Norman (Oklahoma)

Norman is a city in the Frontier Country region of Oklahoma and in Cleveland County. With a population of 128,000 (2020), it is the third largest city in the state and is home to the University of Oklahoma (popularly known as OU), the state's largest and flagship university. == Get in == Norman is less than 30 minutes due south of Oklahoma City, and approximately 3 hours north of Dallas, on I-35. It is easiest to access by car, though there is limited Amtrak service to the area (train does stop in Norman), as well as bus service from Oklahoma City. An Airport Express shuttle will transport you from the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City directly to your destination in Norman: ☏ +1 405 681-3311. === By bus === There are multiple daily Greyhound buses from Dallas. The bus stop is located at 506 North Porter Ave. EMBARK, the public bus system in both Oklahoma City and Norman, operates the 24 Norman Express from the Oklahoma City Transit Center to the Norman Transit Center at 320 E Comanche St. The bus costs $3 per person and runs four times a day on weekdays, but it does not run on weekends. === By train === Amtrak serves Norman with its once-daily Heartland Flyer, running between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas. The southbound train departs around 9AM while the northbound leaves just before 9PM. 1 Norman Station is located at 200 S Jones Ave, close to Main St. == Get around == Norman has a small transit system, so it's easier to get around by car. Areas around the OU campus can be accessed on foot. EMBARK, the local bus system, is free within Norman and runs Monday through Saturday. All routes converge at the 2 Norman Transit Center at 320 E Comanche St. OU's CART shuttle, which runs on weekdays during the school year, is mostly for students, but it can still help you get around the campus area. All routes converge at the 3 Campus Depot across from the football stadium's west side. Campus Area Rapid Transit (CART). (updated Jul 2025) EMBARK, ☏ +1 405 235-7433. (updated Jul 2025) == See == Norman is home to the University of Oklahoma, a member of the Big 12 Conference until joining the Southeastern Conference in July 2024. The OU campus, the heart of the city, is north of Highway 9 and south of Boyd St in between Elm St and Jenkins. It has a 2 million-volume library open to the public, a wide array of undergraduate and graduate programs, a law school, National Championship-winning football, men's gymnastics, and softball teams, with softball being especially dominant in the early 2020s. It houses two major museums (see below, under Do). 1 Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave (on the OU campus), ☏ +1 405 325-3272, museuminfo@ou.edu. Houses a notable collection of French Impressionist art and a large collection of the Taos Society of Artists. 2 Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Ave, ☏ +1 405-325-7977, snomnh@ou.edu. Make sure to see the "Cooper Skull," the crushed skull of a now-extinct bison, which is the oldest known painted artifact in North America. Norman's small historic downtown, on and around Main St. east of University, hosts an increasingly thriving array of local businesses, including: 3 MAINSITE Contemporary Art, 122 E Main St, ☏ +1 405 360-1162. Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM; also 6-10PM on second Fridays. A commercial gallery that shows cutting edge work by artists from near and far. (updated Oct 2016) The Crucible, 110 E Tonhawa St. A bronze foundry, gallery and sculpture garden. It is a couple of blocks from Main St. but worth the walk. Tribes Gallery, 512 W Main St, ☏ +1 405 329-4442. 10AM-6PM. Norman's premier gallery for Native American Fine Arts, Jewelry & Gifts. A fixture in Norman since 1990, previously on Main street. The gallery has a vast inventory of some of the Nation's most seasoned artists. From contemporary to traditional and ledger art, all styles all mediums are represented. Free. == Do == 1 National Weather Center, 120 David L Boren Blvd, ☏ +1 405 325-1147. The National Weather Center is the headquarters of the OU School of Meteorology and houses many weather agencies, including the National Weather Service Norman forecast office, Storm Prediction Center, National Severe Storms Laboratory, and Oklahoma Mesonet. The National Weather Center also houses the Flying Cow Cafe. Reservations are required for tours, and visitors are encouraged to make reservations two to four weeks in advance. Visitors must check in with security upon arriving. George M. Sutton Wilderness Park, 1920 12th Ave NE, ☏ +1 405-366-5472. Is a great place to find a little country right in the city. It is small, but has so many trails that you can explore for hours. It is a peaceful and scenic place to walk or jog, with two or three ponds and native Oklahoma scenery. Norman has a surprisingly active local music scene. See especially the free Summer Breeze Concert Series, organized by the Performing Arts Studio and held in the evenings in local parks during the warmer months. Opolis, 113 N. Crawford Ave. A hip live music venue. The Performing Arts Studio, 200 S. Jones Ave. Inside Norman's cute historic train depot, hosts concerts and exhibitions. 2 Sooner Theatre, 101 E. Main St. Hosts a variety of live music and theatre performances. 3 Norman Music Festival. === Gambling === Goldsby Gaming Center, 1038 W Sycamore Rd (Exit I-35 at Highway 9 and head east, continue to W Adkins Hill Road. Turn onto W Sycamore Rd and follow to Goldsby Gaming Center.), ☏ +1 405-329-5447. 24/7. Goldsby Gaming Center is open 24 hours. Here, you can play games ranging from eGames to bingo. Easy to access from I-35 and has a nice vibe for a smaller casino option. Grab a burger at the Goldsby Grill or head to the bar to watch sports on the big screen and enjoy a drink. 4 Riverwind Casino, 1544 State Highway 9 (From I-35, Take Exit 106), ☏ +1 405 322-6000. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Riverwind Casino has over 2,700 electronic gaming machines with a poker room, 20 table games, keno and off-track betting. Inside are several restaurants including Willows Buffet, Chips 'N Ales and Seasons Food Court, which contains a Taco Bueno, Panda Express, Rick's Cafe and Burger King. There is a hotel on-site with 4 conference rooms and a 24-hour fitness center. For entertainment, there is the River Lounge, which houses local and regional music acts, and the Showplace Theatre, which brings in national touring music and comedy acts. Thunderbird Wild Wild West Casino, 15700 East State Highway 9, ☏ +1 405 360-9270. == Learn == The Firehouse Art Center, 444 S. Flood Ave., offers classes in a variety of artistic forms. NOAA- National Weather Center, 120 David L. Boren Blvd., offers tours of the facility that oversees the nation's weather, among many other things. == Buy == For truly distinctive Norman souvenirs, pick up T-shirts from Rusty's Frozen Custard and Guestroom Records. === Shopping areas === Norman's Historic Downtown. Has a number of interesting shops, listed above in the "See" section. 1 Campus Corner (just north of Boyd St. adjacent to the OU campus). Also worth a shopping visit, especially for OU gear. Has a number of shops, bars and restaurants worth exploring. Ed Noble Parkway. Which begins across Main St. from the Sooner Mall (just west of I-35), houses many large chain stores and restaurants (Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, Chili's, Applebees, etc.) === Stores === The Earth Natural Foods, 309 S. Flood Ave. A small but useful natural foods store that sells a great variety including bakery items, fresh produce, bulk spices, and Burts's Bees. Forward Foods, 215 W Main St. A nifty little gourmet grocery with a wonderful array of US and imported cheeses. Guestroom Records, 125 E. Main St. An independent record store with a very cool T-shirt. Sooner Mall, 3301 W. Main St. It's undistinguished but supplies the basics. == Eat == Notable restaurants, bars and cafes are found in the historic downtown. Benvenuti's, 105 W. Main St (historic downtown), ☏ +1 405-310-5271. An expensive Italian restaurant that garnered an immediate following when it opened in 2006. Chelino's, 110 Ed Noble Pkwy, ☏ +1 405-447-8050. Mexican food. The Diner, 213 E. Main St (historic downtown), ☏ +1 405-329-6642. A popular place for breakfast and brunch. Hideaway Pizza, 577 Buchanan Ave, ☏ +1 405-292-4777. Gourmet pizza. Tuesday evenings they have a dim sum-style buffet. Il Dolce Gelateria, 1318 N Interstate Dr (NW corner of 1-35 and Robinson, in Robinson Crossing), ☏ +1 405-329-7744. Norman's first real Italian gelato and Lavazza espresso. Locally owned and operated. Pepe Delgado's, 786 Asp Ave (Campus Corner), ☏ +1 405-321-6232. Good Mexican food with great daily specials. Vegetarian friendly. Rusty's Custard Factory, 301 E Main St, ☏ +1 405-310-5050. A Norman landmark. Sweet Basil Cafe, 211 W. Main St (historic downtown), ☏ +1 405-217-8424. Thai food served in a nice atmosphere in Norman's historic downtown. Tarahumara's Mexican Cafe, 702 N. Porter Ave, ☏ +1 405-360-8070. Great food - expect to wait on the outdoor patio before being seated. Taste of India, 1000 Alameda St # 140B, ☏ +1 405-321-8666. Norman's favorite authentic Indian restaurant. It even has Indian popsicles. Thai Kum Koon, 1241 E Alameda St, ☏ +1 405-329-9790. Excellent lunch buffet. Thai Delight Norman, 761 S Jenkins Ave (A bit east of Campus Corner), ☏ +1 405-698-3777. Reasonably priced lunch buffet with many vegetarian options. Victoria's Pasta Shop, 215 E Main St (Campus Corner), ☏ +1 405-329-0377. Homemade pasta with a variety of sauces. 1 Van's Pig Stand, 320 N Porter Ave, ☏ +1 405-225-3644. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. BBQ. Ole'Town Gyros & Kabob, 402 E. Main St, ☏ +1 405-765-1991. A basic Greek eatery. == Drink == Bison Witches Bar and Deli, 211 E. Main St (historic downtown). The Spirit Shop, 109 S Berry St (corner of Main and Berry Road), ☏ +1 405 321-3100. M-Sa 10AM-9PM. Norman's oldest and most extensive wine and liquor store. Thousands of hard to find wines. Gray Owl Coffee, 223 E Gray St. In historic downtown. Artsy new coffee shop. Great teas and pastries as well. The Library Bar & Grill, 607 W. Boyd St. Walking distance from OU campus. Small bar with relaxed atmosphere and a pleasant outdoor patio space. Serves beer from Coach's microbrewery. The Mont, 1300 Classen Blvd. Bar and restaurant within walking distance of OU campus. Big outdoor patio space. TEA Cafe, 788 Asp Ave, ☏ +1 405 366-1555. Bubble tea and espresso. New Campus Corner location now open. Michelangelo's Coffee and Wine Bar, 207 E. Main (historic downtown). Coffee shop with a nice atmosphere and good chocolates. Cafe style menu with artisan pizzas, panini, etc. Local art and performances, wine bar, gourmet coffees and teas, free Wi-Fi. == Sleep == Montford Inn and Cottages, 322 Tonhawa St, ☏ +1 405 321-2200. Check-in: 4-9PM, check-out: noon. Built in 1994. $99-229. == Go next == Lake Thunderbird, a few miles east of Norman, offers great mountain bike trails (the Clear Bay Trails) as well as boating, camping and horseback riding. The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge offers some nice hikes, plus the likelihood of a buffalo or longhorn cattle spotting. These are not enormous mountains, but the trails are scenic and relatively diverse. Approximately 90 minutes from Norman by car.