Outside Oklahoma City Is A Sleepy Storybook Locale With Peaceful Lakeside Camping And Tasty Treats

For a trip that mixes European history with small-town American life you can drive about an hour east of Oklahoma City (one of the most underrated stops on Route 66). Here you'll find the small town of Prague, a place with a story that began with the Land Run of 1891, which is slightly older than Oklahoma City's central neighborhood of Capitol View. The historic event opened the Sac and Fox Reservation lands for settlement, and Czech immigrants were among those who came to the area. They were looking for opportunities that were hard to find in their homelands of Bohemia and Moravia. The town was officially platted in 1902 and the early settlers named it Praha after the capital city of their former country, though the name was soon anglicized to Prague. A detail that separates it from its European namesake is the local pronunciation, which is "Prayg" (oftentimes described to rhyme with vague).

The town's overall storybook vibe comes from a combination of its cultural background, outdoor recreation, and tasty food. If you're looking for outdoor activity, your main spot will be Prague Lake, a large area that has camping facilities for both RVs and tents. The food scene is influenced by the town's origins, so you can find local bakeries producing traditional Czech pastries like kolaches. These fruit or cheese-filled sweet rolls are a major part of the town's annual Kolache Festival. The event, which started in the mid 1900s, happens on the first Saturday of May and now brings in thousands of people each year for the parade, music, and food.

Like many historic cities in Oklahoma that boast old-school western charm and outdoor recreation, Prague comes with a slew of activities. Prague Lake is a city-owned recreation area with over 200 acres of water for activities. A no-wake rule is in effect for all boats, which keeps the water calm for fishing and kayaking. If you're an angler, you can fish for several types of fish here. A 30-mile trail system goes around the lake for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. For overnight stays, the campground has RV sites with full hookups as well as traditional camping spots for tents. The campground amenities include restrooms with showers, a playground, and a volleyball court.

You'll also find a plethora of interesting points to visit in town like the Prague Historical Museum, which shows the area's history from the 1891 Land Run to nowadays. Its exhibits cover the founding Czech pioneers and memorabilia from the athlete Jim Thorpe, who was born in Prague. You can check out a monument marking Thorpe's birthplace in town. There are also two local buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The first is the ZCBJ Lodge No. 46, or Bohemian Hall, a building from 1917 that was a social hub for the Czech community. The second is the Prague City Hall and Jail, built in 1936 as a Public Works Administration project. Another major site is the National Shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague inside St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. It has a Papal-authorized copy of a 16th-century statue from Prague, Czech Republic.

The food in Prague is focused on locally-owned restaurants and cafes. The kolaches are a local specialty and you can find them at the Prague Bakery on Jim Thorpe Boulevard. This bakery is known for making authentic kolaches and is the supplier for the annual festival. For American food, Mamaw's Cafe & Catering has a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu. The cafe serves delicious burgers and has a large appetizer list with items like gator bites and calf fries. For some barbecue, Cowpokes BBQ is a local spot for brisket and ribs. You can also get a good mix of American-style food like burgers, fried chicken, and catfish at Destinations. It has a rustic-meets-modern diner vibe with a range of eclectic decorations all over the walls and ceiling. Juana's Mexican Restaurant has a nice selection of entrees, and you have a couple pizza joints nearby like Ken's and Simple Simon's.

You should know there are no hotels in Prague, but you can find Airbnbs in town. There are houses, cabins, and entire farmhouses in and around the area. If a regular hotel is more your jam, you can find places in the nearby cities of Stroud (19 miles away) or in Shawnee (26 miles away). These towns have quite a few hotel choices, like the Grand Casino Hotel and Resort, Hampton Inn & Suites Stroud, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Shawnee, and the Colonial Inn. If you're not finished with the Sooner State and are looking for more adventure, trek to the foothills of Oklahoma's Ozark Mountains to the vibrant Grand Lake O' the Cherokees (aka Grand Lake) for dreamy camping and fishing.