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Oklahoma

Best of Oklahoma: From Tulsa to Tahlequah

Program No. 23215RJ
At art, history and cultural museums, explore the diverse heritage of Tulsa, from its beginnings as an Indian Territory, to the prosperity that followed its 1901 oil boom — and beyond.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 14 - Apr 20, 2024
Starting at
2,299
May 12 - May 18, 2024
Starting at
2,349
Oct 20 - Oct 26, 2024
Starting at
2,349
Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2024
Starting at
2,349
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 14 - Apr 20, 2024
Starting at
2,999
Filling Fast!
May 12 - May 18, 2024
Starting at
3,059
Filling Fast!
Oct 20 - Oct 26, 2024
Starting at
3,059
Filling Fast!
Oct 27 - Nov 2, 2024
Starting at
3,059

At a Glance

When oil was discovered in Tulsa in 1901, the little frontier town exploded with prosperity. In the oil boom years that followed, the city’s downtown developed with Art Deco architecture, and the Greenwood neighborhood became the wealthiest African American community in Oklahoma, bustling with the sounds of jazz, blues and — later — the Tulsa Massacre. Travel to the “Oil Capital of the World” to study the city’s diverse history, art and culture at museums across the city and the surrounding area, including Greenwood Rising, the Philbrook Museum, Cherokee Nation, and more.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to five miles daily, sometimes on unpaved terrain and standing at museums.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Learn about the Trail of Tears at the John Ross Museum, and explore Tahlequah—the capital city of the Cherokee Nation.
  • Visit the Woody Guthrie Center, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, and Bob Dylan Museum to learn about the lives and legacies of these famous men.
  • Discover fascinating art and architecture throughout the city and at museums like the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Tari Intardonato
Tari Intardonato was a teacher for many years before taking her skills to the road. She enjoys leading field trips with Road Scholar, during which she shares her knowledge and love of presidential libraries, history, textiles, and little out-of-the-way gems. Tari is an avid reader and loves sewing, watching British TV shows, and spending time with her family.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Tari Intardonato
Tari Intardonato View biography
Tari Intardonato was a teacher for many years before taking her skills to the road. She enjoys leading field trips with Road Scholar, during which she shares her knowledge and love of presidential libraries, history, textiles, and little out-of-the-way gems. Tari is an avid reader and loves sewing, watching British TV shows, and spending time with her family.
Profile Image of Vanessa Adams-Harris
Vanessa Adams-Harris View biography
Vanessa Adams-Harris is Muscogee (Creek) American Indian with African American/European ancestry. She serves as director of outreach and alliances for the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation and is vice chair of the Greater Tulsa Area Indian Affairs Commission, president of the North Tulsa Historical Society, vice president of TKWolf, Inc, and is assistant to the minister of Church of the Restoration Unitarian Universalist. She edited and directed the documentary, “Unheard Voices-Stalking in Indian Country” and “Unheard, Unseen,” an interview with Dr. Reid Melloy.
Profile Image of Kelly Gibson
Kelly Gibson View biography
Kelly Gibson is the owner of Tours of Tulsa. Kelly is a life-long resident of Tulsa, and is married with two children. In 2006, she worked as a travel leader for Bandana Tours of Tulsa. In 2013, she acquired the company and formed Tours of Tulsa. Tours of Tulsa works to make the history of Tulsa come alive and lead visitors through some of the city’s most historic and storied destinations, meet its fascinating people, and learn more about this incredible city.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Mankiller: A Chief and Her People
by Wilma Mankiller and Michael Wallis
An autobiography by Wilma Mankiller, the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Bound for Glory
by Woody Guthrie
A partially fictionalized autobiography of folk singer and songwriter Woody Guthrie.
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
by David Grann
Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District (Images of America)
by Hannibal B. Johnson
Requiem for the Massacre: A Black History on the Conflict, Hope and Fallout of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
by RJ Young
Requiem for the Massacre is a cultural excavation of Tulsa one hundred years after one of the worst acts of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. Young provides a firsthand account of the centennial events commemorating Tulsa's darkest day as the city attempts to reckon with its self-image, commercialization of its atrocity, and the aftermath of the massacre that shows how things have changed and how they have stayed woefully the same
Cherokee Nation: A History of Survival, Self Determination and Identity
by Dr. Bob Blackburn, Dr. Duane King, and Dr. Neil Morton
The Outsiders
by S.E. Hinton
The Outsiders is a dramatic and enduring work of fiction that laid the groundwork for the YA genre. S. E. Hinton's classic story of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today as it was the day it was first published.
Hidden History of Tulsa
by Steve Gerkin
Tulsa: Where the Streets Were Paved With Gold (Images of America)
by Clyda R. Franks and Kenny Franks





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.