Fun in Oklahoma City

Chelinos Mexican Restaurant

Restaurant | "Always great Mexican fare"

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When I’m in Oklahoma City I love to have a taste of home with Mexican food. No I’m not Mexican nor have I lived in Mexico but growing up in Oklahoma we have quite a few Tex-Mex restaurants and it was a favorite as a child and young adult. One of my fondest memories is of Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant. It was a staple of my diet as a college student working downtown OKC. I still love to visit even today.Chelino Garcia came to the US in 1979 and began working in Mexican restaurants as a dishwasher. He worked his way up the ranks to manager while saving his money, one day he wanted to have his own restaurant. Today he owns 12 restaurants in the OKC area as well as a Mexican import store, torti...Read More

When I’m in Oklahoma City I love to have a taste of home with Mexican food. No I’m not Mexican nor have I lived in Mexico but growing up in Oklahoma we have quite a few Tex-Mex restaurants and it was a favorite as a child and young adult. One of my fondest memories is of Chelino’s Mexican Restaurant. It was a staple of my diet as a college student working downtown OKC. I still love to visit even today.

Chelino Garcia came to the US in 1979 and began working in Mexican restaurants as a dishwasher. He worked his way up the ranks to manager while saving his money, one day he wanted to have his own restaurant. Today he owns 12 restaurants in the OKC area as well as a Mexican import store, tortilla factory, ice cream store, and banquet halls. His most famous restaurant is in OKC’s Bricktown area on the river walk.

When you walk into the restaurant, you are greeted and seated by a smiling and friendly face. The décor is traditional Mexican with bright colors and photos of the wait staff imposed on characters on the wall. You will receive chips, cheese sauce, hot sauce and homemade flour or corn tortillas when you are seated. Everything is fresh even the salsa, no bottled salsa here. The extensive menu has something for everyone. My favorite is anything that has their fajita steak; nachos, fajitas, quesadillas or steak tacos. It is their signature spices that make it so special. They have the traditional fiesta dinner plates served with rice and refried beans or they have the unusual such as the Free Willy which is a whole catfish cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers and secret spices served with rice, beans, potatoes and sliced avocados. At the end of your meal, you will get a complimentary sopaipilla, a warm pastry topped with cinnamon and sugar drizzled with honey. Everything is always fresh and tasty.

The wait staff is efficient and friendly. You will never wait for your meal very long and your chip basket will never be empty. The prices are very reasonable for the amount of food you receive. An entrée runs $8-14. Our total bill usually is about $30 for two people. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone in the Oklahoma City area. You won’t be disappointed.

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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 31, 2011

Chelinos Mexican Restaurant
1612 S Boulevard
Edmond 73013
(405) 340-3620

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Best Western Edmond Inn and Suites

Hotel | "Hot Day in Edmond"

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We drive the 2 hours to Oklahoma City every month to visit family and for a business meeting. We usually spend the weekend with my parents but with my sister and her family staying there over the summer we decided to stay in a hotel. This summer has been extremely hot this summer with temps hitting 101-110 degrees every afternoon much too hot for our two dogs and myself to wait in the car while my husband is in his hour long business meeting. For these two reasons we decided to get a hotel room closer to the meeting rather than my family. Edmond is a suburb north of Oklahoma City but about a 40 minute drive to my parents’ home. We found a room for rent just a mile west of the meeting place at the Bes...Read More

We drive the 2 hours to Oklahoma City every month to visit family and for a business meeting. We usually spend the weekend with my parents but with my sister and her family staying there over the summer we decided to stay in a hotel. This summer has been extremely hot this summer with temps hitting 101-110 degrees every afternoon much too hot for our two dogs and myself to wait in the car while my husband is in his hour long business meeting. For these two reasons we decided to get a hotel room closer to the meeting rather than my family. Edmond is a suburb north of Oklahoma City but about a 40 minute drive to my parents’ home. We found a room for rent just a mile west of the meeting place at the Best Western Edmond Inn & Suites.

The hotel is conveniently located to Interstate 35, Edmond, OKC, and many activities in the surrounding areas. It is a two story complex built on a hill with lots of free parking. It has a small indoor pool with a 4 person hot tub adjacent to the gym facilities. The hotel was busy that weekend so the pool was full of kids and their parents trying to get relief from the heat outside. We asked for and received a king room. We were given one on the second floor which is fine but what we found we wished we had been on the first floor. This hotel does not have an elevator. I was really surprised but it may be due to the age of the facility. It probably wouldn’t have been bad but when you are taking two dogs outside to "do their business" every hour the stairs can be a disadvantage.

Our room was a pleasant surprise, it was huge. The room had a living area with a sofa, arm chair and table then a waist high ledge to separate the bedroom from the living space. The bedroom area had a king bed, two side tables and a TV. This was plenty of room for the dogs to roam around not get in the way. The living space had a sink area, chest of drawers, microwave and small refrigerator. The mattress was very comfortable but the pillows were 4 small square pillows instead of 2 large ones. The décor was plain in color and pattern but fine for how the room is used. The bathroom was the normal hotel style. Everything was very clean from the room to the hallways and the air conditioner was excellent. We stayed cool even with the hot temps outside.

The staff was very pleasant at check in and check out. The $80 per night price tag includes a breakfast for your family. It included cold cereal, oatmeal, waffles, egg and cheese sandwiches, sausages, bacon, pastries, and fruit. Quite a deal for a hungry, vacationing family. The policy for pets is that they be less than 20 pounds each and there is a $15 nonrefundable fee for each of them. This is average for the area. The only drawback for pet owners is there is a limited green area for them to "do their business" and it is at the back of the hotel and had empty glass bottles and some junk out there, not the best we have seen. Overall we were pleased with the hotel, but we will opt for the first floor if we stay there again.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 31, 2011

Best Western Edmond Inn and Suites
2700 East Second Street
Edmond, OK 73034
(405) 216-0300

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Best Western Greentree Inn And Suites

Hotel | "The right fit for our weekend trip"

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My sister and her family are in town for the summer and staying with my parents. Having 6 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs in small house is just too much, so we decided to find a hotel for the two of us and the 2 dogs. Finding a nice hotel that accepts pets can be quite the feat. Finding a 4 or 5 star that accepts pets you just cannot find, so we usually settle for a 2 or 3 star hotel when we have our babies. With my parents living about 30 miles outside of Oklahoma City, I wanted to find something close so we wouldn’t spend the weekend driving but spending time with family. I also wanted something with a nice indoor pool so my twin 6 year old nephews could visit, swim and stay out of the 100 degree heat....Read More

My sister and her family are in town for the summer and staying with my parents. Having 6 adults, 2 kids, and 2 dogs in small house is just too much, so we decided to find a hotel for the two of us and the 2 dogs. Finding a nice hotel that accepts pets can be quite the feat. Finding a 4 or 5 star that accepts pets you just cannot find, so we usually settle for a 2 or 3 star hotel when we have our babies. With my parents living about 30 miles outside of Oklahoma City, I wanted to find something close so we wouldn’t spend the weekend driving but spending time with family. I also wanted something with a nice indoor pool so my twin 6 year old nephews could visit, swim and stay out of the 100 degree heat. A lot to ask for, but I found it in the Best Western Greentree Inn and Suites in Moore, Oklahoma.

This hotel is located just off I-35 in a business area of town. There are three hotels in a row so it’s not the most scenic area of Moore but all three are new buildings. There are numerous restaurants close by as well as shopping.

We had made reservations on line and then called ahead to see if we could check in early, they graciously allowed us to check in almost 2 hours ahead. Since we had the dogs, we were given a first floor room at the end of the hall. This is always a good idea when travelling with pets, so the noise doesn’t get them barking. The older lady at the desk was pleasant and very helpful with finding us more towels and allowing me to borrow a pair of scissors so I could wrap a few gifts.

Our room was very clean and decorated well. The bed coverings appeared new and fresh and none of the furnishings were worn. The bathroom was quite small and the sink was not in the bathroom but in the room which I thought was odd for this area. The room also came equipped with a microwave and refrigerator. I think every hotel room should come with those two essentials. The picture on the wall above the bed was a scenic one common in hotel rooms. This room was nothing fancy but was at least clean and quite. Oh, and it was cool. The day we checked in the temperature was hitting 105 degrees but our room stayed around 70 degrees. Wonderful.

I was surprised the pool was not busy because it was a great area. It was a moderate size indoor pool ranging from 3 foot to 4 foot deep and very clean. There was a 8-10 person hot tub that could have used some up keeping because most of the jets did not work well, but it served its purpose – to soak our aching muscles from driving and playing with those 6 year olds. They also had a new fitness facility adjacent to the pool that looked very nice. We didn’t have the time nor the energy to use them.

A full breakfast is served every morning starting at 6am. Just the usual items cereal, toast, waffles, etc. Nothing fancy but something to fill the tummy. They provide free Wi-Fi, free local phone calls, cable TV and HBO.

Our room rate was $76 a night with a $10 a night pet fee. Our total bill with taxes was around $99. Overall I really liked this hotel and will keep it on the list whenever we need one close to the parents.

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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 17, 2011

Best Western Greentree Inn And Suites
1811 N Moore Ave
Moore 73160
405-912-8882

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Van's Pig Stand

Restaurant | "Where's the good BBQ?"

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I had heard about Van’s Pig Stand BBQ on a local TV show, Discover Oklahoma. It was said to be some of the best BBQ around so when we stayed in Moore, OK on the July 4th weekend, we stopped by to give it a try. Being from Oklahoma and travelling to Kansas City quite a bit, I have had bad, good, and awesome BBQ. Van’s Pig Stand is somewhere in between the good and bad category. The first thing I noticed was how hot the restaurant was, I mean it was probably 80+ degrees in there. I understand that the outside temperature was over 100 degrees, but you should not sweat and be uncomfortable while you eat dinner. The building was old and small. The décor was rustic but probably 25 years old. Not quaint at ...Read More

I had heard about Van’s Pig Stand BBQ on a local TV show, Discover Oklahoma. It was said to be some of the best BBQ around so when we stayed in Moore, OK on the July 4th weekend, we stopped by to give it a try. Being from Oklahoma and travelling to Kansas City quite a bit, I have had bad, good, and awesome BBQ. Van’s Pig Stand is somewhere in between the good and bad category. The first thing I noticed was how hot the restaurant was, I mean it was probably 80+ degrees in there. I understand that the outside temperature was over 100 degrees, but you should not sweat and be uncomfortable while you eat dinner. The building was old and small. The décor was rustic but probably 25 years old. Not quaint at all.

The staff was 2 teenage girls that were easily replaceable and probably should have been. They were not friendly and not available when something was needed, like an ice tea refill. When I finally found them, they were outside in the back smoking with the cook. There was no one in this restaurant. Unbelievable. I didn’t care for how the place was ran, for instance, you ordered your food , paid then sat down in a dining room that wasn’t cared for by staff. If you needed anything, you had to go find back up to the front and stand in line again.

Our food was mediocre at best. I had the rib dinner with cole slaw and beans while Mike had the 3 meat combo with brisket, ribs, and smoked turkey. The brisket was good as were the but the turkey was tough and not very tasty. He only got 2 ribs with his dinner and wanted more so when I finally found someone to help me, I asked for 3-4 more ribs. I was told they didn’t sale ribs by the piece that I would have to buy a rack, not a half rack, but a whole rack of ribs for another $15. Needless to say I was hacked but I bought in anyway. No need upset a hot and hungry husband. We ended up spending almost $40 for our lunch. I’ll tell you it wasn’t worth it.

I’m not sure I would ever go back to Van’s Pig Stand in Moore, Oklahoma. This is a company who has been around for 20 years and I hear they have other locations that I would give a try. I would hope the atmosphere and staffing would be better, if not then this place is off my list forever.
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Member Rating 2 out of 5 on July 17, 2011

Van's Pig Stand
516 SW 4th St
Moore, Oklahoma 73160
4057938267

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Best Western Saddleback Inn

Hotel

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We chose the Best Western Saddleback Inn because of the close proximetry to the downtown area and the fact that they allow pets. The price for a king, non-smoking room was $115. We found a hotel room that was very clean and what you expect of a budget hotel. Nothing special. There was a small table with 2 chairs, a bed, and dresser with TV. There were two refrigerators, but only one worked. The bathroom was large with a big, deep tub with unending hot water. So wonderful! The bed was a big disappointment. The mattress was hard and the pillows were small and lumpy. The hotel offered a fitness room, an outdoor heated pool, a sauna, and a hot tub. The hot tub was wonderful after a lo...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on January 19, 2008

Best Western Saddleback Inn
4300 S W 3RD ST
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73108
1-405-9477000

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Trapper's Fishcamp & Grill

Restaurant | "Trapper's Fishcamp & Grill"

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Trapper's Fishcamp & Grill offers an atmosphere of the true fishing lodge, including its very own 12 foot bear and live alligators. We happened upon this restaurant was was pleasently surprised. My husband is not a seafood lover, so he was a little uneasy about trying a "seafood restaurant".As soon as you walk into the place you feel welcome and at ease. The wait staff was attentive and jonny on the spot. The atmosphere is very similar to staying in a northern mountain lodge, very homey. The decorations included fishing poles, canoes, deer heads and a live alligator display.My husband and I both had the Prime Rib. I have to say, we have eaten our share of Prime Rib around the count...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on January 19, 2008

Trapper's Fishcamp & Grill
4300 West Reno Ave
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107
+1 405 943 9111

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Myriad Botanical Gardens

Attraction

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This is one of the wonders of Oklahoma City. An oasis in the middle of the honking traffic and towering buildings. From the skyline, you see a large glass and white cylinder but as you arrive you find a green garden filled with flowers, small ponds, and wildlife (ducks and birds). The small entrance fee of $3-5 is worth the moments of peace you will find inside. First you are met with a tropical climate that shows you a waterfall and many looming trees shielding you from the mist that fills the air. The butterflies meet you as they find blooms of orchids and other species of flowers. You may even see a salamander to two. As you walk through the gardens the climates change from lush to more a...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on May 25, 2006

Myriad Botanical Gardens
301 West Reno
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
(405) 297 3995

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Oklahoma City Journals

Fun in Oklahoma City

Chelinos Mexican Restaurant

Best Western Edmond Inn and Suites

Best Western Greentree Inn And Suites

Van's Pig Stand

Best Western Saddleback Inn

Trapper's Fishcamp & Grill

Myriad Botanical Gardens

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