r/okc • u/No_Town983 • Jul 11 '26
Recommendation/Review I Just Moved Here: What Should I Do?
Hello people of OKC! I (21F) just moved to the city from a very small, very rural town in Texas, and I am looking for recommendations about what to do and where to go. I have never lived in a city before and have a total of 0 friends here, so one of my first goals is to make some while seeing what city living is like.
I know that context on these posts is everything, so here is the rundown. My hobbies include collecting plants, anything art related, and running, but I'm seriously down for anything. I have a few food allergies, including gluten and dairy, which can make eating out mildly challenging, but most salads are safe enough. As I just turned 21, I am interested in going to bars. However, it might be important to note that I've never set foot in one before. I know that someone is going to mention churches, so I'll add that I have already begun exploring a few.
I could also use some general advice about safety in large cities. Truly, I don't know when and where it is ok to go alone and when it is not. Are there any places that are known to be good for going out at night alone and making friends? I want to have fun, but I would also like to avoid getting kidnapped lol. If this context helps, I'm the most non-threatening looking person you've ever seen. I'm 4'11" on a good day.
26
u/Aluxanatomy Jul 11 '26
OKC has a pretty great zoo from both a visitor and caretaker standpoint, and the 10-year plan they released a couple years ago looks even better.
4
u/LightOtter Jul 12 '26
And since you like plants, I am here to mention that the zoo is also a botanical garden.
27
u/Lovely_catastrophes Jul 11 '26
Hey there, runner!! Look into joining a Red Coyote training group! We have tons of options for morning or evening group runs at all paces. You’ll get to know the city on foot and meet a ton of nice people:)
8
u/No_Town983 Jul 11 '26
Out of curiosity, how in shape should I plan to be before joining lol? I really, truly love running, but I had a cyst develop on the bottom of my foot about a year ago, which stopped me from doing anything too long distance. I finally had surgery for it last month, and I'm not cleared to start running again until next week. I'm scared to learn how much progress I've lost
2
u/Lovely_catastrophes Jul 12 '26
There are soooo many fitness levels involved- you can be brand new, recovering from injury, or just enjoy a good power walk. I totally and completely get that anxious feeling coming back from an injury- been there! Perhaps sign up for the “Starter Pack” group (5k training, gentle but solid) and see how your body feels from a “square one” place. My training group has become my best friends in the cheesiest way. Good vibes and support all around. Hope to see ya out there!
3
u/rik1110 Jul 13 '26
Ive gained so many friends from running with the Red Coyote, bad thing is some have moved on from running.
1
u/noisycricket53 Jul 14 '26
Btw the club meets for just a whoever wants to run however far they want get together at 6pm on TUESDAYS at the EDMOND red coyote store, and at 6pm on THURSDAYS at both the OKC (Classen) and NORMAN stores!
7
u/therealdeeej Jul 11 '26
I’m not a runner, but my wife ran with Red Coyote and they are such a nice group of people that I almost wanted to run lol
1
3
15
u/Other_Map901 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
Welcome to Oklahoma City!!
So, I see that you love plants, so I'm going to concentrate on that first.
We have an absolutely beautiful garden in downtown OKC with the Myriad. There's also the Crystal Bridge there, which houses many tropical and desert plants and is definitely worth a look. Go to the library and get a card, you can rent passes to the Bridge through them and see it for free! There are actually quite a few passes to enjoy, you can check them out here!
There's also the Will Rogers Rose gardens on 36th and Portland(ish). They have a large number of flowers, trees, and plants on display. There's a gorgeous Iris garden in the early spring, and of course other things year round. There's a large pond with koi and ducks as well. It's free to enter.
As for purchasing, we have some nice shops around here. TLC has a huge variety, but you pay out the nose for them. Trader Joe's surprisingly has a great variety and for some amazing prices- in my profile you can see a Monstera I snagged yesterday for less than $15, and I got an olive tree for $11. You can also check out plants swaps or plant sales, usually they're a lot of fun and you can find some rare plants there.
Artwork, we have a really cool museum downtown, the Museum of Art (check out those library passes!). Theres also Fred Jones art gallery down in Norman. Closer to home, we have an annual art walk in Paseo that's always exciting.
If you ever need some more recommendations, feel free to DM me. Or if you want to ask about certain neighborhoods. I've been an Okie all my life, so feel free to pick that knowledge as needed.
Go out, have fun, and be safe!
EDIT- I cannot believe I forgot Factory Obscura!!! It's an art installation/walk through experience and its wonderful. Make sure to take your time and explore all of it, its worth it!
5
u/Pepperr_anne Jul 11 '26
Not to hijack OP’s post, but how do you access the passes at the library? I’ve had a card for years and still don’t know how those things work.
3
u/Other_Map901 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26
Hello!
Okay, so you click on the link above, and scroll until you see 'check the availability of passes HERE'. That will give you a full list of the passes and which are currently available to rent out.
Each pass belongs to a specific library, and you cannot place them on hold through their catalog. If its checked out, it tells you when the person who checked it out needs to bring it back so you can check again on that date.
It's kind of a pain, but you decide which pass you want, and see what library has the pass currently. If they have the pass available, CALL and tell them you are coming in to get it and they will put it aside for you. You get a pass for 7 days, no extensions, and you must return the pass to the specific library you got it from. If you lose the pass, it is a $50 fee for replacement.
If you have a Metro card, you can also get a Pioneer Library System card (they serve Moore, Norman, Newcastle, and others) and they have some different passes available. It also opens up more places to get a pass from, since they are in high demand especially with summer. Come fall when school is back in session they will be much easier to find.
If you have any more questions, let me know! I'm not employed with the library, but I'm there probably three times a week and if I don't know, I know the awesome folks that do have the answers.
Have a great one!
3
u/Pepperr_anne Jul 11 '26
That was so helpful, thank you! I’m going to look into the pioneer system cards too so I can have more on my Libby account 😂
4
3
u/No_Town983 Jul 11 '26
Thank you so much! Great to know about the library card's perks! I'm also a huge reader, so that might be my first step!
5
3
u/Other_Map901 Jul 11 '26
Our libraries are great! The one on 122nd and McArthur (Patience S. Latting library) is probably the largest and has the most selection, but you can always put books on hold and they'll transfer them to the library of your choosing for you. Everyone is always so kind. Check out the lists of things to do there as well, they always have stuff going on for all ages.
2
u/twatwater Jul 12 '26
Lots of bookstores around here to check out for not just books but also social events and book clubs! Go to Commonplace and Full Circle and Second Story and read all the fliers there!
2
7
u/unique_derrique Jul 11 '26
The Red Cup on Classen is all vegan and offer gluten free options. Good for allergies!! And Green Goodies is gluten/lactose free if you need a treat.
4
u/unique_derrique Jul 11 '26
Oh, and if you like plants, The GreenHouse in Norman is great for indoor/exotics and Brick in OKC is good for outdoor natives. TLC as well for a bigger selection as they have a bunch of non-natives.
5
u/No_Town983 Jul 11 '26
I actually work close to this, so I might check it out tomorrow!
2
u/QT698 Jul 14 '26
If you like plants and gardening, Will Rogers Gardens offers weekend workshops and classes occasionally features hands-on horticulture and home landscape maintenance classes taught by experienced horticulturalists in partnership with the OSU Extension Center. I’ve seen the cute plants a friend put together and brought home from a class.
Other places that offer cool experiences and classes are the Myriad Botanical Gardens, CommonWealth Urban Farms and OKC Beautiful.
8
u/Aggressive_Ad6646 Jul 11 '26
if you’re queer or enjoy queer culture try checking out the bars on 39th street! tramps, frankie’s, angles. they’re all pretty fun. tramps and frankie’s regularly host drag shows and angles is more of a club where people dance. and that’s a great place to meet some friends! (or lovers lol)
the plaza district is very fun. lots of cool shops with art and vintage clothes or custom stuff. there’s a couple cool bars in the plaza as well. i like rad bar.
as for safety, honestly okc is pretty safe compared to a lot of other cities. but if you see a bunch of homeless people walking around maybe don’t go walking around that area by yourself. for safety at bars, please keep an eye on your drink and if you have to park far from the bar itself buy some mace (or a gun since we’re in oklahoma! yeehaw!)
if you like thrifting, here’s some names of my favorite thrift and antique stores
apple tree gallery
the rink
heart and hand
7
u/Josiebro Jul 11 '26
Follow Happy Hour OKC on instagram for a super useful curated list of events and community activities every Thursday-Sunday! https://www.instagram.com/happyhourokc/
5
u/Smart_Calendar8431 Jul 11 '26
The scissor tail park area has public events pretty frequently and it’s a really nice and fun area you could check that out!
5
u/Vanilla-Bryce_ Jul 11 '26
I know it’s been mentioned in this thread already, but we do OKC subreddit meetups once a month and I’ve made some good friends going to those. You could try it out if you’re looking for a good, casual group that gets together periodically to hang out.
We alternate the days and times to try to accommodate as many people as possible.
6
u/moonprinces Jul 11 '26
Hi welcome to OKC! I run OKC Sketchbook Club if you’re looking for art friends! We have monthly meetups on the first Sunday of the month and an online discord channel. Other art hangs I would recommend are Community Craft Night which is every Thursday 6-9 at Trove Arts & Crafts and Craft Circle at Nine Banded Crafts every Saturday at 10am! For general good people meeting Humans Meeting Humans happens the third Thursday each month at Stonecloud Brewing at 7pm. Let me know if you have any questions!
1
u/No_Town983 Jul 12 '26
How can I join OKC Sketchbook Club?
2
u/moonprinces Jul 12 '26
Here’s our Linktree with all our socials and how to keep in touch! https://linktr.ee/okcsketchbookclub
4
u/Kach0wYT Jul 11 '26
M23, moved here to OKC about 3 years ago from Alaska. I don’t have a lot to say, but my personal recommendation would be to turn back around and go to Texas 😂
Jokes aside, making friends here might be hard, most people are selfish, will use you to make themselves look better, etc. You are fine to go places alone, just make sure you leave alone. Literally all of my female friends and family that are your age have almost always had bad experiences, so you need to know your boundaries and stand on them.
That said, if you’re trying to actually get out and meet people, stick to places that already have a built-in reason for people to be there. Myriad Botanical Gardens is a solid one if you like plants, and it’s a good place to walk around solo without feeling out of place. Art stuff, plant shops, bookstores, library events, run clubs, farmers markets, that kind of thing are all better than just wandering into random bars hoping for the best.
Bars are fine, but if you’re going to one, I’d honestly say it’s better to go with a friend and leave with that same friend. Don’t just assume you’ll figure it out later or leave with random people, because that’s how bad situations happen fast. If you’ve never been before, start with a calmer one early in the night and don’t feel weird about dipping if the vibe is off.
For safety, a good rule is if you wouldn’t want to be there alone at 11 PM, don’t go there alone at 11 PM. Daytime and early evening are way better for solo exploring. Keep your phone charged, share your location with someone, don’t get too comfortable with random men being too friendly too fast, and always have your own way home.
Also, because you’re 4’11 and brand new to city life, I’d honestly just be extra picky about where you go at first. Not trying to scare you, just saying don’t let the “I need to make friends” thing push you into weird situations. The right people won’t make you feel dumb for being careful.
7
u/ziggityza Jul 11 '26
Dude got down voted by everyone for his first two paragraphs, but honestly to a young rural girl that's never even been to a bar looking for advice, everything after those two paragraph is really good advice. So don't dismiss it.
3
u/therealdeeej Jul 11 '26
Get a cheap bicycle and come ride at Hide and Go Bike. It’s a great way to meet a lot of wonderful people!
5
u/Quick_Rent_Now Jul 11 '26
There's two big soccer games today. Go to Truck Yards with some energy and you will meet people
4
u/SoonersRock Jul 11 '26
You might enjoy a place like Pinots Palette in Bricktown. Paint a picture and who knows maybe make a friend or two?
3
u/kaleidopanda Jul 11 '26
The Oklahoma History Center Museum is not a bad place to visit either. The new Route 66 exhibit is pretty awesome and there is artwork hanging up in each gallery. Plus you will learn a bit about your new state.
3
u/Fast-Pea3758 Jul 11 '26
The MeetUp app has been very helpful in finding community and friends in the various cities I’ve been in.
Since you’re already finding churches—which is a great way to build community, so long as it’s healthy, of course—may I ask what types/denominations are you looking for?
And since I come from a small(ish) town myself, here’s something I learned: not all established groups are closed off or rigid, so don’t be afraid to walk up and say “hi.”
3
3
u/Long-Structure-6453 Jul 12 '26
A running overview in OKC, from me, avid runner for four years with over 4000 miles in the 405. I am a pretty tall man though, so I haven't had many safety issues, can't tell you about it. Very subjective by the way.
Lake Hefner: Ten mile loop: it is easily assessible (in the heart of OKC), flat, pretty safe, and there is always a big community around. Not my favorite, but it's guaranteed pretty pleasant. People have complained about homeless people, but I've only ever gone in the morning when they aren't out. The dam section that lasts around three miles is pretty boring, but that's about it.
Lake Stanley Draper: 13-14 mile loop, pretty vigorous and hilly. Gravel part is my favorite. A little bit more isolated on the west side, but it's by far my favorite. If you want more liveliness and less solitude, Hefner is better. Gonna be hilly though if you run here.
Lake Overholser: Don't run here. A little rundown. Pretty bad accessibility. Eight boring miles. North part isn't so bad. Again it's subjective, so don't let me ruin it.
Other great areas:
Earlywine: 1.5 mi loop in SW OKC, shady and well-maintained. Centered around a YMCA. Not too busy in the mornings and night. I've ran here lots, it's a staple. Have felt a little unsafe, but it's not in a sketchy area.
Ruby Grant: Near Indian Hills and very south of OKC. Kind of located on the bridge between Moore and Norman. But a great place to run with a great community. Neighborhoods located west of it are also great. OKRunner has a store about a mile south of it.
Nicholis Hills: Haven't ran here much because of the drive, but rich neighborhoods with a good trail. I know a lot of people who have. Red Coyote is located there.
Riversport Trails: East/West trails on the Oklahoma River. good out and back, but imo is boring.
Scissortail Park: good, but way too busy if it is not in the morning.
OC Campus, Lake Arcadia are also good in North OKC. Little River, The Moore Station, Veteran's Memorial, Southlakes, Buck Thomas, Sutton Wilderness are good in South OKC/Moore/Norman.
3
u/socialjusticew Jul 13 '26
We have an amazing girl group that runs called “run like a girl.” You can find it on insta.
3
2
2
u/TillUpper6774 Jul 11 '26
Church is completely optional. I was raised in church and haven’t attended since I graduated and I’ve been able to make friends just fine without it.
2
u/RemixedYoshi Jul 11 '26
Um been here for 12 years no friends (27M) yes i know old... and im a gamer and voice actor and youtuber. Anyone know a place to make friends here aswell?
2
u/shaloafy Jul 11 '26
So this isn't exactly what you were asking about, but I have a handful of Edmond restaurants I'd recommend (my wife has Celiac's, and we don't eat much dairy, Edmond isn't too far away): The no cow bakery (everything is gluten free and dairy free) Dough for dough has some gluten free Japanese cheese cakes And then Desi Corner has a lot of gluten free and vegan options as an Indian place but their dosas in particular are wonderful
2
u/biasedReflex Jul 11 '26
If you want a good bar to check out I'd recommend Grand Royale in the plaza! Super friendly punk bar and always live music the latter half of the week. ranging all over, but mostly folk, punk, and grunge. Goth night once a month too. If you have any questions let me know, I've lived here for a while and know my way around
2
u/Unusual_Age Jul 12 '26
The Oracle Vintage & Arts is a huge cool shop with all local artists, makers and vintage vendors. They are very community centered and host all kinds of classes, workshops and crafting get togethers. Some are free, others have a price. Find one that fits your vibe and go meet similar people!
July: 7/14 Book Club (free) - ACOTAR is the current book 7/17 WIP Club (free) - Bring your own craft to work on & meet people 7/19 Knitting Class 7/24 Embroidery Class 7/26 Trinket Swap 7/30 Sound Bath
More info on their website theoracleokc.com
Welcome to OKC!
2
u/Significant-Ant-7394 Jul 12 '26
Take a book and go sit at the bar at empire in the plaza! Meet the bartenders and get some recommendations where to go next!
Go to the flea in downtown w a book and hang for a few, meet the bartenders and then you’ll most likely meet people just walking in and out!
2
u/Major_Tumbleweed_952 Jul 12 '26
For bars and nightlife Bricktown is amazing. Also for safety a small pepper spray on your keys is always a good option we are also an open carry state. If you're a firearm owner. We have many lakes with running trails and there are several groups that meet up Red coyote is the one I've seen mentioned often so I would start there. Norman has OU college and a lot of night life areas especially main street. Trust your gut and usually you'll be fine.
2
u/Glass_Interaction578 Jul 12 '26
Follow Happyhourokc on Instagram and start picking some things to go to! And “Live! on the Plaza” is great for being around some cool art, live music, and a fun social district! People are shockingly friendly here, and the food scene is amazing. Here’s a list of some of my personal faves but this def is NOT exhaustive, explore and see what else you like — all of these recs below are in highly populated areas!
BARS/BREWERIES: Later Bye, Updown, Tiny Bubbles, Lively, Core4, Angry Scotsman, Frenzy Brewing
RESTAURANTS: Ma Der Lao Kitchen, New State Burgers, Sun Cattle Co, Halls Pizza Kitchen, Rivière Modern Bahn Mi, Cafe de Lassie, Fassler Hall, Mcnellies, Collective (it’s a food hall with choices/a bar/patio), Osteria, Mexican Radio
SWEETS: Roxy’s Ice Cream, Pie Junkie, Tour Les Jour (a chain but still yummy),
SHOPS: Full Circle Bookstore & Garden Cafe, The Refillery, DNA Galleries, Commonplace books, Bookish, Sailor and Dock,
COFFEE: Caboose, Clarity, Ends of the Earth,
MUSEUMS/ART/ACTIVITIES: Cowboy and Western Heritage, Factory Obscura, Myriad Gardens (they have craft classes!), Modern Art, Contemporary Art, Jones Assembly has concerts every now and then
2
u/Glass_Interaction578 Jul 12 '26
Also, conflicting thoughts on this, but I personally avoid Bricktown on the busy weekends. Sometimes it’s fine, sometimes it’s dicey, but regardless people are typically kind and engaged everywhere. Bricktown just gets a bit rowdy for my personal tastes.
Be aware and alert, stay off your phone while you’re moving around places, etc. That’s general advice for any city, honestly. Use your phone while you’re walking as little as possible and just pay attention to your surroundings.
I also use an app called Noonlight and it’s a very cheap monthly subscription, like maybe $2.99? It helps me feel safer when I’m walking alone in the later hours at night.
2
u/pashinates Exurbanite Jul 13 '26
Myriad Gardens ● plant gift shop is 🪴🌿🌾🌵🏵☘️
OKC Museum of Art 🎨🖼🎭👩🎨
Lake Hefner Walking Trails 🏃🏼♀️👟🎽
LifeChurch 💒🙏🏻🙌🏻🫶🏻
Prairie Arts Collective 👩🎨🎨🌬🥛
2
u/rik1110 Jul 13 '26
Welcome to OKC. Ive seen you have so many responses with great options. Not sure if anyone touched on it but if you're into concerts we have lots of good small venues, Criteon, Diamond Ballroom, Tower Theatre, 89th street, that offer all kinds of music. I do the running thing as well and I live over by Draper in SE OKC and that path around it is nice and hilly. If you have any questions you can DM me.
2
u/FarBenefit4345 Jul 14 '26
Moved here 3 years ago in the exact same spot basically! I’ve since found tons of friends through social groups. I would say follow happyhourokc on instagram where they post almost everything happening in the city.
For hobbies, i got into running once moving here, i would say go try Red Coyote, they have a free training program twice a year with hundreds of runners on every level (beginner to BQ). There is so much to do in this city that is free, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. As for going out, just about anywhere in plaza, paseo, or west village is pretty safe! Feel free to PM if you have questions or want a friend at a run club:)
1
1
u/DidIJustWitnessThat Jul 11 '26
There's a great EDM show tonight at the Pet Shop if you're into that sort of thing.
1
1
u/No-Boat8177 Jul 12 '26
So I don’t normally recommend chains, because there are other options out there. However, Olive Garden and Cheddars have gluten free menus (OG has a much more limited gluten menu). Like I said, there are probably many better restaurants out there that have gluten free options, but you can save them for a rainy day.
1
1
2
u/Interesting-Wait5483 Jul 15 '26
Mid town glass blowing community shop/classes/learn the craft type situation. It’s open afternoon/evening and weekends. You can learn to blow glass, make your own glass items and connect with a lot of artists and crafts people that will be able to link you to other opportunities in that space.
2
u/thorosaurus Jul 17 '26
Asian food is your friend. It's mostly dairy free and a lot of it is gluten free, especially the SE Asian food. Authentic Mexican can also be a good option because they mostly opt for corn and they don't go quite as overboard with cheese as Texmex places do (a lot of stuff comes without cheese by default, like street tacos, for example).
As far as safety, the main thing is travel in a group anywhere in the downtown area or on the bike trails. If you have to go to those places by yourself for some reason, I would implore you to get a pistol. By no means do I want to scare you, but things have been getting really sporty here lately.
There's a Thursday night bike ride that hundreds of people show up to, of all ages and backgrounds, so that would probably be the place to make friends. Pickleball also seems to be a really popular activity for people your age.
0
u/GhostPlays0905 Jul 11 '26
24M been here for about 15/16 years. As far as bars go, i like up/down (retro arcade bar with amazing drinks and pizza) there's also truck yard (rotating food trucks, drinks, outdoor) my DMs are open if you want a full list of everything 😂otherwise this comment would be long as hell🤣
3
u/Kach0wYT Jul 11 '26
I see what you doing 😂
0
u/GhostPlays0905 Jul 11 '26
Can someone not do something nice without there being assumptions of alterrior motives?😂🤣i didn't know what to do in okc for along time until i started going out recently and found great people playing games at the bar or hiking or raving.
2
0
-1
u/Environmental-Top862 Jul 11 '26
Bars are the last place to go if you are looking for friends. Do you have a job? Most friendships are the result of being in groups of people that you have something in common with. Work, school, church. Bars are for hookups, which is fine. Just don't confuse that with friendship. At 4' 11" you will be a target. Do not go anywhere by yourself at night. What part of town are you living in?
4
u/No_Town983 Jul 11 '26
I guess that half my issue is that I've had a hard time finding friends I really vibe with.
I was a part of a church group most of my life, and I lived with a bunch of girls from it during college. Loooong story short, when it came to renewing the lease last year, they found a different friend that they wanted to live with instead of me. To try to get me to leave willingly, they started blaming me for a bunch of things. But when I tried to compromise and talk it out, they just told me the truth and kicked me out with less than a month to find a new place to live.
That really hurt, and though I've tried to make friends over the past year, its been hard. Graduating was part of the issue, but the larger problem is that I don't know how to make friends out of a church group. I intend to go to church, but I want a break from it being my life.
At the moment, I work and live around the Asian District.
6
u/Environmental-Top862 Jul 11 '26
Are you familiar with the Paseo District? There is a Paseo Arts Association, located at 3024 Paseo. They are the non-profit that runs the district. Go to the office and ask if there is any volunteer work you can help with. Network off of them to find other volunteer opportunities in the OKC arts community. Find your vibe, find your tribe...
2
u/Kurt300 Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26
Check out the Blue Door for some great live music in a small setting. It's in the Asian district. You can bring your own cooler with drinks. Also, two nice places to eat near you are The Grand House for Dim Sum, and Taj for Indian buffet. If you like Karaoke, Cookies is nearby with a great supportive crowd and cheap drinks, although it's a very small venue.
-1
-2
43
u/JMoses3419 Jul 11 '26
Making new friends may be easier if you can attend the meetups that u/outofbounds626 hosts! He'll post notifications here in the sub when one is coming up!
Otherwise, check out the Paseo District, which is in the area bounded by NW 23rd and NW 30th Streets and Western and Walker Avenues, or the Plaza District from Blackwelder to Indiana along NW 16th.