South Tulsa Tulsa, OK

Founded in 1904, Broken Arrow originally served as a small farming and coal mining town. With the construction of the Broken Arrow Expressway connecting the town to downtown Tulsa, the area experienced an economic and population boom, growing from a small town of 11,000 in 1970 to a suburb of 50,000 20 years later.

The Broken Arrow Historical Society Museum, located on Main Street near the town’s original train depot, houses local artifacts and histories. Just down the road, the Broken Arrow Performing Arts Center serves as the epicenter of the local arts community, hosting everything from high school recitals to national touring acts, including acts by locally born celebrity Kristen Chenoweth.

Every May, Broken Arrow hosts Rooster Days, Oklahoma’s longest-running annual festival. Opening with a parade down Main Street, the festival features a weekend of rides, live music and activities.

With no central restaurant district, residents in any part of Broken Arrow can find interesting local dining near them or can take the time to explore the city and discover its many hidden hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

Located in an unassuming strip mall storefront, Memories of Japan surprises first-time guests by serving one of Broken Arrow’s finest sushi selections. With original creations such as the Tulsa Roll (deep fried yellowtail) and the Dinosaur Roll (cucumber, masago, avocado, cream cheese, and eel), sushi connoisseurs can explore new flavors, while people apprehensive about sushi can find something to ease them into the experience.

Down the road is the Egg It On Café, a classic diner serving all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch. With signature items such as the Oklahoma burrito and tornado waffles, Egg It On cultivates unique local ambiance and flavor. The friendly and attentive wait staff ensures your coffee cup never goes empty.

Broken Arrow offers many options for authentic Mexican food, and El Tequila is a consistent local favorite. Serving an extensive menu of dishes, such as steak burritos and grilled vegetable fajitas, El Tequila has something to satisfy everyone, and with generous portion sizes, customers can expect to take home half their meal to enjoy later. The restaurant's signature margarita del la casa makes the perfect complement to any meal

.A classic gastropub, Main Street Tavern serves signature dishes such as seafood macaroni and cheese and meatball sliders. Featuring 30 different beers on tap and hosting live music on Friday and Saturday nights, Main Street Tavern is the nighttime destination of choice for Broken Arrow. On Sunday afternoons, the tavern offers specials on buffalo wing platters, making it the perfect location for a weekend brunch.

With few sidewalks and no dedicated bike lanes, residents find cars necessary in Broken Arrow. Fortunately, free parking is readily available throughout the city, and downtown Tulsa is accessible via an approximately 20-minute drive up U.S. 169 to OK-51, also known as the Broken Arrow Expressway.

Limited buses serve Broken Arrow and South Tulsa, with most routes operating every two hours. Both Lyft and Uber operate in the area, as do traditional taxi services.

Ray Harrell Nature Park in Broken Arrow includes 40 acres of flowering gardens, forest and creeks. Featuring a 3-mile trail and fishing ponds – often the site of Great Blue Heron sightings – this park is the perfect place to explore nature near town.

Haikey Creek Park provides a more developed park with amenities for multiple sports. With tennis courts, softball fields, soccer fields, and a disc golf course, Haikey Creek is the park of choice for athletes of all ages.

Every summer, the Broken Arrow Arts and Humanities Council turns Central Park into an outdoor concert venue. Every week in June, the annual Tuesdays in the Park series showcases a different local band. An event suited to all ages, families are encouraged to bring picnics to enjoy during the shows.

The cost of living index in this area is five points higher than the overall Tulsa cost of living, with housing costs the primary contributing factor. A one-bedroom apartment in the South Tulsa/Broken Arrow area averages $631.96 per month.

A one-way bus ticket to downtown runs $1.50, or residents can purchase daily, weekly or monthly passes at discounted rates. Additional discounts are offered for veterans, children and people with disabilities, and seniors over 75 ride for free. Commuters preferring to travel by car find gas prices in South Tulsa/Broken Arrow run 16 percent lower than the national average.

With a variety of shopping options scattered across the area, there is no central shopping district, and residents throughout the city typically find retail options within a few miles of their homes. Locals head to Emy Couture for fashionable women’s clothing and accessories from dresses, pants and blouses to shorts and headbands, in a fun, chic boutique setting.

Hidden away beyond a more modern shopping center, Persimmon Hollow Village recreates an 1880s old-west town and uses it as a setting for flea markets, consignment shops and specialty stores. Stop by to discover handmade goods such as wooden toys, ceramics and jewelry. Open Friday through Sunday, Persimmon Hollow offers something new each week, encouraging patrons to return to the village often.

Local chain retailer Reasor's serves as the area's primary grocer, while Sprouts Farmers Market provides an option for low-cost fresh and organic produce. The Rose District Farmers Market in the Main Street Rose District offers "Oklahoma-Made/Oklahoma-Grown" foods. Open Saturdays April through September, the farmers market brings with it fresh seasonal produce, meats, Amish breads and artisan crafts, such as handmade soaps.