Ultimate Guide to the Gathering Place: Tulsa’s Top Family Attraction
The Gathering Place in Tulsa is the newest incredible park to visit and explore in the U.S.
It was designed by the same brilliant landscape architect who created Maggie Daley Park in Chicago and Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York.
This park has the ability to make Tulsa a bucket list travel destination for families across the United States.
Our family was lucky enough to visit the Gathering Place recently.
Below are the answers to all of your questions about the Gathering Place as well as some helpful tips!
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How big is the Gathering Place?
Currently the Gathering Place is 66 acres of park space. There are two additional phases still in progress which will bring the size of the Gathering Place to about 100 acres!
How long can I plan to spend at the Gathering Place?
In my opinion, you could easily spend an entire day at the Gathering Place and then even possibly need to go back for another walk or activity such as a boat rental the next day.
If you plan to stay for the whole day, there are numerous dining options available for your family, too!
There really is SO much to do and see at the Gathering Place. To download a map, click here.
Does it cost to get into the Gathering Place?
The Gathering Place is absolutely FREE!
Parking in the Gathering Place parking lots is also free.
Can you swim at the Gathering Place?
Currently there is no swimming at the Gathering Place, but you may want to bring a change of clothes or swimwear for the different areas with water features.
These spots will not only refresh you on a hot summer day but will also bring about loads of fun for everyone!
What is the theme at the Gathering Place?
The Gathering Place was developed in order to bring people together. Also, as its name implies, it is a place to spend time with not only your family but also to meet with friends old and new from communities across the Tulsa area and beyond.
Additionally, from an architectural landscape perspective, the river and natural landscape of the area was incorporated into the Gathering Place when it was designed. You will notice this when you visit.
What amenities are at the Gathering Place?
The Gathering Place has both Williams Lodge and ONEOK Boathouse where people can go inside and relax.
Both of these buildings are absolutely incredible. I highly recommend taking a few moments to see the inside of both.
Both Williams Lodge and ONEOK Boathouse have dining options for visitors as well as restrooms.
These buildings are both fantastic places to lounge and relax with your family, friends, and those around you.
What activities are at the Gathering Place?
As I have mentioned above, there is just SO much to do, see, and explore for EVERYONE at the Gathering Place.
First of all, there is the Adventure Playground which gets its own little section below. This is the most popular place where kids can climb, slide, pretend, explore, and so much more!
Besides the Adventure Playground some other great activities at the Gathering Place include:
- Slide Vale– Four exciting slides are built into the landscape here.
- Swing Hill– There are swings for everyone at Swing Hill. An extra bonus here is that you can swing from the highest point in the park and see amazing views of downtown Tulsa.
- Mist Mountain– This is a fun place to get refreshed from the heat of summer. Make sure to bring a change of clothes or swimwear.
- Charlie’s Water Mountain– Another great place to cool off when you need a break from the heat.
- Sports Courts–These courts are perfect for basketball, volleyball, and street soccer or hockey.
- Skate Park– In addition to skateboarding, there is also a BMX track. Both of these areas have challenges for all skill levels.
- Peggy’s Pond– This is a great place to relax on the beach or in a lounge chair as well as rent a paddleboat, kayak or canoe to paddle around.
- ONEOK Boathouse– This amazing building has boat rentals, food and drink options, a place to relax, and other events and programming.
- Williams Lodge– The Lodge is a fantastic place to take a break during your amazing day at the Gathering Place. It has restrooms, dining, and places to relax with your family.
Additionally, the Gathering Place also has many trails for walking or bike riding.
When you are wandering through the Gathering Place, you never know what unique or special thing you might find around the corner!
All About the Adventure Playground
More than likely the kids’ favorite area at the Gathering Place will be the Adventure Playground.
The Adventure Playground is divided into zones with each area having a theme of its own as well as a suggested age range for play.
Below are some of my boys’ favorite spots in the Adventure Playground.
- The castle which is part of Spiral Connector including its suspension bridges, towers, and climbing nets
- Skywalk Forest with its huge slides, climbing ropes and nets, and tunnels to crawl through
- Land of the River Giants with the Blue Heron slides, and Paddlefish to climb on
- Mirror maze in the Ramble Sensory Garden
- Banana slide and climbing structure in Fairyland Forest.
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Top 5 Tips for Visiting the Gathering Place
#1 Bring a stroller or wagon
There is lots of walking at the Gathering Place. After an exciting day of playing and exploring, younger kids will want to ride in the stroller or wagon.
Additionally, if you have to park at the overflow lot, the walk will take you about 10-15 minutes to get to the Adventure Playground so having a stroller or wagon is helpful.
Finally, sometimes we love having a stroller or wagon just to hold all of our stuff including extra clothes, swimwear, snacks, water bottles, and more!
#2 Have a change of clothes or swimwear
I have mentioned this a few times but because there are many opportunities to get wet at the Gathering Place, I would bring proper attire to do so.
Plus, it is always smart to have an extra change of clothes when you are outside playing as there are a number of other things that could happen that may require a clothes change.
Maybe even consider bringing extra shoes or make sure you have both sandals and athletic shoes.
#3 Arrive early
The Gathering Place is a super popular place and rightfully so! If you want to beat some of the crowds and get a good parking spot, I would recommend getting there early in the day.
Plus, there is so much to do and see at the Gathering Place, it is beneficial to get there early so you have most of the day to experience this amazing place!
#4 Be aware of the parking situation
As discussed above, there are two primary parking lots. One is super convenient as it is located right next to Williams Lodge and the Adventure Playground. Additionally, it is close to the areas that have the water features. This is handy to get back to your car quickly if you need something.
The overflow parking lot is on the other side of the Discovery Lab Museum and is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Adventure Playground.
We didn’t realize that there were two different lots when we visited. We first drove to the main lot and saw it was closed so then had to do some turning around and had to sit in a little bit of traffic to get to the overflow lot.
If you pass by the gravel overflow lot as you are driving in and you see a bunch of cars there, it is maybe safe to assume the other lot is already full. You could perhaps save yourself a bit of time and just park in the overflow lot.
On the other hand, if there are not many cars in the overflow lot, then maybe you can hope the parking lot near Williams Lodge is still open.
#5 Make a plan with your kids
Before you set your kids loose in the Adventure Playground, I would set some ground rules with them and make a plan for where to meet if anyone gets lost.
I also suggest staying as a group in each play zone before moving on to the next one. That way if you can’t find someone, they should at least be in the same area as you!
I hope this helps give you a good idea of what to expect at the Gathering Place. It is certainly an amazing park and one of the coolest places we have ever been!
If you are looking for more to do in Tulsa after visiting the Gathering Place, check out my post Free Things to Do in Tulsa for some more fantastic ideas.
May you LOVE your adventure. KW