Oklahoma Abound with Spring Break Activities

It’s time for spring break when tens of thousands of students from kindergarten through college get out of class for a week of fun. Many students crowd the beaches and streets of popular spring break coastal destinations. Unfortunately, some young drivers who are focused on celebrating the rites of spring act carelessly and put others at risk of serious injury.

In a new study, researchers at the University of Miami analyzed the effect of spring break on traffic accidents at 14 resort hotspots. They found a significantly higher number of traffic fatalities occurred at the spring break locales compared to other locations in the same state at the same time and in other states.

The study analyzed fatal car accidents in 14 popular spring break destinations in Texas, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, South Carolina, and Virginia. The researchers found car accident deaths in those counties were nine percent higher during the spring break period from the last week of February through the end of April.

Two other notable findings of the study that suggest the spring break effect include:

• Fatalities involving younger drivers under age 25 were far more common than among older drivers during this period; and
• There was a higher incidence of fatal traffic accidents involving out-of-state drivers than in-state drivers.

Oklahoma offers plenty of safe spring break experiences for those seeking a break from the grind of studies and classroom assignments, according to travelok.com.

• Oklahoma City Adventure District at I-35 and I-44 includes the Oklahoma City Zoo, Science Museum Oklahoma, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma Firefighters Museum, National Softball Hall of Fame, Remington Park Racetrack and Casino, and Pole Position Raceway.
• Alabaster Caverns State Park in Freedom boasts the world’s biggest gypsum cave, complete with guided tours and the opportunity for a spelunking adventure.
• Great Salt Plains State Park near Jet gives the family a chance to dig up hourglass-shaped selenite crystals, the only place in the world they can be found. The white sand stretches for miles and the mementos can be taken home as souvenirs.
• Medicine Park offers outdoor adventures and quiet moments. Shopping is available in curio shops and art galleries or the kids can go for a splash in the river falls.
• Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Lawton is a natural environment for those who love pristine lakes and streams, canyons, mountains, and grasslands. It’s great for hiking, fishing, and photography of a diverse range of animals and landscapes.
  

  Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

• Leonardo’s Children’s Museum in Enid gives children a hands-on opportunity to participate in science and art projects such as carpentry and art or to see snakes, chinchillas, and ferrets.
• Adventure Quest in Enid is one of the largest playgrounds in the world, giving children a chance to roam outside after they’ve enjoyed time at Leonardo’s.
• Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole gives children the opportunity to travel along an imagination highway. They can see what it’s like to work as a judge, newscaster, or grocery store cashier, and they can immerse themselves in soap bubbles, ride a mini-train, or navigate an outdoor maze.
• Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History in Norman offers the Hall of Ancient Life, which features a dinosaur exhibit.
• Cowboy ranches give people the chance to do everything from ride horses and rope cattle, to eat the Old West way. These opportunities are available at Double J Ranch in Shawnee, Hitchin’ Post in the panhandle, and Tatanka Ranch in Stroud.

Instead of spending thousands of dollars traveling to the beach this spring, consider one of the many beautiful and enlightening places in Oklahoma. No matter what your age, plenty of places are out there waiting for your enjoyment and learning experience!