Oklahoma City is a great place to get outside and enjoy local parks. With 235 days of sunshine a year, there are more days to play, fish, boat, kayak, canoe, paddleboard, hike, run, and walk. The Créme de la Créme staff would like to share seven awesome parks near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, that you can explore with your family.

Lake Overholser

Lake Overholser is a perfect spot for kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, and boating. It’s also a prime spot for fishing and a great place to picnic. On the west side of Lake Overholser lies Route 66 Park, which features a walkable version of the historic highway, fishing wetlands, a rentable park shelter, a skate park, a watchtower, and an amphitheater. You can visit Stinchcomb Wildlife Refuge just north of the lake, a tranquil spot in a natural wildlife area where you can hike, bike, bird-watch, or fish.

Location: Council Road and Morgan Road.

Hefner Lake and Parks

Lake Hefner is a 2,500-acre urban lake with 18 miles of shoreline, offering many features and activities. The lake has an average depth of 29 feet. There are picnic areas, group shelters, grills, and playgrounds for gatherings with friends or family. Lake Hefner has a boat dock and fishing docks, including an enclosed heated fishing dock. Boat slips and dry storage are also available. Boating and fishing on Lake Hefner require local permits. You’ll also find a running track, soccer field, softball field, and a nature trail perfect for walking or hiking.

Surrounding parks offers several activities, including a golf course with a pro shop and cart rental, a model airplane field, and the Stars and Stripes Skatepark for intermediate skateboarders. You’ll also find the beautiful Bert Cooper trail, made up of nine miles of paved walking, running, and biking trails. Playgrounds, sports fields, and picnic facilities can also be found at the various parks. You can also visit the Lake Hefner Lighthouse to watch sailboats pass by or kite surfers ride across the waves, making a stunning backdrop for photographs, especially at sunset.

Location: Portland and Lakeshore Drive.

Martin Park Nature Center

A secluded spot in nature comprising 140 acres of verdant grasslands, rich foliage, and rocky streams, Martin Park Nature Center offers a fantastic experience. This is a prime getaway from urban life and an oasis of nature within the city, rich with educational experiences and opportunities to explore nature. Martin Park Nature Center has trails spanning three miles, running through the wildlife sanctuary and recreational area.

A hands-on educational facility is located within the nature center. There’s also a bird observation wall and a 12-foot watchtower. Stop by to play in the nature-themed playground or sit down to a picnic in the picnic pavilion.

Location: 5000 W. Memorial Road.

Memorial Park

Memorial Park has something for everyone of all ages. It includes tennis courts, a playground, a soccer field, basketball hoops, walking paths, a recreation center, and a seasonal splash pad. The park is centrally located in the city, for fun near you no matter where you live in Oklahoma City. You can visit Memorial Park daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. to enjoy its facilities. It’s a great place to bring the kids to run out a little energy or play a pick-up game.

Location: 1150 Northwest 36th St.

Myriad Botanical Gardens

Myriad Botanical Gardens is a 15-acre lush green space within the heart of downtown. Their spacious grounds are home to seasonal activities, some of which are spring bulb displays, movies, concerts, classes, and the yearly children’s festivals. The children’s garden has a playground with play equipment, an ice skating rink in the winter, and a water feature in the summer. Locals flock to the Myriad Botanical Gardens to walk, share a picnic, walk their dogs, listen to free concerts, and enjoy the ample greenery and flowers. Best of all, the gardens are free.

Location: 301 West Reno Ave.

Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park

Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park is a 26,000-square-foot outdoor sports park for skateboarders, BMX riders, and rollerbladers. It’s the state’s largest skate park and the most challenging, and its high quality ranks Mat Hoffman Action Sports Park in the top 10 skate parks in the U.S. The action sports park has two parts: a street course comprised of ledges and handrails and a flow course with bowl combinations. Grab your helmet and head to the park for some action-packed fun.

Location: 1700 S. Robinson Ave. 

Will Rogers Gardens

Will Rogers Gardens features the amenities of the Margaret Annis Boys Arboretum, Charles E. Sparks Color Garden, Ed Lycan Conservatory, and Will Rogers Garden Exhibition Center. This park started as a dairy farm with a long, storied history beginning in 1912. Over the years, it has held many names, but in 1939 it was named the Will Rogers Gardens in honor of Will Rogers, a revered Oklahoma native. This is a 30-acre garden with plant beds, red rock walls, ponds, and overlooks.

Will Rogers Gardens is a park featuring bountiful gardens with picturesque views and lovely spaces filled with lush, blooming flowers and leafy trees. Besides being a wonderful historic place to look at the greenery and flowers and walk the grounds, Will Rogers Gardens offers programming amidst its serene setting for folks new to the park and gardening as well as those considered seasoned green thumbs. They provide hands-on gardening and horticulture classes throughout every season of the year, focusing on introductory how-to instructions for home landscaping and gardening.

There are family-friendly workshops, special events, holiday programming, and various classes throughout the year. A horticulturalist or specialist leads every class with expertise. Will Rogers Gardens partners with horticulture educators from the Oklahoma State University County Extension Center, who offer master gardeners the chance to strengthen their gardening skills in a real-life setting. Then for the youth, there are family classes and kids-only camps held during spring break and summer. The children learn about nature and the outside world through hands-on experience in these classes.

Location: 3400 Northwest 36th St.

With the wealth of parks and other outdoor spaces for all ages to explore, Oklahoma City has a wide array of spots to be one with nature and take a little time away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Créme de la Créme of Oklahoma City team hopes you can find time to get outside and explore one or more of these awesome parks that Oklahoma City offers.