1. Get a dirty chai at Antoinette
Start downtown with Emily’s fall order: an iced dirty chai from Antoinette Baking Co. It is an easy first stop before spending the morning exploring the Arts District.
2. Add a pumpkin cinnamon roll
And while you are there, make it fully seasonal with a pumpkin cinnamon roll. Because if there is ever a time to order the pumpkin pastry, this is it.
3. See a movie at Circle Cinema
Save this one for a cloudy or rainy fall day. Catching a movie inside Tulsa’s historic Circle Cinema has the cozy, nostalgic feeling Emily loves about the season.
4. Visit Philbrook when the leaves change
Everyone knows Philbrook in the spring and summer, but Emily says fall deserves more attention. Once the trees turn orange, the museum and gardens take on an entirely different feel—even looking through the windows from inside is worth the trip.
5. Walk the neighborhood around Philbrook
Do not head home right away. Emily recommends wandering through the surrounding historic neighborhood, where the tree-lined streets and beautiful homes make the walk almost as good as the museum itself. Bring your camera and take the long way around to really take it all in.
6. See Continuum at Studio K
Emily originally had Tulsa Ballet on her fall list, and Continuum gives you a November option. The one-night performance at intimate Studio K feels appropriately artistic, moody and fall-ish—a perfect excuse for a different kind of night out.
7. Have a full pumpkin-patch afternoon
Emily’s ideal version includes pumpkins, cool weather and, if possible, hot chocolate or cider. Pumpkin Town Farms gives you the classic fall outing without leaving Tulsa.
8. Spend a fall day at Gathering Place
Gathering Place deserves a repeat visit once the weather cools. Walk across the bridges, take in the changing trees and slow down enough to actually enjoy the view.
Even better? Emily wants to get out on the water and take one of the boats for a different perspective on all that fall color.
9. Order the fall menu at Amelia’s
Emily still remembers a previous fall dinner at Amelia’s filled with cozy, harvest-inspired flavors, including dishes featuring ingredients like butternut squash. Since the menu changes, the fun is seeing what fall looks—and tastes—like there this year.
10. Get Marshmallow Soup at rise
Finish the list at Utica Square with the dish Emily has been wanting to try: rise soufflé’s Marshmallow Soup. Despite the name, it is tomato soup topped with goat cheese “marshmallows”—exactly the kind of warm, quirky order that belongs on a chilly-day bucket list.
Together, Emily’s picks are less about big events and more about making Tulsa feel like fall: walk somewhere beautiful, eat something seasonal, see something new and actually enjoy the few weeks when the city changes with the season while it lasts.
“In the fall, I’m telling you, when it’s orange throughout the entire neighborhood—it’s one of the prettiest sights you’ll ever see.” - Emily Phillips