When to Visit Norman, Oklahoma
People call Norman the city of festivals because it hosts so many great events in spring and summer. Best of all, many are free. The Norman Medieval Fair happens in late March or early April. It's a celebration of medieval art, culture, and games, with jousting, music, and dancing. It's the largest weekend event in Oklahoma, and Events Media Network called it one of the top 100 events in the United States. The Norman Music Festival in April showcases local and internationally renowned artists.
You can also visit May Fair, an arts festival at Andrews Park during the first weekend in May. It features crafts, food, fine art, and top local performers. Midsummer Nights' Fair is a similar nighttime arts festival. It happens during two evenings in June outside the Firehouse Art Center in Lions Park. Jazz in June is a popular music festival that happens during the last weekend in June. You can enjoy jazz and blues at several different venues, post-concert jam sessions, and educational jazz clinics taught by professional musicians.
The Summer Breeze Concert Series is a series of outdoor concerts held from spring to fall at various parks across Norman. Hotel rates increase slightly in summer, on popular festival weekends, and near Christmas. However, most places are still affordable. The mild weather in fall makes it a great time to visit Norman, as long as you're not looking for lots of festivals to choose from.
Below is a chart of the current pricing seasonality of hotels and motels in Norman, OK:
Norman, OK: Prices by Star Rating Class
Below are 3 charts illustrating avg. nightly cost trends by star rating class in Norman, OK. Browse these charts to determine the cheapest time to stay in Norman during the year.
Luxury Hotel Options in Norman, Oklahoma
4 Star Average Prices: $144.89
Norman offers a variety of unique luxury hotels. The Manor Bed and Breakfast is in a beautiful historic home built in 1896 just four blocks from the University of Oklahoma. The rooms have terraces, private entrances, 42-inch TVs with DVD players, Keurig coffee makers, board games, hot tubs, and free WiFi. The comfortable queen beds have down duvets, and guests get complimentary bathrobes and an amenities basket. There's even a tennis court and a video arcade. This charming hotel has just two rooms, so you'll always get excellent service from the Innkeeper.
Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast is near Lake Thunderbird State Park. It has seven rooms, and they all have different decor to suit guests with different tastes. All the rooms feature king beds, DVD players, satellite TV, free WiFi, free breakfasts with room service, hot tubs big enough for two people, desks, and coffee makers. Many rooms also have ceiling fans. They all have a kitchenette with silverware, and you can choose a room with a living area or a dining room. Guests get complimentary bathrobes, bubble bath, bath salts, and tealights. There's also a restaurant with a great bar and beautiful garden with a pond.
Many couples have their weddings at Whispering Pines in the romantic vineyard or gazebo area. The banquet hall is perfect for receptions, and weddings include suites for the bride and groom.
Lower Cost Hotel Options in Norman, Oklahoma
3 Star Average Prices: $111.36
Norman has several affordable hotels. The Norman Travelodge is just a few miles from the middle of the city, near the Sooner Mall. Dogs are allowed, and it has a free continental breakfast, free Wi-Fi, free newspapers in the lobby, an outdoor pool, and a laundromat. Rooms have microwaves and refrigerators, and many have hot tubs as well. The front desk is open 24 hours, and kids 17 years old and under can stay with their parents for free.
Hilton Garden Inn is near downtown Norman and the University of Oklahoma. It has free WiFi, a beautiful outdoor pool, a bar and a restaurant, 24-hour fitness facilities, a 24-hour business center, and free newspapers. Beds in some rooms have an adjustable firmness dial for maximum comfort. You can also choose a room with a fashionable living area. Country Inn & Suites by Carlson has an indoor pool, a free hot breakfast buffet, free Wi-Fi, dry cleaning and laundry service, a fitness center, and even a library. Pets are welcome, and kids under 14 can stay free.
2 Star Average Prices: $112.45
The Best Discounts in Norman, Oklahoma
You can maximize your savings by taking advantage of all the discounts available. The Hampton Inn near Sooner Mall and Firehouse Art Center offers up to a 15 percent discount for booking your trip early. AAA members, AARP members, and seniors get up to 10 percent off. Active members of the military and government employees can save up to 25 percent. All the rooms have refrigerators, free WiFi, desks, and coffee makers. You can also ask for an infant crib. The indoor pool has beautiful skylights, and there's a fitness center and a free breakfast buffet.
At Courtyard by Marriott near the University of Oklahoma, anyone older than 61 gets at least 15 percent off. AAA members, government and military members, and some corporate employees can also get up to 10 percent off. The attractive, modern rooms have MP3 docking stations, flat-screen TVs with cable, free Wi-Fi, coffee makers, irons, and ironing boards. Breakfast is available for a fee, and the front desk is open 24 hours, along with the fitness facilities and business center. There's also a restaurant, an indoor pool with a whirlpool, a courtyard with a fire pit, and a library.
The Best Value Options in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman has a wide selection of mid-range hotels that offer great value for your money. At Sooner Legends Inn & Suites, you can enjoy luxury features without a high price. This hotel is less than two miles from the University of Oklahoma, and each room features stories and pictures of legendary University of Oklahoma Sooners players. This hotel has over 2000 pieces of sports memorabilia, so it's perfect for fans.
Rooms have pillow-top mattresses, down comforters and pillows, and 42-inch cable TVs. You can enjoy a free hot breakfast buffet, an outdoor pool, a fitness center, a pool table, a DVD library, free popcorn and free homemade cookies, and free Wi-Fi. Pets are allowed, and the bar and restaurant has several TVs for watching Sooners games.
The Norman Hotel is also near the University of Oklahoma. The owners renovated it in 2013, so all the rooms look like new. They have free WiFi, cable, and desks. The indoor pool is huge, and there's a spa tub, a fitness center, and a 24-hour business center. Newspapers in the lobby are free, as is a full breakfast. Room service is available, you can check out the hotel restaurant and bar, or you can get a snack at the gift shop. This hotel is a great choice for conferences or weddings, with two ballrooms and an executive boardroom.
Fun Things to Do in Norman, Oklahoma
No matter which hotel you choose, you'll always be close to fun, interesting activities in Norman. The Riverwind Casino is just off I-35 in Norman, but its colorful neon lights make it look like it belongs in Las Vegas. The Chickasaw Nation runs this entertaining venue, and it has over 2,700 electronic games, slots, MegaKeno, and table games with minimums from $2 to $500. Valet parking is free, and famous artists perform often at the Showplace Theatre. To satisfy all your cravings, the casino has a gift shop, a food court, a bar, a buffet, and a Starbucks.
The nonprofit Firehouse Art Center offers classes and exhibits on sculpture, ceramics, painting and drawing, jewelry, stone carving, glass, and more. The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art has over 17,000 pieces, including work from Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Georgia O'Keeffe. You can explore French impressionist painting, modern art, Native American art, Asian art, sculpture, and photography. Admission is free, so you can spend as much time there as you want. This museum has so much art that it would be hard to see it all.
The National Weather Center has over 550 scientists, climatologists, meteorologists, staff, and students from the University of Oklahoma, state agencies, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They all work together to study and predict the Earth's weather. You can schedule a tour to see the Storm Prediction Center, the NWS Norman Weather Forecast Office, the McCasland Family Observation Deck, the School of Meteorology, and the National Severe Storm Laboratory. This educational tour is great for kids or adults, and you can eat at the Flying Cow Café after you finish.
Norman offers something for everyone, including entertainment, outdoor adventures, educational experiences, and romantic getaways. With the right hotel for your budget, you can have an amazing time in this welcoming town.
'Not only did the angry villagers hound their monsters to the edge of town, they reproached her for being vulnerable to the torches.,
These are the words of famed poet and playwright Susan Stryker when she considered her characters and home state on the audacity of being true to themselves. This bold honest and beautiful landscape is part of what makes up the spirit of the town of Norman Oklahoma. Though it is the third largest city in the state it has some of the most charming rustic Norman hotels that are made to reflect the spirit of the state and the sense of bold independence that is in its way splendid on its own.
Norman on The Cheap
Anyone looking for cheap hotels in this town doesn't have to look too far. One of them is the Super 8 Norman a place that is outfitted with all the requisite creature comforts and located right on the main interstate near the University of Oklahoma and the Goldsby Gaming Center. This hotel features basic rooms that are stock with several amenities such as microwaves, TVs, coffeemakers, and mini-fridges.Another example of budget Norman hotels is the Norman Travelodge a place that is stripped down basic while completely outfitted with amazing amenities like free Wi-Fi, kitchenettes, flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and pull-out sofas. These places are two of your best options if you are on the lookout for cheap hotels.Â
Luxury Oklahoma LivingÂ
There is no shortage of luxury hotels in Norman for weary travelers with an abundance of tastes and one of them is the respected and sought after Sooner Legends. This hotel stands out amongst other luxury Norman hotels as it has a very exciting feel and a large number of amenities to go with your stay. Some of what the Sooner Legends offers includes a bar and lounge, over 100 rooms on site, a business center that is open 24 hours and air condition in the rooms for guests. Another example of the fine luxury hotels in Norman includes Coffee & Tea, a free shuttle to the nearby casinos a computer station in the lobby, a 24-hour fitness center for fitness buffs, a fireplace in the lobby and, of course, an outdoor pool.
History of The Great Expanse
If you happen to be visiting Norman then you will have plenty to do outside of Noman Hotels. One of the must-see destinations is the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. This museum exhibits some prime example of both contemporary and ancestral wildlife as well as a full range of Native American artifacts and display that speak to the indigenous peoples influence on the city, state, and nation. Another destination is the Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. If you come to the town during college football season expect to join in on the fun as the people of Norm as well as all of Oklahoma flocks to the town to enjoy the spectacle.
FAQs about hotels in Norman