Between Tulsa And Dallas Is Oklahoma's Charming City With A Quaint Downtown, Shops, And A Vibrant Culture

What do magnolia trees, a giant peanut, and a casino resort all have in common? You can find all three in the quaint city of Durant, Oklahoma. Proudly known as Oklahoma's "Magnolia Capital," Durant has plenty of its namesake blooms around town. Just outside Durant's City Hall, visitors can see the "World's Largest Peanut," which has stood since 1974 and gives the area's peanut-growing past a supersized salute. The city also serves as headquarters of the Choctaw Nation, a sovereign tribal nation with more than 225,000 members.

Durant, which sits around 95 miles north of Dallas and 160 miles south of Tulsa, gets its name from Dixon Durant, a minister and civic leader with French-Choctaw roots who opened the area's first general store. Durant's family arrived in Oklahoma in 1832, following the Choctaw removal from Mississippi. Today, approximately 21,000 people call Durant home. Meanwhile, Southeastern Oklahoma State University adds some college-town energy. 

The Choctaw Nation's influence is hard to miss at the Choctaw Casino & Resort Durant, a Wyndham Grand resort. It includes more than 7,000 slot machines, pools featuring swim-up bars and cabanas, a spa and fitness center, the Academy of Country Music award-winning Grand Theater, and The District, where visitors can trade the casino floor for bowling, arcade games, or a movie. "It's not Vegas but it's the best one near Texas," one Google reviewer said. For a more low-key stay in Durant, downtown's Brick Street Hotel dates back to 1911 and has 11 boutique-style rooms with charming exposed brick and vintage-inspired decor.

As the headquarters of the Choctaw Nation, Durant and the surrounding area provide lots of ways to experience Choctaw history and culture. At the free Semple Family Museum of Native American Art at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, more than 150 pieces showcase the work of over 80 Native American artists from 30-plus tribes. The collection grew from the Semple family's passion for Native American art and their own Choctaw heritage. Their ancestors include former Choctaw chiefs.

About 10 minutes south in Calera, the 100,000-square-foot Choctaw Cultural Center dives even deeper into local traditions. Exhibits follow the Choctaw story from ancestral times through the Trail of Tears to the present, while the Living Village recreates elements of the Nation's Mississippi homeland with traditional-style houses and a mound. Visitors can learn "ishtaboli," an ancient stickball game the Choctaw ancestors played to settle disputes, as well as the steps behind traditional community dances. Lunch also offers a taste of Choctaw culture; Champuli Cafe serves dishes such as frybread beef tacos and Tanchi Labona, made with hominy corn and braised pork. "As a Choctaw, I really loved the entire experience. I felt I was walking in my ancestors' footsteps," one Google reviewer said of the Cultural Center.

In early November, you can also catch the free Choctaw Powwow at the Choctaw Event Center in Durant. Billed as one of the largest powwows, the three-day celebration fills the arena with dancers and drum groups from around the country competing across different styles and ages. The weekend also features gourd dancing, which is a ceremonial social dance accompanied by singing and drumming, along with Choctaw hymns.

Like some of the Sooner State's other cities, Durant has a downtown district with plenty to explore. Tulsa has its vibrant Cherry Street shopping district, while Coalgate, a former mining city, has local eats, a ranch, and a unique museum. In Durant, the action unfolds across a nine-block downtown filled with historic brick buildings, charming shops, and Instagram-worthy public art. At Magnolia Mile Art Alley, rotating works by local and regional artists add a splash of color to alleyway walls. Nearby, Pickery Antique Mall tempts vintage hunters with a seemingly endless array of finds; one Google reviewer said that they had "practically furnished [their] whole house" there. The downtown also offers a trip into the city's past at Three Valley Museum, housed in a historic machine shop.

Durant also has many solid eateries with unique backstories. Old Ice House, which opened in 1927, occupies a former ice plant. The original crane still hangs above the dining room, and the restaurant even has a penguin mascot named Rocco, who is the face behind the signature "Rocco-Rita" margarita. Integration Station Cafe is a feel-good option that serves comfort-food favorites while giving adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities paid jobs and real-world work experience.

Durant's Market Square gets busy during the seasonal Magnolia Farmers Market, when vendors sell locally-made products. In May, the weekend after Memorial Day, the Magnolia Festival of Oklahoma celebrates the city's namesake blooms with live music and vendors. Durant also hosts a unique concept called Night Shift, which are themed evening community gatherings that start at Three Valley Museum. If you are looking for a place to stay, nearby Lake Texoma, about 20 minutes away on the Texas-Oklahoma border, has top-tier fishing and picturesque campgrounds.