The Official Magazine of Oklahoma

Oklahoma Today magazine was established as the state’s official magazine by the Oklahoma State Legislature in 1956. Its mission: to showcase the best of what Oklahoma has to offer—its rich history as well as its wealth of travel destinations, great restaurants, interesting people, exciting experiences, and, of course, its diverse natural beauty. Oklahoma Today is published six times a year—in January, March, May, July, September, and November—by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.

Today, Oklahoma Today is known across North America as one of the best regional magazines in publication, having been named Magazine of the Year eight times by the International Regional Magazine Association—most recently in 2019. In 2020, Oklahoma Today also was named Magazine of the Year by the Tulsa Press Club at its annual Great Plains Journalism Awards, a contest covering eight states and a vast swath of the middle of the country.

But it’s not awards that make Oklahoma Today such a beloved title. The magazine has subscribers in each of Oklahoma’s seventy-seven counties, all fifty states in the U.S., and dozens of foreign countries. Those who live in or near Oklahoma use it to plan their travels and experiences in the state. Out-of-state readers tell us it provides them a connection to home until they can visit the Sooner State again. Some even have cited the magazine as a factor in their decision to relocate to Oklahoma.

The simple truth is this: Oklahoma Today is the magazine for anyone, anywhere, who loves Oklahoma and wants to get to know it better.

Get The Best of Oklahoma in one Publication

Image of vintage issue covers of Oklahoma Today Magazine

What You’ll Find in Our Pages

Oklahoma Today’s reader-friendly design makes it easy for any reader to find the content they’re looking for.

Our “On the Map” section showcases the state’s travel destinations — whether charming small-town Main Streets and cool urban enclaves; can’t-miss art exhibits or new releases by Oklahoma creatives; or exciting and unexpected getaways and adventures in every corner of the state.

Our “Order Up” section profiles the riches of the state’s culinary scene. We visit small-town cafes, big-city fine dining, and everything in between. In addition, we also look at new developments in the state’s agricultural and culinary industries, bringing attention to new products, innovative concepts, and excellent seasonal recipes.

Our “Originals” section is where we share stories of the amazing people who make Oklahoma what it is. Whether they’re pioneers in culture, industry, philanthropy, or athletics, you’ll find them here. We also shine a light on the wonders of the state’s natural environment, the challenges it faces, and how every Oklahoman can help.

Our “Out There” section in the back of each issue is a comprehensive listing of events around the state during each issue cycle — county fairs, concerts, art exhibits, food festivals, state park happenings, and much more. In a 2014 focus group, many readers told us it is the first place they turn when opening the magazine — so they can plan their next two months of fun in Oklahoma.

Ending the book is our “Off the Map” page, formerly known as “Where Are You?” and “Lost and Found.” In this section, we highlight an interesting but lesser-known Oklahoma destination and ask our readers to write in to identify it. It’s one of our most consistently popular offerings.

In the middle of every issue are our long-form features. These may cover any of the topics listed above and give us a chance to dive more deeply into any number of vital Oklahoma stories.

And nearly every piece we publish is accompanied by a “Get There” graphic that helps readers find locations that will let them experience each story for themselves.

Our Commitments To You

We take our designation as the state’s official magazine very seriously, and as such, our number-one commitment is to earning and keeping our readers’ trust.

Oklahoma Today is the only print publication with a mandate to cover the entire state, and to this end, we make it a point with each issue to cast as wide a geographic net as we can, consistently searching for stories from Kenton to Tom; from Miami to Altus; and everywhere in between.

We also are committed to showcasing the state’s human diversity, highlighting, photographing, and including perspectives from Oklahomans from a wide variety of backgrounds, experiences, cultures, and voices. We actively recruit writers, photographers, and artists of different racial, religious, and cultural backgrounds to offer as wide a perspective as we can. In addition, we have adopted the Native American Journalists Association’s official style guide to help us talk about Native topics — of which Oklahoma has many — in as respectful and accurate a manner as possible.

We are committed to remaining apolitical. Oklahoma Today is a magazine for all Oklahomans, and to that end, we do not publish stories about current political issues, elected or appointed political leaders or candidates, or “hot button” topics.

We are committed to the “separation of church and state” when it comes to advertising. At no time will any advertiser in the magazine be guaranteed editorial coverage in return for their purchase of ad space. Our readers can open each issue knowing the editorial team chose the stories on their merits alone and can vouch for the experience of Oklahoma showcased in these pages.

We are committed to the truth. We employ a full-time factchecker as well as several freelance factcheckers and reporters whose job is to ensure the accuracy of each sentence we publish. When we make a mistake — as humans will do from time to time — we run a correction as soon as possible. Nothing is more important to us than our readers’ trust.

We are committed to listening to our readers. Please feel free to reach out to us by emailing Editorial@TravelOK.com.

It’s Your State. It’s Your Magazine

Engaging. Beautiful. Trustworthy. Diverse. Smart. Fun. These are some of the words we use to guide us as we create each issue of Oklahoma Today. We employ a small staff with more than a collective century as caretakers of this product, and our freelancers are some of the best writers, photographers, artists, poets, and graphic designers Oklahoma and the country have to offer. Contributors to Oklahoma Today have included Will Rogers Jr.; President Bill Clinton; bestselling authors like Sam Anderson, Michael Wallis, and Burkhard Bilger; U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo; hip-hop artist Jabee; National Geographic* digital nomad Robert Reid; and many more. We have expanded our offerings from print into web, recently launching a brand-new website, an updated digital subscription offering, and a new Oklahoma Today podcast in addition to our daily presence on social media.

If you’re looking for things to do in Oklahoma — or just want to know about everything good the state has to offer — Oklahoma Today is the magazine for you. Click here to subscribe today.