Our recommendation
Visit Oklahoma City in January
January offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight. For comparison, June is the most crowded month (~1.8× the average month) and January is the quietest.
Annual visits
301K
2003
Busiest month
Jun
1.8× avg
Quietest month
Jan
0.4× avg
10-yr trend
steady
—
How crowded is Oklahoma City by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 2000–2003.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| January★ best | Very quiet | 79 Excellent | 9.9 h |
| February | Quiet | 72 Good | 10.7 h |
| March | Average | 57 Fair | 11.7 h |
| April | Busy | 41 Poor | 12.9 h |
| May | Busy | 33 Poor | 13.9 h |
| June | Very busy | 22 Poor | 14.4 h |
| July | Busy | 31 Poor | 14.2 h |
| August | Busy | 50 Fair | 13.3 h |
| September | Average | 60 Good | 12.2 h |
| October | Quiet | 64 Good | 11.1 h |
| November | Quiet | 65 Good | 10.1 h |
| December | Very quiet | 74 Good | 9.6 h |
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About visiting Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City National Memorial is a National Memorial in OK and a relatively quiet park, drawing about 301,000 recreation visits in 2003. Visitation has held fairly steady over the past decade. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: June is the busiest month at about 1.8× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.4× — a 5-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 38% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. If avoiding people matters most, January offers the thinnest crowds of the year, though you'll trade some warmth and daylight for the solitude. Daylight ranges from about 9.6 hours in midwinter to 14.4 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. A standard private-vehicle entrance pass runs about $18, valid for several days, so a shoulder-season trip stretches that fee across quieter, more comfortable days. These crowd figures are drawn from 2000–2003 of National Park Service visitor-use records, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
The outdoor symbolic memorial is a place of quiet reflection, honoring victims, survivors, rescuers, and all who were changed forever on April 19, 1995. It encompasses the now sacred soil where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building once stood, capturing and preserving forever the place and events that changed the world.
Weather & conditions
Summers are very warm with temperatures averaging mid-high 90’s. Also, be mindful of the heat index. Spring weather brings mild temperatures, 60’s-70’s, but the ability to produce severe storms that could include heavy rains, strong winds, hail, and tornadoes. While winters are generally mild delivering temperatures in the 30’s and 40’s, the wind chill can be brutal. No matter the season you are planning to visit, be prepared for the winds to be gusting.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Oklahoma City
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Oklahoma City National Memorial — live availability and prices to plan your trip. January is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather.
Top-rated places to stay near Oklahoma City
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Getting to Oklahoma City
The nearest airport is Will Rogers World Airport (OKC), about 11 mi (17 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Oklahoma City by car.
Entrance fees
A standard private-vehicle entrance pass is about $18, typically valid for several days.
Frequently Asked Questions
January offers best overall balance of crowds, weather and daylight at Oklahoma City National Memorial. The park is busiest in June (about 1.8× the average month) and quietest in January.
June is the busiest month at Oklahoma City National Memorial, running roughly 1.8 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Oklahoma City National Memorial, at about 0.4× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Oklahoma City National Memorial recorded about 301,018 recreation visits in 2003. Visitation has been steady over the past decade.
Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) is the closest airport to Oklahoma City National Memorial, about 11 mi (17 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Oklahoma City
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Thunderbird Lake Hog Creek water qualityGrade D · 21 mi · OK
- Lake Thunderbird water qualityGrade D · 23 mi · OK
- Wes Watkins Reservoir water qualityGrade D · 23 mi · OK
- Thunderbird Lake Fisherman'S water qualityGrade D · 24 mi · OK
- Hefner Lake water qualityGrade — · 8 mi · OK
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (2000–2003). Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.