North Tulsa - Tulsa, OK Area Guide

Farming settlement first came to the North Tulsa area in the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, the arrival of the Kansas, Oklahoma Central & Southwestern Railway Company and the discovery of oil allowed the area to thrive. Today North Tulsa exists as an unusual cross between a sleepy bedroom community and a thriving industrial center.

The Owasso Historical Museum preserves and exhibits artifacts from Owasso’s history and the history of the surrounding area. The museum is free and open to the public, and large groups can arrange for private tours.

Most North Tulsa area restaurants operate in Owasso, near US-169, though a handful of unique local restaurants also thrive in downtown Sperry.

Operating out of a food truck in downtown Sperry, Buffalo's BBQ proves an unlikely local treasure. Owner Donny Teel holds over 40 Grand Championship barbeque titles, including the Jack Daniels BBQ World Championship and the American Royal BBQ Championship. Few competitive barbeque chefs keep their day jobs at barbeque restaurants, which makes Buffalo's BBQ a rare treat. Open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until the food runs out, Buffalo's BBQ serves sandwiches, entrees and barbeque by the pound. Teel also teaches classes for cooks looking to break into the world of competitive barbeque.

Trails End Barbecue and Grill provides another option for barbeque across town. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the smoked brisket proves a consistent customer favorite. Local acoustic musicians grace the stage in the evening, creating an inviting ambiance.

Bricktown Brewery serves handcrafted beers alongside a menu of burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and quesadillas. Since 1992, the brewery has crafted an ever-changing selection of ales, lagers and stouts. Though focused primarily on their own beers, Bricktown also features a wide selection from other local microbreweries. The brewery periodically hosts a beer tasting, accompanied by live music, and offers catering for events around town.

Be prepared for a drive into central Tulsa for nightlife, as the northern regions are scarce on clubs and music venues. Teleport back to 1980s and 1990s USA at The Max Retropub, where the pop culture icons of yesteryear reign. Spend the night battling your friends at the Pac-Man machine while enjoying $2 draft beer specials and Jell-O shots. The sounds of retro tunes keep the crowd pumped, while the nostalgic decor makes you pine for high tops and skee-ball.

As a sprawling decentralized community, North Tulsa proves difficult to navigate on foot. A lack of bike lanes makes cycling equally unfeasible. Pedestrians find downtown Owasso more welcoming, but traveling outside this area requires a car. Fortunately, drivers find ample free parking throughout the area.

Sperry lies near US-75, which connects the town to downtown Tulsa via a 12-mile drive. US-169 runs through Owasso, about 14 miles from downtown Tulsa.

No bus routes operate in North Tulsa. Uber, Lyft, and traditional taxi services all pick up passengers in the area, and airport shuttles make regular runs to and from Tulsa International Airport.

Rayola Park features standard community park amenities including a playgroun, a basketball court, a volleyball court, walking trails and picnic shelters, as well as a splash pad. The park hosts the annual Owasso Harvest Festival, featuring food vendors, live music, animals, games, a kiddie train, face painting and balloon art. The Owasso Animal Shelter joins the festival to present BARKtoberfest, highlighting animals available for adoption.

Bailey Ranch Golf Club provides the Tulsa area’s most celebrated public golf course. An 18-hole course, putting area and driving range allow players of all levels to practice their skills. Greens fees range from $30 during the day to $12 after 5 p.m. Kids 17 and under always play for free with a paying adult. A pro shop outfits players, while the Bailey Grille breakfast, burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. Onsite event planners can arrange for all-inclusive events ranging from small groups to major tournaments.

The cost of living varies significantly throughout North Tulsa, with Owasso cost of living running 5 percent higher than the Tulsa average and Sperry cost of living running 7 percent lower, with housing costs being the largest contributor to the disparity. A typical one-bedroom North Tulsa apartment rents for $637 per month, which is somewhat lower than the average Tulsa price of $712.

North Tulsa lies in an oil-producing region, and gas prices run 21 percent lower than the national average. This discount takes some of the sting out of local pubs' prices, which sometimes drop to $2-3 thanks to frequent beer specials.

Owasso hosts a variety of big box stores across a few centralized shopping centers, while shoppers can discover many unique local businesses hidden throughout the neighborhood.

The Smashed Thumb Greenhouse serves all area gardening needs. A lifelong gardener, owner Tracie Poland has spent the last 19 years studying which plants perform well in the Oklahoma climate, and she assists customers in designing their flower beds. The 3000-square-foot greenhouse stocks annuals, perennials, and vegetable plants. Open seven days a week, customers needing design advice should visit on Monday through Thursday for the most attentive service.

Scoreboard Sports Center caters to area sports teams and individual athletes. Scoreboard prints uniforms and engraves trophies, generally with a turnaround time of only two or three days. Customers can purchase their uniforms on site, or can bring in their own pieces to be printed. A comprehensive sporting goods store, Scoreboard carries few name-brand lines of merchandise, allowing them to sell equipment for lower prices.

Local chain Reasor's serves as Owasso's primary grocer. Residents often head to downtown Tulsa to enjoy the fresh, local produce available at the Tulsa Farmers' Market. This market features farmers that are 100 percent Oklahoma Grown certified -- everything sold here was produced in the state. You'll also find local artists selling paintings, sculptures, and crafts.