Around Town

There are lots of recreation and sightseeing opportunities around the Norman/Oklahoma City (OKC) area. 

Getting Around

The Cleveland (County) Area Rapid Transit (CART) authority operates an extensive bus system in Norman, with additional service to downtown Oklahoma City. Also, the smaller size of Norman (105,000 residents) makes it easy to maneuver around town in a vehicle, as well.

Shuttle buses will be operating between the Embassy Suites Conference Center, shopping/restaurant districts (e.g. Campus Corner), and the dormitories on the OU campus during the course of the meeting.  NOTE: shuttle buses will not be operating between other nearby hotels and the convention center, so other means of transportation (i.e. private car, taxi, other hotel shuttles, CART bus) will be required for those persons not staying in either the conference hotel or dormitories.

Fun Places to Visit Around Norman and OKC

Norman
For a full listing of attractions/events/happenings in Norman, please visit the Norman Convention and Visitors Bureau , a proud sponsor of Evolution 2011.

Oklahoma City
There are a number of sites/attractions that are within an easy (25-35 minute) drive from Norman.

These include:

• Bricktown cultural district

• Myriad Botanical Gardens

• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum

• Oklahoma City Museum of Art

• Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum

• Oklahoma City Zoo

• Oklahoma History Center

• Oklahoma National Stockyards

 

Regional Adventures & Natural Attractions

For those more interested in exploring the natural beauty of Oklahoma, the following attractions might be of interest: Please note that the state of Oklahoma has the second highest number – 12 – of EPA level-III eco-regions in the U.S. – only California with 13 has more.

Here are some regional adventures and natural attractions that you can explore with friends and family:

• Chickasaw Cultural Center (~1-hr drive south of Norman)  

• Chickasaw National Recreational Area (~1-hr drive south of Norman)

• Great Salt Plains Lake and State Park (2.5 hrs north/northwest of Norman ; “the only spot in the world where crystal enthusiasts can dig for "hourglass selenite" crystals, a rare and fragile form of selenite, which is a form of gypsum.” It is also noted for its populations of shorebirds as an important stop-over point within the Central U.S. flyway.

• Talimena Scenic Drive (approximately 3 hrs east/southeast of Norman); located at the top of the Winding Stair Mountains in eastern Oklahoma, part of the Central Highlands.

• Turner Falls Park (~1-hr south of Norman in the Arbuckle Mts.)