Motorcycle

Miami to Langley – 115 miles

Take 69 South out of Miami towards Afton – a small town which continues to boast several examples of classic Route 66 architecture, most notably a D-X gas station built in 937.

Drivers can even take Ribbon Road, a nine-foot wide stretch of the original Route 66. Take note, the road is rough and narrow, so be sure to ride carefully.

Continuing onto Highway 85A to Highway 82 will take drivers to the Pensacola Dam in Langley. Built more than 75 years ago and on the National Register of Historic Places, the dam – at 1.24 miles long – is the longest multiple arch dam in the world. Run by the Grand River Dam Authority, free tours of Oklahoma’s first hydroelectric facility, take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Need a stretch break? Before crossing the dam (going from Langley to Disney), check out the GRDA Ecosystems and Education Center on the Langley side. This building contains historical information about how the dam, and subsequently Grand Lake, were formed. It also serves as the scientific hub for a state-of-the-art water quality laboratory.

Take Highway 28 through the countryside to connect Highway 127 and eventually Highway 59/10, to head north to Grove.

This laid-back lakeside community set in the rolling foothills of the Ozark Mountains, will give drivers a multitude of restaurants – including a few hometown favorites – designed to satisfy a hunger for lunch.

Continue along Highway 10 and venture to Grand Lake State Park-Twin Bridges, located approximately 20 minutes north on Highway 10. The sweeping views of Spring River are some of the most beautiful in Oklahoma. Take in a spectacular Oklahoma sunset and watch the light glimmer in the last rays of the day.

Wrap up the day by heading towards Miami, for a supper break and hotel, just 10 miles to the northwest.

Points of interest on the ride:

• Roadhog Saloon – Bernice. A biker bar known for it’s food and interesting decor.
• Grand Lake State Park – Bernice. A water-side state park with a nature center.
• Cosby’s Catfish Cafe – Eucha. A family-own restaurant renowned for their offerings.
• Mariee Wallace Museum – Jay – A museum which focuses on northeast Oklahoma history.
• The Grand Lake Queen – Grove. Take a ride Memorial Day to Labor Day on Oklahoma’s only paddleboat.
• Har-Ber Village – Grove – A living history museum which showcases the history of the midwest.
• Lendonwood Gardens – Grove. A botanical garden featuring everything from native plants to a Japanese garden complete with Koi pond.

Miami to Claremore – 185 miles.

Take Highway 69 South to the famous Clanton’s Restaurant in Vinita. The longest family-owned restaurant on Route 66, this restaurant – and it’s chicken fried steak and calf fries – were showcased on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives.

Head on down to Foyil, home of the 90 foot Totem Pole, the largest and oldest example of folk art in Oklahoma. A pit-stop in Claremore gives riders a chance to get an up close and personal visit with Oklahoma’s own cowboy poet/writer at the Will Rogers Museum.

The journey north on Highway 169 take visitors through the Oologah/Talala area, also known as the stomping grounds for Will Rogers.

Keep on Highway 60 and visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s only skyscraper, The Price Tower in Bartlesville. The Woolarc Museum and Wildlife Preserve is a treat for nature and animal lovers alike. The wide open spaces and tall grass prairie make for a memorable ride.

Wrap up the day by heading east on Highway 10, to make the way back to the “home away from home” in Miami.

Points of interest on the ride:

• JM Davis Arms and Historical Museum – Claremore. This is the largest privately owned firearm collection in the world.
• The Nut House – Claremore – A 40-plus-year-old establishment which sells native pecans.
• The Blue Whale – Catoosa. A waterfront structure which has become one of the most recognizable attractions on old Route 66
• Tom Mix Museum – Dewey. The museum features a collection of Mix’s memorabilia and more.

Miami to Tahlequah – 190 miles.

Head south on Highway 10 to Highway 125 to Tahlequah, the capital of Cherokee Nation. For those interested in Native American history and culture, Tahlequah offers a plethora of options.

The city was established as the capital for the Cherokee Nation in 1839, after members of the tribe were forced out west on the Trail of Tears.

A trip to the Cherokee Nation Prison Museum is on the must-see list. Built in 1875, the prison once held the most hardened criminals in Indian Territory. Today it features a two-building interpretive site which offers a plethora of information concerning Cherokee crime and punishment and law enforcement through a variety of interactive displays.

The ride into Tahlequah, along the Illinois River, offers a variety of sweeping twists and turns as motorists meander through the valleys and hills. This trip offers an assortment of roadside selfies and beautiful views of the riverfront.

Points of interest on the ride:

• Tahlequah History Trail – Tahlequah. A trail full of landmarks and sites which highlight the history of Cherokee Nation.
• Diligwa – Cherokee Heritage Center – Tahlequah. Experience life in a 1710 Cherokee Village on the grounds of the Cherokee Heritage Center. An outdoor living history exhibit is named for a derivative of Tellico, a village in the east that was once the principal Cherokee town, but now underwater.
• Rural Oklahoma Museum of Poetry – Locust Grove. The museum has a goal to bring poetry and people together, to encourage wordplay and literacy and to provide a space where everyone can experience poetry.
• Grand Lake State Park: Spavinaw Area – Spavinaw. Located on the western end of Spavinaw Lake, this state park is a quiet setting known for its turquoise water.
• Ozark Plateau Wildlife Refuge – Eastern Oklahoma. Located on the southwest edge of the Ozark Plateau and Boston mountains, the refuge consists of nine separate unites in four counties totaling 4,200 acres. The refuge is home to the Ozark big-eared bat, gray bat, Indiana bat and Ozark cave fish.