Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma, United States

4ReadRibbet 5:00 PM Oct 21, 2022

The Blue Whale is a Must Stop on Route 66
The Blue Whale of Catoosa is a must stop along Route 66. It is identified by sign as a Route 66 Roadside Attraction. It is just outside Tulsa (not too far if you are on the east side of town). It has ample off-street free parking which will accommodate large vehicles. We visited it early in the morning and had the place almost to ourselves. There are informational signs to learn more about the site. The morning we were there the water was very still allowing us to capture the whale and its reflection. You can still walk into the belly of the whale but no swimming or diving. There are tables if you need a place for an impromptu picnic. There is a very small gift shop which was closed when we were there, so if you are interested in that, make sure you check the hours it is opened. There is a nice directional sign with blue whales on it identify other stops along Rote 66. There are some other odd, shaped structures on the site like a partially finished ark but ignore those and focus on the whale. Plenty of nice Route 66 photo ops at this stop and it was free and pet friendly.

4Douglas R 5:00 PM Mar 21, 2022

Interesting and Unusual
This is an interesting place to stop. I would recommend it if you are traveling on Rte. 66 (although not worth making a special trip to go out of the way). There is a picnic area and a small trail. The whale itself has two places where there are two floors. To get to the upper floors, there are ladders, so that part is not handicap accessible. At the tail of the whale, the upper floor has no safety railings, so it is not a place to mess around. Swimming is not allowed, but since the whale has slides to the water, I assume at one point, swimming was allowed.