt-putt golf course.  Pair up into teams — or every man for himself! — as you make your way through this green carpeted maze.

If you have a set of actual golf clubs, or a friend that does, you can always head out to the Adams Golf Club driving range to relieve some stress.

50 balls = 5 dollars.  Imagining the ball is a Wimberly test and seeing it fly = priceless! There are something’s money can’t buy but a lot of times paying a couple of bucks can make all the difference.

With the day winding down you’ll need a place to eat.  Try Frank and Lola’s downtown on Dewey.  Though the menu is limited everything on it is awesome. According to Ben Rotz, Assistant Vice President for Student Development, “They have the best chicken salad sandwich!”

Nighttime comes and you can head to Maggie Moos for some Friday night ice cream, after that walk right over to the Hollywood 8 and see a movie.  For a cheaper alternative check out the movies at the two dollar Theatre in the Eastland Plaza, or there is also always the option of finding that person (we all know them) that has a ridiculously oversized collection of movies, and get a movie night going in one of the lobbies.

Just outside of Bartlesville you can find Woolaroc.  This is not just a museum, but also a petting zoo, and a picnic area.  This is a great place to get away for a quiet Saturday.  You can spend time petting the assortment of animals from sheep, goats, llamas, and donkeys or explore the museum full of a variety of artifacts found locally and around the world.

Before you head out to experience Woolaroc try a sweet tea from Quenchbuds a drive-through drink stop on Washington, to enjoy on the drive.  ”They have the best sweet tea ever!” says Natalie Noble, Enrollment Counselor for OKWU.

If you have already been to Woolaroc and are looking for something a little different the Safari Park just east of Caney Kansas was featured on the Today show, the Early show and Fox News.  This place is full of animals that will capture your heart, like their two white tiger cubs.  Entrance fee is ten dollars and discount coupons are offered online.  The tour through the park lasts about an hour but make sure you call ahead as their hours can vary.

What better way to end a Saturday then a couple of rounds of bowling?!  Red Apple on Washington Blvd. is the place to bowl in Bartlesville.  Split up the lane rental cost between five of your friends and it’s only $7.50 and an extra $3.50 for games after your first round.

If you want to get some Sunday shopping done, you can make the 40-minute drive to Owasso or Tulsa.  Owasso has a new shopping center, and Tulsa’s Woodland Hills Mall houses stores like Forever 21 and Pac Sun.  You can also check out Bartlesville’s mall, a little less varied but still a good selection of stores like Gap.

Bartlesville and the Dewey area also have many antiques shops and thrift stores. Gan’s indoor flea market is a great place to make cheap finds.  There is no telling what you will find to put in your already overcrowded room!

Some people, like senior Brian John, prefer to “hibernate” for fall break.

“Last year Calvin (Neill) and I bought as many pizza rolls as we could afford, got all our blankets, and literally hibernated in our room watching The Fast and the Furious, and all three episodes of The Lord of the Rings,” said John.

So whether you “hibernate,” camp or go-kart, the possibilities are endless and the memories are just waiting to be made!