Incredible 3 Days in Chickasaw Country Itinerary (Cultural & Natural Highlights)
An incredible road trip destination in the United States is Chickasaw Country, a 13-county region in south-central Oklahoma. Here, you can visit beautiful natural sites and learn and explore the Chickasaw Nation’s history, culture, and traditions.
You could spend far more than 3 days in Chickasaw Country as that time frame only gives you a glimpse into what this region has to offer. But for those who may only have a few days for a getaway, you can enjoy a meaningful visit to Chickasaw Country’s natural and cultural highlights in a few days – like we did!
We started our trip by flying into Oklahoma City and rented a car before driving 1.5 hours to Ardmore, where we’d base ourselves for our full 3 days in Chickasaw Country, visiting Sulphur, Tishomingo, and Ardmore.
We stayed at Lakecrest Casino Hotel just outside downtown Ardmore, which was a great base for visiting the region. This is just one of several Chickasaw Nation-owned casino hotels in the area.
Everything we did on our Chickasaw Country itinerary was within a 45-minute drive from the hotel.
We visited during the spring, which had no shortage of activities but we found ourselves realizing quickly that we could and would have scheduled more time enjoying the outdoor attractions and parks had it been the summer months as there are several stunning waterfalls for swimming, hiking trails, and spots to enjoy the great outdoors.
That’s something you may want to keep in mind during your visit and plan accordingly – for the spring, though, we still enjoyed the scenic offerings while also spending more time visiting the many great museums and cultural offerings this destination has to give visitors insight into local art, history, and traditions.
Disclaimer: This post was done in collaboration with Visit Chickasaw Country. As always, all opinions and experiences are our own.
Day 1: Sulphur
Your first day during your 3 days in Chickasaw Country is going to be an action-packed day around Sulphur. This was actually one of our favorite days during our trip for a few reasons: the people we met, the cultural center, and the beautiful nature here!
This is around a 40-minute drive from Ardmore. We enjoyed a quick grab-and-go breakfast from the hotel before our first activity, the Chickasaw Cultural Center.
Something to note: downtown Sulphur experienced a catastrophic F3 tornado in April 2024 that destroyed many of the downtown buildings. During our visit in March 2025, you could still see a lot of the damage. That being said, many things were still open and visiting and supporting these local businesses are super helpful to the locals.
Chickasaw Cultural Center
Visiting the Chickasaw Cultural Center was an absolute highlight of our trip. Not only is the entire campus here impressive, but you could easily spend a good portion of your entire day here learning about the Chickasaw Nation.
Exhibits here range from chronicling the history of the Chickasaw people, from before European contact to present day, cultural traditions, artwork, and interactive spaces like the Spirit Forest, where people can walk through a mesmerizing, multi-sensory room that brings to life a time when the Chickasaw people lived in harmony with nature. The skies change – there’s sometimes lightning and twinkling stars! It’s such a beautiful experience.
Everyday there are also Chickasaw stomp dance demonstrations, rain or shine, since there are both indoor and outdoor spaces where you can witness this beautiful tradition – and may even be invited to join!
The outdoor areas feature a traditional Chickasaw Village, see their gardens, or cross the bridge and enjoy walking along the trails in Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
Several historic exhibits give you a glimpse into the Chickasaw experience, history, and resiliency. Be sure to watch the short films in the theaters that share more history and stories of the Chickasaw people.
There are also art galleries and a genealogy research center if you have a connection to the Five Tribes (Chickasaw, Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole), you can dive deeper into your own heritage while you visit.
With hands-on experiences, beautiful architecture, and deep cultural significance, this is a must-visit to understand the Chickasaw Nation’s legacy.
We recommend coming here when they first open so that you have plenty of time in the afternoon to enjoy the rest of the activities there are to do and see around Sulphur. Enjoy lunch at Aaimpa’ Café on site.
The food here is great, they offer a range of traditional Chickasaw dishes, many of which are made from the gardens on the property and save room for dessert. Their cookies are incredible!
Open Tuesdays- Saturdays 10 AM – 5 PM
Mahota Textiles
While visiting Sulphur, don’t miss a visit to Mahota Textiles, the first luxury textile brand owned by a North American tribe and operated by the Chickasaw Nation. We had the privilege of meeting the founder, Margaret Roach Wheeler, who was a delight to talk to.
Every single piece you see here tells a story. Many of these were Chickasaw stories we learned about during our visit to the Chickasaw Cultural Center.
Even the name tells a story, “Mahota” was Wheeler’s grandmother and the logo, made of irregular concentric circles, represents five generations of Indigenous women in her family.
Some of the beautifully crafted textiles you can see or purchase here include blankets, scarves, pillows, and purses – each one rooted in Chickasaw heritage.
Whether you want to see beautiful craftsmanship or bring home a truly beautiful gift to remember the trip by, Mahota Textiles is an absolute must-visit.
Open Mondays through Fridays 9 AM – 4:30 PM.
Bedré Café
Located in Downtown Sulphur, don’t miss your opportunity to pick up a sweet treat from Bedré Café. Whether you are looking for a sweet treat for now or later, they have something for you!
You can get a milkshake and sit back in one of their nostalgic diner booths or stools or pick up some Bedré chocolates to take home.
They sell Bedré Fine Chocolates at the cafe (the HQ being in Davis), which are Chickasaw-owned fine chocolates! We really liked the chocolate squares with fillings like peanut butter and caramel.
Open daily from 7 AM to 4 PM (open until 6 PM on Fridays & Saturdays)
ARTesian Gallery & Studios
Another great stop in Sulphur for art lovers is ARTesian Gallery & Studios. This one space combines an art supply store, gallery, and live artist studios all under one roof!
The highlight of this visit was meeting the different Chickasaw artists and makers in their studios. We visited Mary Wilds’ studio, a fiber artist that creates beautiful handmade quilts, clothing, baskets, accessories, and more.
Wilds was working on a quilt that incorporated pieces of textiles that were damaged from the Mahota Textiles’ former downtown headquarters that was destroyed in the tornado. She also had a quilt on display just outside her studio dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), and dedicated this piece to her Chickasaw friend whose granddaughter is still missing.
We also got to see Margaret Roach Wheeler (of Mahota Textiles) again and meet Beverly Callahan in their weaving studio seeing the beautiful pieces they were working on.
What we loved about this stop is that we got to talk with and see Chickasaw artisans at work in their studios. There are so many galleries you stop at and you only get to admire the beautiful work, its rare that you actually get to meet and talk with the makers themselves.
Open Mondays – Saturdays from 9 AM to 6 PM.
Chickasaw National Recreation Area
We learned how Sulphur, Oklahoma got its name! This area of Chickasaw Country is famous for its mineral springs with high sulphur content. The springs themselves are believed to have healing properties and the main area where you can visit these natural springs were once Platt National Park (1906-1976).
One of the best things to do during your Chickasaw Country itinerary is to visit all the natural beauty found within Chickasaw National Recreation Area, a former national park!
You can visit several springs, beautiful waterfalls (that are popular to swim in the warmer months), hiking trails, see majestic viewpoints, and even spot a herd of bison!
Visit the Travertine Nature Center to learn more about the natural area and the creatures that live here. There’s even a trail you can walk from Pavilion Springs to the Travertine Nature Center if you prefer to take the scenic route vs driving.
Since we visited in early March, there was no swimming for us, sadly. But we can imagine how fun the swimming is at the different cascading pools for those who visit in the summer months!
The scenery here is just so beautiful and this was one of our favorite things we did during our visit. A trip to Chickasaw Country isn’t complete without visiting this natural oasis of pools and springs!
Where to Eat in Sulphur:
As mentioned, we recommend eating lunch while visiting the Chickasaw Cultural Center on site at Aaimpa’ Café.
For an afternoon treat (before 4 PM) you can get something sweet at Bedré Café.
For dinner, we ate at Springs at The Artesian, located within The Artesian Hotel, Casino & Spa in downtown Sulphur. Their restaurant features Southern comfort food and American classics.
Day 2: Tishomingo
On your second day, we recommend heading to Tishomingo, the historic capital of Chickasaw Country and where you’ll experience historic landmarks and the cute downtown area.
Tishomingo is around a 40 minute drive from Ardmore and we found ourselves finished by mid-afternoon and decided to stop at a few antique shops along the way from Tishomingo to Ardmore.
If you find that you have extra time and are visiting during the summer months, this would be a great opportunity to schedule in more outdoorsy activities, too.
Chickasaw Capitol Building
To start your deep dive into more Chickasaw Nation history, start at the beautiful Victorian Gothic style building in the town of Tishomingo that served as the Chickasaw Nation Capitol Building.
This once served as the political hub for the Chickasaw Nation after its completion in 1898. The building and when it was used also represents and illustrates the Chickasaw people’s resilience and governance, particularly after the dissolution of tribal governments during Oklahoma statehood.
That means it was only in use from 1898 to 1907, as this was when tribal governments were dissolved by the US government and not recognized. It wasn’t until the 1970s when they were able to regain the ability to govern themselves.
Today, the building serves as a museum. Inside you can explore the building’s history along with exhibits that define the Chickasaw Nation’s timeline from the 1850s to the modern day.
Open Tuesdays – Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM, free.
Chickasaw Council House Museum
Next to the Chickasaw Nation Capitol Building you’ll want to pay a visit the the Chickasaw Council House Museum to continue exploring the history of Chickasaw governance and history.
This museum preserves the original Chickasaw Council House, a log cabin-style building built in 1855 as the first seat of Chickasaw’s tribal government in Indian Territory which is on display inside.
There are also historic documents, a gallery, and hall of fame depicting famous figures in Chickasaw history! My favorite was learning about Pearl Scott, one of the youngest pilots in US history (becoming a licensed pilot at 13 years old!), and she was a commercial stunt pilot!
Open Tuesdays – Saturdays from 9 AM to 4 PM, free.
Explore Downtown Tishomingo
Be sure to wander up and down Main Street in Tishomingo and pop into the different shops and enjoy a lunch break.
We ate lunch at Ole Red, a country western establishment that doubles as a live music venue opened by hometown hero and country musician Blake Shelton, who owns and lives on a ranch nearby. Locals love Shelton as he has helped revitalize the small downtown of Tishomingo with business investments and created experiences for tourists and fans like at Ole Red, which has a large gift shop.
There are a few cute shops downtown too, we liked T-Town Vintage & Co., I found a cool vintage suede shirt here, Starlight Comics is a fun comic shop, and Murray on Main has fun gifts.
Chickasaw Nation Bank Museum
Another great historic stop in Tishomingo is the Chickasaw Bank Museum, also free to visit. This museum is set in the building that actually served as the Chickasaw Nation’s bank dating back to 1902.
This museum highlights the Chickasaw Nation’s financial history, resilience, and how they protected their tribal funds when they were forced to keep their finances and money separate from non-Native American banks.
There are several artifacts on display here, original vaults, tribal currency, and other exhibits.
Visiting all these sites gives a better overall understanding of the Chickasaw people’s resiliency and history. The same museum also serves as the Johnston County Historical Society.
Open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 AM to 4:30 PM, free.
Where to Eat:
We recommend having breakfast in Ardmore before setting out to Tishomingo, we just grabbed a quick coffee and pastry from the cafe at Lakecrest Casino and Hotel.
For lunch, we recommend eating in Tishomingo. Ole Red is a great option downtown as it is an essential stop in town! You mention Blake Shelton in town and locals have nothing but love and nice things to say. If you order a drink here you also get a souvenir cup.
We went back to Ardmore for dinner, we recommend eating at Café Alley for at least one dinner on your trip! The restaurant is in a huge and in a beautiful space, and was one of our favorite meals in Oklahoma. Be sure to save room for their famous carrot cake for dessert, or grab a slice to go for breakfast tomorrow! They didn’t let us leave without trying it – and we are glad we did.
Another option for dinner in Ardmore is Edamame American Sushi Bar. Being in a landlocked state, we are glad we didn’t judge a book by its cover when it came to trying a sushi restaurant in Oklahoma. The owner did culinary training in France and Japan and the sushi here was great! This was also one of our favorite meals during our visit.
Day 3: Ardmore & Lake Murray State Park
On your last day we recommend taking the time to enjoy downtown Ardmore before spending the afternoon in Lake Murray State Park, less than 10 minutes drive from downtown.
Unfortunately, we had a bit of rainy weather, so we didn’t get to do everything we had planned in Lake Murray State Park, but it was still beautiful, even on a moody day!
Greater Southwest Historical Museum
Spend your morning visiting the Greater Southwest Historical Museum with exhibits and displays that showcase the history and heritage of south-central Oklahoma.
The museum itself is housed in a 1936 National Guard Armory that also was a roller rink! You’ll notice the wood floors and old signage on the walls.
You’ll find rooms full of exhibits and artifacts that highlight the region’s early settlement, Native American history, pioneer life, and industrial growth.
There’s also a whole section dedicated to military history featuring a uniform from all eight services of the United States, which we were told was a highlight of the museum by the curators.
You can walk through an early settlement home and general store, and see agricultural tools and machinery used throughout history here. There’s also a cool chuck wagon (covered wagon) on display.
Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 AM to 5 PM, free.
Downtown Ardmore
Before lunch, give yourself some time to check out the Depot District in Downtown Ardmore. You’ll find cute shops and even a few galleries you can visit, like Marvin’s Place Art Gallery or The Goddard Center.
Our favorite shops we visited was the Ardmore Emporium, a giant antique store with a cute cat named Stella and Stranger Than Fiction Plus, a book store with cool moving bookshelves and tons of little nooks and crannies full of books to explore. They had an especially impressive collection of antique books too!
Before leaving the Depot District, be sure to visit the park and see the Mercy Train. In 1915, this train brought supplies and aid to Ardmore following a deadly tanker car explosion and disaster that destroyed a lot of the downtown.
Lake Murray State Park
Less than a 10-minute drive from downtown Ardmore is the beautiful Lake Murray State Park. This beautiful state park’s centerpiece is the stunning and pristine clear waters.
You will immediately notice the beautiful blue-green water that’s crystal clear. The water here is primarily fed by local springs and the area’s high level of limestone helps create the beautiful hues you’ll see here. Even on a moody, spring day the color of the water was surreal.
This is considered one of the prettiest lakes in all of Oklahoma and is a popular place for water sports.
Lake Murray State Park is also the first and largest state park in Oklahoma. There are several walking and hiking trails to check out, designated beaches you can swim at during the warmer seasons, or you can rent kayaks and paddleboards to get on the water here.
One spot you don’t want to skip is visiting and enjoying the views from Tucker Tower. The tower was originally built and intended to be used as a summer home for the governor. Now it’s a visitor center and houses a museum.
You can climb up to the top of Tucker Tower and enjoy panoramic views of Lake Murray – which should not be skipped! Keep in mind the last entry up to the tower is at 4:15 PM.
And if you’re visiting in the summer months, you might want to look into staying in the floating cabins on Lake Murray for your accommodation! This is something we’d love to come back and do.
Where to Eat in Ardmore:
So, wherever you didn’t get a chance to dine in Ardmore, you have options for dinner!
For lunch, we ate at Ten-Star Pizza Kitchen, a lively lunch spot downtown with thin crust pizzas and fresh toppings. My favorite here were their mozzarella cheese sticks, instead of frying they bake them and you can tell they use a quality mozzarella cheese for the filling.
If you want to have dinner at Lake Murray State Park, head to The Lookout Kitchen at the Lodge. It’s a pretty casual dining experience, but you can’t beat the lake views. Their menu consists of a lot of pizza though, so if you already had that for lunch you may just want to come here for the views and head back to downtown Ardmore for dinner.
If you want to eat in downtown Ardmore, we recommend visiting either Café Alley or Edamame American Sushi Bar, whichever option you haven’t tried yet.
If you’re looking for a place to have a nice night cap, visit The Dew Drop Inn – also owned by the Café Alley folks.
Bonus: Turner Falls Overlook
If you’re returning to Oklahoma City from your Chickasaw Country itinerary we recommend making a quick stop at the Turner Falls Overlook near Davis.
We actually tried to see this at night on our way back to Ardmore from Sulphur, but it was too dark.
This is the largest waterfall in Oklahoma and one of the state’s most famous natural wonders! The waterfall cascades 77 feet into a beautiful natural pool below – that’s also a famous and popular swimming spot in the warmer months.
If you have extra time, you can also enjoy scenic hiking trails around the Arbuckle Mountains. But if you’re pressed on time, a quick visit to the Turner Falls Overlook is a great option as its right off the highway.
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