By Jennifer Seaton, Edmond Tourism Director
1. Arcadia Lake
Did you know Edmond has a boathouse? Enjoy ziplining, a ropes course for team building and a fleet of kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards and mountain bikes for rent at the UCO Boathouse at Arcadia Lake. After visiting the boathouse, complete the weekend with camping; you’ll find full RV hookups and primitive camping, picnic areas, swimming, fishing, equestrian trails, boating, disc golf, hiking, biking and more. View current fees and guidelines at edmondok.gov/338/Arcadia-Lake.
2. Street Festivals
Downtown Edmond comes to life with parties along Broadway from Danforth to 2nd Street — from the original Heard on Hurd, featuring food trucks and live music, to the new VIBES where 40 downtown businesses host visual and performing artists highlighting creativity in action. Other street festivals include a motorcycle haven during Edmond Bike Night, the annual Downtown Edmond Arts Festival and award-winning Independence Day celebration LibertyFest. Find up-to-date event details at visitedmondok.com/events and keep this cheat sheet handy:
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- Heard on Hurd – third Saturdays (March-Oct)
- VIBES – first Thursdays (April-Oct)
- Edmond Bike Night – every Tuesday (April-Oct)
- Downtown Edmond Arts Festival April 29-May 1
- LibertyFest (two weekend celebration over July 4)
3. Parks & Trails
Try exploring Edmond on more than 40 miles of paved and multi-use trails. Here are some favorites: Mitch Park Trail features a 2.8-mile paved outer trail with 1.8 miles of inner trails and 1.5 miles of primitive trails that can be accessed at various trailheads. Fink Park’s 1-mile path connects to Hafer Park’s Trail for a 1.7-mile ride. Bickham-Rudkin Park’s Trail takes a 1.25-mile loop around an urban pollinator prairie and continues along a pond and through Whispering Heights Park to connect to Oklahoma Christian University’s 2.5-mile Eagle Trail. The 2.5-mile Spring Creek Trail features dedicated cycling and pedestrian lanes as well as great views of Arcadia Lake and lush fauna. The Route 66 Trail is part of a master plan to complete a trail system around the lake. The trail offers two expansive lanes with plenty of room for cycling, walking, running, strolling or dog walking and periodic resting points with benches. Check out a complete list of Edmond parks and trails at visitedmondok.com/recreation.
4. Public Art
Nearly 300 pieces of public art dot Edmond with color and beauty. Some are in plain sight and others are tucked away and best admired via walking or biking. Not only are murals and bronze sculptures scattered throughout parks, sidewalks, medians and businesses, but you can engage with new interactive art.
- Route 66 Selfie Shield at Festival Market Place.
- Key to My Heart by Zonly Looman near The Edmond Railyard encourages hanging a lock on the letters to commemorate a special moment.
- The I’m Grateful Wall at 1st and Broadway lets visitors write words of gratitude in chalk.
- Share the Love at the Post Office on Broadway holds stamped postcards of Edmond to write a message and mail.
- Edmond Fine Arts Institute’s Little Free Art Gallery is a space for artists to leave small pieces they create for others to take and enjoy.
Take self-guided art tours on your own time. University of Central Oklahoma students partnered with Edmond Visual Arts Commission to map out six short tours:
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- Bicycle Art Tour – Scenic ride to enjoy more than 20 art pieces.
- Downtown Art Tour – Explore more than 30 art pieces on this walking tour.
- Mural Art Tour – Embark on a journey of color and imagination to see more than 10 murals.
- BoulevART Art Tour – Boulevard Street features more than 20 installations, with at least one piece on each block.
- UCO Art Tour – Admire more than 15 sculptures on campus.
- Historic Art Tour – Experience Edmond’s history through more than 20 sculptures.
5. Live Music
Edmond’s Summer Music Concert Series will be enhanced this year. Live local and regional musicians will rotate between performances at Hafer Park and Mitch Park Amphitheater. Bring blankets and lawn chairs on Thursdays from 6:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. from May to August.
A gorgeous gem north of Edmond hosts the brightest stars in classical, jazz, folk dance, theater, ballet and more from international artists at Armstrong Auditorium. This world-class performing arts center has historical exhibits in the lobby, a “Swans in Flight” bronze and steel sculptural masterpiece in a 120-foot reflecting pond, Austrian crystal chandeliers and the finest Steinway and Sons pianos in the world.
The UCO Jazz Lab in Stephenson Park is a world-class entertainment venue featuring an artfully relaxed atmosphere styled after jazz clubs in New Orleans.
Experience live music like a local at one of these favorites:
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- Taproom Tunes at Frenzy Brewing Company
- Jam sessions at The Blues and Jazz Cafe
- Live music nights at the Patriarch Craft Beer House
6. Golf
Edmond has three courses waiting “fore” you. The Golf Club of Edmond accommodates both members and daily fee guests. It is home to one of the largest youth golf programs in the region and is equipped for tournaments and special events in the clubhouse. Kickingbird Golf Club, Edmond’s original golf course, is closed for renovations and will become one of the best municipal courses in the nation. Celebrating 50 years, this gem’s capital improvement project includes rebuilding all 18 greens, a 13,384-square-foot clubhouse, a 6,670-square-foot banquet hall, driving range expansion and adding a short game practice facility. Edmond is also home to Oak Tree National and Oak Tree Country Club with 54 holes of championship golf.
7. Indoor Play
When the weather is iffy, Edmond’s indoor play options will cure the “I’m bored” groan. ShowBiz Cinemas off I-35 and Covell is a leisure center including a 10-screen multiplex with reclining seats, bowling alley, restaurant, bar and arcade. The Mitch Park YMCA in North Edmond and the Rankin YMCA in central Edmond have day passes to swim, play basketball and enjoy an exercise class. Arctic Edge Ice Arena offers lessons, figure skating and leagues for hockey, as well as open skating. Blockworks is a downtown indoor rock-climbing gym for all ability levels. Break Room 405 has a room full of breakable items or a paint option to get messy. Clue Quest Escape Room is “video-game meets real life,” with a side order of “whodunit” and just enough stress to make you tingle. UCO CO-OP Esports Gaming Arena is a 7,500-square-foot, multi-million dollar facility providing a home to the gaming community, birthday parties and esports tournaments. Daily Shredd indoor skate park features a 12-foot vert ramp, a mini ramp with an escalator and a street course for skaters, clinics and camps. Edmond Center Court has 6 indoor tennis courts in addition to its 24 outside. Edmond Unplugged is a family-friendly board game lounge located in downtown Edmond.
8. Local Shops Galore
Edmond’s retail spans from unique and eclectic to high-end and on-trend. Local favorites include bookstores Best of Books and Commonplace Books, which meet readers at every age and stage of life. With story times for littles, book clubs and author and book launch events, Edmond has the corner on community bookstores.
RISE, Retail Incubator for Shopkeeper Experience, is sponsored by Citizen’s Bank of Edmond in partnership with the Independent Shopkeepers Association. This low-cost, low-risk program helps Oklahoma retail businesses navigate their next steps in growth. The retail businesses rotate and offer shoppers the opportunity to get their hands on new products and give feedback and encouragement for future ventures.
Mira Bird will delight the eyes with its clean, yet elegant design. In Latin, Mira means remarkable, surprising or extraordinary. Offering unique finds for home decor, kitchen and cocktail, wellness and more, this is the place to find a new treasure.
Habit, a locally owned clothing boutique with modern fashion choices for men, women and teens. carries carefully curated and affordable apparel. The store offers personal styling to ensure customers look and feel their best.
At Plenty Mercantile, a purveyor of eco-friendly and sustainable goods, shopkeepers guide conscious consumers as they select from a wide range of tchotchkes, baby, kids and pet products, jewelry, home fragrances and decor, puzzles and books.
Thrifting is good for the environment and easy on the wallet. Clothes Mentor buys and sells a wide range of name-brand women’s clothes, shoes and handbags. Uptown Cheapskate buys and sells men and women’s trend-forward clothing, shoes and accessories. HOPEfully Yours is a resale store with a great cause: All proceeds from the sale of clothing, home, kitchen, child and baby wares are used to fund the HOPE Center Health Clinic and to buy fresh milk, meat and produce for Edmond families in need.
Outdoor Apparel and Gear
Outfitting outdoor enthusiasts, Native Summit has all that’s needed for an adventure. Al’s Bicycles and Phat Tire offer a wide selection of bicycles and cycling gear.
9. Eats & Drinks
Edmond Bar Hop
Frenzy Brewing is Edmond’s first brewery. With a taproom in Downtown Edmond, beer enthusiasts are welcome to bring in the food of their choice. It also offers canned beer and growlers to go.
The Patriarch Craft Beer House & Lawn in downtown Edmond is a renovated 1900s home providing a community gathering place. Choose from dozens of local and microbrews and craft cocktails. The patio is pup friendly, has lawn games, hosts live music and keeps fire pits burning on cooler evenings.
1884 is a two-story bar and cigar lounge at the Edmond Railyard. All ages are welcome on the first floor to enjoy the full food menu and beverages. The floating cigar lounge mezzanine is open to those 21+.
Coffee Crawl
Edmond boasts 10 local roasters. We dare you to try each one.
All About Cha – two locations on Broadway and Covell
Aspen Coffee – two locations on 15th and 2nd Street
Café Evoke in downtown Edmond
Ellis Island Coffee and Wine Lounge – two locations in downtown Edmond and Bryant Ave.
Hi Tea X Coffee Tree on Danforth
Low Battery Coffee at Stephenson Park
Prelude Coffee at Ice House Project
Summer Moon Coffee at Edmond Railyard
Wilder Coffee on Boulevard
The Brew on Memorial at Oklahoma Christian
Two Food Halls
The Edmond Railyard is a historic area that is now home to restaurants, a coffee shop, craft bar and office and retail space. The former lumberyard turned food hall features seven restaurants and a 20,000-square-foot covered patio. Recent expansions include Empire Slice Pizza, Plant and Urban Okie boutique.
The Ice House Project is a new development featuring restaurants and an outdoor gathering space just west of Broadway, off Route 66. Returning to its roots, the Ice House includes an urban creamery and plenty of space to make memories with friends and family. With ample eating opportunities, on-site restaurants at The Ice House Project include The Fried Taco specializing in Caribbean and American taco fusions, Detroit-style Woodward Pizza, Prelude Coffee and a soon-to-be-named brewery. A farm-to-table restaurant is also in the works.
Edmond’s Ethnic Oasis
Bet you didn’t realize that Edmond is a destination for ethnic dining.
Muu Shabu – Japanese Hot Pot
Mt. Everest Cuisines – Nepali and Indian
Thai Delight – Thai and Japanese
Zarates – Latin and Mexican
Simply Falafel – Greek
Jerusalem – Middle Eastern
Tamashii – Ramen
Bulgogi – Korean
10. Year-Round Farmers Market
Since 1988, the Edmond Farmer’s Market has been one of the premier places for Oklahoma farmers to sell their crops directly to consumers. Shop every Saturday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. in downtown Edmond at Festival Market Place in the summer and from 9 a.m. – noon at Mitch Park Senior Center in the winter. Over the years, the market has expanded to include local gardeners, bakers, food manufacturers, ranchers and artisans. Online ordering is available through WhatsGood. Shoppers can create a free account at sourcewhatsgood.com or download the WhatsGood Marketplace app.
