Oklahoma, the Sooner State, is home to the Cherokee Nation. Legend has it that its name "sooner" came from the settlers who wanted to get to Oklahoma "sooner" than the others did. Vacationers also should want to get to Oklahoma sooner to try out its trails. Whether bicycling, walking, motor biking, horseback riding, dune buggying, or riding an ATV Oklahoma has a trail waiting to be explored. The trails are in the cities, like Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and in the rural areas. Maps of the trails are available at no cost, and the trails vary distance, surface, and difficulty. Rollerblading, mountain biking, road biking, and hiking are welcome on the city trails, which have picnic areas.

Oklahoma is revitalizing all of its tourism and focusing on family-friendly activities. Oklahoma visitors looking for city fun need to visit Oklahoma City and Norman for a long weekend. Oklahoma City has an exciting water-park, zoo, and museum--featuring natural history. It even has an Omniplace with a planetarium. Young visitors like to visit The Elevator Indoor Gym, a former grain elevator with many climbing surfaces. Norma has the National Cowboy Heritage and the Perfect Swing Family Fun Center. The lodging in both cities is comfortable, and there are many "cowboy" or western theme restaurants serving great steaks. Tulsa and Bartlesville along with Oklahoma City have lots of arts and culture including, art collections and Broadway-like entertainment.

Oklahoma has plenty of water for boating, sailing, fishing, and water sports. Boaters with big motorboats go to the Grand Lake of the Cherokees while others seeking water sports go to Broken Bow Lake or the Illinois River. Visitors to Grand Lake of the Cherokees can ride the lake on the Cherokee Queen for dinner cruises. After spending a few hours on the water and in the Oklahoma sun, visitors can explore the botanical gardens in Grove or the National Rod and Custom Car Hall of Fame. At Muskogee, visitors can tour the USS Batfish War Memorial Park. The USS Batfish is an actual World War II submarine that is open for walk throughs. Golfing is also available throughout Oklahoma. Cedar Creek, known as the "Little Augusta" is near Broken Bow Lake and open to the public.

Visitors to Oklahoma, who are looking for a "western adventure," just have to "saddle up." In southeastern Oklahoma, there are ranches nestled among the canyons and the mountains where there are buffalo and elk. In northwestern Oklahoma, cowboys can follow the trails of the cattlemen on horseback and visit the sand dunes, salt plains, and caverns.

Interesting auto-trips that include Oklahoma are:

• Driving tour following the Trail of Tears;
• Will Rogers, son of Oklahoma, called Route 66, the Mother Road. Driving Route 66 is a lesson in history;
• Use Oklahoma as the base for exploring Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico--or other points west.